But in the back of the park is an amazing bird rookery that offers incredible opportunities to get some great close-up shots of some of the most photogenic birds of Florida. The thing that makes such great close-ups possible is the boardwalk that goes right through the areas where the birds are nesting. So they are literally just a few feet away from you. You can get by with using a 300mm lens but I highly recommend 400mm or more if you have it.
The other great feature is that these birds are pretty much used to having humans stroll by and ogle them. They don't seem fazed by all the attention one little bit. As a result, you can get some very natural reactions, instead of obviously alarmed expressions.
In the spring and early summer, there are plenty of chances to get great shots of young ones all the way from hatchlings to adolescents. I understand that St. Augustine has an alligator farm that is very similar in having a bird rookery as well, but I haven't been there yet to be able to comment on it. But I can say with certainty that if you are a nature photographer who lives in Florida or if you are visiting the state anytime soon, Gatorland's rookery needs to be on your photo bucket list of places to visit.
Here are a few shots I have gotten at the Gatorland rookery in the last few months:
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| Snowy Egret nesting |
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| Snowy Egret portrait |
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| Cattle egret perched by its nest |
See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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