Corkscrew Swamp Preserve

Boardwalk

Carolina Anole

 We visited Corkscrew today and I hadn't posted about this special place so I thought it about time.

Florida is in a drought and is 4 inches behind in the normal year total and it is affecting Corkscrew as the swamp is dry, there is only one water hole left for the birds and they are taking advantage of the fish stranded in it.

We have visited the preserve several times and usually find some warblers, woodpeckers, red shoulder hawks and last time a nice view of the Swallow tail Kite.

 Today the baby Barred Owl was sitting out, the adult just up the boardwalk hiding.  We have seen the owls there several times and heard them call Who Cooks For You.

 There were 4 pairs of Painted Buntings at the feeders and we did spot the Oven bird too, but it did not stay out long enough to get a photo this time.

 The lettuce pond had several Roseate Spoonbills feeding, they were putting on show for us.

 This alligator has what is left of this puddle, soon he'll have to find another water hole.

 This is the lettuce pond which still has some nice food for these birds, 3 adult alligators and several baby alligators.  I should have asked what happens to the baby alligators when the pond dries up will they make the move to another water hole somewhere.

Snowy Egret

Water thrush, we haven't decided if Louisiana or Northern.

We spotted a couple of these birds  they are migrating north and have stopped here at the ponds for refueling.

The most common bird here and in most wooded places is the Catbird, it is found throughout the US.

 The Roseate's and Wood Storks were teasing the baby alligators, they were fun to watch.

 These Wood Storks were having a tug of war over a twig, 

This is a shot of the boardwalk railing and all the organisms growing on it, the pink is lichen and there's an air plant on this one.

I haven't even begun on all the types of ferns, trees and water plants that grow here, it's a very interesting place, nicer when there is water to encourage flowering. There are volunteers on the boardwalk to point out interesting birds and answer questions.  The first time we visited in November we spotted two bears back in the woods, you never know what you may be lucky enough to see here.