Snail Kite and Limpkin. 5/12/2025

I took a quick birding side trip to Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho for short) in Kissimmee and then to Lake Apopka while visiting family in Flagler, FL. I ended up with seven life birds but dipped on the Florida Scrub Jay due to the lack of time and my focus on family. As it should be! I ended up at Lake Toho because ebird research indicated that the Lake had a small population of Snail Kite, which I had always wanted to see, as well as numerous Limpkin. I had never seen either and lucked out by seeing five of the Snail Kite and many more Limpkin. Both species of birds prey on Apple Snails which are found in the shallower, marshy areas at the edges of the lake. Unfortunately, the native Florida Apple Snails are being displaced by larger, invasive Island Apple Snails which are larger and harder to eat. Snail Kites have a very large and curved beak that has evolved to reach in to the snail, and Limpkin have a long beak like an Ibis for probing.

Male Snail Kite

Limpkin

I have been trying to catch up to the infrequent sightings in MA of a Yellow-throated Warbler, but always seem to just miss the bird. While visiting family in Flagler, I tried for this particular Warbler at Waterfront Park in Flagler and heard it singing right in the parking lot- my lucky day! What a beautiful and vibrant little bird.

Yellow-throated Warbler

All-in-all, I had Snail Kite, Limpkin, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Gray-headed Swamp Hen, Yellow-throated Warbler, Carolina Chickadee, and Chuck-wills-widow to add to my life bird list.