I have searched through the treads and found no reference to Babcock-Webb area which is off I-75 in Charlotte county FL. I have a couple from England coming in a month and was looking at a few new areas to visit. Has anyone visited the area and is it worth the visit for birding or wildlife?
I have been there a few times with visitors.
When the water level is ok there the 90 min buggy tour is very nice.
I would call in advance before you plan to go there.
Thanks Rene, what was the bird sightings like? The local Audubon lists it as a birding "Hot-Spot" with Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, and a bird list a mile long. But I do not see much written from birders.
I have visited this place twice, last time March 2008, and I like it.
It was better for birding than for photo ops.
Birds form my last trip:
Eastern meadowlark, bald eagles, towhee, northern bobwhite, red-shouldered hawk, red-bellied woodpecker, northern parula, and the following warblers: yellow-rumped, prairie, palm... (looking at the record shots from the trip)
matthew, i might suggest a quick trip out there if it's close to you. things seem to be heating up right now and that place looks like it is in a prime location to hold lots of different birds!!
Well I think I will plan a trip on my own first. There are 2 areas refered to as Babcock-Webb. The one I was refering to is the 1000+ acre wildlife management area east of I75. There is also a small "ranch" west of I75 where eco tours are conducted into the Florida wilderness/swamps with "high water" buses. I have heard good comments about that 1 1/2 hour wildlife tour.
Anyway, I will write a little something summing up the trip to the Wildlife Management Area when that happens.
Babcock Webb WMA is a good place for me. The recreational area that is always open is 17000 acres and lies between I-75 and Route 31. They are 7 miles apart. There is only one way in and out although you may come to gates from time to time they will be locked except during hunting season. During hunting season, the whole 90,000+ acres is open but you still have to enter and exit viat Tucker Grade.
Tucker Grade is the entrance. When you enter, you can turn right down a paved road which lies between I-75 and Lake Webb. It is better than 5 miles long. before you hit the loop and have to turn back. Mornings you will have backlit subjects over the lake but evenings will be a lot better. Expect to find Osprey, Anhinga and Cormorants. There are a number of small boat ramps with covered picnic tables. Where these are close to the opposite shore you can usually find the usual Florida Waders and the odd Limpkin.
The Marl Ponds at the entrance and past the hunting check-in station have moorhens, coots and the occasional grebe. As you cross the drain into Webb Lake, look to your left. If there is enough water in it you will likely find waders and Limpkin.
The Gun range is further up Tucker Grade and you are unlikely to find much arouind there although I have seen diamonbacks on the road occasionally. Past the range there are some decent wetlands on the left side of the road.the paved road ends but the going is still good even for a passenger car.
The first intersection you will find is Oilwell Grade. A right turn puts you on a dirt road that will eventually near Webb Lake. A left turn takes you on a better road for some distance. There is Crooked Lake with two entrances on the right. I generally find smaller waders and the odd gator around the lake. Keep going and you will come to Tram Grade which parallels Tucker. As you travel toward it and turn on to it, keep an eye out for the trees with stripes painted around them. These are trees which are known nesting sites for Red Cockaded Woodpeckers. If you stay straight on Oilwell, the road deteriorates but is passable to Flag Lake which has about a 1 mile walk around it. Good for waterbirds but also good for snakes and gators. Wear good boots. This isn't flipflop country.
If you go up Tram, keep an eye out to the left for a small mound. That hides a little pond which attracts game and birds. If it's wet, the approach to the mound will be muddy. Check out the wildflowers in that area. I like the Meadow Beauties. The mound is a good place to sit and wait.
Further up Tram, you will come to another intersection. That is Seaboard Grade. Turn left and you have pine flatwoods until you come to Powerline Grade which is, as it's name implies, a powerline. Turn right and in a few hundred yards you come to a low marshy area where there is a ford and a curve in the road which runs over a drain. DO NOT take the ford. It is really soft. However, stop off the road by driving toward the ford and you have a great place to stop. Walk arouind the roadway over the drain. Slowly and softly and you will generally find a goodly number of birds. It's a nice place for Green Herons. On the right side is a bit of a pond which often has baby alligators. Note, this means that Momma is in the area so, don't mess with the babies.
The road will be a bit rougher beyond that but still passable so long as you keep an eye out for potholes. There is another Ford/drain and that is followed by a good sized pond on the left side. There are usually several Gators there. It's another good place to stop and walk softly or sit and wait. A few hundred yards beyond that and you meet Tucker Grade again. Turn right to exit. If you turn left you hit a locked gate closing off the hunting area. If you cross Tucker, there is another ford ahead. Depending on your vehicle and water levels, it may be passable. The intersection of Tucker and Seaboard is pretty good for deer.
Hiope that helps.
Last edited by Brian Grant; 03-10-2010 at 12:08 AM.
This was an excellent description of the area. I knew it was large and was hoping for ideas before I went. I could not have asked for more, just what I needed. :D
As an alternative, you might want to try the paths at the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) Alligator Creek facility ( http://www.checflorida.org/ ) which is down Burnt Store Road from Punta Gorda. Babcock-Webb has recently had some controlled burns in some of the recreational area. There was definitely one at the little mound off Tram that I described.
The office at CHEC has a map of trails. My personal favorite is the Three Lakes trail but, the Eagle trail shows a bit more diversity.
BTW, if your friends are british, we play darts at the Punta Gorda Woman's Club on Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 :)
Babcock Webb Wildlife Area?
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