Sunday, March 11, 2012

So Much To Share...



My last entry was right before Carrie, Sari and Lyla left us to return home, and the day before we left the Keys to start our travels through the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress Nature Preserve, eventually arriving on the Gulf Coast and exploring from some of the state parks.


Lyla and Sari at a water playground at the Dolphin research Center in Marathon Florida.




Another treat during this past ten days was a visit with our friend Janet and Larry.  Since we couldn't get the automatic shutter to work we have two individual shots.  Anyway, they had rented a condo on Little Gasparilla Island, north of Fort Myers and invitied us to join them for several days.  We had some wonderful food and walks on the beach while we caught up...

Jan and Latona could be clones, and surely are "spiritual" sisters.  








We camped in Lone Pine Key, on the west side of the park and had a wonderful visit with our friend Cloe and her husband David who had just completed a nine-day canoe trip trough the Everglades.  The timing was excellent for all of us yo be together after many year, but it was just like "old times".  One of the things we did together was to visit the Anhinga Trail.  We counted many nests with the big furry looking babies, and Latona also got a great picture showing the green eye of the mature bird.





Purple Gallinule walking on the Lily Pads looking for lunch.



On a driving adventure to Flamingo Campground on the Florida Bay, we saw sixteen Spoonbills in  the Mrazek Pond along the road.  The pond also had Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, a Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shovelers and a Black-necked Stilt.  We took a side venture into the Mahogany Hammock where we saw a Wood Stork nesting area.





In the Big Cypress Reserve, we saw Swamp Lilies (above), and many Great Egrets (below),




As well as the early blooms of Bromeliads.

On another walk in Big Cypress Bend, we had a first time experience - a mother gator with six-month old babies (age guessed by naturalist in area).



 Even though they are "cute" we didn't attempt any petting.

 The final spot to mention, and to show some of our special sightings is the Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Center.


Part of the boardwalk


Arrowroot

May be Florida Banded Snake or Water Snake

Turtles everywhere!

A Strangler Fig tree with a face and a hand!!

Barred Owl


Painted Bunting (we saw three)
And a Life Bird (first time to ever see one) for me - the Blue-winged Warbler.





We want to say a special thank you to our friends who have included us in their travel plans, and to Carrie for bringing the girls to see their Grammy and Meme.  My special footnote of gratitude today is also to all the volunteers who make national and state parks, and other natural areas more accessible.  Their dedication as guides and workers makes the experience so much richer.  My hat of appreciation is off to "Mike" the volunteer at Corkscrew who also loves warblers and walked with me until we were gifted with the sighting of the Blue-winged Warbler.  We miss you and only wish we could share every blessed moment with you.

PS.  Tomorrow is a special anniversary for us...the day we started our hike on the Appalachian Trail.  Special shout-out to the class of thru-hikers, Class of 91!!

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