I’m always eager to explore new birding locations, so I trekked over to Lake County on a foggy Saturday morning to search for some migrating warblers at the Ferndale Preserve near Clermont.
It’s a 190-acre preserve on the west side of Lake Apopka that includes upland and wetland ecosystems. There’s also definite changes in elevation from its height of 165 feet above sea level and then dropping down along Lake Apopka. And, based on my morning visit, it’s a place some birds love to visit.
I came across five different types of warblers during my time at the preserve: Yellow Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler and Common Yellowthroat Warbler.
The place was also loaded with different types of butterflies, too. (And a lot of mosquitos as well, unfortunately.)
I suspect this won’t be my last visit to Ferndale Preserve.
Prothonotary Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Prothonotary Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Prothonotary Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Black-and-white Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Black-and-white Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Black-and-white Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Black-and-white Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Yellow Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Yellow Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Prairie Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Prairie Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.Female Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Ferndale Preserve in Lake County, September 2024.
On several birding Facebook groups I’ve been seeing photos of a cute little bird called a Black-and-White Warbler. Then, Tuesday morning, I looked out in my backyard and saw one hopping around on the truck of our Sweet Gum Tree.
Over the course of the past three days, I visited three of my favorite birding spots: Orlando Wetlands (twice), Black Point Wildlife Drive on Merritt Island and Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. The Belted Kingfishers I photographed on Friday sort of stole all my attention, but I did get to take…