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Bird and Wildlife Watching
Freshwater and Uplands Habitats
Space Coast Central
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Bird and
wildlife watching opportunities associated
with the St. Johns River, it's tributaries
and Upland Woods Habitats along Florida's
Space Coast. |
 This
Symbol indicates that the site is a
designated site of the
Great Florida Birding Trail. |
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Jump Menu
Mainland |||
Merritt Island
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F. Burton Smith Regional Park
7575 King Street (Hwy 520), Cocoa
FROM I-95 go 3 miles west on SR-520,
turn left into the park.
Open after 7:00 a.m. until dark, except
for scheduled use.
This expansive 1,080-acre scenic park
features two lakes, tributaries, and
rustic or primitive camping. No
motorized boats allowed.
A rustic tent camping site and woodland
nature trail are on the south side of
the lake. Another trail with botanical
markers is located near the large
pavilion.
Wildlife in the park includes migratory
songbirds, ducks, wading birds hawk,
osprey, alligator, armadillo, feral hog,
raccoon, snake, turtle, whitetail deer.
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Restrooms,
Pavilions, Playground.
GPS N 28 21.968 W 80 51.475
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James
G. Bourbeau Memorial Park
8195 King St (Hwy 520), Cocoa
FROM the I-95 Exit-201, go west 5 miles on
SR-520. The park is located along the St.
Johns River next to Lone Cabbage Fish Camp.
Listed in State of Florida Great Florida
Birding Trail-Green and Great Blue Heron,
Wood Stork, Migratory Duck, Shorebirds such
as Black-necked Stilt; occasionally Limpkin,
Crested Caracara, Snail Kite. Also, Raccoon,
Alligator
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Restrooms, Boat
Ramp, Dock, Pavilion.
GPS N 28 22.050 W 80 52.232
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Leroy Wright Recreation Area
8190 King Street (Hwy 520), Cocoa
FROM I-95 take the SR-520 Exit-201 west 4.9
miles. The park is on the right.
Situated along the flood plain of the St.
Johns River at the north side of James G.
Bourbeau Memorial Park, this 32.65-acre
recreation area features a paved ramp and
paved parking for 21 cars and 31 boat
trailers. Picnic tables, 2 grills and
benches offer added convenience.
GPS N 28 22.290 W 80 52.273
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Moss
Park
12901 Moss Park RD , Orlando 32832
From I-95 take SR 528 26 miles to Florida
417 south, then stay on 417 for about 2
miles to Moss Park Road (Exit 23). Turn Left
on Moss Park Road. Go one mile and take the
second right to stay on Moss Park Road. Go
0.7 miles and turn right to stay on Moss
Park Road. The entrance will be about two
miles ahead on the left.
Located between two lakes, this large 1500
acre park offers many recreational
opportunities and bird watching locations.
Over 100 species of birds have been sighted
there including sandhill crane, wild turkey,
wood stork, and migratory songbirds along
with deer and many other species.
Park Brochure
GPS N 28 22.877 W 81 11.375
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Split Oak Forest
Access by the "Swamp Trail" (0.6 miles) from
Moss Park (above)
Split Oak Forest at 1800 acres has over 8
miles of hiking trails. The trails are
divided into 3 loops: the 1 mile Lake Loop
(blazed blue), the 3.2 mile North Loop
(blazed green) and the 4.5 mile South Loop
(blazed yellow). Also, there are two small
spur trails: the Lake Hart Spur and the
Bonnet Pond Spur. Each are accessible from
the Lake Loop.
Out in the Boonies website
Trails Map
GPS N 28 21.903 W 81 11.812
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Community Park of Rockledge
From SR 520, go 4 miles south on US Hwy
1, turn right on Gus Hipp Blvd and go 0.4
miles. The park entrance is on the right.
This 74-acre community park includes
active and passive recreation areas.
Visitors can walk or cycle from Murrell Road
into the park through scrublands along a
paved walkway that features a wetland
overlook. Park amenities include a
playground, pavilion, grills, a grassy
activity area, soccer/multiuse fields,
skateboard park, and a restroom/concession
building. A 30-acre preserve is included in
this park
GPS N 28 18.262 W 80 42.906
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Cruickshank Sanctuary (Click tab
for Cruickshank in new window)
360 Barnes Blvd, Rockledge
From US-1, turn west onto Barnes Blvd and
travel 0.5 miles. The Sanctuary entrance is
on the north side of the road. Bike rack
provided.
Visitors to the Cruickshank Sanctuary can
hike the 1 mile trail on the western portion
of the 140-acre sanctuary. This trail winds
through pine flatwoods habitat where raptors
may be circling overhead or perched in high
pine trees. Patches of oak, sand pine scrub,
and freshwater depression marshes add to the
Sanctuary's diversity. Wildlife on site
includes migratory birds, Florida Scrub-jay,
bobwhite quail, raptors, gopher tortoise,
Eastern indigo snake, bobcat, and more.
Cruickshank Sanctuary Brochure and Map
GPS N 28 17.629 W 80 42.439
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Rich
Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera
10001 Wickham Road • Melbourne, FL 32940
The Rich Grissom Memorial Wetlands are
located approximately two miles west of the
traffic circle at the intersection of
Wickham Road and Lake Andrew Drive. Visitors
traveling on I-95 should take Exit 191
heading west approximately 2.5 miles.
The wetlands are an integral component of
Brevard County's water reuse system and are
a popular site for birders, photographers,
and eco-tourists. The wetlands consist of
200 acres divided into four cells of
approximately 35 acres each, plus a central
lake. The cells were designed to maintain
differing depths of water, reflecting
diverse wetland conditions. The entire
wetland system is accessable by automobile,
making the site popular among those who find
the rigors of hiking trails and summer
temperatures daunting. Even better, viewing
the site from one's automobile serves to
screen visitors from birds and widlife,
enhancing the experience. Approximately
60,000 visitors per year pass through the
main entrance to the wetland system, drawn
by the site's breathtaking views and
stunning abundance of wildlife.
GPS N 28 13.763 W 80 45.304
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Lake
Washington Park
6000 Lake Washington Road, Melbourne
FROM I-95 take the SR-518/Eau Gallie Blvd
Exit 183 east 0.4 miles. Turn left on John
Rhodes and go 0.8 miles. Turn left on Aurora
Blvd and stay straight 1.3 miles. Turn left
on Lake Washington Road and go 1.5 miles to
the end of the road.
FROM US Hwy 1 go west 5.6 miles to the end
of Lake Washington Road.
Boat ramps open 24 hours a day.
This shaded 25.96-acre community river park
is along the shore of Lake Washington which
accesses the St. Johns River.
Sightings here include waders, eagle, purple
gallinule, marsh and sedge wrens, limpkin,
snail kite, sparrow; bobolink (during
migration), and others.
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Restrooms,
Pavilions.
GPS N 28 08.852 W 80 44.041
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River Lakes Conservation Area
River lakes Conservation Area is part of
the
Upper St. John's River Marsh Wildlife
Management Area, and
encompasses 36,156 acres of the St johns
River Watershed from State Road 520 west of
Cocoa to State Road 192 west of Melbourne,
and includes lakes Poinsett, Winder and
Washington. The primary access is by boat
from
James G. Bourbeau Memorial Park,
Leroy Wright Recreation Area, and
Lake Washington Parks
listed above.
However, from the trailhead of the
Mocassin Island Trail, at the Western
end of Wickham Road in Melbourne, birders
have a choice of hiking to the North or to
the South. The north section is about 2.5
miles and ultimately ends at an observation
point near Lake Winder. The South section
will take you 2.6 miles south and west to
the Oak Hammock Loop, which is itself
about 2 miles, near the St John's River.
Among the wildlife species seen here are
wood storks, bald eagles, and many other
species associated with the vast wetlands.
Portions of this trail system may be
seasonally flooded.
Mocassin Island Trails Map
Property Map
GPS N 28 13.797 W 80 48.644
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Wickham
Park
2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne
321-255-4307
Wickam Park is a popular 391 acre park
with semi-improved camping, about four miles
of narrow trails that meander through oak
hammocks, scrub, pine flatwoods, and along
marshy streams for both equestrian and
hiking use, a paved walking trail, two
unguarded swimming ponds, and several more
small ponds, equestrian facilities, and a
dog park. Some of the species sighted here
include Brownheaded Nuthatch, Bobwhite,
Painted Bunting, Chuck-will’s-widow, Raptor,
Killdeer, Migratory Songbirds.
Campground Website
Site Map
GPS N 28 09.471 W 80 39.802
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Erna Nixon Park
1200 Evans Road, Melbourne
Location
FROM US-192 by the Melbourne Square Mall, go
north on Evans Road 0.9 miles. The entrance
is on the left just before Nasa Blvd.
Erna Nixon
Park is a 53.93-acre natural Florida hammock
and nature preserve located just south of
Nasa Boulevard southwest of the Melbourne
Airport. Although surrounded by a commercial
district, it is home to many birds and small
animals, including the protected gopher
tortoise and Indigo snake. A popular site
for nature walks and outdoor festivals
including the annual Crackerfest, it
features an elevated boardwalk winding
through three different ecosystems where
native plant species and small animals can
be viewed.
Habitats
Florida Hammock, Pine Flatwoods, Wetland
Watchable Wildlife Gopher
Tortoise, Indigo Snake; Listed in State of
Florida Great Florida Birding Trail—Summer
Tanager, Eastern Towhee, and mixed Warbler
flocks in migration
ADA Accessible Parking,
Restrooms, Pavilion, Nature Boardwalk
GPS
N 28 05.441
W 80 39.293
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Lake Lizzie Preserve
6495 Old Melbourne Hwy, St. Cloud,
14 Miles of natural trails, only 6 miles are
marked. Trails pass by Lake Lizzie and Trout
Lake. Trailheads are located off of Bass
Road for the North Loop and off of Old
Melbourne Highway for the WP Tyson Trail
Head that leads to the Marsh Loop and the
Lake Lizzie Loop.
GPS N 28 13.662 W 81 10.703
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Rotary
Park-Merritt Island
1899 S Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island
Parks Referendum Project
FROM SR-520 go south 2.4 miles on S
Courtenay Parkway. The park entrance is on
the right.
FROM the Pineda Causeway (SR-404), go north
on South Tropical Trail/Courtenay Parkway
8.9 miles. The park is on the left.
This 37.77-acre community park includes an
interpretive nature boardwalk and a 1,500
sq. ft.Nature Center that resembles a
Florida Cracker style schoolhouse and offers
exhibits, tours and classes that focus on
the Florida woods habitat. The Nature Center
is the result of the volunteer efforts of
the Merritt Island Rotary Club.To schedule a
tour or arrange a visit to the Nature
Center, call 321-455-1385.
Habitats found on the site include Florida
Hammock, Xeric Scrub and some Wetlands which
attract
hawk, osprey, migratory birds, songbirds,
Yellow-Throated Warbler, Flicker,
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Gopher Tortoise,
Snakes, Armadillo, Raccoon, Opossum,
Squirrel
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Nature Center,
Nature Boardwalk.
Open after 7:00 a.m. until dark, except for
scheduled use.
GPS N 28 19.583 W 80 41.114
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