Canoe Escape to see Tampa Wildlife
Canoeing Hillsborough River to Watch Florida's Birds, and 'Gators!
Take a Canoe Escape on the Hillsborough River which runs into Tampa Bay to see up-close views of alligators, spoonbills, woodpeckers, hawks and other Florida wildlife.
Taking a Canoe Escape on the Hillsborough River near Tampa lets visitors see up-close views of alligators, spoonbills, woodpeckers, hawks and other Florida wildlife. For many it's the highlight of any Florida vacation, beating even the theme parks.
"'This is better than the Everglades," is guide Brian Faulk's view of the wildlife that visitors can see on a canoe ride down the Hillsborough River. "The Hillsborough River ends up in Tampa Bay at the Convention Center," Brian explains. "When we set up in business people said, "Canoeing on the Hillsborough River? Are you crazy?" because in downtown Tampa the river is where they dump the bodies!"
The river runs 54 miles from Green Swamp into Tampa Bay, and Brian's company Canoe Escape offers a choice of guided or non-guided canoe rides along various stretches of it. They range from about 4 miles up to 15 miles. Today it's a short trip of 4.5 miles from Sargeant Park through cypress swamp to Morris Bridge Park, one of Brian's most popular rides. Canoe Escape has a discount scheme for its regular customers, as people never get tired of gliding down the river. The wildlife is different every time.
"We do have water snakes but most are non-poisonous. We get water moccasins but we won't see any today. It's the wrong time of year for them and too cold for them to be out anyway. Probably too cold for the 'gators too. But we should see lots of bird life. The limpkin is one of the top three birds to see here. The jungle sounds in Tarzan movies are recordings of limpkins. The other top birds to look for are wood storks and roseate spoonbills. Also look for the pileated woodpecker, which is the bird Woody Woodpecker's based on."
BEST TIME FOR WILDLIFE
"The best time for wildlife is March-May," Brian says, "but each season is uniquely different. A change in water level changes the whole look of the place. When water levels are low, all the wildlife has to come to the river to drink. All the little ponds off the river dry up. July-August is a little hot. October sees the 'gators re-emerge and the migrants arrive. Most people come to see the 'gators. This is an experience you couldn't get in a theme park."
On this cool day in February there are only a few 'gators, as Brian predicted. And within a few yards of setting off there are white ibis grazing in pennywort, a blue heron, a Louisiana heron and an American egret. Round a bend is a spectacular sight, which excites even Brian who has been sailing this river for many years now. There are about 20 roseate spoonbills all sitting together on the branches of a fallen tree at water's edge. "Wow," says Brian, "I've never seen so many spoonbills in the same place in all my time on the river!"
The canoe glides quietly on through the water, and the birds go about their business of feeding mostly undisturbed by this silent and peaceful creature passing slowly through their territory. Anhingas, snowy egrets, a spoonbill feeding by using its spoon of a beak to sift through the water. A red-shouldered hawk, a limpkin, a downy woodpecker.
Brian's love of the wildlife and of the river shines through in his boyish enthusiasm, even for birds he's seen a thousand times. He talks of the time he spends here alone, cleaning up the river. He even provides trashcans at his own expense in popular spots. "Then someone stole the trashcan, and I had to chain it down!"
"Tampa's very blessed," he says, "to have this resource right here. If I've done nothing else in my life, I've helped clean up this river."
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For further details visit www.canoeescape.com
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Read about Boggy Creek Airboat Rides here.
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