Hit the road - for the birds

Among birders, the auto drive at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Florida's Sanibel Island often ranks high on their wish lists. The four-mile route puts birders close to Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, Reddish Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Anhingas, American White Pelicans, Red Knots, Marbled Godwits and Bald Eagles as well as otters, bobcats and alligators. No wonder it's well-known!

Marbled Godwit courtesy of Scott Streit

The national wildlife refuge system includes many more sites with auto routes, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service wants everyone to enjoy them. What's even better is that if you buy a Duck Stamp for $15, you can enter refuges without paying entrance fees.

Consider a drive at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, Del.; Seney National Wildlife Refuge near Seney, Mich.; Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge near Kenmare, N.D.; and Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Ridgefield, Wash.


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