brian_small Posted December 7, 1998 Share Posted December 7, 1998 I am planning a two week trip to south Florida at the end of next February and am considering a visit to the St Augustine alligator farm. I am wondering if it will be worth the long drive up from south Florida to photograph at the alligator farm? Will this be "prime time" to visit and should the birds be in full breeding plumage by then? What species should I expect? What are the logistics of photographing there? I understand that you are pretty close to the birds........what length lens works best? Is it a morning or afternoon shoot? What other bird photo ops are in the are? Sorry for so many questions but any info will be helpful..........thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_menk Posted December 7, 1998 Share Posted December 7, 1998 I've just returned from South Florida and have made several trips previously in February. The Everglades National Park should provide you with many photo opportunties of alligators and birds. Birds were not as plentiful on this trip, but the water level was much higher than it will be in February. But there were a couple alligators on the Anhinga Trial and one at Eco Pond. Shark Valley also had a couple on the trail within walking distance from the tram center. A couple of years ago, Corkscrew Swamp had alligators of all sizes. <p> Other hot spots for birds are behind the Holiday Inn at Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibal and Captiva Islands(Ding Darling and the Nature Center) and the Venice rookery. I've always seen alligators at Ding Darling. <p> So I'd say there wouldn't be a need to drive to St. Augustine, but if you do - be sure to stop a Merrit Island NWR near Titusville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur_morris Posted December 8, 1998 Share Posted December 8, 1998 Hi Brian. I've told you before: stay out of Florida and start concentrating on flowers! (Only kidding, Bob, Brian and I are friends.) Though I do not have extensive experience at the Alligator Farm, Charlie Jarman, who ran workshops there for years, has repeatedly told me not to visit until May (that is when he conducted his workshops). I have though, gone in late April and shooting has been excellent, though it has been better in May. Each year varies, but the management there has done a great job of planting lots of new trees after a good deal of habitat was destroyed several years ago (by storms, I think). The easist species to photograph is Snowy Egret. Several years ago I was able to photograph tiny chicks in a nest with a 28-105 zoom lens! In addition, there are many pairs of Great Egrets; there nests are a bit higher up and a bit more distant, and I have never had a good opportunity to shoot chicks in the nest (but others--often with spectacular results--have). Little Blue and Tricolored Herons also nest within yards of the boardwalk, the latter are much easier to photograph. Numbers of nesting Cattle Egrets have been increasing in recent years, but the nests are not real accessible. Last year a few pairs of Wood Storks nested high up (one pair might have been successful). As you know, individual birds reach the height of breeding plumage at different times in the season, and some birds, even breeding birds, look rather crappy even at their best. But the best bet for finding a spectacular tricolored or snowy would certainly be sometime in May. In late June and July (in most years) chicks are all over the place. On a hot, hot day (in early July, two years ago, I think), I visited and found several barely fledged Tricolored chicks walking on the railing of the boardwalk. (It was unimagineably hot.) Joanne Williams' shot of a baby tricolored in the current issue of Birder's World was made at that time; I used a 100-300 zoom to make many similar images. All in all, the Alligator Farm is a superb place to shoot, but almost surely not--in most years--in late February or early March. Now where was it that you shot those Red-necked Grebes with chicks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_sheremeta Posted December 15, 1998 Share Posted December 15, 1998 You didn't say where you're going to be in South Florida - if it's on the East Coast, you might want to consider Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge for both birds & up=close alligators. The Refuge is located on Lee Rd. which is off of US441 just West of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. Another good location, that few people are aware of is Wakodahatchee Wetland; this is a wetland boardwalk which is great for bird photography (you'll also see an occasional gator) and is located on Power Line/Jog Rd. about 1.5 miles North of Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_fairbairn Posted February 15, 1999 Share Posted February 15, 1999 Where exactly is the Alligator farm int St. Augustine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_fairbairn Posted February 15, 1999 Share Posted February 15, 1999 Sorry for my earlier question, I hadn't scrolled far enough down the list to see it has been asked and answered already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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