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Florida's National Wildlife Refuges are hotspots for photographing birds. If you are searching for ducks then St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge is where you want to be. Shoreline access, ability to get eye level and ducks feeding a stones throw away create great shooting opportunities. The evening and morning light were both at good angles while shooting at the lighthouse. We saw Canvasbacks, Ruddy Ducks, Lesser Scaup, American Coots and Redheads, feeding close to shore on our late December visit. Another photographer claims he had a glimpse of a Black Rail, not uncommon in the refuge, moments before our arrival. Actively flying about were both mature and immature Bald Eagles. Their nest is easily viewed from the road just before the turn to the boat ramp. On the ocean side of the path near the lighthouse was a sandbar where eagles and oystercatchers were found. In the water were Buffleheads and dolphins.

Herons, Egrets and White Pelicans were plentiful at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. The wildlife drive is very popular and the birds are accustomed to people, so getting close is usually easy. If you spend some time sitting quietly and watching you might be rewarded with great moments like the Yellow-crowned Night Heron I spotted standing along the shore. It was gazing into the water and when it poked it's beak further into the water I wondered what it was doing. I kept my camera trained on it and suddenly it had a small crab in its beak, that it flipped around back and forth before swallowing it. Also feeding close to shore were Roseate Spoonbills. It is fun to watch them sifting back and forth for tiny crustaceans in the shallow water.