Bird shots, where to go?Help please.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

12/15/2007 03:50:34 PM · #1

I will be in Orlando on Feb 9-13 travelling across in a loop first west to Tampa and south towards Alligator Alley. From there I don't know if I fly out of Miami or go back up to Orlando via the east coast side. I would really LOVE some crazy bird shots from raptors, pelicans, shorebirds and possible gators eating something. Suggestions on lens. Was planning on Canon 24-70, 100-400, 300-800 and possible a macro(I don't do landscapes so the wide stays home).
I am alone and renting a car so I can be quick about my shots and move on.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help.

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

12/15/2007 04:31:18 PM · #2

I do not know much about Florida but I do know that some of the most famous bird / nature shots I have seen from that area come from Ding Darling Refuge.

Check out:
Ding Darling Refuge

12/15/2007 04:45:04 PM · #3

Thanks for the lead! Do we know what species will be there at that time?

12/15/2007 04:54:22 PM · #4

Busch Gardens??? waist of time and money or worth the stop?

ErikV

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

12/15/2007 05:04:32 PM · #5

Everglades National Park -- take the road down to Flamingo.

12/15/2007 05:05:46 PM · #6

What will I see at Flamingo?

12/15/2007 05:07:33 PM · #7

Other than flamingos?

ErikV

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

12/15/2007 05:16:56 PM · #8

Originally posted by sswalsh:

What will I see at Flamingo?

Been years since I have been there. You probably need to get more detailed input from some Florida people, not someone from Cleveland. But if you'll pay my airfare I would be happy to scout the place out for you. :)

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

12/15/2007 05:21:45 PM · #9

Thanks for the offer,put santa has all my money :-)

yakatme

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/15/2007 07:12:58 PM · #10

Originally posted by sswalsh:

What will I see at Flamingo?

A lot of waterbirds as well as a lot of Ospreys.

As far as other places and other animals...I don't know where to start. There are tons of places down here in South Florida.

Take a look at my Wildlife portfolio to see what you can expect. All except the dolphins were shot down here.

Anyway, here's a list:

Anhinga Trail - this is along the way to Flamingo only a few miles inside the southeast entrance to Everglades National Park. The wildlife are used to people and you can get very close. The time of year that you are going the amount of wildlife will be at it's peak too.

Wild Bird Center - Just south of Key Largo, this place rescues waterbirds, especially pelicans. To attract pelicans injured by things such as fish hooks and fishing line they feed them. This attracts many varieties of birds other than pelicans. Feeding time is 3:00 p.m., but you can be assured of a lot of waterbirds anytime. They also have several rescued raptors in captivity that can no longer care for themselves. Many of my white birds were shot here. The Florida Keys GTG crowd went here on the second day of the week long GTG.

Flamingo - Rent a canoe and paddle into Florida Bay to get lots of shots of more varieties of water birds than most people realize exist. There are also lots of Osprey nests that you can get some good shots of with a telephoto lens. The Ospreys in my portfolio were shot here.

Metrozoo - Miami's Metrozoo has a great aviary with a variety of birds. Outside of the aviary are the flamingos with many other visiting birds. You can get really close to everything here.

Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge - As mentioned previously in this thread, this place is well known for great bird shots. I have seen a lot of photography seminars advertised for this area. I've never been but I'd like to go this winter.

Alligator Farm (South of Miami) - Has lots of gators of course as well as a Florida Panther, snakes, and airboat rides in the Everglades. This is where I take out of town visitors. The Florida Keys GTG crowd went here on the first day of the week long GTG.

Alligator Farm (In St. Augustine) - Again, lots of alligators. They also have an amazing amount of waterbirds roosting in the trees above the alligators. We went there on the St. Augustine GTG this year.

You are going to get bird shots at one of the two best times of the year. In February the waterbirds will be sporting their mating plumage which consists of extra and fancy feathers as well as extra colors around their eyes. The other best time of the year is a couple months later when the eggs hatch and you can get some good shots of the babies. This is best done at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm where you can sometimes get a vantage point slightly above the nests.

Drop me a line when you are down here and maybe I can show you around a little. Or, maybe I'll be able to finally make it to Ding Darling this winter.

Message edited by author 2007-12-15 19:13:49.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

12/15/2007 07:46:03 PM · #11

Robert, you could head the Florida board of tourism! :)

toddgray

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 II

12/15/2007 08:12:45 PM · #12

If you do return via the East Coast the Cape Canaveral National Sea Shore / Mosquito Lagoon has a large volume of birds and gators.

My wife and I usually go to Captiva every Feb. and stay at www.jensen-captiva.com; it is just north of Ding Darling Refuge.

Have fun it is a great time of year to be in the area.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

12/15/2007 08:58:01 PM · #13

If you are traveling across the state as you would on I 75/ Alligator Alley, you may want to go a little more south, and take Hy 41.
You can stop at Everglades City, and go air boating with my cousins. This is their website;
Air Boating PM me and I can get you VIP treatment at this one. You may see birds, dolphin, gators, and many other things that you would not see from a trip on the road or walking.

Another good stop on Hy 41 is Clyde Butcher's gallery, past Ochoppee. He is one of the most high profile large format photographers around today. You may be able to get in on a swamp walk at his gallery. It will give you a first hand (and foot) introduction to the real Everglades swamp. You may see a lot of things in the swamp behind his gallery that you would never see from the beaten path. Here is his website;
clyde butcher.com

An easier way into a good swamp is at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, on Immokalee Rd, if you turn off I75 just north of Naples. There is a mile long board walk there thru the swamp. From there you can go across to Hy 29, and south Everglades City.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Here is the Florida State Parks Gov link;
Fl State Parks

Have fun, don't forget to bring your camera. Vid would be good too.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

12/15/2007 09:57:25 PM · #14

Tamiami Trail aka US Rte. 41 through the 'Glades.

TONS of birds everywhere, and the ospreys have both man- and homemade nests everywhere on top of utility poles and trees.

There are "Neck-Birds" (Egrets, cranes, herons) around every corner, and just a riot of wildlife.

I love whatching the Anhingas (Water Turkeys)sunning themselves, they look positively ridiculous but cool, and you all but have to be blind to not find good shots pretty much everywhere down in the 'Glades.

dfstevenson

Nikon D100

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

12/15/2007 11:16:15 PM · #15

I really do wish I could help you in your search for bird photos. And up until 2005, I could have helped. Lake Martin in southern Louisiana was one of the top avaries in N. America. Every year there were thousands of Egrets, SpoonBills, Comorants and about 1,500 gators. Photograpers from all over came there, and I even met a couple of photographers from National Geographic. Then on March 17, 2005 they disappeared and haven't been back since. And no one knows why they disappeared. But we all have hopes that they will return.

olddj

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro for Canon

12/15/2007 11:27:21 PM · #16

If you truly want some amazing chances at bird photos, take a little drive (bout two hours) to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Refuge Park, costs about 18 dollars to get into it too, but it is well worth it. Has a couple miles of open waterway that has open air to all birds. Also is a rescue zoo with a LOT of rescued animals there, from bear to bald eagles. Really a very nice spot, wife and I love it there, but I have to be pushed around it mostly - which is okay as they have free wheeled chairs (not wheelchairs)! Anyway, guaranteed (almost anyway as they are free to fly away) to see whistling ducks, mallards, wood ducks, swans, pelicans, blue heron, great white egrets, ibis, sand hill cranes, wood storks, of course LOTS of flamingos, and lots of others. Also in the hurt/wounded - to be cared for places are bald eagles, hawks, owls, whooping cranes and lots of other rescued animals! So it is a bit of a trip, but well worth it for us- course we live lots closer, only about fifteen miles from there, that helps! LOL

Jacque
PS drop me an email if I can help in any way

Message edited by author 2007-12-15 23:30:59.

JuliBoc

Apple iPhone 6s+

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

12/16/2007 12:59:21 AM · #17

If you are traveling up the East coast, there are a couple of wetlands that will give you a big bang for the buck (free admission) in Delray Beach. Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands.

They are just a couple miles from each other and are packed with wetlands wildlife: wading birds (various herons, various egrets, various ibises, stilts, wood storks, gallinules, coots, bitterns, limpkins, rails, etc.), diving birds (cormorants, anhingas, grebes), terns, and various ducks. I usually see red shouldered hawks, shrikes, and osprey. Smaller birds can be found there too, as well as alligators and turtles. There are bob cats, river otters, and raccoons, but they are rarely seen.

Because there are boardwalks over the water, the birds are within easy reach of a 300mm or 400mm lens. You will want to be prepared to take some very close up photo too, because the birds sit on the railings of the boardwalks, and will often allow you to approach to about 10-15 feet.

You can see a sampling of the possibilities by visiting my gallery on WhatBird.com.

Let me know if you decide to come to Delray.

Message edited by author 2007-12-16 01:14:21.

dsray

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

12/16/2007 09:13:52 AM · #18

This is an excellent reference: Birding Trails

Crossing the alley; get off I-75 and take 41 if you can. There are a number of short boardwalks that are excellent locations and one of the nicest is right on the road.

Also, if you're hungry, stop at Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe which is 15 miles East of 29 & 41 and on 41, you won't be sorry.

More details? PM me.

rox_rox

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

12/16/2007 11:20:38 AM · #19

Hope you have a great time in Florida! You should have no trouble finding birds.

If you want to get some closeups just go to any dock or jetty where fishing takes place. They are so brazen that they will help themselves to fish in peoples' bait buckets.

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Nikon

12/16/2007 07:46:53 PM · #20

Thanks to all of you for your input!! Looks like I will need more time if I want to take it all in. What do you think of this line up each being one day- Ding Darling, Corkscrew Swamp, Rookery Bay, Everglades City-Chokoloskee and somewhere in there a airboat adventure that Melonmusketeer mentioned. Yakatme if you have time we can met at Darling.

vtruan

Nikon D5100

12/16/2007 09:20:10 PM · #21

I would also think about Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. It has trails through woods, wetlands, along open water and a boardwalk trail through a cypress swamp. Good for Limpkin, egrets, eagles

A day drive around Lake Okeechobee is also good. I've seen many Sandhill Cranes, Crested Caracara, Florida Scrub Jay, and others along the roads.

And a fun quickie is the town wetland in Pembroke Pines (at Sheridan and 172th). The introduced Purple Swamp Hens (a hugh version of out native Purple Gallinule) are there and you can get real close. Lots of other birds there too. They are really fun to watch too.

In the Everglades NP, the Snake Bright Trail which has a nice path to the bay is a wonderful 1.5 mile walk. You will see lots of smaller species on the way out and gators, and all the waterbirds and shorebirds on the bay, even an American Flamingo (which is quite rare in Florida) is possible. Good birding at Flamingo and the local dock is the good place to see an American Crocodile

Message edited by author 2007-12-16 21:24:52.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

12/17/2007 12:09:27 AM · #22

By the way, welcome to DPChallenge.

JuliBoc

Apple iPhone 6s+

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

12/17/2007 01:44:48 PM · #23

Originally posted by vtruan:

I would also think about Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. It has trails through woods, wetlands, along open water and a boardwalk trail through a cypress swamp. Good for Limpkin, egrets, eagles

Loxahatchee NWR is a great place to spend the day -- lots to do and see, but for bird photography in this area (Delray Beach), you will see lots more birds with a lot less effort and time at Wakodahatchee and Green Cay Wetlands. They are just a few miles from Loxahatchee. Although sometimes (and I emphasize sometimes) you will see things like Great Horned Owls, Screech Owls, and Piliated Woodpeckers, at Loxahatchee that you wouldn't see at the two wetlands.

Message edited by author 2007-12-17 13:58:00.