Best in Show Robert Van Mierop Palm Coast, FL Roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja The 2018 Best in Show image was taken by Palm Coast photographer Robert Van Mierop. This awe-inducing photo of a Roseate spoonbill parent with chick was captured with a Nikon D7200, with a 200-500mm lens. Congratulations to this...
JOEL SARTORE! Joel Sartore is a photographer, speaker, author, teacher, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine. His hallmarks are a sense of humor and a Midwestern work ethic. Joel specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes in order to show a...
2017 was the busiest nesting season the swamp has seen since 2011 resulting in a max count of 706 nests! Many factors came into play, but in particular the end to the drought and the swamp rejuvenation efforts made the biggest difference. Hurricane Matthew arrived in October 2016...
Congratulations to this year's photo contest winners! The 2017 Best in Show image was taken by St. Augustine photographer Charles Wesley. This stunning photo of a preening Roseate spoonbill was captured with a Canon 7D Mk II camera, Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 IS II lens...
Photo by Charles Wesley Another successful rookery season has come to a close! The significant maintenance changes that occurred over the winter provided more nesting opportunities for the smaller wading bird species. This resulted in an increase of nests across the board over the 2015 nesting season....
By John Brueggen, Director and Gen Anderson, General Curator For many years, visitors to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm have enjoyed the amazing phenomenon of native Florida wading birds choosing our alligator swamp boardwalk area as a roosting and nesting site. The protection afforded them against tree...
Photo by Robert O'Toole This year's total nest count was a little on the low side, so we are working hard out in the swamp this winter to maximize the future potential of the rookery's nesting success. Major maintenance is long overdue in the swamp and...
Best in Show Lynn Long Beaufort, SC Congratulations to this year's photo contest winners! The award-winning photojournalist Daron Dean, Manager of Photography for the St. Augustine Record, had the difficult task of selecting one Best in Show image plus nine additional winning images. Doug Heimstead Vadnais, MN John Zeiss Sarasota, FL Richard Curtin Anniston,...
All photos by Karen Willes What happens when these chicks leave the nest and start fending for themselves? We're partnering with Audubon Florida to band Roseate spoonbills so their movements can be tracked. Knowing where these birds spend most of their time can be useful to...