Lakes Maitland, Nina, and Minnehaha

A cool morning in Maitland, Florida. Thought of long sleeves, but not for long. Set out from Fort Maitland Park at 8:25.

Florida mottled ducks

 Anhinga

 Great egret.

 Ibis

 Water level has dropped a couple inches since last Thursday.  Then the above water main was almost completely submerged.

I entered Lake Minnehaha and paddled the Lake counter clockwise.  More anhingas, but I did not get any photos until I was 1/3 of the way around.

Three otters feasting on a fish.  Paddling into the wind, I was able to get fairly close before they sensed me.

The otter in the opening photo was the last to dive from the dock.

 Moor hen

Wood duck

Let's get a closer look at the anhinga.

 Pied billed grebe.  Saw my first of the season, Sunday, on Snake Creek.

Great egret and anhinga share a dock.

 Great egret needs to clean its beak after grooming.

Wood ducks.

Another otter.  Question.  Otters I see on the lakes have white fur on their necks.  Something I don't notice on otters seen in rivers.  Is that because, I usually just get short glances of  otters in rivers, and the fur is still wet, while lake otters are often seen after lying in the sun on lakeside docks?

 Another grooming great egret.

 Great blue heron

 Turtle. Lake Nina

Approaching Lake Maitland.

It had been a while since I visited the scenic canal east of the Lake Maitland-Lake Minnehaha canal

As I download the pics, I'm thinking, these are pretty good.

As usual on a weekday morning, little activity on the Lakes.  More kayaks, 4 hard charging paddlers coming out of the Maitland-Minnehaha canal as I entered, than motor boats, 2.

 Tri colored heron

 Osprey

 Birds seen, and not pictured; belted kingfishers, red bellied and pileated woodpeckers.
I landed just before 11:00 am.

 I work a half day Friday, so I left the kayak on the car.  On the way to work, waiting for a light to change, two boys and their Grandma walked past.  "Why does that man have a kayak?"  I leaned out the window.  "BECAUSE ITS FUN!"