I keep going back to Florida

Posted on April 26, 2015April 26, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Boy it’s been busy at work! I’m not really complaining because this is when I make the $$$ that pays for all my little jaunts but I think we’re setting new records this spring! Anyway, that’s why I haven’t had time to post much.

As anyone who has followed along for any time knows, I want to go to every state for a vacation. Even some of the more “boring ” states have lots to share if you are just willing to do a little research. As I’ve said many times, one of the best vacations was to South Dakota but when I told people that was where I was going they always asked “What’s in South Dakota”?

Now Florida is home to the snow birds, Mickey Mouse and the world’s longest stop lights. (That’s so all of us senior citizens with slow reflexes have time to react) Yet I keep going back. If I took all my visits to the Sunshine state and used them toward my goal of visits to every state, I’d be almost done! I go to Florida at least once a year, sometimes more and it never gets old.

I love the animals, mostly birds. They are colorful and abundant and there’s lots of things to do besides Disney and Universal. I lean toward places like Gatorland and eco-safaris, botanical gardens and airboat rides.

I’ve spent most of my time in the Orlando area but I’ve made jaunts to Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Key West, St. Pete and St Augustine so I’ve pretty much covered the state and I’m still not bored. There’s still more to see.

This winter I have a longer trip than usual planned. I know I will miss the kitties staying away that long but it made more sense to do one long trip and save on air fare than to split it up so I’m spending 4 days in the Orlando area and then moving down to South Beach for 7 more days. Can’t wait and can’t wait to tell you all about it.

For now I will leave you with a few Egret photos from the “breeding pond” at Gatorland.

Snail Kite

Posted on April 12, 2015April 12, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Wow, my work has gone from zero to 60 in .5 seconds. One minute I’m drifting along at a nice slow pace and the next I’ve my nose to the grindstone, no time for anything. My head is spinning. But that’s why I haven’t had time to post much.

Even with the craziness I try to check my Facebook page at least one a day and what was staring me in the face but a picture of that bird I saw in St. Cloud!

Wild Willy was right, it is a very rare bird. It’s a Snail Kite (formerly called the Everglades Kite). It’s a Neotropical species found in the wetlands of southern Florida. It’s main diet is snails, snails called apple snails.

The Snail Kite is endangered in North America so I guess I was very, very lucky!

Gatorland

Posted on March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Gatorland was certainly a high point for the trip. Between you and me, my young guests said they liked it better than Animal Kingdom!

Gatorland gets you up close and personal and if you are into big lizards there are certainly enough gators and crocodiles to satisfy all.

Besides the gator wrestling show you have a chance to sit on a real gator in the ring just as if you were doing the wrestling. Of course your gator has his jaws taped shut for safely.

There’s also the feeding frenzy where handlers hand feed the big gators and even a few crocs. They send chicken carcasses on lines out over the gator pond to encourage the animals to jump for their meal.

Other gator ponds are open to feeding by the guests. You buy a package of hot dogs and break off pieces to throw into the ponds near the gators.

You try to get the hot dogs close to the gators because the birds will steal the bits right out of the gators’ mouths. They seem to have no fear.

For The Birds

Posted on March 29, 2015March 29, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Just a couple more images from our airboat ride at Wild Willy’s. Here’s a shot of one of the 6 person airboats.

A Great Blue Heron

A Great Egret

Somewhere North of the Everglades

Posted on March 27, 2015March 27, 2015 by Dusty Roads

It was stepping out into a watery wilderness a mere 7 miles from the headwaters of the River of Grass. Anyone local will tell you that you are too far north for the Everglades. They think of the southern end, near Fort Lauderdale, Shark Valley, Holiday Park, but the shallow waters start somewhere and East Lake Tohopekaliga is a good a place as any to explore if you are near St. Cloud, FL.

We tried a smaller airboat ride than I’ve done before. We floated out with Wild Willy’s and it was worth the effort to get there. Located in a RV campground on a dead end road, Wild Willy’s uses 6 person airboats, smaller and more personal than the bigger airboats I’ve been on on the past.

Our captain said he was the one and only Wild Willy. I’m not sure if that’s true or just what they all say but he was a crusty fellow who did his darndest to give us a fun and educational ride.

Without a word he used the airboat to coax birds into the air or drift quietly past them so I could get the best possible photos. Big difference from the frustrating experiences trying to get photos on some of the big airboats.

Willy pointed out an eagle nest with two eaglets while Mon and Dad perched in the tree tops a few trees away keeping a close eye.

Baby alligators chirped for mama gator and birds were everywhere.

One of the first we spotted was an osprey with a fish for lunch half as big as he was.

A great blue heron “photo bombed” some smaller wading birds…just because he could.

We scared up a flock of white pelicans.

We spotted quite as few Purple Gallinules.

I got a predator bird in flight. It was hardly more than a spot in the sky when Willy pointed the airboat toward it. I heard him say it was very rare and that he’d taken birder’s out days at a time looking for one. But I didn’t catch what he called it. So here’s my mystery bird. Any idea what it is?