Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Lee County, Florida. It sits roughly 8.1 km (5.0 mi) NNW of Bokeelia.
The Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in the Cape Haze area of Charlotte County. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) refuge was established on October 23, 1908. The National Wildlife Refuge System consists of over 570 national wildlife refuges that protect the country's ecosystems and the wildlife that live in them. Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge was created as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds, which contains brackish water and mangroves. Some animals that can be found at the refuge include migratory birds, West Indian Manatees, osprey, wood storks, and occasionally alligators and crocodiles. The Island Bay Wilderness (which was established on October 23, 1970) covers the same area as the refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 63° ENE | 8:26 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 27m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 38m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 48m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 28m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 49m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 40m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 06m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 50m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 28m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:40 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 4.0 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:46 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:56 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 76 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 89 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 42 | 46 | 50 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 74 | 60 | 54 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge from Bokeelia?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.