Around the State

Florida is known for alligators. Many people think of the Everglades as the foremost destination for seeing alligators. But if you live in or are visiting the southwest part of the state, there is no need to travel any further than Sarasota County to see lots of large gators. One amazing place is in a…

Circle B Bar Reserve is a Polk County park located just a few miles southeast of Lakeland, FL on Lake Hancock. There are numerous trails that traverse the park through a variety of habitats from hardwood forests to swamp. Be prepared for tired feet because many of the journeys are long. The park is also…

Every year we see or hear about a variety of rare birds in Florida. It almost always happens during migrations. This year has brought us a Calliope Hummingbird which is native to the far western United States. According to Audubon, it is the smallest bird in North America. The bird we saw was either female…

Lakeland, FL is aptly named with over 30 lakes within the city limits. The best lake for photography always seems to be Lake Morton. It’s famous for its population of swans. But the main reason we like Lake Morton is for the wood ducks and several migrating ducks that visit every year. It’s a nice…

In the middle of the city of Venice, FL is a very small pond with a little island on one end. Each year the island becomes home to dozens of herons, egrets and cormorants that build their nests and raise their young. It is a photographer and birder magnet because the island and its birds…

Myakka River State Park is a wildlife and nature gem. Located in eastern Sarasota County, it is one of the largest parks in Florida with over 37,000 acres. The Myakka River flows through the park and creates a variety of lakes, ponds, and flooded marshlands. Because of the diverse terrain, the park is home to…

One of the most striking birds that we see around here is the nanday parakeet. Their colors are absolutely amazing. On the neon green bodies is an entire palette of blue and purple accents. They also look like they’re wearing orange and yellow socks. Unfortunately, despite their beauty, nandays are annoying because of their constant…

It started off being a rather quiet year for waterfowl. No matter where we went in December and early January, the numbers seemed down from years past. But the last couple of weeks have changed everything. Not only have the number of ducks improved, but we found a couple of species that we hadn’t seen…

Many owls now have little owlets. We visited a nest in west Bradenton recently and there were two new little great horned owls. There are a few other spots that we will check over the next few weeks. It’s always fun to see the little owls because they’re cute and curious. For a larger selection…

Last week ended with a fantastic day photographing scissor-tailed flycatchers. These migrants travel all the way around the Gulf of America from Oklahoma and Texas to spend the winter here. They like open areas like farmland. We found them around the strawberry fields southeast of Tampa. They are beautiful birds that are fun to watch…

The area marshes have become vacation destinations for many migratory birds. Again, this year we have been so fortunate to see yellow-headed blackbirds and bronzed cowbirds, among the many species enjoying their temporary stays. Another bird that has managed to work its way into the area from the southeastern part of the state is the…