@AggieDad I have visited each of these places at least once in my life - most in the last ten years.
Almost all mentioned below are within 45 minutes of Wildwood (most within 30 minutes). All have hiking trails, water, wildlife, limestone formations and meadows or glades to photograph. Some have running water and shorebird habitat. You'll find eastern Missouri is hardwood forests and dessicated limestone formations throughout, peppered with springs and spring brances. You can get various Herons, otters, muskrats and other running water predators, but less swampy standing water than you might like.
MO Conservation Department Interactive Website with search tools
Missouri Botanical Garden (enough flowers to last your entire visit)
Shaw Nature Reserve St. Louis Zoo (free) - though the interesting wildlife is all human
Forest Park
Busch Wildlife Center
Weldon Spring Conservation Area
Faust County Park (Missouri River views, wildlife, natural meadow (undisturbed), Butterfly House)
Creve Couer Park Lake (sunrise - birding and people skulling on glass-flat water).
Beckmeier Conservation Area
Rockwoods Reservation (19th C. quarry and railroad grade, trails, falls, creeks)
Babler State Park
Howell Island Conservation Area
Castlewood State Park
Tyson Research Center / Lone Elk Park / Wild Bird Sanctuary (captive raptors, shorebirds, elk, bison).
Hawn State Park
Meramec State Park
Then there's the entire Mississippi River Road system from Pere Marquette (make reservation weeks in advance for lunch at the Lodge - NECESSARY) mentioned above all the way down to the
confluence with the Missouri River. The 75 or so miles is littered with Conservation Areas, overlooks and parkland. Unfortunately the Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans at
Audubon Society Riverlands near Alton Locks and Dam #26 will all be in Canada by now.
Also search on St. Louis County and St. Charles County Parks near the Missouri River as well as
Missouri State Parks St. Louis Region.
That doesn't even begin to think about the locations South and West within a 90 minute drive. Your real problem is there are too
many opportunities and places to go shoot.
Happy to talk more by PM