#24, Florida Nature Reserve

 February 25, 2024

With the blue sky and gentle Florida breeze beckoning, I joined my friends Sunday afternoon on an outing to a nearby nature reserve.  The educational building was closed, but a boardwalk meandered along through forest and swamp.  

There were birds galore, and signage with information about each ones' habits and habitat.  Usually I try to identify and understand everything I'm experiencing, but on this sunny Sunday with friends, I was content to enjoy the company and the Everglade-like experience.

We first walked through a forested area where bromeliads were tucked among the tree trunks and strangler trees twined their roots around their hosts.  Beauty berry bushes, in the dappled sun, provided brilliant bursts of purple.

Despite hoards of camera-packing visitors to the refuge on this sunny Sunday, it was a very peaceful walk.  We stopped often to lean over the rail and study the landscape for hidden critters, or just enjoy some unique blooms.

I later researched some of the birds we saw and identified the one below as a Roseate Spoonbill.  And in the second picture, an egret of some kind.

A grassy mowed area runs through the preserve, presumably to provide access for those who care for it.  Below, a fat alligator enjoys a Sunday afternoon nap in the sunshine.  He was quite lethargic, only lifting his head once, as though to pose.  

Tree snags silhouetted against the Florida sky added interest, and provided wildlife perches.  One tree, not in the photos below, had a large iguana slowly crawling along the branches.  I've heard that they have become quite a nuisance in the area. 

Halfway around the loop was this shady, thatched hut that was a perfect photo op for our group.  I'm guessing it was actually designed for nature talks or something.

With its brilliant, nearly iridescent plumage, the Purple Gallinule was easy to spot as it poked around in the shallows for its dinner.

We either came at dinnertime in the swamp, or these birds forage for their food all day long, as most kept their beaks downward no matter how long we stood there.  Below, this White Ibis appeared to be admiring its reflection as it scrutinized the water for its next meal.

We whiled away the rest of the afternoon under that blue, blue sky.  In the evening we went to Ken and Tricia's townhome for a light supper and a good visit.  As the sun went down us girls stood at their third floor railing and listened to the peaceful sound of bells from a nearby church.