After my visit to the Florida Everglades two years ago, my friend Shirley and I began dreaming about going there together someday, since she lives only a few hours from the Everglades and we both love nature, birds, and wildlife. This week “someday” came, and we drove to the delightful little town of Everglades City to spend two days exploring and birding and enjoying the awesome sights and sounds of marshes, swamps, and islands. On the way down to the Everglades we saw a Crested Caracara eating carrion beside the road– a first for both of us and a great start to our adventure!
The first evening we went to a small boardwalk and watched Anhingas settling in the treetops for the night. This was the first time I noticed the light purple feathers that are longer and fluffier on the back of the males’ head and neck. (click on photos to see them larger)
After watching the Anhingas, we drove along a rather bumpy 17 mile road (the same road on which I had seen a panther two years ago). We didn’t see a panther, but we did see an owl in stark silhouette against the setting sun. As we sat in the car and watched, the owl moved closer and closer, always perching in the crooks of dead trees. At one point on the drive we turned off the car, opened the windows, and sat in silence, listening to the night sounds and watching fireflies, with not a light in sight and no sounds of traffic or people. The night was brimming with life, and we sat in silence allowing it to quiet and fill our souls .
The next morning we took the Thousand Islands National Park Boat Tour- a wonderful time of fresh air, birds, and mangrove islands.
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Osprey |
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Anhinga with a big fish |
After our boat tour, we had lunch at the Havanna Cafe on Chokoloskee Island.
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The view from our table |
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Painting the bougainvillea and palms |
After lunch we cooled off in the air-conditioning of our rooms for a while, since Rowan and we were all getting overheated. Poor Rowan wears a thick fur coat wherever he goes, and right now is dressed for winter in New York, not mid-80’s in Florida.
When the sun was a bit lower we headed back out to the Big Cyprus Bend Boardwalk, which wends its way over half a mile through swampland.
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Straight up a taaalll tree trunk |
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Barred Owl beside the boardwalk |
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Strangler Fig- starts life as an epiphyte, then grows downward and grows roots |
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Royal Palm |
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Mama or Papa Bald Eagle flapping on their HUGE nest |
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Great White Egret at the end of the boardwalk |
One of the birds we really wanted to see was the Roseate Spoonbill, and we’d heard that some had been seen at the Marsh Trail, so we headed there after our swamp walk. The Marsh Trail is open during daylight hours, and by stretching the definition of “daylight,” we got to see and hear the marsh in the fading light at the close of the day. We didn’t see any Roseate Spoonbills, but we saw and heard quite a few Black-crowned Night Herons. We also saw hundreds of White Ibis perched in a row of mangroves, but there wasn’t enough light to get a photo of them.
The next morning we headed back to the Marsh Trail before turning homeward, and we both saw our first Mottled Duck! We also saw several Roseate Spoonbills flying over and one posing nicely near the pathway.
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Blue-winged Teal and Mottled Duck |
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Roseate Spoonbill |
On our way back to the car, we heard a White-eyed Vireo– another first for both of us! He was very hard to find in the shrubbery, but I finally saw him and got a photo.
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White-eyed Vireo |
Two wonderful days of birding, exploring, and shared wonder at a beautiful piece of God’s creation.
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How FUN! I feel like I was along for the journey looking at the pictures. 🙂
What a remarkable trip!
One day I'll make it back to Florida for birding purposes.
Looks like a great time. Wonderful photos and sketches. I remember touring the everglades as a kid in one of the hover crafts. Wish I would have know then what I know now. I'm sure you are as anxious for spring as me…in fact that white-eyed vireo may just be the same one that hangs out at Prairie Pond Woods!
Hey Jen, I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. Shirley and I did have a fun time, for sure.
Sam, wish you could have been along with us. We would have such a blast birding together! I almost contacted you to see if I could stop by to visit you on my way home, but it was a bit too far out of my way.
Thank you, Cindy! So cool that you have a White-eyed Vireo! I know the feeling of wishing I knew then what I know now, when I think of the cool places I went as a child (or younger adult) and didn't appreciate as much as I would now.