Silver River and more

 Launching at a cool Ray's Wayside

While the moon was still out

Down the canal

To the Silver River

Anhingas as I paddled up River

 

A poacher

No fishing on the Silver River

 

I think the monkeys, huddling for warmth, were just waking up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Female wood duck in tree

 First turtle on a cool morning. 8:52

 

 

Pie billed grebe

 

 

 

 New sign. I do not recall it being there on Thanksgiving.  I do recall the old signs were gone. Old as in put up by the group that had leased the area around the head spring from the State.

 

Hey! Cormorants and turtles!

 Anddddd

 

Possibly the first bald eagle I have seen roosting on the Silver. I have seen them flying over head

 

 

 

 Coming into the Fort King Waterway, I heard strange sounds.  What kind of birds are making this racket?  It was not birds

 

I have not heard the monkeys make so much, and such varied, sounds.

 

They were at the point where the waterway makes a hard right turn.  A little further up stream, the first paddlers of the day were looking into the trees.

 

Basic Instinct

 

 

video

 

Another video

 

 

 First gator of the day.  Near the main spring. Warmest part of the Silver River

 

 

 

 

Following an otter down River

Never could time it for a picture when it came to the surface

 

 

Went into the Fort King Waterway to see if the monkey were still there

On both sides of the stream

 First motor boat of the day. A State Park craft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Just the second, and last gator of the day.  Small one, sliding off a log.

 

 I saw the Park boat again.  Had to chastise them for violating the Idle Speed limit. Told them they should be setting a good example

Landed at 12:30.  River Patrol Volunteer Phyllis was conducting a survey.  Told her I was happy to answer.  Gave more time for the camera battery to charge in the men's room.  And, in the comments I could mention the speeding Park employees.

 Took the scenic route, along the edge of the Juniper Prairie Wilderness, to Silver Glen Springs

 

 I missed the turn from the north bound  Forest Road to east bound road.  Maybe it was where a group was having a barbecue.  I did turn east, but when I saw the pond, I thought, wait a second, I have not seen this before.  I got out of the car.

 

 

I now know I was near the Hopkins Prairie primitive camping area

I came out further north on to Highway 19 than I usually do.  And, drove the wrong way.  North, instead of south. Turned around at a marina overlooking Lake George

 

At Silver Glen Springs.  As I got out of the car, hikers were preparing to set out on the Florida Trail.  Two loud booms.  "Lets go, make it to the campsite before it rains"  As I paid the $5 entry fee, I was told that was not thunder.  The US Navy has a bombing range in the Ocala National Forest

 

 In Silver Glen Spring

 Mullet

Tilapia

 More then I have ever seen

 

 

 

In the spring just over 20 minutes.

 The sign above is new. More educational than Keep Out!

 The Springs Boil Trail sign has been there for awhile

 

 

video

 

 

 Midden detail

 

 

 Larger midden

 It is now Friday, January 30, 2015.  I was at this point in composing this Tale 4, or maybe 5 days ago.  But I lost the entire thing.  All because of a flaw in the program.  I was about to write Across the highway..... when the entire post was deleted.  I assume I pressed the CTRL key instead of SHIFT.  This has happened before. I have tried to get an answer from Blogger as to why they have this fatal flaw. No response.

So across Highway 19 to the Yearling Trail.

Scat

 

 Should be called the Florida scrub jay trail