Blue Spring State Park, Florida

     On Valentine's Day, which is a holiday I strive not to celebrate, because it's silly-- Tim and I went to look at manatees at the Blue Spring State Park. The waters are crystal clear, and spring fed-- allowing you to see just about everything below its surface.

     We followed advice, in getting there as early as possible and avoiding the weekend. I'm VERY glad we heeded that advice- because the place get crowded in ways that I despise. Bus loads of school kids running around, lots of families, and it just gets a tad bit loud and not fun. So we arrive at 8:30am, and got out around 11:00am, and it was perfect timing, because even by 10am, the crowds grew and grew.

     Got in a few nice sights of wildlife including manatees...

Gar of all sizes, from these petite Flroida Gar to much larger species, like the longnose gar.

Red Shouldered Hawks were vocal and active, with many of them making themselves known throughout the park with a seemingly whiny call, in comparison to that of a red tail hawk.

This cool little dude/ette is a spiny orb weaver working on its wonderful little web.

This is a manatee- they are pretty much viewed as underwater blobs. They spend their winters in the springs as the water is warmer and despite having a layer of blubber, warmer water is still favored.

This big guy was across the river that connects to the springs-- conveniently where all the kayakers go... snacks?

Things I never tire of, double crested cormorant eyes.

This is a group of manatees, white the water is clear, it allows you to see the details of their life. Resting and taking breaths every 5-7 minutes or so. They really don't do a whole lot more. They don't seem to feed in the springs- there is not a lot of vegetation, they appear to do that elsewhere.

A PILEATED WOODPECKER!

I admit- I may have been more excited for this bird than manatees... Bad Jen!

This bird was diligently working on a cavity, and called to another off in the distance. These guys are so big and your stereotypical cartoon character of a woodpecker.

Perfect zygodactyl toes, the better for vertical feats.

Yo, down in front.... a cormorant blocks the view of the most active manatee of the day- climbing over and rolling under this other manatee. We couldn't tell if it was youngster or perhaps a potential mate?

It almost got its whole head out of the water too! This was about as exciting as the manatees got- we saw some of their funny, paddle-like tail too.

On the morning of our departure, a cattle egret perched on our car, a final bird to add to my list, thanks lil buddy!

Despite a short trip, we had a great deal of fun, catching up with family, one of my long-time friends from middle school, and exploring the wilds of Florida. Call me crazy, but that was more fun than Disney!

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Roosts

     We visited some of Tim's amazing family in St. Augustine, which included a much anticipated lunch with his Nanni. She is an amazing woman and we admire her greatly. After a delicious lunch, that ate more like a dinner, complete with dessert, Tim and I visited the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
     This zoological facility houses all 23 species of crocodilian, including the largest reptile, the Saltwater Crocodile. They also have various species of birds, and also attract wild birds as well. They have a large alligator swamp where you can walk a boardwalk and feed the alligators like you would ducks. Of course, I took part in feeding the gators, it made me squeal and giggle the way one would over a puppy. Anyway, the more important thing about this exhibit space is that wild birds have set up a rookery including egrets, spoonbill and heron and it gave me a nice look at some gorgeous birds...

A very beautiful great egret showing the feathers that almost resulted in its demise. These birds, among others gained protecting through the migratory bird act that protected birds like egrets against hunting-- purely for their plumes, at the time a fashion trend in hats, caps, and clothing. 

Egrets nest in large rookeries, which are easy to find-- follow the whitewash. Rookeries are littered not only with nests, but bird waste that falls below.

I am so in awe of the spoonbills- they are so dazzlingly beautiful- even with their odd, bald heads. I was really happy to have one roosting so close to the boardwalk, preening its feathers, seemingly relaxed.

It must be awkward to preen with that bill... the spoonbill's bill is used like a spoon, swung from side to side underwater, sifting through mud for small crustaceans and fish. It is their food that gives them their brilliant pink color-- perhaps helping to advertise their health and vigor to a potential mate.

Those feathers...

The Facility also keeps its own blog about their rookery-- check it out here.

New Smyrna Beach

     We spent time each day on the beach and morning strolls were my favorite as they allowed me to dip my feet in the ocean and the day was not too warm yet. New Smyrna Beach is where we stayed and its on the Atlantic Coast, just smidge North and East of Orlando.
     I liked mornings best because there were always birds to be seen on the beach and they were not shy and skittish like they are in New York:

Do they call them sandwich terns because they hang out, sandwiched between the royal terns?

Sandwich terns are easily distinguished by their yellow-tipped black bills, and medium size.

Sandwich terns are birds of the Southeast, so another life bird and one that I would rarely ever see in New York.

While the royals are not a first for me, I enjoyed having so many in one place, and they practically stand around and barely shift aside if someone walks by.

 

2017's bird of the year- the Ruddy Turnstone!
This one is making sure to look spiffy- preening its feathers as it accesses the gland that allows they to oil up, waterproof, and clean their feathers.

 

Sanderlings and ruddy turnstone were constantly working the shorelines-- except this guy. He looks like he earned his nap.

Snowy egrets worked the waves every 50 yards or so from one another.

They look great running through the waves, catching small fish with style.

Even the willet- a normally loud, seemingly terrified of everything that moves, kind of bird, barely moved as I shuffled down the beach.

 

I found one osprey Hunting along the shoreline and was so stoked to find another, with its prize, feasting! Gulls gathered below to quickly run below and grab anything that fell from the post.

Osprey are another bird with pigeon frequency in the neighborhood. They are everywhere. I was so stoked to be able to sit on the sidelines and watch this guy feast on this fat, delicious fish.

A walk homeward was made even more special, when you get to do so among dolphins. I walked back to where we were staying, while 5 or 6 dolphins swam the same route that I walked. What a privilege!

Brown pelicans were a frequent sight, soaring gracefully over the surf.

This dolphin was my favorite with its unique dorsal fin. I wonder if it was born like that or what caused it otherwise to take on such shape.

A Florida Trip - Merritt Island NWR

     Tim and I took a nice few days off to visit his family in Florida. Nothing, like a good Kepler get-together, they say!
     On our first day, I saw a loggerhead shrike out our door (no photo), and from there we were treated to a drive on the Beach (something you can do in this area of New Smyrna Beach), a visit to a farmers market (where I was nearly brought to tears in snuggling a 4-day old goat kid), and a safari drive at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
     A lot of pictures for this day-- so let's just get to it:

First Manatee of the trip! In Flroida, the West-Indian Manatee is the species of sirenian you'd find here- this is an animal most closely related to elephants.

These animals are 100% aquatic, feeding on aquatic vegetation. As far as marine mammals go, these guys are relatively slow-going, and really all you see of them are their nostrils when they come up for a breath of air.

If the loggerhead shrike wasn't one life bird, why not two! A reddish egret flies by, more life birds to come this day...

I will later learn that red-shouldered hawks are like pigeons- they are everywhere. And nope, I am not upset by that!

Glossy ibis- one of the two species of ibis we saw. Glossies come up to New York in the summer, but spend winter down south.

The more abundant, and common, white ibis.

So many white ibises....

So. Many.

 

A large flock was flying in the distance, like arrows through the air with necks and legs stretched in opposite directions... what the heck are they??

Once landed, I got a better look, another life-bird, American Avocets!

And white ibis were hanging out among them...

The avocets were stunning, that delicately upward curved bill seems so unreal.

If I was an avocet, I'd surely break that thing, it's unreal and beautiful.

More ibis.

Many species of heron here, like this little blue heron, as well as great blue heron, tricolored heron - and oddly, not seen, the green heron.

And everything seems so comfy, perching, feeding, and preening just beyond reach of the road-- as if they know the wetlands are not accessible and that crocodilian friends will keep you away from their home.

Just when you think the day couldn't get better-- life bird 4 makes a grand entrance, swooping over your head, a roseate spoonbill. (Life bird 5 were common gallinule- that I somehow only took crappy photos of)

I am generally not a fan of pink things, but I will make a giant exception here- holy cow, this bird is gorgeous and unreal how pink they truly are firsthand in nature.

I walked down a trail labeled "bird trail" and GB heron went by in the opposite direction...

Upon returning from my walk down the bird trail I found a "snake bird," an Anhinga.

Anhinga do not have waterproof feathers- so they slick up and get pretty wet - allowing them to dive and swim well below the surface. They are peculiar things, but also a deadly killer with that speak-like bill.

This is a typical way to see this bird in the water. I surprisingly learned that despite their other name- "water turkey," they are accomplished fliers. Gliding on thermals, much like vultures and attaining great altitudes.

Oh, did I mention that beak? This is how it ends for most fish- pierced and dangled as the bird has to un-fish its beak and flip the fish around for properly tossing it down the gullet.

Not fun for the fish- it took this guy a while to get the fish to where he/she needed it- and it looks clumsy, but that fish was never lost, nor did it ever touch the water again.

 

Another nice bird to see, an American Pelican wayyyyy out on the flats.

Glossy ibis feeding.

Boat-tailed grackles are everywhere in every place we visited.

Also everywhere, anoles. Again, I am very okay with that.

First gator sighting of the day-- credit goes to Joanne for this guy. A little guy, and with the permanent grin, from here it looks like this one is up to no good-- but really, it's just basking and thermoregulating.

 

A Florida soft shell turtle, I love their little pig-snorkel nose!

A second small gator.

I love gators, I think they are super cute!

We found one feral pig, these wild hogs were introduced by Europeans a very long time ago. They are invasive and cause a lot of problems ecologically- from consuming eggs of native birds, to uprooting native plants, actually, they eat anything they can get their mouth on-- and that's a problem. 

In Titusville, just outside Merritt Island NWR, a red-shouldered hawk fares us adieu as we head home for the evening.