Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Cedar Key, Snake Key


Sunrise, 6:32 AM

 





 


As I write on July 27, I assume I tried to go back to sleep, failed, ate breakfast, posted photos, and was in the kayak at

 Out to Astena Otie Key





Empty nest



 



 Dolphins splash as I paddled to Snake Creek

From off shore, I could see white in the green of the key.  Egrets and ibis, I assumed.
 Closer, those are magnificent frigate birds!

 
 An unexpected treat

 
I have only seen magnificent frigate birds roosting at Seahorse Key.  Never at Snake.


The sad thing is, the frigate birds, and many others have left Seahorse Key. No one knows why.


 


 


 
 
 
 
Not just frigate birds
Cormorants
 
Great egrets
 Brown  pelican
another video




 
Reddish egeret

 
 Even a roseate spoonbill
 Seahorse Key in the distance
 Zoom
 
 
 

 
 

 Snake Key is split in two parts by a channel.  A favorite place for tri colored herons

 


 
 
 A juvenile blue heron got into tri colored alley.


 


 





 
 Research camera.  Several are set up around Snake Key

 






 
 
 


 
 


 


One of only a few adult males I saw with a red pouch.  When ready to mate, it gets puffed out.


 
 


 



 
Paddling away from Snake Key.  An article about the birds leaving Seahorse Key.
 


 


Atsena Otie Key dock


 


 


 

Landed at 11:50.
In time for the daily bell concert  with bird accompaniment, and wood plank bass.
 Lunch, back out at 5 past 2.
 
 Return to the Number 2 Channel
 To look for spoonbills
 


 


 
 







 
 Visitor from Snake Key

 



 
Cemetery Point cemetery.






Dolphin







 
 
 

 Cedar Key skyline

 


 


 


 


 


 
Landed at 4:45
 Back out at 7:20

One theory for the birds leaving Seahorse Key is military flyovers
 This chopper was doing touch and go take offs and landings at the air field.  I had launched at Airport Road.
 Snake Key in the distance.
 


 


 


 
Stopped at a local bar for sunset


 


 





 


 
 


Sunset was just after 8:30
 


 
 The low tide made things a bit worrisome as I paddled back to my car.  But, I managed to avoid the oyster shells and landed at 8:51.  And then walked across the mud to the car.
 

 

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