West Lake and Eco Pond

The mosquitoes were gone in the morning so I set up my stove outside for coffee and breakfast gave Casey a walk around then we headed out for various sights, birding, and nature walks....So our first stop was again over in the Walk in area to check the skimmers and the bay...still busy 

And there was a red shouldered hawk hunting in the area in fact he would fly over the bay and spook the skimmers

then rest on the solar array framing

This white pelican was out of the water in the mud..and a willet was patrolling the beach

Our next stop was West lake and the boardwalk there...

that takes you thru a red and black mangrove forest! Trees that have half the root out of the water...and manyyy roots up to get oxygen..

and you can see some of the red tannic acid in this shot

Came upon this chillin Gr Egret on the boardwalk 

then the board walk opens up to West Lake..

Saw some warblers on the way out some weird streaky photos of the quick little devils, there was a Black n White, a Black Throated Green, Louisiana Waterthrush and a Black Throated Blue!! 

The most common butterfly I saw was the Florida White!

No hike on Snake Bight trail too many skeeters, so we went back down to Eco Pond to look for the White crowned Pigeon that was rumored to be hanging around..got a sneak peek at a white eyed vireo they had been following me every where I was happy to get a backwards glance shot. 

We flushed the pigeon right away and I figured I missed my shot at getting a photo..but when I was leaving the Eco Pond, I respotted him eating some berries in thick cover about 10 ft up...I kept trying and got these not so hot shots of a new lifer for me..

and a closer altho fuzzy shot of that white eye!

So with this White Crowned Pigeon, this brings my lifers to 5 I totally forgot to put one on the post where I saw him so I'm adding him here and with a Dunlin, a Semipalmated, and the Stilt SP 

1. Lesser Scaup @  Little Talbot
2. Roseate Spoonbill @ Merritt Island
3. American Flamingo @ Bunche Beach 
4. Limpkin @  Big Cypress Nat Preserve
5. White Crowned Pigeon  @ Everglades

              

And then I met this fellow at Eco Pond looking for the pigeon, I was able to help him find it in the same place I saw it...so that was fun because it was fun to share with someone who was as excited as me to see it...and he shared a bit of info with me--- my next post.

PEACE

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

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.