Nao Trinidad Tall Ship Tours at St. Augustine Municipal Marina111 Avenida Menendez
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Explore Florida’s Wildlife and Go Birding
Our beaches are perfect for relaxing, sunbathing, and swimming. But the shoreline, fragile sand dunes, vibrant salt marshes, and sun-dappled maritime forests are also home to a fascinating variety of species. Here are the top tips and locations for viewing wildlife and birds on Florida’s Historic Coast.
Anastasia Island and Anastasia State Park are favorite locations for birders. Wood storks are a threatened species, but after heavy rain they can often be seen gathered at the retention pond beside Route 312 at the western end of the bridge from Anastasia Island. Bright pink roseate spoonbills like this pond, too. Flocks of vivid green Monk’s parrots can often be seen (and heard) flying along A1A on Anastasia Island. Always in a hurry, they sound as if they are constantly arguing.
Bring your camera when you visit the Wading Bird Rookery at The Alligator Farm & Zoological Park. From March through June, you’ll see native herons, egrets, spoonbills and wood storks as they nest in the oaks overlooking the alligator lagoon where their young are safe from tree-climbing predators.
For excellent bird watching head to Fort Matanzas National Monument on A1A at the south end of Anastasia Island. Admission is free and you can follow the trail south along the water. Bird life is plentiful in the trees. Be sure to look for owls’ nests. At the shoreline, wading birds silently stalk their prey, and dolphins and manatees frequently swim by. There is a seasonal free ferry to take visitors to the old Spanish fort on Rattlesnake Island – another great opportunity for wildlife viewing.
The GTM Research Reserve protects 74,000 acres of conservation lands and waters. So it’s no surprise that this area attracts wildlife and a variety of birds as well as those who love to view them. One of the highlights of the area is a bald eagle’s nest, which is visible from the telescope at Visitor Center. Further north on A1A, birders frequent Bird Island Park to enjoy the serene beauty and stillness of its water features and hammocks that attract birds of all species.
Exceptional birdwatching awaits in Ponte Vedra. Various bird species can be spotted along the coastline, within the marshlands, and across the vast stretches of waterways in the area.
Sea turtle nests marked with brightly-colored tape and wooden stakes are a common sight along our beaches. Each nest contains approximately 100 eggs and they are marked to protect them from passing vehicles and curious people. If you are lucky enough to see a nest hatching or a tardy sea turtle returning to the sea, please do not disturb them! Any distraction from their instinct-driven rush to the water could prove fatal for these amazing creatures. Sea turtles next from May through October.
Have you noticed holes in the soft sand – some as large as two inches in diameter? These are ghost crab burrows, and they’re called “ghosts” because their camouflage makes them nearly impossible to detect. In the pools left behind when the tide goes out, blue crabs, juvenile fish, and ray-like skates can often be seen waiting for the tide to return so they can escape to the sea.
Take a boat tour or kayak tour to spot dolphins and manatees in the water. Dolphins will sometimes come close to the beach – just beyond the breakers where their fins and upper backs can be seen rising and falling in the waves. The Bridge of Lions, the seawall lining downtown St. Augustine, and the inlet at Vilano Beach are all good spots to watch for dolphins and manatees.
The endangered Anastasia beach mouse only comes out at night to forage for food. At dawn, you might see the fragile tracings of their paws and long tails in the dunes.
Large “turtles” you see on the landward side of the dunes are actually gopher tortoises. Never put them in the ocean – they can’t swim!
Nao Trinidad Tall Ship Tours at St. Augustine Municipal Marina111 Avenida Menendez
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Butterfield Garage Art Gallery Featured Artist: Richlin Burnett-Ryan "Exuberance"137 King St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
P.A.St.A. April Feature Artist, Tracy Lavely214 Charlotte St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Tom Nagata - Flora and Fauna, East to West at First Coast Cultural Center6000B Sawgrass Village Circle
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Spring Members Show at St. Augustine Art Association22 Marine Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
13th Annual St. Johns All-County Middle School Art Show at St. Augustine Art Association22 Marine Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Fair Winds to Elysium: William Bartram's Travels in East Florida, 1774-2024500 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, FL 32084
The Hague School: The Second Golden Age of Dutch Painting at Lightner Museum75 King St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
First Date at Limelight Theatre11 Old Mission Ave.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
8th Annual St. Augustine Plein Air Paint Out22 Marine St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Florida's Birding & Photo Fest5205 A1A South
St. Augustine, FL 32080
23rd Annual Murray Brothers Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament500 S. Legacy Trail
St. Augustine, FL 32092
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Camp near pristine beaches, under maritime hammocks and alongside natural springs in St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra.
Family Fun
Planning a family vacation in Florida? Try St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach!
Sightseeing & Tours
Get in some serious sightseeing experiences with everything from tastings to ghost tours.
Annual Events
Florida’s Historic Coast has an annual calendar chock full of events that appeal to a wide variety of interests.