December 31 - January 3

Birds of Fort DeSoto State Park Winter Workshop

$1,395

Flight Destination: Tampa, FL

While many great images are taken during workshops in March and April to this area, some of my best photographs here have been taken during late November through December. Winter plumage for the gulls creates a different appearance and there's no breeding plumage, but the action is as good if not better. One key ingredient at this time of year is that access to a group of skimmers and gulls is better since a key gathering area is not closed off for nesting season.

The Pinellas Suncoast is a hidden gem on Florida's Gulf Coast as not every wintering and resident bird makes its way further down the Gulf Coast. At Fort DeSoto a wide variety of shore and wading birds add to the mix. Several other parks with more opportunities will also be featured as well as some very photogenic pelicans. Year-round residents are also more plentiful than many other spots in the state. With Pinellas County being a peninsula both sunrises and sunsets are capable.

Photograph the behavior of laughing gulls as well as royal and sandwich terns. Herons, great egrets, reddish egrets, roseate spoonbills, shorebirds including threatened piping plovers, and skimmers are among the many birds found in the area. Also at this time of year wood storks are more prevalent than later in the season.

There is always at least one reddish egret that puts on a show that keeps everyones attention captivated over and over again.

It is not uncommon to have a mix of birds such as snowy efretsm night herons and spoonbills all gathered in one small area and the interaction between them can be quite amusing.

Having grown up in St. Petersburg, I know several hidden parks and lakes where the action is just as good as the other more popular parks and some different birds find the solitude enjoyable including green herons, wood storks, and hawks.

Fort DeSoto is now counted on as a premier birding locations in the country. While other spots in the state might receive more notice, the photography opportunities in Pinellas County are just as good if not better.

A look through the guides of the Great Florida Birding Trail shows how prolific the bird activity is here. And this hasn't even touched on the skimmer activiy we will encounter.

The main thing missing from this trip is the visit to Honeymoon Island to get images of the nesting osprey. While next activity will not be featured, there's still a good chance of getting shots of these birds.

Click here to see bird photography from this area.

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