If bird viewing, bird photography and bird identification is your interest you will not leave disappointed with what Sarasota has to offer. You will find many species of shorebirds all around the bay, however the Siesta Key rookery is one of the hot spots in Sarasota Bay, It's a long list of species that nest at this rookery - here goes; great blue herons, night heron, little blue heron, white egret, snowy egret, roseate spoonbill, oyster catcher and brown pelican. Another rookery in Bradenton just off the Manatee River is the Dit, Dot, Dash rookery. The main attraction is the roseate spoonbills and the wood storks. There are also great blue herons, night herons, white egrets, snowy egrets, tri-colored herons, anhingas and cattle egrets. These are the bird species that nest at this location. There are several keys in the Sarasota area that can be explored for birds as well as dolphins and manatees. If staying on one of the nearby islands get ready for a great adventure; Casey Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island. The cities of Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Tampa, Venice, and Osprey are also close by. However there are still opportunities with osprey, manatee and dolphin, so you may want to go with a four hour charter. Folks who want photography as well as a dolphin watch and manatee watch may want to do the four hour or longer. There is also the option to photograph or sight see for a couple hours then fish for a couple hours. You can catch & release fish. Whatever you decide you're sure to have a fantastic time here on the West Central Coast of Sarasota Florida.

Wildlife photos

Photographs taken in or near Sarasota Bay

Watch the slide show or click on the arrows to move through the photos quickly 

All pictures provided by:Terry Frankford