Silver River

Usually, I'd lead off a Silver River Tale with a monkey.  But, that's so, same old, same old.  I have never seen a roseate spoonbill on the Silver River before.   I've never seen one this far inland, Hillsborough River being the old record for seeing them away from either coast.  This one was just outside the head springs, at the little island where cormorants nest.  Smack dam in the middle of the state. I did a search,"roseete spoonbill Silver River" First two results were Dave's Yak Tales.  Then I spelled "roseate" correctly, found more results, but I don't think any of them had spoonbills on the Silver.  This was a rara avis.  I emailed the photo to the Audubon Society, asking if they have any reports of spoonbills on the Silver River.  Before today.   I'll let you know the answer, if I get one/

As usual on Saturday, I was up early.  4 am. I figured it would take a half hour to get on the road, about two hours to get to Ray's Wayside Park. Big problem to start. I was out of coffee!  Not good after 5 hours of sleep.  Had to stop on the way.  I was on the canal leading to the Silver River at 6:38 am.  I was the third car in the lot.  One with a boat trailer, and a another kayaker.

 First picture that turned out, female wood duck, 6:52.

Juvinile blue heron

Great blue heron

 Great egret

Green heron

Ibis

I caught up with the guy who was launching when I arrived.  At a spot where the River splits. Must have been his first time, as he asked, "Either way?"  He went left, I went right, the longer way, so he'd get ahead. And to take another great egret photo.

The other guy stopped at a landing, the only place to land before the Silver River State Park launch, on the right side of the River.  I would have  the River to myself  But, I heard an engine.  For a long time,  the Silver River is Idle Speed.  Finally, he passed me.  I heard the motor for  a long time after that.  More on that boat later.

I've only seen roosting swallow tail kites on  the Wekiva River.  Rivers. The Orange County Wekiva and the Levy County Wekiva.  But never seven in one tree.

I said I saw seven, the photos only show five.

Who are you gonna believe? Me, or your lying eyes? I'd go with the eyes.  But, the other two must be hidden.

 Anhinga

 Lots of female wood ducks, and chicks.  One of the few adult males I saw, below.

 Moor hens.

 First gator of the morning. 8:25.

Into the Silver Springs waters, there is an island.  I assume the island where the rhesus monkeys were put on in the 1930's.  They swam away.  There is a sunken boat off the island.  I've never had a good view of it. Until today. Pretty big. looks like a sailboat with a covered berthing area- or whatever you call the area below--brother Pete, what's the word I'm looking for?

 The "Lost River Outpost"  Part of a boat tour.  A theme park employee shows tourists owls and whatnot.  I
was there before the park opened.  A large snapping turtle was on the bottom.  I put the camera in the water.  Got a photo of water.

 I wondered when I'd hear the noisy boat coming back down River.   I saw it, stopped near a little island.  Was he fishing?  Not allowed on the Silver River.  No, taking pictures, using a quiet, electric motor to maneuver.

He told me about the spoonbill on the other side of the island- which is a few trees in the River.

Cormorant.  I paddled as far as I could go, lingered above the main spring for a while. Nice to be three before the tour boats set out.  Headed back down River.

 I should have asked the guy in the boat if he has a blog or website.  He has using a big old lens, and with a steady platform, his boat, I bet he got great photos.

But for a Powerhot from a kayak, these ain't to bad.

 Tri colored heron and turtles.

 I did not think this was the time or place to pick up OPT.

Other People's Trash.

That's not the trees reflecting.  Its the eel grass in the clear water.

It was now 10:30, and the River was getting busy.  Kayaks, canoes, motorboats.  I'm glad I got an early start. Just down stream of the split, people in a motor boat were looking at the bank.  Had to be monkeys.  I saw one leap from tree to tree. Monkey, not person.  The people left, so I got to watch the monkeys in privacy.

First four are the same animal. Here are some of the family.

First four are the same animal.  Here are some of the family.

One of them felt I was to close, and did a false charge.  Glad it stopped, and glad if it did not, I'm armed.  With a paddle.

I left the monkeys.  A few minutes later, a paddler coming up the River said, "Hello Dave."  "Hello Luis"  He's a kayaker, with a blog, Views From Our Kayak.  I have a link to it on the right.  Great pictures.  We should have taken each other's portrait. Maybe next time.

 Gator at the canal entrance.  At the start of the day, I had thought about continuing on to the Oklawaha River.  But it was hot, a motor boat was headed that way, and not wanting to suck fumes, I landed.

A few more cars in the parking lot at 11:45 than why arrived at 6:15.

As I did after my last Silver River paddled, I drove on the Forest Road John H. and I "found" in February.

I had the trail bike with me, so I parked at the Pat's Island Trail head and went for a ride on the sand road I had just driven.

The road is on the border of the Wilderness. I saw deer tracks, turkey tracks, lizards and a gopher tortoise during the 5 mile ride.  A hot ride, 93 degrees.  The roads I drove begin just west of Juniper Springs, head north, than east to US 19 just north of Silver Glen Springs.  9.8 miles on the sand road.  Hard packed sand.  I knew Silver Glen would be jammed, but I needed to take a dip.

It was packed.  With striped bass.  And people. More fish, including large mouth bass.

Blue gill and mullet, too.

 All the activity clouded up the water. On my second pass over the main spring, I could not see the bottom.  The photo below is the out flow from the Natural Well spring.  No one is allowed in that spring, so the water coming our is clear.