The Nature Coast

I love visiting the fishing villages on the Gulf of Mexico. We decided to try and find the closest Gulf Beach to Ocala. This is Fort Island Gulf Beach in Chrystal River in Citrus County.

This picture was taken from the fishing pier.

I don't know what they were fishing for - but they sure were working hard at it!

I spotted this Zebra Butterfly as I walked along the wooden boardwalk towards the beach area. There were dozens of them enjoying the beautiful wild flowers.

...and this is the small, but clean beach. There is adequate parking, clean rest rooms and picnic tables. It's just a short nature walk to the pier. The birds are Black Skimmers.

It's Dragonfly Season in Florida! There are thousands of them flying everywhere - often in pairs. This red beauty is a Carolina Saddlebags Skimmer. Judging from my pictures, this one is the most common.

I believe this is a female Roseate Skimmer. The males have more color.

Cedar Keys

Another of our adventures with my visiting sister Beth was to Cedar Keys on the Nature Coast of Florida. It is about an hours drive west from Ocala. Our first stop was to Shell Mound just before crossing the bridge onto the main Island and the small fishing village of Cedar Key.

The Black Skimmers were plentiful - lined up on one of the small sand mounds out in the water.

Air boats are a real problem. Yes, they look like a lot of fun - but they are a menace to plants, fish, birds and other aquatic life, especially in the rivers. We watched as this boat scared away all the birds. In the rivers, they run over the plants and destroy habitats.

As the Black Skimmers returned, we noticed other black and white birds - American Avocets! This is the first time we've seen Avocet at Cedar Key - and it was a Life Bird for Beth. Beth was able to get a decent picture of a Marbled Godwit - but I did not, so you'll have to check her blog.

On the Island, we headed to the docks just as this Seaplane was coming in for a landing. ...and just as Tidewater Tours was heading out for a trip to the islands. A quick pee stop and we were on board the pontoon boat.

Don't you love this pair of twin Double-crested Cormorants?

We saw thousands of Cormorants - in the air, on the shore, sitting on signs and lining all the islands. They are NOT endangered!

This shot was purely accidental. I was trying to get a picture of a dolphin when this Common Loon popped up right in front of the boat where my camera was aimed.

After lots and lots of pictures of splashes, I actually got a couple of pretty good pictures of dolphins!

I think they were following the boat.

I'm sure this one was smiling.

This is probably my best shot.

This is the top of the lighthouse on Seahorse Key. The island is open to visitors only a couple of days a year - and this was not one of the days.

Close to shore, we saw a couple of Horned Grebe. This one looks like he is playing with a small snake.

His partner wants to play too.

Too late - the snake is gone.

One of the islands is home to a large group of White Pelicans - and an even larger group of Cormorants. We were able to get quite close - and both Beth and I took dozens of pictures!

Back on land, we were excited to spot this Great Horned Owl. We pulled the car over and jumped out for a picture. Oh well, maybe next time. But even a plastic owl couldn't dampen our spirits. After a delicious meal at Tony's (yes, of course I had their award-winning clam chowder!) we headed back to Ocala. I think Beth enjoyed her day - I know I did!

Birding at Cedar Key

The town of Cedar Key is a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast, about 50 miles southwest of Gainesville. The Cedar Keys are a group of barrier islands that are Federally protected bird and wildlife sanctuaries.

This picture was taken from the dock where we were waiting to depart on a birding trip through the marshes with expert birder Captain Doug. The birds flying over the hotels are Black Skimmers.

A large flock of Black Skimmers.

I caught this pair as they were flying to sit on the hotel roof with the rest of the gang. Note that their lower bill is longer than their upper. They feed by flying low and skimming the water with their lower bill.

The ever-present Ring-billed Gulls.

Once we were out in the boat, I saw more shore birds than I ever saw in South Florida. There were hundreds of huge White Pelicans.

The distinctive black markings on their wings show only when they fly. I was amazed how close we were able to get to them.

Oystercatchers were everywhere. It was high tide and every inch of every available sand bar was covered with shore birds.

Oystercatchers and Willets. The Willets also have a very distinctive black and white wing pattern when they fly.

Willets, Willets and more Willets - but note the bigger bird with the long downward curved bill. It is a Wimbrel.

Another Wimbrel. The two smaller birds facing in the same direction as the Wimbrel are, I believe, a Short-billed Dowitcher (center) and a Dunlin.

A little of everything - can you name them all? I can't!

A couple of the sand bars were wall-to-wall Ruddy Turnstones.

Captain Doug promised us Plovers and we found these way out on a secluded beach. The one on the right is a Semipalmated Plover. I'm not sure if the other two are also Semipalmated or another plover.

Close-up of the Semipalmated Plover showing the necklace that goes all the way around.

I didn't expect to see a Loon on this trip!

The larger bird with the long black and pink bill is a Marbled Godwit.

We saw a couple of Bald Eagles during our 3 hour trip.

Back on land, I saw this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

We met another couple on our trip, Linda and Graham, and joined them for dinner at Tony's. Tony has won the gold ribbon for his clam chowder two years in a row - and after eating it I sure understood why! It was the BEST clam chowder I've ever had. Bill had fresh raw oysters and he said they were delicious. We have a new favorite place to eat!

We had a great day at Cedar Key - and I can't wait to go back.

Mike and Mel

Bill and I are having a great visit with our friends Mike and Mel. They arrived Friday and stayed with us until Monday when their condo in Naples was ready. They are just 17 miles south of here so we will see them a lot over the next couple of weeks.

This is Mike and Mel on the beach at Sanibel. We crossed the $6 causeway and toured Sanibel and Captiva, stopping for drinks and appetizers along the way. Mike likes lighthouses and fishing piers so we stopped at Lighthouse Beach to walk and take pictures.

This Royal Tern was sitting on the pier.

There were loads of Brown Pelicans diving for fish. I think they were having better luck than the fishermen. This guy had just caught dinner.

Over the side of the pier we watched the Snowy Egrets run and play. This bucket had bait in it and one Snowy decided it was his and did not want to share. He chased off anyone who came close.

Click on this picture for the larger version and you will see a dolphin following the "Sanibel Thriller." I think the passengers were feeding the dolphin and it followed the boat for sometime.

Today we went to Bunche Beach to walk. It's a strange beach with mudflats to the right and left of the short sandy area. This large group of Black Skimmers and Royal Terns were enjoying the calm waters. We found oyster shells of every size and shape and saw lots of live Crown Conch crawling around the flats.

These Red Knots and Sanderlings were sitting on some driftwood that was covered with barnacles. I love the browns and blues in this picture and will have to make a print with the new photo printer Bill gave me for Christmas.