headed to Orlando area end of April; planning to go to
TH: Lake Cypress ( Middleton Fish Camp ) and then Gatorland Rookery
F: Lake Apopka Wildlife Dr
S: Butterfly Encounter
Sun: Mead Gardens
M & T: extra days ( in case more time is spent at various stops )
W: home
for any of you who have been to some, or all, of these places; am I allowing enough time ( too ambitious ? ) am I missing anything ?
Orlando Wetlands was great a couple of weeks ago.
Head over to Honeymoon state park just north of Clearwater. Lots of nesting birds of prey... Look at my Flickr page linked below for examples
a6k
Loc: Detroit & Sanibel
Apopka is open (only) Fri, Sat, Sun. Allow for bad WX. Best time is soon after sunrise. The drive takes about 3 hours if you do it carefully and it's all 1-way. Have lunch at the Catfish Place in Apopka, the town, afterwards but not on Sunday. If the WX is good we will be there.
There are some places where you have to choose which way to go so allowing two days is a good strategy. You will see many, many birds, alligators. Sometimes you will see turtles or even an otter. We once saw a possum.
Phillip Prichard wrote:
Orlando Wetlands was great a couple of weeks ago.
Yes, very good to check out in Christmas Fla. I would also try to get by Joe Overstreet landing - AKA Camp Hammock on east side of Lake Kissimmee.
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a6k
Loc: Detroit & Sanibel
imagemeister wrote:
Yes, very good to check out in Christmas Fla. I would also try to get by Joe Overstreet landing - AKA Camp Hammock on east side of Lake Kissimmee.
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Joe Overstreet: 👍👍 and it's open all days. The minor road from the main road to the landing is about 5 miles and it's worthwhile to go slowly and look around for birds.
Sandhill cranes, Bald Eagle, Snail Kite, Great White, Great Blue, Swallows, Eastern Meadowlark, etc.
Afterwards, go straight north to 13th St. in St. Cloud, left and immediate right to the other Catfish Place, open on Sundays, somewhat different menu. Excellent.
If you get as far as Christmas, go to Merritt Island BlackPoint Drive across bridge from old part of Titusville. Then eat at restaurant under the west end of the bridge, north side, at Vet's Memorial park.
Blue Cypress Lake will be in full nesting season with the osprey.. You can rent a small john boat, or pay to be taken out in a pontoon boat at the fish camp. Watch the weather and choose days with little or no wind. The best is in a canoe or kayak. The osprey are in cypress trees 5 foot to 18 foot tall all along the west shore where the fish camp and boat ramp are located. You need to go early morning and as the sun comes up it will be shinning directly onto the osprey, best possible lighting conditions you can Ever hope for.... With the kayak or canoe, the silent approach will get you within 30 feet and they will not fly away. You can photograph them coming and going as they feed the young. Just watch the weather, if windy it will get too rough for the canoes. I'm assuming you'll have expensive equipment with you. I take a camping cooler with a sealed locking lid to place camera and lens if it gets to rough. This way I'm not worried about them getting wet. Wind normally picks up in the afternoon and I'm back off the lake by 10:30. If the clouds come out and the lake is calm, you will get some of the best landscape photographs as well. A Unique and wonderful place to visit. I should mention they have free camping as well, it's worth staying a couple of days if possible..
A few shots from last year
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-430049-1.html
Ed Chu wrote:
headed to Orlando area end of April; planning to go to
TH: Lake Cypress ( Middleton Fish Camp ) and then Gatorland Rookery
F: Lake Apopka Wildlife Dr
S: Butterfly Encounter
Sun: Mead Gardens
M & T: extra days ( in case more time is spent at various stops )
W: home
for any of you who have been to some, or all, of these places; am I allowing enough time ( too ambitious ? ) am I missing anything ?
I would visit Orlando Wetlands and Marritt Island Wildlife.
http://www.cityoforlando.net/wetlands/https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Merritt_Island/
miked46
Loc: Winter Springs, Florida
Gatorland is an entire day, so use it wisely, there is a lot to see
miked46 wrote:
Gatorland is an entire day, so use it wisely, there is a lot to see
Buy an early to late photography pass. Beat the crowds
Don't miss the Circle B Bar reserve in Lakeland!
Near Merritt Island and Orlando Wetlands is Viera Wetlands in Melbourne. It is small but you get much closer to the birds than at Orlando. We were there in December and there were ibis, sandhill cranes anhinga, herons, egrets and some raptors. Merritt Island NWR is a must.
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