Florida Bird Photography Locations

Placida Fishing Pier

City: Placida / Charlotte County

GPS: N26 49.955 W82 15.925

The Placida Fishing Pier can be a good spot for pelicans (especially white pelicans in the winter months) and other waders along with osprey and the occasional Bald Eagle. A lot of the birds activity on or around the pier will be dependant on how good a day the fisherman are having.
Adjacent to the pier is the Fish House restaurant and then some boat docks. The boat dock area is also a good place to look for birds in the morning. The dock that services the Fish House is also a good spot if the pelicans are in. You need to ask permission in the restaurant to photograph on their dock. You also access this dock through the restaurant.
The public fishing pier is just to the right of the Fish House restaurant, park along the road side. There is also a second smaller pier on the opposite side of the road just through the trees.
Following Placida Road just another quarter mile or so to intersection of Boca Grande Causeway you will find a county boat ramp and parking area. A number of waders can be found forging here around the ramp. Be aware you need to pay to park in this lot. The better photographic opportunities with the white pelicans in this area are offshore in Charlotte Harbor. I conduct personalized tours to these, please contact me if interested. There are also various other nesting islands in Charlotte Harbor.

Most of this area can be productive in the morning or evening and a 300mm lens can be more than enough on a good day.

Directions: Take I-75 to the Toledo Blade Road exit #179, head west to RT 41, take a left turn going south. Turn right on RT 776 / El Jobean Road, continue west to CR 771 (there will me a small shopping plaza with a Publix on the left at this intersection) Turn left on CR 771 and continue till you reach an old metal bridge and then a sharp right bend. You will see signs for the Fish House Restaurant on the left. There is a small parking area on the left side of the road by the walkway that leads to the pier. CR 771 ends on this bend and becomes Placida Road.