I went to Gatorland in Orlando this past Friday-Saturday. Spectacular!
The place is loaded with breeding and nesting Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets, Snowies, Tri's, Wood Storks, and Spoons. The CE, GE, Snowy and Tri nests are abundant and sometimes just inches away from the boardwalk.
The owner, Mike Godwin, is a photographer and caters to photographers. Photgraphers can enter at 7:30am, before the general public is admitted at 9. The general public must leave by 5pm, but photographers can stay until dusk. The pre-dusk light is incredible.
There are 2 WS nests in a location that is not visible to the public but Mike takes photographers to see them. There are 1 or 2 Spoon nests, but they weren't visible to us. The adult Spoons are in full breeding color.
If this isn't enough, directly across the street is a delicious pizza place.
Oh this is very nice! Wonderful colors with the pink and orange in the beaks and the soft light. My only nit is the feathers encroaching on the left, I assume from the left bird's wing. Could you share your technical details?
The difference in eye color gives this even more umphhh
Posted by Cindy Nowlin on May 16, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Gatorland is an awesome place!! I use to live not far from there and would go just about every week. That was a few years ago, nice to see it finally getting the respect it deserves. Everyone use to think the Alligator Farm was the best. Guess with Mike now in charge, its the new hot spot. This is a great place to shoot, bummer I live too far from there now. I might have to make a trip back there sometime soon. Lots of other awesome birding places near by.
I just got home from Orlando about an hour ago, turned on my computer to catch up on email and such, and there was your photo. I was in Gatorland on Sunday which was my one and only day out with the camera while in Orlando last week.My photos are still on the cards.
Gatorland is an awesome place where you can really get close to the nesting birds. This was my 3rd trip to Gatorland just to photograph the nesting birds in May. I wish I had known about the photographers hours.
Your photo is great. It's amazing how close you can get to these birds and still not get a clear shot through all the bushes. Great Job.
Discussion
10 repliesThe place is loaded with breeding and nesting Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets, Snowies, Tri's, Wood Storks, and Spoons. The CE, GE, Snowy and Tri nests are abundant and sometimes just inches away from the boardwalk.
The owner, Mike Godwin, is a photographer and caters to photographers. Photgraphers can enter at 7:30am, before the general public is admitted at 9. The general public must leave by 5pm, but photographers can stay until dusk. The pre-dusk light is incredible.
There are 2 WS nests in a location that is not visible to the public but Mike takes photographers to see them. There are 1 or 2 Spoon nests, but they weren't visible to us. The adult Spoons are in full breeding color.
If this isn't enough, directly across the street is a delicious pizza place.
I would have been better off with a 300 lens. I had to back up so far that my butt almost went into a gtor's mouth.
Harold
It was like being in Candyland.
I think this would be even better if the second bird's eye was in focus, but it's not necessary. The colors are fantastic!
Gatorland is an awesome place where you can really get close to the nesting birds. This was my 3rd trip to Gatorland just to photograph the nesting birds in May. I wish I had known about the photographers hours.
Your photo is great. It's amazing how close you can get to these birds and still not get a clear shot through all the bushes. Great Job.