Just off Florida’s southwest Gulf coast is Sanibel Island, a pocket-size barrier island (12 miles long and 4 miles wide), home to one of the top birding spots in the US, the J. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge.  Named after the political cartoonist, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling (who had a home on the island and was passionate about conservation), this 5,200 acre refuge, established in 1976, is home to a variety of wildlife including over 300 species of birds, 50 species of reptiles, insects and diverse mammals. From mid-October through April, the refuge is home to thousands of migratory birds that spend the winter feeding, nesting, swimming, wading and diving on the mudflats and amongst the mangroves.

Anxious to  photograph the birds when they are at their most active, we spend several early mornings driving along Wildlife Drive, stopping at viewing platforms or by the side of the road as we spy the birds. Setting up our cameras we are instantly enveloped in a cloud of nasty little insects known as “no-see-ums” which feast on us until a healthy dose of insect repellant makes us less palatable. This is the price to be paid for being out early. As the day warms up the insects disappear.

Every morning brings new discoveries as we creep along the road at 5 miles per hour, watching to see where other visitors or rangers might have stopped, a sure sign of something interesting happening. An anhinga (also known as a snakebird) sits perched on a tree branch drying out its feathers. It  strange to see a bird with webbed feet sitting on a branch. A pair of reddish egrets dance, jump, run across the water chasing breakfast. As they spot a crab or crustacean, their head hurtles into the water, spearing a tasty morsel.

In the shadows of the mangrove, a little blue egret tiptoes through the water, cocking its head, seemingly listening patiently, waiting for a fish to come its way before striking. Its plumage is iridescent in the early morning light. Meanwhile up in the trees, red cardinals fly from branch to branch chasing insects.

As we hike amongst the small inlets, orange dragonflies flit from plant to plant and an alligator lurks just beneath the surface of the water, with only its eyes and snout visible. Visit the refuge early in the morning, at sunset or at low tide for your best chance of seeing wildlife.

You can drive, bike or hike the one way five-mile Wildlife Drive, built on a series of dikes with viewing platforms spread throughout. There are also some hiking trails off the Drive including the two mile Indigo Trail that starts near the Visitors Center and the half mile Shell Mound Trail that starts near the end of the drive and loops through the mangrove trees.

IF YOU GO The J.”Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge can be reached by driving west from the causeway on Periwinkle Way and then slightly right on Palm Ridge Road. The entrance is on the right. The Wildlife Drive is open from sunrise to sunset every day except Fridays. There is an entrance fee. (1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel; Tel 239, 472-1100)

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