Ospreys & other Birdlife of Florida

Join Jane for an incredible 10 night wildlife photography holiday. Visit some remarkable but little-known photography hotspots around central Florida & capture images of the birdlife of Florida.

The highlight of this wildlife photography holiday for many will be the mornings & evenings spent on Blue Cypress Lake, capturing images of the ospreys for which the lake is famous. However, we also will be visiting locations from the east coast to the west coast of Florida in pursuit of species, including Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egrets, Wood Storks, Herons, Spoonbills, Crested Caracara, Snail Kites, Burrowing Owls & many more. We will include locations in St. Augustine, Lake Kissimmee, Blue Cypress Lake, Joe Overstreet Road in Kenansville, Stick Marsh, J.N. Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Coral & many others.

We will spend four full mornings & afternoons photographing from a pontoon boat on Blue Cypress Lake, providing the ideal amount of time to fine-tune your skills, capture many osprey images in varied settings, &, hopefully, come away with superb images.

Later in the trip, we will take a couple of mornings & afternoons to photograph burrowing owls in Cape Coral; Jane, a member of the NaturesLens guiding team, is familiar with several locations which have, in the past, provided groups of photographers with great image opportunities & so you will revisit these locations.

The group size is limited to 4 participants, so you will have plenty of time with Jane to ask questions & get advice specific to your photographic needs.

The Ospreys of Blue Cypress Lake

Blue Cypress Lake in Florida is renowned for its population of ospreys, also known as fish hawks. These magnificent birds of prey are a common sight in the area, drawing bird photographers & nature enthusiasts from far & wide to witness their impressive hunting techniques & aerial displays. Ospreys are easily identifiable by their white underparts, dark brown backs, & distinctive masked faces. With a wingspan of up to six feet, these birds are formidable hunters who dive into the water to catch fish with incredible precision.

Thanks to their unique adaptations, ospreys are considered superb fishers. Their reversible outer toes & barbed pads on their feet help them grip slippery prey. At the same time, their streamlined bodies & long, curved talons enable them to plunge into the water & snatch fish near the surface. Ospreys can often carry their catch in their nails as they soar through the sky, returning to their nests to feed themselves & their young.

Blue Cypress Lake provides an ideal habitat for ospreys, offering abundant fish to feed on. The lake’s shallow waters & cypress tree-lined shores provide the perfect setting for these birds to build their nests & raise their young. Ospreys typically mate for life & return to the same nesting site year after year, adding new materials to their large stick nests to reinforce them.

During the breeding season, which usually begins in late winter, male ospreys perform elaborate courtship displays to attract a mate. These displays involve aerial acrobatics, including high-speed dives & circling flights, accompanied by loud calls. Once a pair has bonded, they work together to build their nest, with the female taking the lead in arranging the nesting materials.

Ospreys are highly territorial during the breeding season, vigorously defending their nests from intruders, including other ospreys. Their loud, piercing calls warn of potential threats, ensuring they protect their nesting site at all costs. Despite their fierce reputation, ospreys are also caring parents, taking turns incubating their eggs & hunting for food to feed their chicks.

The chicks hatch after about five weeks of incubation, & both parents play a crucial role in caring for them. Young ospreys are born covered in white downy feathers & are entirely dependent on their parents for food & protection. As they grow, the parents gradually introduce them to hunting techniques, teaching them to dive for fish & fend for themselves.

By late spring or early summer, the young ospreys are ready to take their first flight, known as fledging. This period is critical for their development as they hone their flying & hunting skills under the guidance of their parents. Once they become proficient hunters, the young ospreys will eventually leave the nest to find their territories & mates, continuing the life cycle.

Overall, the ospreys of Blue Cypress Lake are a vital part of the ecosystem, significantly controlling fish populations & contributing to the area’s biodiversity. Their graceful flight, impressive hunting abilities, & strong family bonds make them a captivating sight for anyone fortunate enough to observe them in their natural habitat. Whether soaring high in the sky or plunging into the depths of the lake, ospreys genuinely embody the spirit of nature’s resilience & beauty.