I hope you can help!!
:]Emie <3

one week
hehe yeah but vacation homes cant be that expensive for a week. . .

Bird watching has quickly become one of the most popular hobbies in the World. What at one time was just a backyard interest has now grown into extensive bird watching vacations. When looking for a bird watching vacation, you can choose from one as simple as a weekend getaway or you can elect to go on one as long as a 14-day extravaganza full of rare and interesting birds to watch.

There are more than 1000 different species of birds in the United States alone, all of which are unique in their own way. Each species of bird has their own call pattern, sound, shape, and even a different beak. As a bird watcher, you may only have about a half a second to identify a bird by seeing how it moves through the trees, or by the shape of its wings. For the amateur bird watcher, it can be frustrating out there alone, not knowing what to look for, or what type of bird you have found. That is why a bird watching vacation can be quite an adventure for you, as well as a time for you to learn a hobby that you may soon fall in love with. Usually bird watching vacations are guided tours with a large group of people who enjoy helping others discover the love of bird watching.

Where to Go On a Bird Watching Vacation

The possibilities are endless when deciding where to go on a bird watching vacation. Here are just a few choices that have been rated some of the best bird watching vacation spots in the World. Costa Rica has often been considered the Mecca of bird watching. With such exquisite locations as the reserve of Bosque de Paz and the La Ensenada refuge, Costa Rica is one of the most popular bird watching vacation spots to be found.

South Africa frequently offers bird watching vacations to Kruger Park, Pretoria, Hluhuwe Game Reserve, and everywhere in between. Birders can experience a great variety of local birds, migrants, and endemic birds that make up the almost 850 species that can be found in this stunning location.

During a winter bird watching vacation, you may want to find yourself on the sandy beaches of The Grand Bahama Island. Grand Bahama Island has the distinction of being the 2nd most bird-populated island in the Bahamas. The Rand Nature Centre is home to West Indian Flamingos, Red-legged Thrushes, the endangered Bahama parrot, as well as numerous other species of birds. While kayaking in the crystal clear water you will have the chance to see rare birds that live in the Mangrove swamps, and the Caribbean Pine Forest.

Opportunities are plenty on any of these bird watching vacations. It is up to you to choose the one that takes you both to a beautiful location and one that will thrill the bird enthusiast within you.

With the recent shark bite in the shallows of the Gulf of Mexico off Sanibel Island comes the usual media blitz about the dangers lurking in the waters.

But let’s put this recent nip in perspective.

In the period between 1882 and 2007, there were a documented 5 unprovoked shark attacks in the WHOLE of Lee County (the county where Sanibel Island is located). And regarding attacks leading to mortal wounds, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control, 4,406 people drowned in America during 1998. That’s about 550 times as many deaths as caused by sharks in an average year.

OK, sharks exist, and once in a great while, one takes a human sample (and more often than not the shark is just looking to see what species the human is before attacking: thankfully most of them are none too keen on the way we taste).

Five bites in all of Lee County in 125 years is hardly worth panicking over. But if you are the panicking type, here are some suggestions for making your Gulf visits as safe as possible: 1. Always swim in a group. Sharks most often attack lone individuals. 2. Don’t wander too far from shore. Doing so isolates you and places you away from assistance. 3. Avoid the water at night, dawn, or dusk. Many sharks are most active at these times and are better able to find you than you are to see them. 4. Don’t enter the water if bleeding. Sharks can smell and taste blood, and trace it back to its source. 5. Don’t wear shiny jewelry which does attract sharks.

But the reality is that it is unlikely that you will ever sight a shark on Sanibel much less be approached by one. And if you are approached, stay. Erratic movements will just make the shark curious as to whether you are edible. So be calm in your movements.

All that said, the risk of a shark bite is infinitely smaller than other “dangers” on this beautiful, tropical island. And these can be easily avoided.

Sunburn, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke are much more prevalent than are sharks. So, wear sunscreens, hats, foot protection, sunglasses and extra clothing. Rent an umbrella or sit in the shade as much as possible. Drink plenty of water. Any time you visit  the beach, bag up and bring all these items and a first-aid kit down to the beach with you. A day at the beach – or an entire family vacation – can be easily ruined for each and all by bad sunburns, headaches, sunlight sensitivities, heat exhaustion or worse.

Equally prevalent is the lightning storm that can generally be spotted well in advance. Florida is the lightning capital of the USA, but not the world, the international title held by Africa. Lightning storms ares a serious risk for those at the beach. When you see the skies darkening, leave the beach and head home. Why take the risk to see if it will blow by as it often does?

The joys of a Sanibel Island vacation outnumber 1000 to 1 the dangers. And the dangers are largely preventable. So shouldn’t you be thinking of making plans to visit paradise now?