Trip Dates: January 13 - 18, 2026

Photo Tour Fee: $3200 Includes in-the-field guiding and instruction. Does not include meals, lodging, or boat costs.

From: Delray Beach, FL

Leader(s): Matthew Studebaker

Target Group Size: 4 photographers limit

Travel considerations: Fly to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, fly out of Orlando, FL. You can either rent your own vehicle and follow me to our shooting locations, or ask to ride with me.

Camera Gear: Bring a digital SLR and your longest telephoto lens. Some of our target birds will be fairly shy and we'll want all the reach we can get (at least 600mm including your tele-extender). Other target birds like Wood Stork or Florida Scrub Jay, may be so close we'll want a wide angle, so bring a medium telephoto (like a 300mm or a 70-200mm) as well as a landscape lens (I'll have a 17-40mm).   Bring a tripod for your long lens, and binoculars if desired. No flash will be necessary.

What to pack:

• Boots: Waterproof Hiking Boots and pants are a good idea in case we run into wet grass or a little mud.

• Light Jacket: mornings on the boat can be chilly. Prepare for temps in the 40's on the water. Make sure you wear dark or neutral colors. No white or neon.

• Hat and Gloves: only if you want to be super prepared. At least bring a baseball cap.

• Sunscreen: A good idea for working in the sun

• Small stool or short chair or yoga mat for sitting on the lawn while watching spoonbills

Weather and Schedule:
Most days it will be common to wake up with temperatures in the mid 50's to 60's. Some afternoons we could see temperatures in the lower 70's to 80's. We will meet early enough to get to our first location around sunrise and photograph through 10am or so if we have sun. After lunch, a slideshow, and a little personal time, we'll head to our afternoon location by 3pm and photograph until we loose light. On cloudy days, we will abbreviate our afternoon break and try to maximize mid-day overcast light.

Sunrise 7:15
Sunset 5:45

January 12 - Suggestion to fly into Ft Lauderdale Airport - the closest big airport to Delray Beach.   I do need to do research this day and the morning of the 13th. Greg and Corey will have their own car so I can rent an SUV just for us. I'll likely fly to Orlando and drive down the night of the 11th or early the 12th. 

January 13 Tuesday

(late) Lunch: meet for intro 

Afternoon session: Green Cay Wetlands

Dinner: near Fairfield Inn

Hotel: suggestion Fairfield Inn and Suites - Delray Beach 1-95 $ $280/night (cheap for the area, I'll make reservations unless you want to stay somewhere else.)

January 14 Wednesday

Breakfast: on our own at hotel or in our room

Morning Session: Wakodahatchee Wetlands

Lunch: something easy near Fairfield Inn

Afternoon Session: Loxahatchee Wetlands and Parrots OR Buntings

Dinner: fast dinner on route to Titusville (2:45:00 drive north)

Hotel: Suggestion Holiday Inn 4715 Helen Hauser Blvd, Titusville, FL, 32780

January 15 Thursday

Breakfast: on our own at hotel or in our room

Morning Session: Black Point Wildlife Drive (Reddish Egret and much more)

Lunch: something easy in titusville

Afternoon Session: Orlando Wetlands

Dinner: something easy in titusville

Hotel: Suggestion above

January 16 Friday

Breakfast: on our own at hotel or in our room

Morning Session: Orlando Wetlands 90 minutes, drive 35 minutes, scrub jays

Lunch: Raffels may see old friend

Afternoon Session: wildcard. 80 minutes to Sebastian Inlet, Black point again if it was really good, Merrit Island Causway, other options

Dinner: Something fast on way to Kissimmee

Hotel: Quality Inn & Suites: 2039 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34744 - Tel: (407) 449-4777

January 17 Saturday

Breakfast: at hotel on our own before week meet 

Morning Session: Airboat

Lunch: First Watch St. Cloud

Afternoon Session: Three Lakes WMA - hawks, owls, field work

Dinner: Los Cabos Mexican

Hotel: Quality Inn & Suites

January 18 Sunday

Breakfast: at hotel on our own before week meet 

Morning Session: Joe Overstreet Owls, Grasslands

Lunch: First Watch

Afternoon Session: Airboat

Dinner: Mizu Japanese

Hotel: Quality Inn & Suites

January 19  depart. Closest airport will be 20 minutes north Orlando International

Likely Species on the Florida Photo Tour

• Ruddy Turnstone

• Willet

• Royal Tern

• Black Skimmer

• Anhinga

• Double-crested Cormorant

• Sandhill Crane

• Wood Stork

• Brown Pelican

• Roseate Spoonbill

• Little Blue Heron

• Tricolored Heron

• Green Heron

• Snowy Egret

• Great Egret

• White Ibis

• Glossy Ibis

• Limkin

• Common Gallinule

• Purple Gallinule

• Gray-headed Swamphen

• Osprey

• Bald Eagle

• Crested Caracara

• Red-shouldered Hawk

• Great Horned Owl

• Barred Owl

• Northern Bobwhite

• Loggerhead Shrike

• Florida Scrub Jay

• Brown-headed Nuthatch

• Red-bellied Woodpecker

• Eastern Meadowlark

• Boat-tailed Grackle

• Black-and-white Warbler

• Northern Parula

• Pine Warbler

• Yellow-rumped Warbler

• Palm Warbler

• Painted Bunting

Meals: Free continental breakfast at the hotel. Lunches and dinners with the group if desired. We'll eat at places everyone can enjoy.

Early Arrivals: Feel free to arrive in town as early as you like and stay later. Unfortunately, I can't accommodate early arrivals in my vehicle. Please DO ask me if you want to know about good places to photograph before or after the trip. I have tons of great suggestions.

Physical Requirements:
While most of the photography on this trip will be done right from a boat or within a 10 minute walk of our vehicle, there will likely be one or two sessions that require a longer walk. It will be hours per mile, not miles per hour, but by the end of the morning we may have walked two miles. We may be standing and walking for long periods at times. Bring a stool or yoga mat for getting low or sitting comfortably if desired.

Cancellation Policy: Participant will receive a full refund of their deposit minus a $250 re-listing fee if we are able to fill the cancelled space. If we are unable to fill the cancelled space, we cannot issue a refund or credit of any kind.