If you recall our kayak paddle on the nearby Goodale State Park lake a couple weeks back was interrupted with a deluge...so we had to get outta there fast or be swamped with water in our crafts...so we got an opportunity to go back last weekend.
Wouldn't you know it was the same time Hurricane Dorian was hitting the Bahamas and predicted to come to our area so the State Park officials decided to lower the levels of the park lakes including ours! So on That Friday the lake level had already been lowered by 2 and 1/2 feet! See the water level mark here on these Cyprus trees
But notice all the white dots in the trees!! Great Egrets, immature Little Blues, Wood Stork, all dotting the trees as the lake grew smaller.
white ibis
A drained pond leaves MUD and lots of it, so we dragged our kayaks in this manner to the pond...this is not us but some other strong women who would not take mud for an answer...
immature little blue heron
great egrets and wood storks
imm. little blue herons
anhinga
Other wildlife was puzzled and on the move as the water level continued to drop...this American Alligator was seeking deeper water...
great egret
This combo includes 2 Great Egret, one Wood Stork, and the tiny guy just barely in the shot lower left of center, a Spotted Sandpiper!
killdeer
We continued to see the lake bottom, and so we made the decision to get out of the lake before the shoreline receded more...
SO it was a challenge getting our boats of the water and back on the boat racks, this is as Sis noted a self service place! They unlock it for you and that's it, you have to get it off the rack, launch it, bring it in put it back on the rack and lock it up...We would love to go again, hopefully under ideal paddling conditions! 3rd times a charm right?
Our Summer birding season is officially over, now the hope is to catch some migrating birds....I'm up to a count of 119 In my radius as of Aug 31, and added one more since then... our September challenge is "how many shorebirds can you find in your radius." This mud helped me with that 3 so far! AND I moved this park to a tie for #1 hotspot in my county!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
