As I approach my thirties I find myself pausing (not unlike my chocolate lab) to stare down the Black Skimmers and gulls on our morning tromps down the beach. Though I suspect we're doing it for different reasons.

Birdwatching is restorative to me. It forces you to really listen, squint, and be quiet. And when you spot a rare flocked friend or remember the name of a bird for the first time, it feels a little like magic.

One of the best parts about living on the Gulf Coast is the vibrant and constantly-changing environment. Salt marshes, urban forests, parks next to strip malls. We've got it all, baby. So start taking in all the creatures that call it home:

Get started

Join the St. Petersburg Audubon Society and Tampa Audubon Society for a wealth of field trips to spots like Egmot Key + Sawgrass Lake, sessions on backyard birding, and more. Plus, a bunch of their offerings are free.
Set off from the St. Pete Pier with the folks from Tampa Bay Watch on a 90-minute wildlife boat tour of Tampa Bay. Your friendly tour guide will point out all kinds of birds, plus fish and other wildlife too. It's kind of like a safari, but TBAY style.
Download a free birding app, so you can get started birding on those morning dog poop walks. We recommend Merlin Bird ID or eBird.

Could you name all of these birds? | Photo by TBAYtoday

Bird watch from these perfect perches:

Fort De Soto Park : How lucky are we to live near one of the most popular birding spots in the US, with 330 species+ of birds?
Lettuce Lake Park : Bring that camera to snap pics of herons, egrets, limpkins, ospreys, woodpeckers, vireos, and too many other species to mention.
John S. Taylor Park : Head to the little park to look for rarities have like the Solitary Sandpiper, Least Flycatcher, Cliff Swallow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, Ruddy Duck, and Canvasback.
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve : Wander the home of the annual Raptor Fest's hardwood hammocks, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, willow marsh, swamp woodlands, and lake shore looking for flighty friends.

They hide, you seek: