Bird rookeries in Feb/March? I'll be traveling to FL (St. Augustine) this winter (Feb./March) and would love to take photos in a few bird rookeries. Am I too early to see good action?

OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

I'll be traveling to FL (St. Augustine) this winter (Feb./March) and would love to take photos in a few bird rookeries. Am I too early to see good action? Is the Alligator farm a good place to go??

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

OHenry wrote:

I'll be traveling to FL (St. Augustine) this winter (Feb./March) and would love to take photos in a few bird rookeries. Am I too early to see good action? Is the Alligator farm a good place to go??

I've never been to the Alligator Farm so I can't help you there, but November to April is prime time migrating birds in Florida. The Black Point Wildlife Drive at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge near the Kennedy Space Center will give you an opportunity to photograph a wide variety of birds.

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

OHenry, You may want to stat by looking at the Great Florida Birding Trail. http://floridabirdingtrail.com/go/
The guides use to be a free download, but I could not find them on the website today, they do want to sell downloadable apps. I am attaching a copy of the 2010 guide that I have. Best of luck and enjoy your trip. Gary

OHenry wrote:

I'll be traveling to FL (St. Augustine) this winter (Feb./March) and would love to take photos in a few bird rookeries. Am I too early to see good action? Is the Alligator farm a good place to go??

East GFBT Guide
Attached file:
(Download)

2010 Update
Attached file:
(Download)

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

If you want a (long) day trip, about 2 hours south is the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and a little further south, off I-95 Exit 191, is the Viera Wetlands. Also in Christmas, FL is the Orlando Wetlands. These are great spots for birding and photography. If you search Viera Wetlands you will be overwhelmed - the birds there are so used to people walking by that you can get very close. I have heard that there is a rookery at the Alligator place up there.

McQ6 Loc: Florida

You will love visiting the Alligator Farm at St. Augustine. The rookeries are on islands and protected from raccoons, etc. by the alligators below. You will be able to get to within a few feet from the mating and nesting birds. I have seen almost all species of herons and egrets there along with wood storks and spoonbills. I recommend March for a visit.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

sb wrote:

If you want a (long) day trip, about 2 hours south is the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and a little further south, off I-95 Exit 191, is the Viera Wetlands. Also in Christmas, FL is the Orlando Wetlands. These are great spots for birding and photography. If you search Viera Wetlands you will be overwhelmed - the birds there are so used to people walking by that you can get very close. I have heard that there is a rookery at the Alligator place up there.

Real good advice!

dgingerich Loc: Cape Coral, FL

http://veniceaudubon.org/rookery is another great option in Florida. It's on the west coast of Florida, just south of Sarasota.

PhotoPhred Loc: Cheyney, Pa

The alligator farm is a great spot.

djlouden Loc: Ocala, Florida

Weighing in on Alligator Farm as a good place for great bird shots. If you purchase the photo pass you are allowed early entrance at 8am and able to stay after closing until they are ready to go home (they expect a $5 / person gratuity). You must be waiting at the red door when they come to greet you or you will have to wait for regular opening time. Evening hours sometimes allow for great BIF (birds in flight) shots of the wood storks and others as they come in to roost.

Just to let you know, I must comment that I bypassed going this year as I usually go several weekends during birding season. On both weekends I spent there in 2015, there were so many "photographers" with the photo pass that it was hard to move. Most of them forgot common courtesy. I was jostled so many times I went home early the second week, I just couldn't get a good shot.

Regardless you should have great photo ops and the weather is great here then unlike our now roasting summer.

Happy Shooting

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

OHenry wrote:

I'll be traveling to FL (St. Augustine) this winter (Feb./March) and would love to take photos in a few bird rookeries. Am I too early to see good action? Is the Alligator farm a good place to go??

Try Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel and Audibon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples.

Opus Loc: South East Michigan

There is also Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Rd, Delray Beach), the rookery behind Gatorland (Orlando), Green Cay (12800 Hagen Ranch Rd, Boynton Beach). If you got to Merritt Island about a quarter of a mile down on the right once you cross the Max Brewer Bridge there is a pull off. Follow the two track road that starts there and keep to the right every time the road splits. There is a real good chance you will see Osprey, Reddish Egrets, and the occasional Bald Eagle.

Siena Loc: Rocky Hill, CT

A second (strong) vote for the Venice rookery. If you want easy shots of Great Blue Herons and their young, this is THE place. I was there over Presidents Day weekend a number of years ago and it was great.

LundyD43 Loc: Dayton, OH, USA

All are good suggestions. I've shot a couple times at Alligator Farm, Viera Wetlands (completely free), and Merritt Island (free if you have a senior national parks pass, otherwise I think it's $5). All are excellent birding sites and you won't need a super long telephoto lens. You'll need a longer lens at Venice Rookery than at the other places, but it's free. Also, it's quite a distance from St. Augustine since it's on the gulf coast, as are Ding Darling and Corkscrew Swamp. I've had mixed results at both of the latter locations. If you have the time, and don't mind an even longer drive, I highly recommend Anhinga Trail in The Everglades (same admission details as Merritt Island). March should be an excellent time to enjoy the birds.

OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

gwong1 wrote:

OHenry, You may want to stat by looking at the Great Florida Birding Trail. http://floridabirdingtrail.com/go/
The guides use to be a free download, but I could not find them on the website today, they do want to sell downloadable apps. I am attaching a copy of the 2010 guide that I have. Best of luck and enjoy your trip. Gary

WOW! Thanks for the boatload of info.!

OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

McQ6 wrote:

You will love visiting the Alligator Farm at St. Augustine. The rookeries are on islands and protected from raccoons, etc. by the alligators below. You will be able to get to within a few feet from the mating and nesting birds. I have seen almost all species of herons and egrets there along with wood storks and spoonbills. I recommend March for a visit.

Great info. This helps me make a few decisions. Thanks.