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.
I woke up fairly early and decided to head to the Orlando Wetlands. It was a cool, cloudy morning – but apparently I was in a fog. I was so disappointed in my photos I had to go back again later and try again.
Between clouds and rain showers, I was able to visit my three go-to spots for birding – Orlando Wetlands, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive – in the first two weeks of January.
When I heard some flamingos were spotted next to the road to Playalinda Beach, I drove over to see if they might be close enough for some photos. But …