Photo Fiona Sunquist ©
St George Island State Park. Tel: (850) 927-2111
Just off shore from Apalachicola, St George Island is a long narrow barrier island joined to the mainland by a causeway. This 795-hectare (1962 acre) park is at the eastern end of the island and it has 14 km (9 miles) of undeveloped and unspoiled beaches.
This park is mainly for birders, especially just after a winter cold front has passed through. Northern Gannets, wading birds, and sea ducks, including Common Goldeneyes, are often seen from shore in winter. Birders also like the area for wintering waterfowl and St George is well known as a good place to see song birds, hawks and falcons during spring and fall migration.
Ospreys nest in the parks tall pine trees, and snowy plover, least tern, black skimmer, and willet nest along the park's sandy beaches and grass flats. Other fairly commonly seen wildlife includes raccoons, salt-marsh snakes, and diamondback terrapin in the salt marshes. Loggerhead turtles nest on the beach in summer.
The island was badly hit by the recent hurricanes, and the visitor center and many of the wooden walkways were destroyed. The structures have since been replaced but the dunes have been slow to recover.
More information on their web site
St George Island State Park web site
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