Cedar Key

I know you're thinking, "Weren't you just there?"
Maybe.  If "just there" means 6 days ago.  But that was just for one day.  I am in Cedar Key this time until early Tuesday afternoon.  Began the day on the Wacasassa and Wekiva.  The confluence is above.

 Under way at 8:03.  Just two cars at Levy County Wacasassa River Park.  One arrived just before me, one just after

Up the Wacasassa(the others went down River)

 The same great blue heron, different poses.  And lighting as it crossed the River

 Red shouldered hawk on the Wekiva.  Past the confluence.  Double dipping again, same raptor, below.

Same snag, different angle.

Barred owl

Turn around, 9:26

 

 

Vine covered something. Cistern? Outhouse?

Gray catbird?

Confluence. I paddled up the Wacasassa for a while.

 

 

 

Back at the confluence, swallow tail kites. First confirmed ones of the season for me. Unable to get a photo, despite paddling back up the Wekiva for  minute or two, hoping to get one.

 

 Landed at 11:42.  Loaded the car, just 11 vehicles in the lot.  30 mile drive to Cedar Key. My room, 330, not yet ready at Park Place, so I was back on the water at 1:00.

 

I had not decided on which way to paddle when 3 dolphins surfaced a few feet away.  OK, I'll follow them.

 Unable to get a picture. Of the trio, or of  a pair I saw

 

The dock at Astena Otie Key

 

 

 

Landed at 2:37

 My room was not ready. The above pic is taken at from the bbq area at Park Place

Finally in room 330 at 3:15

If this were some faceless corporate lodging I might have made a comment to management about the housekeeper sitting on my balcony when she could have been cleaning my room

But as it is not a faceless corporation, and I have been spoiled by checking in as early as 11:30, I'll let it slide.  Maybe she was testing the cushions for dampness.

 Back in the kayak, which I had left on the beach, at 4:50

 

 

 

Great and snowy egrets in the Number 2 Channel

 I was in search for spoonbills. 

To shallow to paddle past the wreck/oyster bars.

 

Plan B would have worked better if the nervous black crowned night herons did not burst into flight, taking the roseate spoonbills with them

Poop covered mangrove

 Back in the Channel. Came to where is splits, and took the left route.

 

 

 

 

The two arms merge again. I headed back on the other, wider, deeper, channel

When I returned to the wreck, it appeared the tide had come in a little, so I ventured past

Buffleheads

 Scraped the bottom, briefly

 Spoonies over head, but none roosting. On the way back, either I misjudged my course, or the tide went out some more, but I had major bottom scrapeage

 

 Spoonbills, and great egrets, were in the little cove at Old Fennimore Mill

 

 

 

 

The spoonbills moved across the channel

 

 

 The spoonbill  quest meant I missed sunset

But not the beautiful sky

 

And so ends Saturday