Ty and Ida On the Road: Everglades National Park and Homestead

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Everglades National Park and Homestead

Little Blue Heron

We left Chokoloskee Island and headed east along Alligator Alley (Highway 41) through the north edge of the Everglades National Park. We stopped at a wayside and found quite a few herons and egrets fishing in the canals.

Black-crowned Night-heron

Immature Black-crowned Night-heron swimming for abundant fish

Ever present alligators along Alligator Alley

We stopped at Shark Valley and took the tram tour and it's one stop at this tower. You can see for miles in all directions across the River of Grass with it's Hammocks of trees scattered throughout.

Green Heron

Alligator Gar Fish

Papa Anhinga with 2 chicks

Papa feeding chicks

Limpkin feeds on Apple Snail

Double-crested Cormorant finds lunch

How wide can that mouth open?

Large downy Anhinga chicks

Spatterdock walking Purple Gallinule

Cardinal Air Plant

Blue Dasher

Boardleaf White-top Sedge

Northern Parula

Queen Butterfly

Painted Bunting Pair

Black & White Warbler

We are staying at Goldcoaster RV Park in Homestead, Florida and no matter how urban the area is, it's possible to find birds. These birds are from the Park edges and the city park across the street.

Beautiful? Muscovy Duck

Ovenbird and Gray Catbird winter residents

Common Myna

We are really close to the main entrance of the National Park, so we made another trip covering from Mahogany Hammock to Flamingo. This is where we started to see the damage from Hurricane Irma. Many miles of Mangrove look like they have died. The naturalists aren't sure why, possibly from the salt water covering the land for too long a time.