Wekiwa Springs State Park, Rock Springs Run

These are smart turkeys.  No hunting in State Parks.  On the hill at Wekiwa  Springs State Park as I made my way down to the water.

On the water at 8:40

Pie billed grebe

Tri colored heron.

 

Steam rose off the water.  I had to wear a jacket for the first time since last spring

 

Great blue heron

 

 Blue heron

Blue heron. Juvenile

 Green heron

 

 

 Limpkin

 

 

 

Doe on Rock Springs Run

 Closer view before it went into the woods.  November is prime time to see deer.  Bucks are after does.  This was the only one I saw while kayaking.

Tri colored heron

 

 

Campers at the Otter site, campers coming down the Run from Indian Mound, campers at Big Buck.  Other than that, no one on the water.  I turned back at 10:30

 Ibis

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern phoebe

 

 

Other than the campers, just one group of paddlers on Rock Springs Run.  In rental canoes coming from the State Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the Wekiva

 Belted kingfisher

 

 

 

 My memory is not what is used to be.  As I write this on Tuesday, I think there may have been 2 or 3 canoes and or kayaks on the Wekiva.  No one in the lagoon, above.

 

 

Empty canoe beach at 12:30

 Usual Sunday lunch stop half way up the hill.

 

It was so uncrowded I wheeled the kayak on the sidewalk and boardwalk instead of up the sandy hill.  A longer, but easier, pull. Had a nice chat with the volunteer at the new museum.  Jon was warming a snake. Draped over his shoulder.  Perhaps the cool weather and threat of rain kept the crowds at home.  I loved it.  A few sprinkles fell just before I landed.  That was it. 

 In the Sand Lake parking lot.  Saw a buck on the way.

 

 

 I was going to walk until I saw a deer, or got to Lake Prevatt

 Saw the sink hole above, and thought,  haven't seen this before.  May have taken a wrong turn at marker 10.

If the next marker was 9, I was going the way I planned.  If 11, I made a wrong turn. Turned back at 11.

 The sink hole is neat.  Wetter, so a clump of palms in the pine forest.

 

 

 

Walked almost 2 hours.  Saw a biker, a runner, and a couple bird watchers.

 A bit tired.  Almost did not go for a swim.  But, thought it will be good practice for Wednesday (tomorrow) at Crystal River.

 

And when I saw the empty springs pool on a Sunday afternoon.....

 

I got in

 

 

 

 

Turtle video

Perhaps the next Tale will have something larger

 

 

A fine start to my Birthday Week.  The Packers 55 points was an appropriate gift,  Sunday night.