3 favorite birding spots in Palm Beach County
Spring is a prime time to see them nesting and migrating.
Celebrate the circle of life without driving two hours to Everglades National Park. Here are three of our favorite Palm Beach County birding spots:
1. Pelican Lake: The 12-acre pond in Juno Beach is surrounded by a meandering sidewalk with benches and a fishing dock that make a relaxing one-mile stroll in the 3,600-resident town.
What you’ll see: Laughing gulls, royal terns, anhingas and sanderlings visit the shallow glistening area known as “the heart of Juno Beach.”
Originally marshland, the property was turned into a lake to attract residents when Juno Beach was incorporated in 1953. Native plant and fish restoration projects are expected to attract even more birds.
Free parking at nearby Kagan Park, Juno Beach Town Hall and both sides of Mercury Road.
340 Ocean Drive. Open sunrise to sunset daily.
2. Wakodahatchee Wetlands: This is the Times Square of wetland preserves, and now it’s like Christmas.
What you’ll see: An overwhelming number and variety of birds. Get up close to nesting wood storks, blue herons and egrets. Plus, purple martins, purple gallinule, yellow-rumped warblers, and a variety of hawks.
The three-quarter-mile boardwalk has benches and is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
Pro tip: This park is a gem, but not a hidden one. The parking lot fills up fast on weekends. We counted 20 cars waiting for a spot at 10:30 am on a recent Saturday. The best time to be there is early or at dusk.
13026 Jog Road. Open from 6 am until 7 pm daily.
3. Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands: Wander the boardwalks of this 100-acre park off Hagen Ranch Road west of Boynton Beach and five minutes from Wakodahatchee.
What you’ll see: Ibis, herons, swallows and ducks are regulars. Some painted buntings visited last week. The vibe is more peaceful than Wakodahatchee’s circus.
Birds move through towering cypress trees, flat pine forests and slow-moving wetlands.
12800 Hagen Ranch Road. Open sunrise to sunset daily.
Nature center is open 9 am to 3 pm Wednesday to Saturday.
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