Hawk at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

You can find more information on Florida Wildlife Refuges in Issue #78 Page 11 of Photograph America Newsletter.

After four days in the Tampa area, I headed north on US 19, up the Gulf Coast, looking for more wildlife refuges. A few, like Homosassa Springs, are worth a second look. Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, on the Gulf Coast, seventy-five miles north of Tampa, is a rehabilitation center for endangered West Indian manatees that have been orphaned or injured in the wild or have been born in captivity. In addition to all the manatees, there are shorebirds, pelicans, herons, storks, wild turkeys, cranes, and egrets, there’s a variety of hawks (above), owls, and bald eagles in natural-looking environments. There are native bobcats, black bears, otters, foxes, and most of the birds native to Florida. Most of these bird enclosures are close to the trails. Photographers using a 400mm telephoto can easily fill their viewfinders with tight head shots. Many of the enclosures are open, so you won’t be shooting through wire mesh or bars. After paying the entrance fee, you can explore the grounds all day, photographing at your own pace. Park rangers roaming the trails can answer your questions. Carry your longest telephoto  to capture close-ups of the birds and the alligators. A shorter lens, even a wide-angle, is necessary to photograph the large manatees through the windows in the underwater observatory. Use an extension cord or raise your flash head high enough to prevent problems with reflections on the underwater windows. Using a digital camera, you can double check your exposures and flash settings as you go. Get your hand stamped at the gate, and you can come and go all day. Park visitors can take a jungle cruise upriver to the source of the springs. There’s a cafe, a gift shop, and free parking in the paved lot. The park is just north of the small, historic fishing village of Homosassa, where lodging and restaurants can be found. For more information, do an Internet search for Homosassa Springs.