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Audubon
Center for Birds of Prey
The
Center is an urban environmental nature center
that specializes in the rescue, medical care,
rehabilitation and release of sick, injured
and orphaned raptors (birds of prey).
More than 40 percent of over 700 annual patients
are returned to the wild. Some 20 different
species of raptors, which cannot be returned
to the wild due to injuries, are used in conservation
education programs. Audubon Center for Birds
of Prey is a non-profit organization and relies
on visitor admissions, and adoptions to support
its work. Several birds (Eagle, Hawk, Owl etc.)
are tethered outside the cage - great for head
shots!
1101 Audubon Way, Maitland, FL 32751
Telephone: 407-644-0190
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm
Visit
the Audubon
Center for Birds of Prey website for more
information.
Gatorland
Alligators
aside, Gatorland has a boardwalk rookery with
nesting Egrets, Ibis, Cormorants and other Florida
birds. In several cases you have too much lens
if you are using a 300mm. Go early and bring
your tripod.
Gatorland
is located at 4501 South Orange Blossom Trail,
Orlando, FL. 32837.
Telephone:
1-800-393-JAWS
Hours:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Entrance
fee: $19.50
Visit the Gatorland
website for more info.
Lukas Nursery
Lukas Nursery is located at the corner of Slavia
Road and Route 426 in Oviedo Florida. This is
a great location for shooting Florida Butterflies
and flowers. Enter a place where education,
butterfly farms, plants and people meet to experience
the magic of these delicate, fluttering insects.
Tour the Butterfly Encounter Exhibit Buildings,
an irresistible atmosphere of classical music,
bubbling water and hundreds of flying butterflies
and flowering plants. Leading into the
butterfly farm where caterpillars and chrysalises
live and hatch right before your eyes. Bring
your tripod and flash, macro lens or 80-200
mm lens with an extension tube.
1909
Slavia Road, Oviedo Florida, 32765. 407-365-6163.
Hours: Monday - Saturday 8 am - 6 pm; Sunday
9 am - 5 pm contact
Entrance
fee: $7.00 (Butterfly Encounter only).
Visit
the Lukas
Nursery website for more information.
Leu Gardens
The
Leu Gardens offer visitors a peaceful and relaxing
spot to enjoy the beauty of nature. Guests can
tread shaded paths and view large oak and camphor
trees as well as roses, camellias and azaleas.
The property also includes the Leu House Museum,
a restored farmhouse. Be sure to visit the floral
clock and the Orchid Conservatory before saying
goodbye to these lovely gardens.
1920
North Forest Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803-1537.
Telephone:
407-246-2620
Entrance
fee: $5:00
Hours: Daily 9 am to 5 pm
Visit
the Leu
Gardens website for more information.
Central Florida Zoo
Central
Florida Zoological Park, P.O. Box 470309, Lake
Monroe, FL 32747-0309.
Telephone: 407-323-4450 information@centralfloridazoo.org
Entrance
fee: $10 (approximately)
Hours:
Daily 9 am - 5 pm.
Visit
the Central
Florida Zoological Park website for more
information.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
MINWR
is considered to be one of the best winter birding
locations in the country. Located just East
of Titusville, MINWR shares ground with the
Kennedy Space Center. The Black Point Wildlife
Drive is the premier location, but any of the
dike roads are potentially good shooting locations.
All roads are loops and eventually return to
the main road. Over 250 species of birds have
been sighted on MINWR.
The
best time to visit is October through the end
of March, when migrating birds are wintering
there. MINWR is usually open daily from dawn
to dusk. There will be closures during launch
windows at Cape Kennedy.
From
Titusville, take Route 406 east across the bridge
and follow the signs.
St.
Augustine Alligator Farm
The
name aside, the Alligator Farm has one of the
best rookeries around. The rookery is traversed
by a boardwalk, which, in many instances, brings
you within arms-length of nesting birds. Great
location for seeing the behavior of nesting
birds close up. Nesting there are Snowy, Cattle
and Great Egrets, as well as Tricolored Herons
and Wood Storks. There is a population of Night
Herons, both Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned,
which frequent the rookery, but usually leave
with the rising sun. Also present are Roseate
Spoonbills, Little Green Herons, Great Blue
Herons.
Don’t
forget the alligators and crocodiles. Virtually
every species is represented there.
The
Alligator Farm is open from 9-5 daily. It is
located east of St. Augustine on US A1A, near
the lighthouse. Annual photo passes are available
and give the photographer the opportunity to
get in early and stay late during the 'birding'
season.
Viera
Wetlands
Located
west of Melbourne (Exit 191 on I-95), Viera
Wetlands is adjacent to the water treatment
plant for that area of Melbourne. There are
a multitude of different birds to be seen there.
Sighted recently are Bald Eagles, Crested Caracaras,
Least Bitterns, Whistling Ducks and many more
familiar species. Dike roads encircle the ponds
and there are also observation towers.
Exit
I-95 at exit 191 and go west until the road
ends at the water treatment plant. There is
no fee, but you must sign in at the office.
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