A Day In The Glades

The Florida Everglades is an amazing treasure of natural beauty. When our Ohio son and daughter-in-law invited us to join them in exploring we jumped at the chance not only to be with them but to hopefully enjoy a day full of discovery together. We met them at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center just before the entrance to the park. Being Martin Luther King day, the park entrance was free although we have a senior pass which would have allowed our car entry.

The weather was perfect and there was not a mosquito to be found, thank goodness. Not long into our journey we saw a couple of cars pulled to the side of the road. Sure enough there was an alligator out enjoying the sunny weather. It had been quite chilly, downright cold if you asked a Floridian, for several days and we expected that the reptile population would be taking advantage of the warm sun. This large guy was no exception.

After commenting how close those people were standing to the alligator and how that really wasn't safe, Bob and our son got out of the car and walked closer to it. Meanwhile, the girls stayed in the car and had our phones at the ready should we get a good video of the two of them running. Alligators may look sleepy and calm and too heavy to move fast but they are not. The four legged critters with the sly smile can run up to 35 MPH on land. This one just wanted to sleep and didn't seem bothered by the attention.

We were a little disappointed in the number of birds we saw. Usually there are a lot more and close enough to observe. We did get a close view of a large blue heron fishing and an anhinga but even the anhingas which used to be plentiful near the trails were scarce. Maybe there were too many people although it didn't seem that crowded except for the Anhinga Trail we walked later in the day.

At several places along the way out to the Flamingo Visitor Center at the other end of the main road, we stopped and walked the trails. While we didn't see a whole lot, it was very pleasant walking on the shaded paths. Looking up into a tree full of red berries, we found we weren't the only robins coming south for the winter.

At the Flamingo Visitor Center, there is a marina, a gift shop with sundries for campers, and a food truck! We've eaten there before and it's always been good. This day was no exception. A hamburger, sweet Italian sausage on hoagies with grilled onions and even the grilled cheese sandwich was wonderful. 

After we satisfied the appetite we'd built up with all that exploring, we walked around the marina area and watched several manatees. One of them was a momma with a very young baby on her back. I'm wondering how young the baby was. Baby manatees can't swim when first born so momma has to help them to the surface to breath. She carried the baby quite a ways and we never saw her submerge.

We drove back to the area closer to the entrance to the park which is called the Royal Palm Visitor Center. There is where the popular Anhinga Trail is and where you can almost always encounter an alligator. It was a popular place this day but it didn't seem to bother the alligators who were out sunning themselves. A couple were very close to the trail or right on it and certainly made several of us very nervous as we watched people getting closer and closer to them to get selfies. Warning: the alligators are not tame or domesticated. 

It was a full day at the Glades and we headed back to the condo in Key Largo where our son and his wife joined us for the sunset and dinner after. So much fun being able to spend a day enjoying life with them.

Social Distancing Among The Alligators

 Three days early for our cruise and plans to visit our kids changed because of COVID, we had to find some things to do that would be safe so that we could pass our COVID test before boarding our cruise ship. Could alligators transmit COVID? Very doubtful. We headed for the Everglades National Park. For us, with a senior pass, it was pretty much a freebie.

We skipped a stop at the Visitor's Center. No indoor activity for us if it could be avoided. We drove to a familiar place, Royal Palm where the Anhinga Trail is and made our way through the turkey vultures who were doing their best to pick at the cars in the lot that weren't covered with a tarp. The park provides tarps for you to cover the top of your car. The vultures like to pick at the rubber. Strange, I always thought they preferred road kill.

There were a few people along the trail but not so many that we felt a mask was needed so we enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine although it was a little cloudy. A mild breeze made it a perfect day. The only thing missing was the alligators and fishing birds.

Usually along the trail that runs next to a watery canal of sorts there are a slew of herons, cranes and other birds wading through the water, stopping to watch for a tasty morsel to swim by and plunging a beak into the water to bring up their breakfast. We could see birds in the distance among the tall grasses but there were none close by. It was a bit disappointing since the "fishing" is fascinating to watch. Someone mentioned that the water might have been a little deep.

No alligators were in the water either. Usually you see at least one or two in the canal but we would not be totally disappointed in the wild life. Midway to the observation decks, was a new kind of interesting show--a turtle that appeared to be laying eggs. She was right up against the pathway and acquiring several onlookers. I tried to get a few pictures and video hoping to capture the moment but we never did see actual eggs although with her undulations it seemed she was trying hard. 

When it began to get a bit more crowded, we moved on. Still no alligators were spotted. We got to the first observation deck where there are usually a dozen laying in the shallow grassy area. Nothing. We moved on.

Finally at the second observation area, we spotted one alligator near the base of a tree just hanging at the surface. But as we strained to see the alligator, we noticed another turtle swimming under the water near the boardwalk where we stood--much bigger than the momma who was trying to lay eggs.

A cormorant sat in a treetop out in the middle of the pond of water. The trees in the past have been filled with anhingas and it's always amazing to see them spread their wings to dry off after they've been diving for dinner. Nothing like that today.

We did spot one more alligator in the tall grasses as we made our way back to the main trail but he was pretty well hidden. Bob saw him as I was busy trying to get a shot of a beautiful dragonfly that had landed on a reed of grass near me. My camera kept having trouble focusing on the dragonfly rather than the background and when I finally got one picture I thought would do, I moved on and tried to see the alligator he pointed out to me. 

As we hit the main trail again, we backtracked to where the turtle was still working on whatever she was trying to do. I figure she was either trying to dig a hole for the eggs or had laid them and was trying to cover them over. About the time we arrived, the turtle was giving up. She took a few steps toward the path, turned and disappeared into the canal. I took a look at where she'd been but there was no evidence of any eggs and I'm guessing she found the

ground too hard to dig and went off to find an easier patch of soil.

On the way back to the car, I stopped quick when I saw another chance to capture a picture of the beautiful dragonfly. This time was successful!

We drove the 30 miles out to the other end of the park called Flamingo and were relieved to find a food truck there so we could catch some lunch. While we walked, a hawk flew over our heads and smacked into a wall of dried palm branches that were hanging down. His wings were spread out and for a moment I thought he had knocked himself out. He appeared to slide down a bit before he recovered and flew to a nearby tree. He perched there long enough to pose for some great pictures.

Our few stops on the way back did not lend any more unusual sightings but all in all, we had had a wonderful day even without many alligator sightings. Guess they were socially distancing. 

So keep in mind if you visit the Everglades, it's not just about the alligators. There is a lot of other wildlife to see.

It Pays To Have Friends With Connections

 Anyone who knows us knows we are addicted not only to travel but to Pickleball as well. We meet the nicest people playing at home and in Florida during the winter months. One of our fellow Florida players is married to a boat captain who does tours with his six passenger pontoon boat. We followed our Until-Next-Year lunch with a cruise on his boat. It was so much fun as well as informative. A whole new perspective on Key Largo from the water. 

Captain Larry picked us up from Senor Frijoles after lunch and took us out and across Blackwater Sound to a protected area of mangroves. We went through a channel that is part of the Intercoastal Waterway and then into a smaller channel that led to a small lake in the middle of the mangroves that are actually a part of the Everglades. Captain Larry has a special permit to go into the area with his charters. 

Mangroves are an important part of the eco-system. They reduce erosion, protect water quality, provide a nursery habitat for marine life and provide shelter and nesting areas for a variety of other birds and animals. Their roots that go down into the water make them look like they are standing on stilts. 

Along the way we saw a variety of birds including some really pretty herons and an iguana out for a swim. It was interesting to learn that the channel is where they anchor boats when a hurricane approaches. When Irma came through, the water was blown out of the Bay and the boats rested on the bottom but the mangroves protected them from damage. 

Since all of us onboard new what a manatee looked like, he didn't spend time trying to track one down. We did take a peek at the dolphin pens by the Dolphins Plus at MM102. 

Captain Larry was informative and kept us all chuckling with his humor as well. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time with wonderful friends from our Pickleball group. If you happen to be in Key Largo and are looking for a little relaxing and enjoyable time on the water, you might want to look him up. He does morning tours and some sunset cruises as well. 

Everglades In The Rain

In Florida, rain is usually sporadic. It rains for five minutes and then the sun comes out. So when our son who had never seen the Everglades came to visit, we decided to take him there. The forecast was for a chance of rain. Okay, we thought, probably a chance here and there, we can do that.

We set off and as we got closer to the park, dark clouds were visible. As we neared the information center, a heavy misty rain all but drenched us on our way in. We decided to explore the center and watch the introductory movie until the shower passed.

When it was obvious the shower had stopped, we hustled out and drove to the Royal Palms nature center where there is a neat boardwalk that has always provided lots of entertainment from the wildlife. Well, the sun was usually shining on the other visits.

We started down the walk and found very few birds where they usually abounded and put on quite a show as they fished in the water. At one end of the walkway where there's a little shelter and we always find at least a half dozen alligators, one lone alligator was in the tall grass not moving a muscle.

As we started around the loop of the boardwalk trail, the rain started again. There hadn't been quite as much of a dry stretch between rain clouds as we'd hoped. We saw a few birds but no more gators. The rain would ease up but only to a mist and then get heavier again. Not really a downpour but enough that we were pretty wet through and through. On the plus side, it was a warm rain as long as there was no breeze.

On a chance that we might have missed some and as the rain let up a bit, we retraced our steps to the little shelter area again. Nope. Still only one in the grass but as we walked back toward the car, A couple stopped us and pointed to the little channel of water that runs alongside the walkway.

An alligator was swimming slowly along and pushing the lily pads aside as he went. My son got his video of a gator in action and we hustled back to the car as the misty rain got heavier again. I guess the inhabitants of the glades hunker down when it rains.

A Look Back At The Everglades

[Haven't had a chance to visit this year. Where did time go? We'll be back! This is from 2013]

A trip to south Florida isn't complete without some time spent in Everglades National Park. Over 1.5 million acres in size, it is an important habitat for many rare and endangered species. Originally, water flowed freely, albeit very shallow water, from the Kissimmee River south to the Florida Bay which is just at the top of the Keys.

When development in Florida took its toll on the land in the early to mid 1900s, an area was set aside to conserve the natural landscape and prevent more damage to lands, plants and animals. In 1947 the Everglades National Park was established.

Today, there is still a threat to the eco system with further development based on Florida's popularity as a vacation or winter escape destination.

While we have visited the Everglades often on trips to Florida, this latest trip amazed us with what seems like a population explosion of vultures. At Palm Court, they line the Anhinga Trail we love to explore and hop out of the way as you walk through them. Need I mention they have a face only a mother could love. Worse, they have a taste for the rubber gasket that runs around the windshield, the wiper blades, and anything else vinyl and rubber on your vehicle. The park provides tarps that you can use to protect your vehicle. We didn't use a tarp but parked in the sun which works too, according to the sign.

Apparently the vultures are one of nature's "snow birds" migrating south to Florida for the winter which probably explains the increased population when we visited in February. I'm a little more familiar with the turkey vulture which, in our neck of the woods are called "buzzards" and signal the coming of spring with their return to Hinckley, OH, every March.

Once you realize the vultures aren't interested in you--after all, you are still alive and moving, their presence isn't a deterrent to enjoying the other flora and fauna along the Anhinga Trail which is mostly a boardwalk that runs through a section of the park. Along the way you'll see plenty of alligators and all sorts of other interesting and prettier birds, many who will put on a demonstration of their fishing skills.

We paused at several places long enough to see a wood stork and several cranes and herons of different sizes as they worked their way along the water's edge, wading and waiting and making a lunge to grab a tasty morsel of fish. All the while keeping an eye on their own predator, the alligator.

How Fast Can an Alligator Move?

FAST!
A couple of weeks ago we struck out for the Everglades with our son and his family only to have the rain move in as we arrived. Now normally in Florida, it rains a bit and then the sun comes out but this day it was more like Cleveland or Seattle. One of those fronts had dipped down far enough to bring us some rainy--not snowy--weather.

We drove around a bit but decided the kids were going to get too restless waiting for the rain to stop and it wasn't promising anyway. As we started for the exit to the Everglades Park, we noticed some wood storks just off the side of the road. My son turned the van around and my daughter-in-law and I rolled down windows and took pictures through the pouring rain. We looked at each other and said at least it wasn't a completely wasted day. We started up again.

Suddenly Lori shouted to Ron to stop! There in a puddle not far away from the storks was an alligator and he had something in his mouth. Ron patiently backed the van up and we rolled down the windows again. Trying to keep our cameras dry, we zeroed in on the alligator but couldn't tell for a few moments what he had in his mouth. He sat, mouth clenched for a few minutes and then threw his head back trying to get a better hold or maybe trying to crush his prey. That's when we realized it was a turtle.

The turtle took its opportunity to seek freedom and tried to scurry off--as much as a turtle scurries. That's when the alligator made its amazing move. He propelled forward a couple of feet in a blaze of fury to recapture the turtle. I cannot think of what I can reference his speed to--superman speed?. In the blink of an eye he was upon that turtle again.

Fortunately for the turtle, we think, got away. Perhaps it wedged under something. While Lori captured a picture of the alligator where you can make out the turtle, I did not. I now have lens envy. Stunned and amazed at what we had just watched, we put the windows back up and wiped up the rain from our doors and cameras. This was definitely not a wasted day in the Glades.

By the way, when we returned on a sunny day, we happened past a turtle that had two prominent holes in its shell. Too far from where we saw the encounter to be the same turtle, we knew what those holes meant. And we totally kept a respectful distance and a careful eye on the alligators that lined the path on the Anhinga Trail.

Through My Lens - Everglades Morning

Breakfast in the Florida Everglades

We spent a day at the Everglades this week and arrived in time to see this cormorant catching his breakfast.

He hustled it ashore before it could break free of his grasp although with that hooked bill in him it would have been difficult to get away.

He worked at subduing the catfish by poking that hooked bill into a soft spot until the catfish stopped wiggling so fiercely.

Unfortunately the proverbial "eyes bigger than your stomach" or in this case throat prevailed and he couldn't swallow the whole thing. He ended up leaving it for the vultures who were standing nearby waiting for the right moment to capitalize on the situation.

Later, when we returned after lunch, we saw another catch by a cormorant only this time he flung his head back and swallowed the catfish whole, head first, in one gulp. You could see his throat expand. Then he gulped and the lump went away. Don't know how he managed to swim again with all of that in his belly.

Things are never dull when you explore the Everglades.

The Everglades - Nike Site

The Everglades is home to one of the best preserved Cold War relics--the historic Nike Hercules Missile Site called Alpha Battery or HM-69. We visited once before not long after it first opened to visitors but heard that now they actually had a missile on site. It is certainly a step back in time.

The tours are free and are daily at 11 a.m from mid-December to the end of March. After that, they are only on the weekends. Check the park's website for more information on times. It is about a 15 minute drive from   the Royal Palm Visitor Center where the Anhinga Trail is. The guides are often people who have worked at a nike site somewhere during the Cold War era. They make the most interesting guides, but on our second of two visits in February, we had a ranger for our guide and he did a great job as well giving us some good stories as well as history.

The Nike missile site in south Florida was the first line of defense against the threat Russia had set up in Cuba. Our missiles had nuclear warheads and were assembled in a small building on site. The painting on the side of the building (remarkably well preserved) was done during that time. They are still looking for the name of the artist. The reason for the nuclear bomb power was because we had a slim margin of error in hitting a plane with a missile. With the nuclear power, we could take out a fleet of planes with the explosion any where near them.

The men took shifts, being on call for instant action where, if needed they would roll out a rocket quickly from one of the three barns that housed them, set it up on a launch pad and then "run like ****" into the bunker where if the word came, they would push the launch button. That's a simplified version, I'm sure, but you'll get a little more info on the tour.

The bunker was actually open enough to be able to see into it and will soon be open for visitors to go into and get a better view. I found it interesting that the reason was because of lead paint. Yet, we were allowed into one of the missile barns which I would guess had lead paint since it looked as though nothing had been renovated.

As we stood in front of the huge doors of the missile barn, the guide and one of our men from the group pushed back the doors. It was very dramatic on the first tour we took as the guide didn't mention that the rocket was right there. The doors groaned, metal against the metal track, as the darkness inside was cut by the Florida sunshine and revealed a Hercules missile. For my grandson who has shot off rockets with his dad, it was very impressive even though he didn't understand the history behind it.

 When I think back to the time of the Cuban missile crisis, even though I was a teen, I remember how intense those days were. I grew up with the Cold War and the fear of nuclear war. We practiced ducking under our desks at school and covering our heads, hiding our eyes, as if that would have protected us. Seeing all of this at the Nike Site, always brings back those memories. We came so close.

The Everglades - Anhinga Trail

One of the most interesting places in the Everglades National Park is the Anhinga Trail. It's not too far into the park (it starts at the Royal Palm Visitor Center) and is mostly a boardwalk that takes you through sawgrass marsh and gives a great view of all sorts of wildlife including the alligators.

As the name suggests, you will see lots of anhingas and in one section, come very close to their nests. The anhinga is mostly a black bird with a beautiful black and white feather pattern on its wings. The difference between the male and female markings is that the female has a silvery head and neck.

Nicknamed the snake bird, the anhinga when swimming often only has its head and neck above water thus looking like a snake. It is easy to confuse in the water with a cormorant which is similar in shape and swims in much the same fashion but is smaller than the anhinga. Both are abundant on the Anhinga trail.

Once the anhinga gets out of the water, it usually finds a spot to roost and then spreads its wings to dry them off. Some of the trees almost look like a line of laundry hanging out to dry.

Baby Anhingas in nest

"Teenaged" Anhingas

We visited twice during our month long stay in south Florida. The visits were almost three weeks apart and when we revisited the nesting area, we were amazed at how much the babies in the nest had grown. I'd call them teenagers on our second visit. They were already venturing out of the nest although not into the water. Thank goodness for that because just below the nest sat a smiling alligator waiting for someone to test their underdeveloped wings.

There were not so many vultures on the second visit and I wondered if maybe the migration north had begun. And a very excited park ranger made sure to point out that there was a roseate spoonbill at the lookout on one end of the trail. We didn't tell her we had seen it a few weeks earlier. This time however, the spoonbill was even pinker than before. It's coloring resembles a flamingo and some tourists (although I don't see how) confuse it with a flamingo. It's legs are not nearly as long and then there's that bill that they use to filter out food bits from the water.

On both visits, we watched the water birds fish and enjoy their catch although we felt sorry for the one cormorant we saw who caught a good sized gar fish and flew off with another bird in pursuit. Unfortunately the catch fell back into the water and neither bird got it. Somehow there must be a lesson on sharing in there.

Through My Lens - Everglades Birds