We took a drive to the Atlantic Ocean at Biscayne Bay National Park and walked the boardwalk around the visitor's center area. Our one great find was the Great White Heron, this subspecies of the Great Blue Heron is only found in South Florida.
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| That's enough pictures, I'm leaving! |
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| Saltmarsh Morning Glory |
As we were wandering the roads north of the park we decided to go into Black Point Park, never knowing what you may find. God led us to an"angel" with a scope on a Mangrove Cuckoo. We pulled over and found out this man was a bird guide from Miami and his name was Angel! We had wonderful looks at this bird which was our first ever in North America. They have a wonderful, bazaar chattering call that can't be mistaken for any other bird.
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| Mangrove Cuckoo catches a bite, juicy green caterpillar |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull on Biscayne Bay |
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| Narrowleaf White-top Sedge |
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| Red-headed Agama |
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| Northern Parula |
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| Yellow-throated Vireo |
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| Young White Ibis coming into adult plumage |
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| Black & White Warbler |
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| Palm Warbler |
Headed back into the Everglades before sunrise to walk the Snake Bight Trail before it got too hot. The beginning of the two mile walk to Florida Bay was green and birds calling all along the way, until we got closer to the water......
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| Beach Morning Glory |
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| Tree Snail |
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| Brown Anole |
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| Coral Bean |
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| Heliotrope |
This is what greeted us near the end of the trail. Thousands of dead mangrove trees, all the roots covered in a foot of mud. It was the result of Hurricane Irma's surge of salt water and ocean bottom coming in and over staying it's welcome.
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| Boardwalk at the end of Snake Bight Trail |
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| Storm trapped water turned red, algae? |
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| Louisiana Waterthrush |
At the Flamingo Marina, one of the American Crocodiles was out sunning on the boat ramp. He gave a nice smile for the camera, good thing Ty has a long lens, don't want to get too close to this 12 foot monster.
In the time since we were here last, the Osprey chicks had hatched. Full time job for both parents feeding these two hungry babes.
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| Roseate Spoonbill at Paurotis Pond |
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| Painted Bunting female and Indigo Bunting young male |
There's a run-down area of the Everglades north of Homestead that we went to explore, the old Grossman Hammock, that is not in use. We asked a Ranger if we could drive in on the old roads, and they said it was open, but be careful! Ha! We found lots of birds: herons, egrets, Wood Storks, kingfishers and of course some more Painted Buntings. There were alligators every half mile along the canals, and soft-shelled turtles. Very quite except for an occasional plane overhead.
Today is our last day in Homestead and lots of chores to do before leaving. Looking forward to our next adventure heading for the Keys tomorrow.
Love & Prayers, Ty & Ida Baumann
