Florida's Fabulous Birds

One of the highlights of 2013 was a family holiday to visit Mickey & Minnie at Walt Disney World in Florida. This was very much a family holiday for the kids (if you count me as a big kid!), with only one period of about three hours specifically set aside for photography. But Florida in February is great for bird photography wherever you are, with the birds far more camera friendly than in the UK. 

Great Egret - part 1

One of the birds I photographed the most during my trip was the Great Egret.

These magnificent birds were relatively common, with one even appearing in the front garden of the villa we were staying in. This first image was actually taken at Walt Disney World itself during one of our visits to Magic Kingdom.

Great EgretMagic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Florida, USA

One of the best places to photograph these birds though provided a very much more natural setting. The famous Gatorland Bird Rookery was created in 1991 as an alligator breeding marsh. This unique habitat has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Today, this area provides protected nesting, foraging, and roosting area to over 20 different species of wild bird, many of which are listed as Endangered or Species of Special Concern. Photographers can buy a special pass to enter the park outside normal opening times when the light is much better for photography.

Here is a selection of Great Egret images from my early morning visit to the rookery.

Great EgretGatorland, Florida, USA

Great EgretGatorland, Florida, USA

Great Egret preeningGatorland, Florida, USA

Great Egret preeningGatorland, Florida, USA

You really can get close to these birds. All these photos are taken with the Canon 100-400mm IS lens.

Great Egret on nestGatorland, Florida, USA

Great EgretGatorland, Florida, USA

Great Egrets building nestGatorland, Florida, USA

More of these fabulous birds later!