I'm not a professional and I don't drive very far. Almost everything in my galleries comes from the same handful of spots around South Florida, places where the birds are used to people and you can watch them without bothering them. Here's where I actually go.
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach
If you only have time for one spot, make it this one. Wakodahatchee is a short raised boardwalk that loops over open water, and the birds nest right there on the little islands. In spring you get great blue herons, wood storks, and anhingas sitting on nests within easy reach of a lens. Go at sunrise on a weekday if you can. By mid morning the light is harsh and the boardwalk fills up.
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Boynton Beach
A bigger, wilder feel than the boardwalks. The Loxahatchee refuge has a cypress swamp boardwalk and long marsh impoundments, and in the dry season it fills with wading birds, alligators, and wintering waterfowl. It rewards a slower walk and a bit of patience, and you can cover a lot of different water in one morning.
Green Cay Nature Center, Boynton Beach
Green Cay is close to both of the above and nicely calm. Longer boardwalk, more marsh, and a good mix of waders, gallinules, and the occasional bittern if you're lucky. I'll often pair it with Wakodahatchee, one for the nesting action and one for a quieter walk.
The Everglades
For something wilder, the Everglades is the classic, and the Anhinga Trail is about as reliable as it gets. Anhingas drying their wings, herons stalking the shallows, and alligators everywhere, close enough that you'll want to read up on how to photograph them safely before you go. Dry season, roughly November through April, is when the water drops and everything concentrates in one place.
Closer to home: the backyard and local parks
Not every good photo needs a destination. A lot of mine come from my own backyard and the various parks and wetlands around the neighborhood, where the light is right and I already know who shows up and when. It's the least glamorous advice I've got and maybe the most useful: the more you shoot the same nearby spots, the better you read them, and the better your pictures get.
And honestly, this is just my corner of it. The whole state is a gem for nature and wildlife, from the Gulf beaches to the springs and forests further north. South Florida happens to be my backyard, so it's the part I know best, but if you're anywhere in Florida with a bit of water nearby, you're closer to good birds than you think.
A few things that help
- Get there at first light. The birds are most active and the light is soft. This matters more than any piece of gear.
- Go on a weekday. Weekend mornings at Wakodahatchee can get crowded on the narrow boardwalk.
- Bring reach. Even where birds are close, a longer lens lets you fill the frame without leaning into anyone's space. Here's what I actually carry.
- Know the calendar. Nesting and plumage change through the year, so it's worth knowing the best time of year to go.
Once you can tell the birds apart, the whole thing gets more fun. If you're still sorting out the white ones, I wrote a field guide to South Florida's white birds. And if you have a question I didn't cover here, the FAQ is a good place to start.
