For those of you that have never visited Gatorland, the Rookery is located towards the back of the park, and is a 10 acre natural breeding area for the alligators. Due to the symbiotic relationship between alligators and birds, over 22 different species of wild Florida birds can be found within the Rookery area. The picture above was taken from the second level of the 3 story observation tower located in the middle section of the Rookery and is a view looking towards the northern half of the Breeding Marsh. A raised wooden walkway traverses the entire length of the Rookery with nesting closest on the west side (great for short lenses <200mm). The East bank is across the water and is best suited for longer lenses >200mm. With the major nesting taking place in an East/West orientation, most folks will shoot the West bank in the morning and the East bank in the afternoon. There is really no defined flight path as the area is open with no obstructing trees, so the action can come from anywhere. The Egrets nest everywhere around the Rookery, while the Wood Storks are only found nesting along the East bank.
The Gatorland Rookery contains 2 Gazebos with benches as well as a 3 story Observation Tower. Limited power is also available, as well as free Wireless Internet. The Rookery is completely accessible up to the second level of the Observation Tower for those folks in wheelchairs or scooters, or even those of you with a shopping cart full of gear! Activity begins in January with peak activity in March/April/May. Most nesting species have finished by August.
There's a quick nickel tour of the Gatorland Rookery... if you have any questions just keep posting or drop me a line!
Mike Godwin
Gatorland