Happy Birthday to Me From Cedar Key

Rhymed last year, at 53

 I.m guessing black skimmers, just prior to,

and, at,sunrise.

I stayed on the balcony this morning.

Added more clams and squash to the remaining clam, black grouper,summer squash, yellow onion, pasta.

 On the  Gulf at 8:48

 I wanted to get a picture at 9:10

 High  tide was at 9:30.  Able to make it more than 30 yards past the wreck for the first time all weekend.  Great blue heron to my right.

 Ibis on my left

And, these guys.

High tide meant I took a shortcut to the Number 3 Channel. Came out about halfway between the Number 3 bridge and Shell Key

 Had I gone the conventional route, I would have passed  a flock of white pelicans.  I headed to Scale Key to look for bald eagles.

White pelicans in the distance, to my left.

 Scale Key.  Able to get much closer to the tree that had an eagle, Monday.

None today.

 Had a brief thought of paddling around Scale Key.  But, it is big, full of inlets,shallow areas,and who knew what the Gulf  side would be like.  So, I paddled to the white pelicans, instead.

 The flock at the bridge flew over as I paddled towards this group.

 The usually oyster shell island filled channel was like a lake.  I was thinking stone crab would be a nice  birthday treat.

It is the season.

The wooden roller thing is part of the clam cleaning/sorting process.

Juvenile black crowned night heron on the rookery island.

 Tri colored and blue,herons

Blue

Osprey. Voted off the island.

Adult black crowned night herons.

 Bald eagle. Did not land on the mangrove island.

I mentioned in Monday's Tale that I saw this small island full of birds once before.  Last year's birthday weekend.  I was looking to see if I saw wintering ducks back then.  No, and none this trip.

 This tri colored heron is on another mangrove islet.  Near Cemetery Point.

Since the tide was still in, I wanted to paddle near the boardwalk.  But, hearing dolphin exhale, I went to deeper water, hoping to see it. Did not,

Heard a dolphin again, near the marina. Didn't see that one,either.  Or, maybe, the sound was my arm rubbing against my  PFD.  The "whoosh" can sound like an exhale

Did not notice the reflection, live.

Paddled to Astena Otie.

And back, highlight, 20 minute bell tower concert. Here are 14 seconds  No, Happy Birthday.

Pelicans, trying to steal a needlefish from a cormorant.They failed

Landed at 12:40.

 Lunch. Then off to get stone crab

Sandy's Produce is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, that's when she stocks up.  She told me Saturday she would be open Monday, for the holiday. Veterans Day, not my birthday.  Besides, she was out of stone crab.  So, I went to Southern Cross Seafood.

It has retail seafood sales in addition to its seed to plate clam farming operation.

 Reminds me of a brewery. But, I am from Milwaukee.

They also were out of stone crab.  I substituted a Florida lobster tail.

 Frozen, so  I stopped at the Railroad Trestle Nature Trail

 Signs identify the many plants on the old railroad right of way.  You can also learn a lot by chatting to a local with a metal detector. Who has found 2000.00 in loose change over 20 years. Coins going back to the 1840's.  And some railroad spikes.  Just a piece of glass, today.

I was trying to get  picture of small bird, in a small tree, when I heard something larger, in the tall pines. Picture taken after the bald eagle left its perch.

Back on the bike

Spoonbills at the Number 2 Bridge

 Last photo of the ride, above, first  photo of the late afternoon paddle, below.

Paddled to the Number 2 bridge to see if the spoonbills were still there.

 The roseate spoonbills had moved. Doing the spoonbill walk on the mud flats.  Beak swinging back and forth. Too far and dark for  a good pic.

I think my black skimmer guess at sunrise was spot on.

 As here they were at sunset.  Which was obscured by clouds.

 Landed at 5:52

 Vacancies at Park Place.  The bright lights ate the office.

Birthday dinner.  Newly cooked pasta, clams, squash,onion, lobster, the last of the Classico sauce. Accompanied by another who was born on November 12, Neil Young