"Florida is a dynamic state with beautiful real estate and lots of sunshine. Although the first thing that may come to mind is Disney World, there is more to the Sunshine State than just popcorn and fun rides. Florida is also known for its beautiful homes and many species of aquatic birdlife."

Looking for wide open wilderness with plenty of sun?. Move to Florida! Yes, Florida is a state that is larger than life. When it comes to sunshine, Florida ranks at the #10 spot in the nation for the amount of sunlight it receives per year (84.43%). The City of Key West ranks at the #12 spot for the top cities in the nation with the most year-round sunshine (76%). The abundance of available sunlight makes it easy to appreciate the gorgeous real estate and wildlife.

And where there is sun, the birds are too!..

When it comes to bird lovers, theme parks take a backseat to the joy and satisfaction that bird-watching has to offer. Birders can expect to see more than 500 bird species of birds in the flat inlands, Everglades, lakes, and shoreline. Florida is among of the best birding locations in North America. Narrowing down a must-see bird list with these top 30 Florida birds can help birders plan a birding trip without missing any of the state’s specialty species.

Will Dickey - Photographer For The Florida Times-Union

Will Dickey has been a Jacksonville resident since he became a staff photographer for The Florida Times-Union in 1983. News events, environmental portraits, sports, business, digital illustrations and features are among his daily assignments for the newspaper. His work has also been featured in..

• Water's Edge
• Florida Trend
• Newsweek
• Time magazines
• ABC World News
• National
• Geographic's website

Early Years

The waterways and woods are his passion, professionally and personally, and photographing them is something of a return to his roots. He grew up in Alabama and wet his first hook as a young child, fishing alongside his father and uncles in the creeks and ponds of his hometown Chatom, north of Mobile. In high school and college (Auburn University) he developed an interest in photography and turned his camera to nature.

Awards

Will has won regional and national awards for his newspaper work. But he has a special respect for nature and for the beauty of the Northeast Florida landscape, especially the Timucuan Preserve and the St. Johns River.

Art Galleries

For the past several years, Will's images of the First Coast landscape have been displayed in local art galleries and he is now exhibiting at area outdoor art festivals.

Editorial Photography

★ To view Will's editorial photography, click here»

Check out the following articles:
mounting a birdhouse»
Northern Mockingbird»