Ft Myers area

I am planning a trip for early February back to Ding Darling NWR and would
like some recommendations for other wildlife places to visit in the same
area.

From: "Lew"

I am planning a trip for early February back to Ding Darling NWR and would
like some recommendations for other wildlife places to visit in the same
area.

Hi Lew,

Venice Rookery is about an hour's drive north, the tiny island is full of
nesting gb herons, egrets and anhingas about 20 yards from shore. In early Feb
I'd guess the heron chicks have just hatched but not the egret chicks.

If it's overcast I'd vote for a day at Corkscrew Swamp, which is south-east a
bit from Ft. Myers (less than an hour, IIRC). This is an elevated boardwalk
across a cypress swamp. You won't shoot as much film here as at Ding or
Venice, but it's unique compared to the other places and we always seem to find
something good to shoot, like owls peering out of nesting cavities or, last
year, painted buntings. A fill-flash on cloudy days is the ticket here. If
it's not overcast you need to go early or late.

On Ft. Myers beach just south of the Holiday Inn there's an estuary which often
has a lot of birds. Best if you wade in the muck after them. We've only hit
this place a couple of times and never did well compared to Ding, but others
have done well here.

Supposed to be good shooting for burrowing owls near Cape Coral, just across
from Sanibel. Never tried it since we were always after spoonbills at Ding,
but Danny Burk gave me some detailed instructions on how to get there last year
and I hear they are easy enough to find, you just have to wait until they pop
up.

It's a couple hours away, but the Shark Valley unit of the Everglades has
excellent bird photography early in the AM. Park outside the entrance beyond
the 'no parking' signs and walk in for about 2-3 hours of close range shots
before it opens and the crowds arrive. Beyond SV near Homestead the Anhinga
Trail in the Everglades is our favorite spot for birds in Florida, better to
our tastes than any of the others (but there's a lot we haven't seen). You can
shoot early and late here, often at point blank range.

Bill

Thanks Bill. I have added Venice Rookery, Corkscrew Swamp, and Anhinga Trail
to my plans for the future. I may not make them all this trip. I had read
about the Venice Rookery before, but I could not remember its name.
Lew

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Lew"

I am planning a trip for early February back to Ding Darling NWR and
would
like some recommendations for other wildlife places to visit in the same
area.

Hi Lew,

Venice Rookery is about an hour's drive north, the tiny island is full of
nesting gb herons, egrets and anhingas about 20 yards from shore. In
early Feb
I'd guess the heron chicks have just hatched but not the egret chicks.

If it's overcast I'd vote for a day at Corkscrew Swamp, which is
south-east a
bit from Ft. Myers (less than an hour, IIRC). This is an elevated
boardwalk
across a cypress swamp. You won't shoot as much film here as at Ding or
Venice, but it's unique compared to the other places and we always seem to
find
something good to shoot, like owls peering out of nesting cavities or,
last
year, painted buntings. A fill-flash on cloudy days is the ticket here.
If
it's not overcast you need to go early or late.

On Ft. Myers beach just south of the Holiday Inn there's an estuary which
often
has a lot of birds. Best if you wade in the muck after them. We've only
hit
this place a couple of times and never did well compared to Ding, but
others
have done well here.

Supposed to be good shooting for burrowing owls near Cape Coral, just
across
from Sanibel. Never tried it since we were always after spoonbills at
Ding,
but Danny Burk gave me some detailed instructions on how to get there last
year
and I hear they are easy enough to find, you just have to wait until they
pop
up.

It's a couple hours away, but the Shark Valley unit of the Everglades has
excellent bird photography early in the AM. Park outside the entrance
beyond
the 'no parking' signs and walk in for about 2-3 hours of close range
shots
before it opens and the crowds arrive. Beyond SV near Homestead the
Anhinga
Trail in the Everglades is our favorite spot for birds in Florida, better
to
our tastes than any of the others (but there's a lot we haven't seen).
You can
shoot early and late here, often at point blank range.

Bill

In message
dy (Bill Hilton) wrote:

From: "Lew"

I am planning a trip for early February back to Ding Darling NWR and would
like some recommendations for other wildlife places to visit in the same
area.

Hi Lew,

Venice Rookery is about an hour's drive north, the tiny island is full of
nesting gb herons, egrets and anhingas about 20 yards from shore. In early Feb
I'd guess the heron chicks have just hatched but not the egret chicks.

If it's overcast I'd vote for a day at Corkscrew Swamp, which is south-east a
bit from Ft. Myers (less than an hour, IIRC). This is an elevated boardwalk
across a cypress swamp. You won't shoot as much film here as at Ding or
Venice, but it's unique compared to the other places and we always seem to find
something good to shoot, like owls peering out of nesting cavities or, last
year, painted buntings. A fill-flash on cloudy days is the ticket here. If
it's not overcast you need to go early or late.

Do you still get Limpkin there? About ten years ago there was a very tame
one which posed on the rail of the boardwalk as well as in the swamp.

We were there at last light, and there was a Little Blue Heron feeding just
around and under our feet as we stood on the boardwalk. We were getting
blase and were chatting to a young couple and their children, who were
'chatting to' the Heron, so tame was it (unlike UK herons which are very
nervous). Suddenly, 'from nowhere' an alligator came and caught the Heron.
We were all totally taken by surprise as we hadn't seen the alligator under
the 'water lettuce'. It dived with the heron in its mouth and took it to the
far end of the pond, threw it up in the air a few times then gobbled it down
- to our shock (the surprise element as much as anything) and the wee girl's
terror - I was glad I wasn't her mum that night.

Just after that, a woman who was researching the alligators came along. She
told us she'd never seen that happen, but that when the alligator young are
hatching, the herons fly in for a bonanza, picking off the little ones as
the emerge.

Slainte

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles
New Aug '03: Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"

In message p
Jim Davis wrote:

On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 19:44:24 GMT, Liz wrote/replied
to:

Suddenly, 'from nowhere' an alligator came and caught the Heron.

Wow! And did you get the whole thing on camera? I mean, imagine the
images in that scene. I feel for the heron, but alligator gulps heron
could be award winning images.

Oh no.
I'd be retired by now on the proceeds!
I had bought a couple of lenses just before the trip (I know, I know), and
had been using them throughout. Just when I was photographing the Limpkin, a
screw came out of the tripod collar of the 500mm, and rolled between boards
on the boardwalk. I'd hardly put my camera away when 'it' happened!

It sounds like an angler's tale, but it really happened.
Not in good light, I have to say, (the place the alligator swam to with the
heron before it started throwing it up was in shade) so I don't know how a
pic would have turned out.

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles
New Aug '03: Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"