Monday, February 22, 2016

Some videos in the Everglades




I made a tiny change to my blog page did you find it? The Campground at Flamingo sure could use a makeover...IF it was fully functional it would be easier to get a reservation.  My  reasoning is when I tried to reserve 2 days I had originally wanted to be there on Sat & Sun, it showed a Full campground on Saturday, I know weekends are not the best time to arrive, but it just worked out that way so I ended up booking for Sunday n Monday...instead Its a reserve only campground..AND yet when I arrived, I discovered there is only ONE loop out of the 3 in use for Tents and small set ups and one loop for the larger RV's. Loop B & C are not in USE and being allowed to grow over!!  And these loops didn't even show up on the reservation page yet they stood empty when I arrived....SO sad to see our National Parks system fallen into such a state and only 100 yrs old, We the People have been sitting with our mouths shut far too long, and the constant threat to us of having our Public lands destroyed, sold, given away its the FOR REAL American Tragedy if we can't turn this around!! 
There is a walk in area and its quite large but it was closed due to soggy flooded ground...  There's solar heated showers in Loop A and in the Walk in Area, I showered in the walk in area, and I got a site in loop B where NO one was camped...except one host who did not follow the rules of keeping his dog on leash nothing like having a huge Golden Retriever completely ignore his owners shouts to come back as he Barrels straight at me and Casey...you never know what a dog will do Casey wanted to attack which could have drawn an attack back I shouted at the dog and he finally left us alone, I went over and told the fellow I didn't appreciate his  breaking the rules he said sorry  heck I just wanted to embarrass him!!  Sorry really doesnt cut it.

The Florida Bay...


The park needs a good restoration, it could be brilliant again with just a little investment... MOSQUITOES were very active and would eat you alive if you stood still for more than 15 seconds and I hear summer is worse so best to go when a good chill is on.


                               

There was at least one Royal Tern with the black skimmers...he was napping in the warm sun




The Bay is really beautiful with lots of aforementioned black skimmers and white and brown pelicans..


The White Pelican and the Brown Atlantic Pelican with a brown neck




Other browns have the white neck non breeding is the way I understand it. 



LOL I really like this capture a cormorant with a FISH in his beak with a brown and white pelican in hot pursuit!!




Right by the walk in area and the first shower house is a snag with an active Osprey nest in it...a pair maybe  has eggs, I didnt see any hatchlings...


Here is a shortie of the pair, the male has a fish, he won't share tho...she tweeted a couple times asking for a piece when he ignored her she took off to find one of her own...




I took a few videos on this trip and I havent shared any!! This one I like wish you could hear the sound of him splashing....


And another video of the white fishing...



Also on the grounds of the walk in area is a coconut palm tree just the one 



This is another Osprey I found by the marina, he also had a fish for dinner, 



You can just see it in the right side claw...

We went in as soon as the sun made its first dip due to mosquitoes, I don't normally make a fire cause I don't like the smoke, but I did make one to try and chase away some mosquitoes it didnt work, Casey and I were swatting skeeters all night!!  It got cold and I had to use my Mr Buddy heater but then it got too hot so had to turn it off...after a not so sound sleep we awoke to this sky outside our window...





Lucky tho it did not rain it cleared and we had another sunny day with a strong wind..
Next our second day in the Everglades. 

PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

8 comments:

  1. Ospreys are wonderful. We have some in North Wales on a reserve but I've not been lucky enough to see them. I had a good walk this morning around our local reserve and whilst I saw lots it just cannot compare to the huge numbers and species that you have seen recently. Still birds are birds and whilst we often wish to see the exotic ones we're lucky to have what we have on our doorstep.

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    1. Absolutely agree appreciate what is near and always preserve what is at hand. We have Osprey here too...about an hrs drive from me we have active Osprey nesting I really need to take a ride down there.

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  2. Yes I love the Osprey up in the White Mountains I have some pictures but not as good as yours. Must try harder this summer if I get there.

    I don't know why are parks don't ask for volunteers to clean them up. I bet there would be lots of folks willing to do this. Offer them some free camping and watch them come. Having to make reservations is a waste of time and half the time if you just show up the places are almost empty anyway. I have seen huge campgrounds with lots of loops with maybe 1 camper in each loop. So I just go without a reservation and if I have to move to make room for someone with a reservation I move. Isn't better to have people show up with out a reservation than to have all those empty sites. No money to be made that way. What do I know

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    1. I agree...the thing is people need jobs, the budget is slashed to the bone so only part time or volunteers are doing the work...

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  3. Funny, we didn't have any mosquitoes at all when we were there. I even fortog to spray when I walked down to the Bay and didn't even get bitten. People say that two days after a rain is when they are worst, that's when they hatch out starving for blood. So it is a matter of timing I guess.

    The host told me that the loops were closed because they were flooded due to all the rain we've had this year. It's true it has been the wettest dry" season ever. But I thought it was crazy that you couldn't pay for two nights at once.

    Beautiful pictures and same as I just said on your earlier post (as usual I'm catching up)... I'm trying hard not to be too envious.

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    1. Well the skeeters came out just as the day begins to be night...and on the trails in the woods, Lots of 'em! Loop C looks like it hasn't been used in a couple yrs! The grass has grown over the pavement. The walk in area was def wet and soggy...

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  4. I missed this post- nothing more annoying than a campground host with an uncontrolled dog. Ugh! The white and brown pelican shot is awesome! Those are two birds I've never seen side by side, I don't think they often occupy the same location.

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    1. Yep people have the idea they can control their dog with voice commands, but it doesn't always work! I did enjoy seeing the white n Brown side by side...

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