J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island in Lee County, Florida, is one of the most productive and accessible wildlife refuges in the United States, named for cartoonist and conservationist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling who championed wetland preservation from his position as Director of the U.S. Biological Survey in the 1930s. The refuge protects 6,400 acres of mangrove forest, sea grass beds, freshwater impoundments, and West Indian hardwood hammock at the interface of the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound — an ecologically complex zone where fresh and saltwater merge to create extraordinary biological productivity. Wildlife Drive, the refuge's four-mile one-way route open six days a week (closed Fridays for maintenance), delivers an exceptional wildlife viewing experience accessible by car, bicycle, or on foot. Roseate spoonbills — with their brilliant flamingo-pink plumage — are the refuge's signature birds and visible year-round, often feeding in large groups at low tide. American white pelicans winter here in enormous congregations, double-crested cormorants roost communally, ospreys maintain visible nests along the drive, and great blue herons and great egrets stalk the shallows in extraordinary numbers. American alligators bask on banks throughout the freshwater impoundments. The tram tour operated by the refuge's concessioner provides a narrated guided version of Wildlife Drive with ranger interpretation. The non-motorized sloughs adjacent to the main drive offer excellent kayaking habitat with channels navigable through dense mangrove tunnels. The visitor center provides exhibits explaining the refuge's natural and human history and opens early for birders wishing to arrive before Wildlife Drive's opening.