Central Florida Kites
Summertime in Florida is generally a quiet time for bird photos. Many of our winter visitors have gone north and won’t return until fall. But there are some species that migrate here for the summer to nest and raise their young. One of those is the beautiful swallow-tailed kite. They travel all the way from […]
Cape Coral
Springtime in Cape Coral, FL means one thing …. burrowing owls. Nesting season is almost finished and most of the new owls have grown as large as their parents. They can fly and are learning to hunt. The family units are still intact so it’s fun to see several together outside their burrows. The city […]
Highlands Hammock State Park
Now that the summer is upon us and the weather is getting hot, a favorite location for us to visit is Highlands Hammock State Park just outside Sebring. Like many other parks in Florida, it has a diversified habitat. The park transitions from a dry, primitive area with scrub oaks and pine trees to a […]
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Just outside of Gainesville in the town of Micanopy, FL lies Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. It is one of the largest parks in the state with almost 23,000 acres. It is designated as a National Natural Landmark. The preserve is known for snail kites, which is why we traveled there. There are also herds […]
Sarasota Celery Fields
The Celery Fields nature preserve in Sarasota is another top destination for birders and photographers on the gulf coast of Florida. It’s also a popular place for runners and walkers with a series of trails. From the 1920s to around 1995, the fields were used for growing celery crops which is how the area got […]
University of Florida
The University of Florida is recognized as one of the top public universities in the country. It’s also known for its highly successful athletic programs. But this year, UF also had the distinction of being home to a rare yellow cardinal. According to most data, there are an estimated 15 million cardinals in the eastern […]
Lakeland Area
As the “snowbird” season comes to an end in Florida, we wanted to try and photograph a few waterfowl species before they begin or continue their journeys north. One of the species that spends time here is the ruddy duck. We’ve photographed the attractive little ducks in the past, but we’re always on a mission […]
Baby Sandhill Cranes
Again, this year, we had a pair of sandhill cranes nest right around the corner from our house. The eggs finally hatched and there are now 2 new crane “colts” enjoying the neighborhood. The cranes chose to build their nest by a pond that they used 2 years ago. Luckily it was in a spot […]
Okeechobee
A few weeks ago, we took a long ride down by Lake Okeechobee to look for a couple of rare birds for our region. They had been sighted at a campground on the south end of Lake Okeechobee. On the ride over we spotted a bald eagle with opossum roadkill for breakfast, and we were […]
More Scrub Jays
We recently ventured out to nearby nature preserve which has a large stand of scrub oaks. In Florida, when you find sizable areas of scrub oaks, you may find Florida scrub jays. They are very sociable and curious and tend to travel in family groups. Scrub jays can be very approachable which makes them a […]
The Notorious Deep Hole
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 […]
Polk County Florida Gem
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 […]
