Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

After Bill returned from the flying field on Cape Coral, we headed to Six Mile Cypress Slough to walk the boardwalk through this wonderful nature preserve. Today is overcast and we weren't sure if we would see anything special - we were just going for a nice walk.

This Little Blue Heron was shopping for lunch at the lake. Little Blues are pure white for their first year of life so this must be a full grown adult.

Look at this fabulous Red Shouldered Hawk! He was sitting close to the boardwalk and I was able to get some great shots!

Further along we spotted this cute little baby turtle. There are lots of adult turtles that we see basking in the sun right along side of birds and even alligators - but this is the first baby I've spotted.

And my favorite - the Great Blue Heron. I really like taking pictures of them in a natural environ-ment like this.

It is so relaxing walking through this preserve and watching the wildlife. We met a volunteer guide and talked to him for awhile. He told us there is a 14 foot alligator named "grandaddy" who lives in the Slough. He is usually spotted at the 2nd observation point at the first lake. At 14 feet he should be "Grandaddy-SIR."

This is a Great Egret - a beautiful tall, stately bird. At one time it was hunted to near extinction for its long white plumage. The name "Egret" means "ornamental tufts of plumes."

This Anhinga just caught a fish and we watched it for sometime while he shook it and banged it on the log - I guess to kill it before he ate it.

It was a great day at the Slough! We saw more interesting birds and critters today than we have ever seen - and it wasn't crowded!

Bill is making ribs for dinner and the beer is cold - gotta go!