Rock Springs Run

If you are a fan/friend/aficionado of Dave's Yak Tales, you know I saw a bear my last paddle on Rock Springs Run, the morning of September 2. This evening, September 15, 2009, I saw another. And now, so do you. My best bear photo yet. If you just stumbled across my site after putting "bear rock springs run" in your browser, welcome.

I launched at Wekiwa Springs State Park at 5:40 PM. Not bad, considering I worked until 4:30, went home, 6 miles, got the rack on the car, the yak on the rack, and had early rush hour traffic to deal with on the 12 mile drive to the Park.

Great blue heron and alligator on the Wekiva.

Little gator on Rock Springs Run.
I thought a late afternoon paddle might produce a deer sighting, or if I were fortunate a bear. After all, I saw a bear two weeks ago, a week before that, a paddling friend posted a pair of Rock Springs Run cubs on her Facebook page, a month or so before that, a guy I saw while hiking in Wekiwa Springs State park after a paddle told me he had seen a bear on the trail earlier that day.

They are out there. Entering the first open section of the Run, I said, I'm going to see 10 deer and 2 bears. Nothing like high standards. I paddled up Run through the twisty, shallow, open area, seeing blue herons, green herons, yellow crowned night heron, osprey, pileated woodpeckers, belted kingfishers, and ibis. Then, on my left a dark shape. Darker then a deer. Bear? It did not run, I thought, big hog. I got closer.

A bear ! Munching on leaves, or maybe, bear-ies. I was able to get the yak on a small log to stay in position to take photos. 4 turned out, one is just like the one above. Here is the final photo.
The bear walked out on a log, almost into the Run. I must have been downwind, as it seemed I had been observing the bear for a long time. But as it came out on the log, two herons burst from the green growth, the bear became alarmed, sensing me? charging off the log, back on shore, rumbling into the woods. My first photo is time stamped 6:24, the last 6:26. Time moves slowly when you are in the moment. I had not reached the "2 miles to Kings Landing Takeout" sign.

I had half my bear quota. Now to start on those 10 deer. Well, one bear is plenty for a short paddle. I entered the area where the trees once again form a canopy over the Run. Continued for 5-10 minutes, turning back about 6:30. Blue herons on different sections of Rock Springs Run.

Great blue heron.
Slowly, I drifted down Run, scanning the brush for a deer, or another bear. No such luck.

This red shouldered hawk just had an altercation with an osprey over a perch across the Run.

Rock Springs Run is not prime osprey habitat. Narrow, shallow, half tree covered, but I kept seeing what I assume to be the same osprey throughout the paddle. Thanks to the late hour, no people. Kings Landing is closed on Monday and Tuesday. This makes late Tuesday, or early Wednesday, excellent days for wildlife observation as few people, hardy up stream paddlers, have been on the Run since Sunday.

Last photo, limpkin on the Wekiva.

Time stamp, 7:31. Sunset, according to weather.com, 7:30. I landed a few minutes later, barred owls who-whoing overhead. Almost 8 by the time I left. Decided to drive down the Park road, not all the way, turned around at the campground road. Saw a raccoon. To the exit, slowly approaching the automatic exit gate, which swings open when it senses a vehicle. Hope it doesn't hit that buck. The buck, rack compact,with a forward tilt, stood in front of the gate. It moved off to the side as it swung open, standing in the edge of the forest as I drove out.