Tigertail Beach/Marco Island
DIRECTIONS:
Exit I 75 South at route 951 (Marco Island/Naples), get in lane marked “Marco Island” Proceed about 14 miles, after arriving on Marco Island, proceed on N. Collier Blvd
Turn Right on Tigertail Ct (small blue sign indicates turn)
Turn Left on Hernando Dr (small blue sign indicates turn), proceed to Tigertail Beach (Collier County Park) at end of road (Google Map).
Park opens at 0800, meet in parking lot at 0815.
Highly recommend printing copies of maps on Caloosa Bird Club web site and bring with you!!!
PARKING FEE:
There is a parking fee of $8 per car. No Rvs!!! Often the entrance booth is not attended and you must pay using the automated machine. It accepts $1 & $5 bills but NEVER gives change. It also accepts some credit cards.
Keep parking receipt, it can be used later in day at any Collier County Beach for that day only.
Highly recommend carpooling to spread costs of gas and parking fee.
There is a new scheme for parking, you can park for 2 hrs for $3. See sign adjacent to parking machine for instructions
EXPECTED TIDES AT BEACH:
Low tide is forecast at Caxambas Pass at about 1015 EST and corresponding high tide at about 1652 EST (452 PM). The forecast tidal range is about 3 feet total, therefore we should expect a falling tide. At this writing (27 Dec 2013) it is too soon to reliably predict wind effect on tide level. I’ll offer comments at 5 Jan 2014 meeting. We can scout actual water level at time park opens and do Mackle Park first if appropriate.
BURROWING OWLS:
We should expect to leave Beach at about 1000 to view burrowing owls. This involves caravaning through neighborhoods with very narrow streets and little opportunity to allow stragglers to catch up. This is why bringing directions and maps become important!!! Following looking for Burrowing owls we will stop at Frank E Mackle, Jr. Community Park..
Directions for the owl sites and for Mackle Park (Google Map) will be available on website so please print them and bring with you. We will do lunch, generate a birding summary, and vote for favorite bird at Mackle Park. There are only a few picnic tables, and they cannot be moved together. I suggest we bring folding chairs and camping tables to augment what there is available.
In past years some of our participants have waded through water and birded on the beach side of the lagoon. Those who desire to go to the beach side need to select a leader, I will lead those who choose to bird on the “mainland” side of the lagoon. If the mainland side folks finish earlier than those who bird on the beach side, we will proceed to the burrowing owl sites and rendezvous with the beach side group at Mackle Park. It is best to break up the group anyway since the roads are narrow and parking/viewing for the burrowing owls is very limited.
- This year’s route for burrowing owls and to Mackle Park will be as follows:
- leave beach parking lot on Hernando, the 1st owl site is on right at intersection of Hernando and Kendall (none sighted on 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Hernando, turn right on Tigertail Ct, proceed turn 1st left on Cresent, owl site is on left at intersection with Cameo Ct (none sighted on 12-19-2013);
- return to Tigertail Ct and turn left, turn right on Century, turn left on Kendall site at intersection (none sighted 12-19-2013), and turn right on N Collier Blvd, proceed and turn left on San Marcos, turn right on Lamplighter. Owl site corner of Lamplighter and Coronado (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed to end Coronado site at round about (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed to Lamplighter, turn right proceed to Dill Ct (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Lamplighter to Dana Ct (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Lamplighter to Cara Ct (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Lamplighter to Bond Ct (1 sighted 12-19-2013);
- U-turn and proceed Lamplighter Dr and turn right on San Marcos, turn right on S Heathwood Dr, turn left Andalusia Terr, pass entrance to Mackle Park, turn right Leland Way, owl site corner Leland and Balfour (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Leland, turn right on Yarmouth St, site at intersection (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed on Yarmouth, turn right Honeysuckle Ave, owl site corner Honeysuckle and Regatta St (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed Honeysuckle turn left Worthington St, turn left on Galleon Ave, owl site at intersection (none sighted 12-19-2013);
- proceed Galleon site middle of block (none sited 12-19-2013) turn left Sand Hill St, turn left Leland Way, turn left on Andalusia Terr and turn into parking lot at Mackle Park. We will bird around lake and have lunch at picnic tables. Recommend supplement with your folding chairs and camping tables.
- In past years the owls have been reasonably tolerant of vehicles and people. This year there was only owls sighted on 12-19-2013 and was readily spooked by both vehicles and people movement. If you are fortunate enough to spot an owl, please take great care not to approach with either vehicle or on foot so others in group get a chance to see it too.
After lunch some may wish to see nearby gopher tortoise sites. Directions are: leave Mackle Park by turning left on Andalusia Terr, turn right S Heathwood Dr, turn right San Marcos, turn right on S Barfield Dr, turn left Hawaii Ct, turn right at end on Granada Dr, several tortoise sites are identified by signs along road.
