Request Info Clermont and surrounding area (1 Viewer)

I will be heading to Florida around the 20th March for 2-3 weeks, and high on my want to photograph list are Snowy and Wilson's Plovers, Killdeer, Eastern Meadowlark and Burrowing Owls. This will be my first trip to the area, and I will have a limted amount of time for birding, 3-5 days maybe, so these fairly common species will be new to me (except Killdeer I've seen in UK) anything else I get whilst there will be a bonus!
Many thanks in advance!

Try Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral Seashore for plovers and Eastern Meadowlark ..
Burrowing Owl - in Central Florida - I've heard they're in Sorrento.
Also, check e-bird for observations and exact locations - Clermont is close to Lake Apopka which can yield some rarities.
Hope that helps.

Many thanks for your reply !

Hi Nigel -

Wilson's Plovers I've always found more easily on the Gulf Coast, especially at Fort de Soto; Snowy are very hit-and-miss in my experience. Killdeer are possible anywhere, including the tarmac of the street you're living on - they're called Parking Lot Plovers for a reason! Meadowlark - any post or singing perch in pasture/turf-growing land will hold these - the very best place I've found (especially in spring, when you'll be there) is the five-mile Joe Overstreet Road off SR 523 (Canoe Creek Rd), which is also on the way to Three Lakes WMA, which offers superb photo ops itself.

The Owls are more tricky - they're guaranteed at Kissimmee Prairie State Park and (I believe) even easier to find and photograph at Cape Coral, but elsewhere are hard to find. Both the places I've mentioned are quite a way from Clermont (and, despite the name, KPSP is a couple of hours - or more - from Kissimmee).

I've been to Florida birding 2-3 times a year for the last 10 years and will - as it happens - be there again from 13 March onwards (on US27, 10 miles south of Clermont*). I'd be happy to go out with you for a day, although finding all your target species in that time would be a big ask.

*depending on what you mean by "Clermont"

Many thanks indeed John for the info and kind offer!