Dave's Yak Tales

Cedar Key Sunset

Monday, January 20, 2014

Sanibel


A cool start, 37 degrees in the pre dawn hours.  Could have been worse, 30 in Orlando.  Make your own waffles for breakfast, followed by left over gumbo in the room.  Glad Pat ordered a bowl.  Checked out of the Travelodge and headed to Sanibel.
 White pelicans and roseate spoonbills on Wildlife Drive

 Under way at 11:24
Through the "lake" into Pine Island Sound.

Osprey pair on one of the Wulfert Keys




 Is that an eagle on another key?
Yup
 Juvenile bald.


Another of the Wulfert Keys is a pelican roost. Popular one, judging from the poop.






 Pat, resting his bum.  The previous owner of the Pungo paddled it with a big blue seat cushion. Which I have.  The seat is hard.  By the way, if the previous owner is reading this, how are you?
 Landed at 1:38.  Got Pat's rental car in the Visitor Center lot, drove in the busy, but not as heavy as Saturday, Periwinkle Drive traffic to the SIBC
 
Where I had a smile on my face again

Cheese, crackers, summer sausage, beer, time for a beach walk
 





 Dolphins





 
 Pat had to catch a plane, I had to go kayaking, again.
 
Wildlife Drive
 On the water at 4:20
 
 Black crowned night heron
Ibis and spoonbill in the secret spoonbill spot



 High tide, so I was able to paddle into the mangroves and see a few more
 The area across from the original Observation Tower (to distinguish it from the new tower), which had been full of mud flats when Pat and I drove past in the morning, was now deep enough to paddle.  I went to investigate the birds on the islands. Lots of white in the distance
Snowy egrets
 A lone white pelican
Mostly snowy, and a great egret
 Ibis
 
Cormorants
 Brown pelican with ibis





 

 

 

White pelicans through the Olivia bridge.
  A name not found on any map, but pictures of my great niece here, in December.
She was on the bridge, not below.
 Yellow crowned night heron
 

 

 

Landed at 6
 
 
 
9:30, moonrise over I-4.  The biggest light.
 


 

3 comments:

Joanne said...

Where is the new observation tower?

Dave said...

As reported in December, near the parking lot end of the Indigo Trail.
http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2013/12/sanibel-wednesday.html

Joanne said...

Good location.