Haulover Canal and more

Saturday, January 26, 2008 I kayaked the Haulover Canal. The paddle portion of the day is here:

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showlocation&location=119

I posted on that site at the suggestion of a reader of this site, who said they are looking for a "Central Florida Expert" That reader is the Northwest Florida Expert

At first, I was unable to post pictures on the Green Wave site, but eventually figured it out I have more, and bigger, pics here.

As mentioned in the Green Wave Forum, my day continued after I finished yaking. Here are a few pics.

After the short paddle, I stopped at the Scrub Jay Trail. This is a one mile loop. I had almost completed it, without seeing any name sake birds, when I saw one on the gentleman's cap. I have read that the jays will do this, now I saw it. Other scrub jays were in a nearby tree and several more on the path. In the Ocala National Forest, the only other place I have seen these birds, I never see them on the ground. Then Mr Jayhat pointed out the peanuts on the grass. Left by someone else.

Back to the parking area, I walked along what seems to be a service road/trail along the water Here was some of the best birding of the day. A flock of white pelicans. Unlike brown pelicans, they don't dive for dinner. Instead, they work as a team, corralling their prey. The area was full of roseate spoonbills well.

And herons, and egrets and herons, oh my!

Next stop, Black Point Wildlife Drive.

A "veritable plethora of avian varieties" to quote brother Andy.

I ended the day with a walk on the 2 mile Palm Hammock and 1/2 mile Oak Hammock Trails. Saw a wild hog. No bird pictures.

Refuge literature states the area attracts so many species because it is where the temperate and subtropic zones meet

The gumbo limbo next to the oak is apt illustration I could not leave without talking a picture of this historical marker. On, Wisconsin !