The J. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, Florida
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…