6 – 15 March 2025
Join me to the Bird paradise of Florida 2025!
I have spent several months in the areas and specific destinations that this tour targets. I know which the hidden gems are and when to be at which location to get the best possible opportunities.
Beaches away from the worst crowds with the best possible photo opportunities
The beaches we will go to are at dawn and dusk away from the largest crowds. Here we will share the beach with Egrets, herons, waders, spoonbills, skimmers and many more birds. The birds are not shy and we can share the beach with them without hides. When sitting down calmly its more likely that they get to close 🙂
Bird rookerys up close
This tour is timed with some of the best activity on some of the best bird rookery sites available for photography. We will visit two different rookeries that both are full of action and life. We will encounter birds in all stages of nesting, from courting to feeding the young ones. And all from just a few meters distance, which is a photographers dream!
Nature paradise Sanibel Island
During our stay we will spend time on magical Sanibel Island. Half the island is a nature reserve, and there are no large chains or big hotel chains here. World famous Ding Darling preserve gives us an abundance of birds to photograph. We will also go inland on the island to the less visited preserves, as well as shoot ospreys, herons and waders at the beaches on just a few meters distance.
Osprey paradise
We will spend time on a lake with over 200 nesting pairs of ospreys. Here we go through the magical landscape with cypress trees in the water and get up close photo opportunities of Ospreys and hopefully also Bald Eagles
Not just Birds!
Apart from the bird photography, we will also have time to shoot the magnificent swamp landscapes of and its inhabitants. The landscape is truly fascinating and it feels like you step in to another world. Here we will meet alligators and turtles at close range, as well as an abundance of birds. We will go to known preserves as well as travel the back roads for some of my favorite spots of the beaten track.
Miami International Airport
$ 2750
Deposit of 20% paid at time of booking. Final paymeny 90 days before departure.
Single room amendment: $ 450
We meet at the Airport. After lunch with introduction to the trip it’s time to go to our first photo location. The rest of the afternoon is spent photographing at an amazing location in the Everglades From boardwalks we have an abundance of wildlife just meters in front of our cameras. Only your imagination will limit the type and amount of shots that can be taken here. When the light disappears we go to our hotel for the night
This day we focus purely on the marvels of Everglades. We will visit a few different locations for experiencing the landscapes and the up close wildlife, getting encounters of anhingas, herons, alligators and many more species.
Late afternoon we will be on the look out for Barred owls at a location they usually are encountered.
Early morning departure to explore the magical swamp landscapes of Florida. We will have photo shoots both at famous spots as well on some of the back roads that have become my favorites for really experiencing this surreal landscape and its inhabitants. It will be a day full of impressions, when darkness fall we will travel to our base for the coming days that resides on the west coast of Florida.
Every morning and afternoon we will do photo excursions to some of the finest bird photo locations there is.
Based on tide and best timing for each type of location we will get to shoot a number of different species and habitats.
Timed with the tide we will spend time on magical beaches. Here we share the beach with Herons, egrets, spoonbills and many shore birds and waders. On the outer banks its common to see skimmers. Here we can operate without hides. When finding a good spot on the beach the birds will come to us. Pure magic to experience.!
Target species are Reddish Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Willet, Different Plovers, Skimmers among others.
Another main location during the days will be Sanibel Island. This magical Island, whith its large amount of nature reserves and traditional Florida vibe is a pure haven for photographers. In wolrd fmaous Ding Darling we will get meetings with an abundance of species. We will also explore the beaches where close encounters with ospreys,shorebirds, waders, pelicans, herons and egrets take place.
Snail kites and limpkins – we will take one session at a lesser known area where you usually get great sightings of snail kites and limpkin.
Six Miles Slough Preserve – one session we will go to this beautiful preserve. Here we travel along boardwalks and take in the magical surroundings. Its a small haven and the swamp landscape is easy to take in while walking on the calm boardwalks.
Another Highlight will be the charming burrowing owls of Cape Coral. We will visit my favorite spot where several nests and owl pairs reside within a small area of a few hundred meters.
The white headed bald eagle is also on the agenda. We will go and shoot at a nest where they at this point in time usually are busy raising the young ones. Usually gives great opportunities to shoot while they come in with fresh caught fish and while feeding the young ones.
During the morning we do one more session at one of the west coast jewels, before packing up and leaving our west coast base.
We will travel towards the eastern parts of Florida again and go to a beatiful lake filled with nesting ospreys and also bald eagles.
We will go out on the lake with a specialised guide to get us close to the wildlife and magical landscape providing many photo opportunities. Then of to the hotel for the night
Bird Rookery bonanza – Three sessions will be spent on what most likely is two of Floridas best place for shooting nesting roseate spoonbills, herons and egrets. On the morning of Day 8 we go to a remote place where we get really close to a rookery full of roseate spoonbills. Here we get the chance to observe them flying in and out gathering nest material and courting, providing plenty of in flight opportunities.
During afternoon and last morning session we will explore a boardwalk which is the bird photographers dream place. On a short distance of around 10m we get to observe and document their work with feeding and raising the chicks. At this time of the year we usually get to see chicks at all stages, from young ones to chicks almost as big as their parents.
After the last morning session at the rookery we are getting close to the end of the trip. But still some shooting left to do! We will the last day spend time with burrowing owls again at some locations that is on the way to the airport. After taking our final shots we say goodbye at the airport and start our individual travels home.
