Hillsborough River

I paid a visit to the Hillsborough River, Sunday, May 13, 2012.  A recent visit by Luis reported very low water conditions in the Nature's Classroom area.  As I launched, a kayaker was landing.  I've seen him the last two, now three times, on the Hillsborough.  I asked him about the water level.  He said it was very low, I might have to get out and walk.   I'd see about that.  On the water at 10 to 10.

I'm going to do something I haven't done for a while.  Keep a tally of the different animals I saw.  Start with alligator. One.  Don't worry about what has been shown before this. Plenty of herons, egrets, ibis and spoonbills to come.  I'm guessing 17 for the final count.

Great egret (2)

Great blue heron (3)

Roseate spoonbill (4). I do see the anhinga 2 pics above.  But I will give that bird its own billing, later.

Ibis (5) with tri colored heron (6)

Limpkin (7)
I heard a very loud noise as I neared Nature's Classroom. 

Airboat?

Nope, peacock. (8)

Not sure if it was trying to court, or intimidate the black vulture (9)

A short video 

Snowy egret (10)

 Blue heron (11)

I was able to paddle, and push a little, past Natures Classroom

Turtle (12)

Black crowned night heron (13)

The only paddler I saw before getting to Morris Bridge told me to look out for the barred owl (14)

Morris Bridge, 11:45

Anhinga (15)

This is the busy section of the River,  people coming down from Sargent Park.  If I saw a woman with younger people in the canoe by the time I'd say Happy Mother's Day they'd be gone.  A couple tough spots with low water rushing over limestone, but I made it.

Sargent Park, 1:30. Time for a break.  20-25 later, I was back on the water.  As a family was headed down the Hillsborough, I decided to check out the gators on the Flint River.

The canoeing family got out of sight, another canoe came into the Flint. Time to paddle down the Hillsborough

Little rain means the spring fed nature of the Hillsbourgh shines through.  Every time you buy a bottle of Zepherhills water, you're taking it from the River.   Of course you,  smart person that you are, don't waste money on bottled water. After all, if you are in Central Florida, the water from the tap comes from the same source, the Floridian Aquifer. 

Green heron. The 17th different animal photoed.

Exposed limestone in the River.

Snowy storm

Passed Morris Bridge Park about 4.  I had only seen a couple paddlers, Canoe Escape renters heading back to Sargeant Park. With the new location at the Park, renters can paddle out and back, in addition to doing a downriver paddle and being picked up and transported back.

The low battery light was flashing.  I nursed it for a while, but then thought, "this is why you have three batteries"  I was on number two.  Better to switch to a fresh one and not lose a good shot to the dreaded "Change Battery Pack" message.   Like the spoonbill that opens this Tale.

Pig. If you took the under on the animal count, sorry.  At the start of writing the Tale, I guessed would have photos of 17 different animal.  This makes 18.  With more to come.

Sandhill crane (19)

Turkey vulture (20)

Florida mottled duck (21)

Yellow crowned night heron (22)

Let's see that crown in "Supervivid"

This makes 5 different herons this trip. Blue, green, great blue, tri colored, black crowned and yellow crowned.  When I told my Mom this, she said she did not know there were that many types.  I told her I thought I saw every type that could be seen in Florida.  To which she replied, "Isn't there a white heron"  For a blind lady who turns 86 Sunday, Mom is pretty observant.

Speaking of Mom, it took this long to get a mother and child photo on Mother's Day.  The limpkin behind in the photo has a shorter peak. Has to be the child in this pair.

Junior

Another Mother's Day Card. Turkey. Animal 23 photoed on the day. Seen, but not captured, wood stork, wood ducks, downy woodpecker, otter, bass, blue gill, gar, and pickerel.

Not the best cardinal photo, but, number 24.

Osprey, 25

Approaching the landing, 6:02 PM.  No one was on the water from the time I passed Morris Bridge. I considered a paddle up Trout Creek, but 8 hours was enough time on the water on a school night.  Had to get home and get the Yak Tale published. Four nights later, its done.

Armadillo on the drive out. Animal 26 of the day.   And we are now in the summer, low wildlife season.  Migrants,  belted kingfishers a prime example, have left for  a few months.