Winter Bird Photography in Florida....

[Colin Knight]

Help me out Floridians. If you lived 10 hours away but wanted to retreat to a single area in Florida to shoot winter birds (mostly intersted in spoonbills, pelicans, various species of herons/egrets....etc) where would you go? Hoping to come down there soon....

[denise ippolito]

Colin, If you are looking for Spoonbills etc. James Shadle is the man to see. http://www.wildflorida.net/ I would contact him for help.

[Maureen Allen]

Merritt Island and Viera Wetlands are also great destinations.

[Colin Knight]

Thanks so much for your help!

[Stuart Hill]

From experience. To get the very best out of the locations and to make best use of your time, get the site guide from birds as art. Not pushing it, but, found them invaluable when we come over from the UK.

regards.
Stu.

[Marina Scarr]

Having lived and photographed here for more years than I care to admit, the one place I would base myself out of would probably be Sarasota. Why don't you go ahead and post a thread in the Florida forum, and I will give you some ideas on where you may want to visit for the species you are targeting.

[Marina Scarr]

Hi Colin:

I guess your thread was moved to the Florida forum by the staff.

If you based yourself out of Sarasota, you would have pretty easy access to the beaches where you will find beach birds and heron as well as diving Pelicans when the wind is right; Myakka River State Park (where I had great luck with Spoonies last January) at the weir; the Celery Fields for many species but depends on weather and season; you would have easy access to Fort DeSoto County Park (about 45 mins). You could as Denise suggest take a trip out to Alafia River with James Shadle for spoonbills. You are also not too far from Little Estero Lagoon in Ft Myers which is great for all herons and spoonies and shorebirds. If you go to the Sarasota Audubon Society site, you can buy a book on all the birding locations in Manatee & Sarasota counties for under $10 which would be very helpful to you.

I am more familiar with the West Coast of Florida than the East. As Maureen suggested, Viera and Merritt Island are very good places to photograph as well, and then you would also have the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions which are more specific as to species and locations.

Good luck on your journey.

Marina

[Mark Fuge]

Hi Colin,

Being as you want the most time for your shooting. In north Florida, I would recommend Merritt Island, NWR. In season, almost all Florida water species can be found there. If there is water in the ponds, you will have luck most days on the loop road. A long lens is needed for some shots, but for the most part a 300 will suffice and a shorter lens may get some images.

While the shuttle is dead, there are still interesting shots to be had at Cape Kennedy Space Center, if you want to get a break from all the birds! :w3

I am just starting to work on the Gulf Coast, so other recommendations are probably good as well. So far I have liked Sanibel/Ding Darling, when we use to venture over there. But being north of Tampa now, I have to seek closer areas as well.

Good Luck and Good Shooting.