Why Central Florida is a birding paradise

When I go out of town and come back home, it makes me realize how fortunate I am to live in Central Florida, a birding paradise full of incredible diversity.

From the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge along the coast, to the manmade gift that is the Orlando Wetlands, to the large lakefront area along the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, the different geography these places offer helps lure different birds (and sometimes similar) to the area.

Throw in some urban locations, like Mead Garden in Winter Park and the UCF Arboretum, and you realize just how special it is to be a birder in our area.

Here’s a collection of photos from late September and early to mid-October showing some of that Central Florida bird diversity.