Bird Photography – Shady Hollow Road Rookery in Southwest, Florida

Corkscrew Swamp is a popular destination in Southwest Florida for both birders and bird photographers. But what many people don’t know is that there is a bird rookery full of birds less than 8 miles from Corkscrew Swamp.

Wood Stork Fishing (Above Image)

Plus the Sleepy Hollow Rookery is right on the way back to the Interstate 75 as you are leaving Corkscrew Swamp.  The GPS Coordinates for the rookery are 26.311953, -81.633506.  But, the rookery is easy to find. Just take a right turn onto Shady Hollow Blvd W off of Immokalee Rd and follow the road until it turns into a dirt road.  The rookery will be on the right hand side.

Shady Hollow Rookery has a small pond right near the parking lot that is just loaded with birds.  In less than an hour, I viewed and photographed little blue herons, ibis, great egrets, snowy egrets, cormorants, black vultures, wood stocks, and a red-shouldered hawk.

Little Blue Heron on the Hunt

The rookery is a great place to photography the birds fishing and to capture their reflections in the still waters of the pond.

Also be sure to keep you camera handy while driving along the road to / from the Sleepy Hollow Rookery.  I photographed Wood Storks, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Ibis, and a Loggerhead Shrike while driving to and from the rookery.

Red-Shouldered Hawk in Flight

Next time you visit corkscrew swamp, take a few extra minutes and visit the Shady Hollow Rookery on your way home.

Written by Martin Belan

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