Cedar Key, 12-26-14

 A chilly, by Florida standards, start to the day after Christmas

41 at 7:20 AM

 

Sunrise, 7:22

 

 

After breakfast, on the water at 9:20.

Had to wait for it to warm up a little

 

White pelicans near the mouth of the Number 2 Channel

 If my memory is correct as I post these photos 12 days later, I think I also saw a trio of spoonbills that had eluded me on Christmas Day.  And again on Boxing Day.

 

 

 

Low tide

 

 

Avocet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scale Key

 

 

 

Great egret on the discarded shell pile at Southern Cross Seafood

 

 

 Scaup and belted king fisher

 

Gulls and terns

 

 Varying shades on the Number 3 Bridge pillars show how much the tides fluctuate.

 

 The ball hanging, not floating, is another  low tide indicator

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tide came up a little

 

 

 

Atsena  Otie Key.  Paddled out looking for the great horned owls I saw on Christmas.  One perched on  branch. Stupid me could not get it in the view finder.  It flew to another tree, joining another owl.  That tree had too many leaves, unlike the bare branch of the first tree.

 

 

 

As I look at this sign, I remember why I took a picture of it.  Because I told some dofous from Boston that he needed to keep his dog on a 6 foot leash. "I did not know" Which is a bullshit excuse.  Know the rules before you come. Its a wildlife refuge.  Don't have your mutt running around.

 Did not see the owls

 

 

 

Landed about 1:20

 Checking out the kayak at 2:45 as I began a bike ride to Sandy's Produce

 

 

 New mural

It is part of the 2015 Art Festival

 

Sandy's is off to the side of the gas station where the mural is.  It was closed.  So, I continued on to Southern Cross Seafood.

 Clam raising

 

 I got a bag of medium clams and the 3 pound bag of shrimp

 

 

 

 

 

 I need to get a new backpack.  Only has one strap.  Probably broke carrying 10 plus pounds of seafood.  Using one strap is doable, but not optimal.

 

4:10, back on the water

 

 

Were those the spoonbills that had eluded me all weekend?

 Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 If you look very closely, you may see a dolphin in the photos above and below

 

Dolphin you can see without a magnifying glass

 

 

 

 

 

Scale Key eagle nest

Scale Key eagle

 Same nest as earlier, different angle.

 

 

What are those huge yellow/golden birds, I wondered

 White pelicans, reflecting the sinking sun.  Looked better live.

 

 

 I turned into the sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Landed just before 6.

 Lights from the balcony