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Self-Guided Nature Tour
The Middle River surrounds almost the entire city, which led to the nickname, Island City. The Middle River is an approximately 7-mile loop originating at the Intracostal Waterway. The eastern edge of the river is just under one mile from the Atlantic Ocean and less than five miles from Port Everglades. The river provides a wealth of entertainment, recreational, environmental, economic, and educational opportunities. Recreation uses include kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddleboard, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. The waterways are home to a vast array of birds, mammals, and aquatic life. The City is certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation and the river surrounding the City has been designated as a Florida Paddling Trail.
Stop 1 -
Hagen Park
Before you begin your self-guided nature walking tour, please stop by the Hagen Park Community Center to pick up a complimentary packet of organic Butterfly Milkweed seeds.
Birds: Cattle egret, European starling, Muscovy duck, Palm warbler , Mitred parakeet , White ibis , Mockingbird, Spotted Oriole, Northern Cardinal, Common grackle, Boat-tailed grackle , Blue jay , mourning dove
Foliage: Coontie, Satin Leaf, Sabal Palm, Dahoon Holly, cypress, Vibernum , Jamaica Caper
Butterflies: Atala, Clouded Sulphur, Swallowtail
Birds:
Throughout the year: Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Blue-Crowned Parakeets, Red-Masked Parakeets, Red-Crowned Parrots, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Cooper's Hawk
Spring (April) and Fall (October): Connecticut Warbler, Swainson's Warbler, Chestnutsided Warbler, Bay-Breasted Warbler, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Hooden Warbler, Worm-Eating Warbler, Ovenbird, Indiho Bunting, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrushes, Northern Waterthrushes, American Redstarts, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Pewees, House Finch, Fish Crow, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Common Yellowthroat, Chimney Swift, Swallow-Tailed kite, Black and white warbler, Cape May Warbler, Black-Throated Blue warbler, Common Ground-Dove, Bobolink, Orange-winged Parrot, Magnificent Frigatebird, Monk Parakeet, House Sparrow, Black whiskered Vireo, Purple Martin, Indigo Bunting, Worm-eating Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Prairie Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Osprey, Turkey Vulture, Swainson's Warbler, American Kestrel, Red-shoulderd Hawk, Summer Tanger,
Winter: Gray Catbird, Painted Bunting, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Palm Warbler, Yellow-Rumed Warbler, Ruby Throated Humming Bird, little blue Heron, Black Volture, White-eyeed Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Louisiana/Northern Waterthrush, Yellow-Throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ring-billed Gull, Royal Tern, Ruby-throated/black-chinned hummingbird, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, American Goldfinch, Great Egret, American Robin, Anhinga, Nanday Parakeet, Brown headed Cowbird, Double-crested Cormorant, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Killdeer, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Short tailed Hawk, Bananaquit, Eastern Phoebe, Western Tanager, Glossy Ibis, Pileated Woodpecker, White-eyed Parakeet, House Wren, Merlin, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-winged blackbird, Red- tailed Hawk, Tricolored Heron, American Coot, Tree Swallow, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Muscovy Duck x Mallard, Snowy Egret, Great Created Flycatcher, Belted Kingfisher, Loggerhead Shrike
Throughout the year: Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Blue-Crowned Parakeets, Red-Masked Parakeets, Red-Crowned Parrots, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Cooper's Hawk
Spring (April) and Fall (October): Connecticut Warbler, Swainson's Warbler, Chestnutsided Warbler, Bay-Breasted Warbler, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Hooden Warbler, Worm-Eating Warbler, Ovenbird, Indiho Bunting, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrushes, Northern Waterthrushes, American Redstarts, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Pewees, House Finch, Fish Crow, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Common Yellowthroat, Chimney Swift, Swallow-Tailed kite, Black and white warbler, Cape May Warbler, Black-Throated Blue warbler, Common Ground-Dove, Bobolink, Orange-winged Parrot, Magnificent Frigatebird, Monk Parakeet, House Sparrow, Black whiskered Vireo, Purple Martin, Indigo Bunting, Worm-eating Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Prairie Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Osprey, Turkey Vulture, Swainson's Warbler, American Kestrel, Red-shoulderd Hawk, Summer Tanger,
Winter: Gray Catbird, Painted Bunting, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Palm Warbler, Yellow-Rumed Warbler, Ruby Throated Humming Bird, little blue Heron, Black Volture, White-eyeed Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Louisiana/Northern Waterthrush, Yellow-Throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ring-billed Gull, Royal Tern, Ruby-throated/black-chinned hummingbird, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, American Goldfinch, Great Egret, American Robin, Anhinga, Nanday Parakeet, Brown headed Cowbird, Double-crested Cormorant, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Killdeer, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Short tailed Hawk, Bananaquit, Eastern Phoebe, Western Tanager, Glossy Ibis, Pileated Woodpecker, White-eyed Parakeet, House Wren, Merlin, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-winged blackbird, Red- tailed Hawk, Tricolored Heron, American Coot, Tree Swallow, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Muscovy Duck x Mallard, Snowy Egret, Great Created Flycatcher, Belted Kingfisher, Loggerhead Shrike
Foliage: Wild Lime, Strangler Fig, Dutchman's Pipe Vine, Corky-Stemmed Passionflower Vine, Gumbo Limbo, Saw Palmetto
Butterflies: Giant Swallowtail, Ruddy Daggerwing, Polydamus Swallowtail, Zebra Longwing (state butterfly), Julia, Gulf Fritillary
Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird
Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird
Stop 3 -Snook Creek Park

Birds:
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Blue-Crowned Parakeets, Red-Masked Parakeets, Red-Crowned Parrots, Downy Woodpeckers, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican
Foliage:
Black Mangroves
Butterflies:
Mangrove Skipper, Sulphur, Monarch
Birds:
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Blue-Crowned Parakeets, Red-Masked Parakeets, Red-Crowned Parrots, Downy Woodpeckers, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Brown PelicanFoliage:
Black Mangroves
Butterflies:
Mangrove Skipper, Sulphur, MonarchStop 4 -
Mickel Park

Birds: Monk Parakeet, Sharp Shinned Hawk, Red bellied woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Kestrel
Foliage: Plumbago, Fakahatchee Grass, Crape Myrtle, Palms, Silver Buttonwood, Dahoon
Butterflies: Monarch, Zebra Longwing, Julia, Gulf Fritillary
Stop 5 - Donn Eisele Park
Birds: American Redstart, Black-Throared Blue Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-Throated Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Northern Parula, Palm Warbler, Yellow Rumped Warbler
Foliage:
Coontie
Butterflies: Atala, Monarch, Sulphur
Butterflies: Atala, Monarch, Sulphur
Stop 6 - Island City Park Preserve

Birds:
Spot-Breasted Orioles, Cooper's Hawk, Eurasian Collared Dove, Double-Crested Cormorant, White Ibis, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Dowyn Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal
Spring (April) and Fall (October):
Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-Headed Vireo, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler
Winter:
Osprey Belted Kingfisher, Palm Warbler, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula, Pine Warbler
Foliage:
Sabal Palm, Mangrove, Gumbo Limbo
Butterflies:
Monarch, Zebra Longwing, Ruddy Daggerwing
Are you an avid birder? Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird.
Birds:
Spot-Breasted Orioles, Cooper's Hawk, Eurasian Collared Dove, Double-Crested Cormorant, White Ibis, Red-Bellied Woodpecker,Spring (April) and Fall (October):
Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-Headed Vireo, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian WarblerWinter:
Osprey Belted Kingfisher, Palm Warbler, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula, Pine WarblerFoliage:
Sabal Palm, Mangrove, Gumbo LimboButterflies:
Monarch, Zebra Longwing, Ruddy DaggerwingAre you an avid birder? Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird.
Stop 7 -

Birds: Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Great Egret (Winter), Ospreys, Turkey, Vultures
Foliage: Coinvine , Water Hyssop, Mangrove
Butterflies: Monarch, Sulphur, White Peacock
Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird.
Are you an avid birder? Click here for eBird.