Haulover Canal

Sunday, October 25, 2009. More than twenty spoonbills on Mullet Head Island. Five dolphins feeding in the Indian River as I launched. Manatees in all the usual places. But the highlight may have been after the paddle, on the Scrub Jay Trail.

Where one of the bright blue birds landed on my head. I'm glad I had a hat on, as I felt its feet getting a grip. Then a few pecks, and finding this nut tough to crack, and nothing inside, flew away.


My kayak excursion began at 10:15 as I launched from at the end of the dirt road on the north side of Haulover Canal. As I got out of the car at the edge of the Indian River, a feeding dolphin came as close to the shore as I have ever seen. No more than five yards from the wrack line, ten from where I stood. Four dolphins in the pod. When I got in the water, I noticed a fifth, a young one along side, I assume, its mother. No photos. They were in the middle of the channel, not a place I want to hang out, although there was not much boat traffic. I moved on, crossing the mile of water to Mullet Head Island. As forecast, a moderate chop, once I got out of the little cove near the launch area, but nothing came in the yak.


Once behind the island, where conditions were calmer, I put the spray skirt on. And took pictures.

Seeing one rosette spoonbill the day before on the Hillsborough River was nice. Seeing a large group was even nicer. Mullet Head Island is a bird sanctuary, so I was limited to long distance shots, behind the "Blue Goose" signs. Which as Yak Tales readers know, make excellent osprey perches.
More spoonbills, along with brown pelicans and cormorants, on the east side of Mullet Island.

I paddled back towards the Canal, and south across the entrance. Where a single dolphin hunted. I went on, to my two secret manatee spots.

They were not under this sign, although I did see one just past it on the way to the canals where I often see manatees.












Both spots had a couple. I had to wait a bit for them to surface. Patience is a virtue. Moving on, I entered Haulover Canal from the side channel. No dolphins in "Dolphin Cove" Several manatees in Bairs Cove. All inactive, coming up only briefly. Bairs Cove has a boat ramp, and several anglers were getting out. 1:00 PM, morning fishing over, time for football. The engine noise keeps the manatees under longer.

I left Bairs Cove, careful not o run over any manatees, and paddled east towards the Indian River.

More people watching for manatees at the Overlook on the north side of the Canal than manatees, one that I saw, in that area. People need to get on the water. Scratch that, that would only make my favorite places more crowded. But then this site does nothing to discourage people. Heat ! bugs! alligators! Illiterate power boaters! There, maybe I've scared some people. "Illiterate power boaters" refers to those who do not understand "Slow Speed, Minimum Wake". How a person who can't read can afford a boat worth tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars, I can't understand.

I did not go all the way to Mosquito Lagoon, exiting the Canal through a gap on the north side and entered the area sheltered by a chain of islands. This offered some protection from the wind. But not a lot, so I reentered the Canal, and returned, wind at my back.

Manatees still in Bairs Cove. Power boat traffic abated, three kayakers watching the sea elephants. I moved on. Can anyone tell me what these little orange legged birds are?

Paddled into the Indian River. Considered another visit to Mullet Head Island, but the wind and waves changed my mind.

Landed around 2:15-2:30. A few months ago, a shelter was put up at the launch area. Along with trash receptacles. The latter are nice, I did not have to carry the balloon and styrofoam pulled from the water home with me. The shelter now has panels describing the islands and advising what not and not to do to make sure all the birds don't leave. Such as, keep your distance and keep your mutt of the beach.

Speaking of birds, I stopped at the Scrub Jay Trail on the way out of the Merritt National Wildlife Refuge. Based on experience, I know these endangered birds, endemic to Florida, are found on the left, or end side of the sort loop trail. I walked along, not seeing any scrub jays. A the turn in the loop, I turned around. And as you know, spotted the birds.

The scrub jay on the head is something I've seen before. This January 2008 Tale has a photo I took of one on a guy's hat. http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2008/01/haulover-canal-and-more.html

I was not so fortunate to have anyone with a camera nearby. I pondered how to lift the camera, strapped hanging around my neck, over head, cap, and bird. All that pondering made the bird take flight. As I walked to the car, a woman, tri-pod in arms, walked towards me. I told here about the lost opportunity.

I made a final stop. Driving the seven mile Black Point Wildlife Drive. In my pre-paddling days, I thought this was one of the best places to go within a reasonable drive. Now, being on the water, I'm spoiled. Just took one photo. of a tri colored heron. I was out of the car when I took the photo. There is a relatively new, 2 or 3 years now, 1/4 trail on a dike with two blinds. Also walked about a mile on the five mile Cruishak Trail.

No spoonbills. They all must have been on Mullet Head Island. One alligator. Easy to spot as the car in front of me stopped in the middle of the road, both people went out and went to the bank. I'm stupefied by stupid people. Pull over, so others can pass, use your car as a blind. Now, dear reader, you know what to do.
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