venice rookery in august

[robd]

I read the previous posts here about the Venice rookery in Florida. I will be travelling to Venice in August. From what the previous posts say spring is the time for birds there, will there be many to shoot in early August? Also, if anyone is familar with the place, are there any kinds of rules, such as specific hours, permits needed etc??

Any additional tips (there were quite a few in the archives I just read) would be appreciated.

 

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Thanks, rob

[martin_feldman]

Rob, I was at the Venice Rookery in March and April of this year. There are no special hours, rules or permits. The place is simply a small island in the middle of a pond. Parking is fairly close (about forty yards away). As far as photo opportunities in August, I suggest you contact the Venice Audubon Society for first hand information: http://www.audubon.org/chapter/fl/venice. I hope this helps.

[robd]

Yes, that is helpful thanks. Here is a tidbit from their page that might be of interest to others.

 

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Out-of-town birders and photographers planning visits to the heron rookery, located near the South Sarasota County Administration Building in Venice, will find the popular nesting spot under a new name: Venice Area Audubon Rookery. Parking is now restricted to an area on the opposite side of the access road. Check the signs, and avoid a parking ticket.

[ShunCheung]

Yes, the Venice Rookery is on Route 41 a short block north of Jacaranda Boulevard. The entrance road is an Annex between the Florida Highway Patrol building and the Sarasota County Courthouse. So yes, you could get a parking ticket, which can be processed very very locally. :-)

 

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I was there in late February and it was a great place to photograph nesting birds. I saw Joe and Mary Ann McDonald leading a group of photographers as well as a bunch of 600mm/f4 lenses pointing towards the little island. However, nesting activity is obviously very seasonal. So I am not sure August would be as great a time to visit as it was in early spring.

[martin_feldman]

Rob, let me just add a couple of suggestions. It's going to be incredibly hot and humid, so plan your shoot for the morning hours (7 to 10 a.m.). Fortunetly, the position of the sun at that time is over your shoulders. Watch out for the fire ants. Their nests are in little mounds around the area you will be standing. It's not difficult to find a clear spot. I hope the timing works out well for you.

[bobatkins]

Let me ask the obvious question. When are the birds nesting there?

Shun went in late February, and I gether they are still there in

August (at least nobody has said they aren't)? That's a six month nesting season. When do they quit, and when do they start up again!

[ShunCheung]

Maybe there is a problem with terminology and I didn't make things clear. When I went to the Venice Rookery in late February this year (1998), I took a lot of pictures of great egrets in their mating plumage. I also took a lot of pictures of blue herons feeling their little chicks. I am sure that by the time Martin was there in March/April, those chicks were much bigger. As far as I know, the cover shot of Arthur Morris' new book showing two blue herons' courtship display was also taken at the Venice Rookery in early spring.

 

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If one goes there in August, I am quite sure that you won't see birds in their mating plumage and chicks. It may still be a good place to visit and photgraph, but it isn't going to be the same as it is in February through April. As John Shaw points out, photography is very seasonal.

[martin_feldman]

By mid April, some of those "little chicks" were as big as their parents and still in the nest begging for food. Sort of reminds me of things around my house. My best advice is for Rob to call the good folks at the Venice Audubon Society and ask what's usually going on in August. Then, let us all know.

[bobatkins]

There's a local rookery near me. Great blue Herons arrive around

Mrach/April, by now the chicks are hatched and quite large, by

August all that will be there are nests I assume. I don't think

the birds hang around after the chicks leave. It would certainly be interesting to get feedback on the timing in Venice.

 

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BTW don't bother to come and photography in the rookery near me.

It's way back in the Great Swamp NWR, and even with a 1200mm lens,

you can get 5-10 nests in the frame! With a telescope at 50x you

can get a decent view...

[cliff_kolber]

We were at the Venice Rookery last Sunday (June 7). We were also there in March. Although the volume of birds has decreased, the chicks certainly have grown! There were a lot of Great Egret, Great Heron, black-crowned night heron, and anhinga chicks. Many will be adults very soon.

 

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For August, best thing is to check with Audobon to see what'll be there. But Ding Darling is always good year-round, just different birds.

[donna_bollenbach]

Living less than one hour from Venice, I can tell you that while you may see plenty of birds at the Rookery, they will not be in their best plumage. Do go though, photographic opportunities are around every corner. Infact, go north on 41 from the rookery and visit Oscar Scherer State Park. Take the main park road all the way to the end near the lake and hike on the trails to the left into the scrub areas. The Florida Scrub Jays will find you before your find them and will often sit less than 2 feet from your camera on a branch or post. I have had some even land on my head. They are so much fun to see and photograph! If you can camp at Oscar Scherer, the sun comes up over the lake and a usually a great blue heron and some ducks add a nice touch to the sunrise photographs. I also recommend Myakka State Park, Coquina Bay and Ding Darling of course, all easy day trips from Venice. Good Luck and have fun, Donna