Rock Springs Run

Happy first day of summer.  The calender may say first day of spring, and it may be winter where you are, but it was 90 degrees yesterday for the first time this year, thunderstorms today, all the trees have been green for a few weeks, summer has begun in Central Florida.   I was able to avoid the storms on my half day of work for March.

Underway from Wekiwa Springs State Park at 2 PM.  Had to visit a spring today. And if I did get wet, I was close to home

It rained in the morning, so that kept the potential crowd down.  Except for one armada of about  8 canoes from Wekiva Island.   They got to the lagoon.  Good, they'll stop at the Park.  Wrong, they turned around, and paddle quickly back up the Wekiva.  I asked if they were late for work.  At least they go out of the way. I wonder if they noticed the swallowtail kite soaring overhead.

On Rock Springs Run

A few people on the Run, but no one up stream of the old sandbar.

Good sized gator guarding the transition from open marsh to tree canopy

A fallen tree almost blocks the Run

Turned around at 4:30

Opening at the toppled tree

The above picture is a fallen tree.  Bursting with new life.

The alligator that had been on the bank was in the water.  Very easy to see in the clear water.  Of course, that is when the battery died.  Probably a good thing as I may have been tempted to put the camera in the water for a photo.

I put the wrong battery in the camera.  By the time I replaced it, the deer that had been next to me disappeared into the trees.  It was the second deer I saw.

I saw four deer. So far.

 Three more deer.  Like I said at the start, it is summer. Days are longer but there is less light.  Dark clouds.  The deer took off, bounding gracefully.  Had to be the flash

It rained, but only briefly.

 The second of two deer crossing the Run. That made 9.

 Limpkin

Green heron

Resurrection fern lush from the rain.  I saw a swallow tail kite, again. Also seen by me, but not seen here, turkey, wood stork, wood ducks, belted kingfishers, and pigs.

 Had to take a picture of Wekiwa Springs this first day of.   Landed at 7:15 as a light drizzle fell

It had stopped when I took this picture, 14 minutes later.  Poured on the drive home.  Stopped when I got home.    I had the perfect day.  Other than working 4 hours.  Plenty of rain, but very little when I was outside.