There are so many excellent places to shoot in the area. I'd suggest googling " great Florida birding trail" and the likes. So much info and so many locations. You could get a better idea how far you would travel (if at all). There are also some pay to play places like Gatorland / Jungle Gardens / Bush gardens etc. that have wonderful opportunities.
Some other places like Ft. Desoto are excellent (most of the time) but a bit farther from Orlando. On the East coast there are also Viera wetlands (ask HarryB) and Merrit Island you may want to visit.
I suggest bringing your warm winter clothes. Wind chill of low 30's here this AM. You Canucks close the darn freezer door already. *-)
The good thing about Orlando is that you are in central Florida so its less than a two hour drive to most of the really good wildlife locations in Florida. The bad thing about Orlando is that you are in central Florida.
The closest location is the rookery in Gatorland which should have some decent activity in Feb. Gatorland is tourist trap and they have discontunued their photography friendly practices (no more photographer's pass :pissed) but you can get some good captures. If you don't mind an hour's drive the Viera Wetlands would be worth a stop. If you want to try Viera let me know and I'll give you a guided tour. The activity has been pretty good so far this year. MINWR is also an hours drive but the activity has not been very good so far. I'll PM you if MINWR gets active.
The Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland (about an hours drive from Orlando, google it) has had very good activity of late.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Harry, Grimace and I would love a guided tour of the area.
(an hours drive is nothing for us)
I was wondering about something else.
It looks like we'll be in the area sometime between the 15th and the 22nd.
I just heard that the shuttle launch has been moved back to Feb 24th.
Will that prevent us from visiting areas like the Viera Wetlands or other areas around the cape?
Harry, Grimace and I would love a guided tour of the area.
(an hours drive is nothing for us)
I was wondering about something else.
It looks like we'll be in the area sometime between the 15th and the 22nd.
I just heard that the shuttle launch has been moved back to Feb 24th.
Will that prevent us from visiting areas like the Viera Wetlands or other areas around the cape?
The MINWR is usually closed off 3 days prior to a launch. The Viera Wetlands is not impacted by a launch at all.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
The good thing about Orlando is that you are in central Florida so its less than a two hour drive to most of the really good wildlife locations in Florida. The bad thing about Orlando is that you are in central Florida.
The closest location is the rookery in Gatorland which should have some decent activity in Feb. Gatorland is tourist trap and they have discontunued their photography friendly practices (no more photographer's pass :pissed) but you can get some good captures. If you don't mind an hour's drive the Viera Wetlands would be worth a stop. If you want to try Viera let me know and I'll give you a guided tour. The activity has been pretty good so far this year. MINWR is also an hours drive but the activity has not been very good so far. I'll PM you if MINWR gets active.
The Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland (about an hours drive from Orlando, google it) has had very good activity of late.
Thanks Harry and everyone else that chimed in. It looks like I might have one day later this month (1/27) to do some scouting before Davev and I are down there in February.
With only one day to shoot would you recommend Viera over everything else?
Thanks Harry and everyone else that chimed in. It looks like I might have one day later this month (1/27) to do some scouting before Davev and I are down there in February.
With only one day to shoot would you recommend Viera over everything else?
That would be my recommendation. I was out there today and I caught some eagle flight shots, some close ups of a red shouldered hawk, green and blue teals, northern shovelers, a green heron, wood storks, sandhill cranes, a limpkin, GBHs, great egrets, snowy egrets, tri-color herons, anhingas, & mergansers. I passed on the cattle egrets, ibises, coots and moorhens.
The best way to shot there is to shoot in the AM, break in the early afternoon and then go back for the late afternoon so you can shooot in the half that was backlit in the early part of the day.
My house is about a 10-15 minute drive from the wetlands and y'all can take you afternoon break there. I'm gonna be in New Orleans from the 14th through the 18th so I hope that's not when you're going to be down here.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
It looks like I might have one day later this month (1/27) to do some scouting before Davev and I are down there in February.
You may find it a bit crowded for your 1/27 one day visit. The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival runs 1/26 to 1/30 with field workshops at MINWR and Viera and folks with free time dropping in too.
But, with only one day I would go to Viera! It will be a lot less crowded in February.
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Some other places like Ft. Desoto are excellent (most of the time) but a bit farther from Orlando. On the East coast there are also Viera wetlands (ask HarryB) and Merrit Island you may want to visit.
I suggest bringing your warm winter clothes. Wind chill of low 30's here this AM. You Canucks close the darn freezer door already. *-)
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
The closest location is the rookery in Gatorland which should have some decent activity in Feb. Gatorland is tourist trap and they have discontunued their photography friendly practices (no more photographer's pass :pissed) but you can get some good captures. If you don't mind an hour's drive the Viera Wetlands would be worth a stop. If you want to try Viera let me know and I'll give you a guided tour. The activity has been pretty good so far this year. MINWR is also an hours drive but the activity has not been very good so far. I'll PM you if MINWR gets active.
The Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland (about an hours drive from Orlando, google it) has had very good activity of late.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Harry, Grimace and I would love a guided tour of the area.
(an hours drive is nothing for us)
I was wondering about something else.
It looks like we'll be in the area sometime between the 15th and the 22nd.
I just heard that the shuttle launch has been moved back to Feb 24th.
Will that prevent us from visiting areas like the Viera Wetlands or other areas around the cape?
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
The MINWR is usually closed off 3 days prior to a launch. The Viera Wetlands is not impacted by a launch at all.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Cool.
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
If you bring (or buy) the Coronas, Harry will take you to Merritt Island and Viera Wetlands. Neither is terribly far from Orlando.
Harry's a cheap date, there's an awesome seafood place for after-shoot, and you can pretty much have your way with him for the price of dinner
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The Green Cay Wetlands is a bit further south, but offers great opportunities to shoot herons with point and shoot cameras like this image shot with a G9 Powershoot - http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/Travel/Florida-Vierra-MI-V/greata-blue-heron-G9-Viveza/261267296_sw3T8-L.jpg
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Thanks Harry and everyone else that chimed in. It looks like I might have one day later this month (1/27) to do some scouting before Davev and I are down there in February.
With only one day to shoot would you recommend Viera over everything else?
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That would be my recommendation. I was out there today and I caught some eagle flight shots, some close ups of a red shouldered hawk, green and blue teals, northern shovelers, a green heron, wood storks, sandhill cranes, a limpkin, GBHs, great egrets, snowy egrets, tri-color herons, anhingas, & mergansers. I passed on the cattle egrets, ibises, coots and moorhens.
The best way to shot there is to shoot in the AM, break in the early afternoon and then go back for the late afternoon so you can shooot in the half that was backlit in the early part of the day.
My house is about a 10-15 minute drive from the wetlands and y'all can take you afternoon break there. I'm gonna be in New Orleans from the 14th through the 18th so I hope that's not when you're going to be down here.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Hopefully one of those two days work out
Dinner is on me.
Thanks again for the info guys.
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
You may find it a bit crowded for your 1/27 one day visit. The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival runs 1/26 to 1/30 with field workshops at MINWR and Viera and folks with free time dropping in too.
But, with only one day I would go to Viera! It will be a lot less crowded in February.