Bird action St Augustine area now???

[Roger Clark]

Hi,
I'll be in the St Augustine area (and a little north) visiting family this weekend. Does anyone have any advice on good bird photography hot spots now (yes, now, in the cold and getting colder)? I have my 500 f/4 +TCs with me. I've never been to the St Augustine area. I'll check out the Circle B on the way to relatives, but not able to get there at sunrise.

Venice Rookery this morning (Jan 7): slow. 5 GBH nests, a few great egret nests inside the bushes/hard to see. Most bids flew off just before sunrise leaving those on the nests hunkered down.

Roger

[john j. henderson]

Roger, there is good shorebird activity and good osprey activity at Mantanzas Inlet area down by Marineland, just a couple miles outside St. Aug.

There are some birds at the Alligator Farm

see this thread: http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=52244

[Roger Clark]

John,
Thanks for the info. I see on google maps the inlet on the north side of the A1A bridge has a large beach. Is this the area you are describing? Which is more important for the birds, tide level or time of day (or probably both)?

[Michael Pancier]

Rog, if you can't make it to Circle B at sunrise, still plan on spending the day there if you can; the place is screaming with activity...

[john j. henderson]

John,
Thanks for the info. I see on google maps the inlet on the north side of the A1A bridge has a large beach. Is this the area you are describing? Which is more important for the birds, tide level or time of day (or probably both)?

As you drive south from St. Aug., Matanzas Inlet is the first big bridge, there are a couple smaller bridges just south of the big bridge; I found the shorebirds on the east side of the third bridge. Not sure it is tide dependent; the sand bar seems pretty high and seems like will always have room for birds. Found the Osprey just past Marineland on the west side of the road; they seem to make regular trips from the nests to the water for fish.

[Roger Clark]

Thanks, John.
I'm with family about 10 minutes from Matanzas. I will check things out toward evening.

Michael, I asked questions in the circle B thread.

Roger

[john j. henderson]

Roger, after you pass the entire Marineland complex and continue a few miles south, there is a housing development on the west side of the road with only one model home (before the big condo complex on the east side of the road). In the middle is a long lake. I found Osprey, Sparrows and other birds in this area also.