Blue Spring State Park - Snake Creek

Black Crowned Night Heron

A wise man once wrote...Never go to a state park on a Holiday Weekend. I did not put that advice in practice today and had a short but really good time at the waters near Blue Spring State Park. Made it there early enough to beat the crowds and get out of there just in time to beat the weather. It was almost perfect and said almost because had to speed up my return to the state park, where I did put in, because thought it was going to rain on me.

Little Blue Heron

Put In / Take Out: I used the facilities of the Blue Spring State Park in Orange City. Please click on the link for information about this location.

Great Egret

Anhinga (male)

Started my day on the water at 8:30. Arrived early at the park but had to wait twenty minutes for the gate to open and my van was #12 in the line. Was the first one in the water since all the ones before me where more interested in other activities involving picnic, coolers and stuff like that. Once on the water paddled to the Blue Spring Run. Did not stay long there since knew that was going to rain near noon time and wanted to have time to kayak Snake Creek. Once out of the run headed to the small island across the end of French Avenue. It is, most of the times, a great place to see wildlife. Have seen manatees in those waters on a couple of times. No manatees today but it was not disappointing. Came out of there with a few nice pics of Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Heron, Limpkin, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Anhingas, and Ibis. Saw a Red Shouldered Hawk but was not able to obtain a pic.

Anhinga (female)

Once I left the island headed to Snake Creek, which is located South and West of the State Park. From the kayak and canoe launch area go South on the St. Johns River and enter the first opening to the right. Paddle close to the North bank, to your right, and will find the entrance about maybe 400 meters ahead. Be aware that I am horrible estimating distances and that Snake Creek may be blocked or impassable due to vegetation issues. Has happened before and will happen again.

Snowy Egrets

Gator...I am watching youuuuuuu

My watch showed me 10:30 when I entered the mouth of the Snake Creek. The entrance is narrow and had a thin cover of vegetation at the beginning. But once that was cleared, with the exception of two locations, it was clean. I had no problems pushing my way thru those locations. Did not even slow me down. The wildlife was there but it was tough to catch a break and obtain a pic. A Great Blue Heron kept flying away from me when I was close to it, so did a pair of Wood Ducks, and then a Little Blue Heron and a Great Egret joined the "Here comes a crazy guy in a green kayak!!!!!" party. At one point I was just hoping for them to fly in the opposite direction so I did not have to see them doing that. But did not happen. Birds usually fly away from you when they are scared. Saw many little gators in the banks of the creek. Seems like the day care season has started. Another Red Shouldered Hawk flew across the creek in front of me, perching too deep into the forest. I was observing the clouds very closely because did not want to be caught in the rain. The Sun was in and out all the time and I was wondering what to do once at the end of the Snake Creek, where it joins the Hontoon Dead River. My options were; Complete the loop thru one of the old canals to the South, or paddle back Snake Creek on my way to the park.

Limpkins

Limpkins

Did You Know That? Today we will dedicate this section to the Limpkins.Limpkins are divided in 5 subspecies. Some are found in South America and the others from Georgia to Florida.  They can reach up to 28 inches and their diet consists basically of freshwater snails and mollusks. Their name comes from the way they fly. It seems they are limping with their legs dangling and the wingbeats jerky. Limpkins are not good fliers but can swim. They are very noisy and their sad call also gives them the name of Cry Birds. Once the Limpkin was considered a good food birds and were almost wiped out in Florida and Georgia. Today are protected and have regained good population numbers. When nesting the Limpkin will lay 4 to 8 eggs per clutch, which both male and female will incubate. Will roost in trees and nest in marsh grass  or low bushes.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Osprey

 The highlight of the paddle at Snake Creek was when spotted a couple of Black Crowned Night Herons. One was a juvenile, the other an adult. They flew away from me a couple of times but I have seen BCNH before at the creek, usually in the same general area and they have the tendency to fly in the opposite direction after a couple of tries flying away. The most recent time my wife caught one in flight and this time I was ready when they flew towards me. Got it!!!!! A Green Heron also also was pic friendly and did not mind letting me shooting a few pics at it. Saw no one in the creek until reached the Hontoon Dead River where saw a motor boat. At the moment it was cloudy and windy so decided to go back thru the creek instead of facing the wind in the open Hontoon Dead River. Here are more pics of what I saw...

Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egrets

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Limpkin

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron

Anhinga

Anhinga

Ibis

Gator...This one played chicken with my yak. Luckily for me it went under like 20 feet away from me.

Small gator enjoys the Sun

Great Egret

Black Crowned Night Heron

Great Egret

Osprey

Osprey

Green Heron

Green Heron

Limpkin

And that is it for this one. Hope you like these views. Thanks for reading and see you soon, from somewhere in beautiful Florida, to share more Views From Our Kayak.

Snake Creek scene

Lower Wekiva River - Oh Deer!!!!!

Deer in the forest

Had a long but relaxing paddle at the Lower Wekiva River today. Long because I am probably the slowest paddler around, relaxing because enjoyed the river and the surroundings without any kind of pressure. My solo paddle started at 9AM, when I finally put in at Katie's Landings.Did not have any specific plan. Just paddle down river and, wherever I was at noon, turn around back to the put in. A humid hot day in the Wekiva River but... You know what? Did worth each and every second. First, had the chance to finally meet Joanne and Pam, members of the river patrol, volunteers who care about the river,and from now on the Wekiva River Angels. And then, well, I am not telling you that. Check out the pics.

Joanne and Pam

Put In / Take Out: Katie's Landing. Please check one of our previous posts for more information about this location.

Snowy Egret

Ibis

At 9AM started exploring the area just across Katie's Landings. Usually, when I come with my wife, we can spend 45 minutes to an hour there. Today only spent about 15 minutes, not because there was nothing to shoot pics at, but because the water level is so low that made it very difficult to paddle the area. So after a quick view decided to keep going down river. As the most recent time I paddled here, paddled to the west of the island down stream Katie's Landings. It is wilder since there are no houses around, and usually, there are always several forms of wildlife to take pics of. Today was not different and came out of the area with pics of five different herons: Green, Great Blue, Black Crowned, Yellow Crowned, and Little Blue Herons. Not a bad start. Missed pics of a Pileated Woodpecker and a Red Shouldered Hawk also.

Great Blue Heron

Anhinga

The trip down river was slow. Just let the current take me and several times went back and forth if saw or heard something in the forest. No hurries. Only saw one boat, a Volusia County Sheriff was patrolling the river. We interchanged greetings and he asked me how far was Katie's Landings. At the time did estimate he was like one mile away from it and that is what I told him. Other than that was a lonely paddle down river. That was going to change later. Heard voices coming with the wind and also a heard a noise behind me in the forest to the East. First thought that the noise in the forest was the wind but turned around anyways and then saw a deer. Tried to shoot a pic but was not in position for a clear shot and the deer went deeper into the forest. The voices I heard were the Wekiva Angels, Joanne and Pam, who caught up with me. I told them about the deer and I think they saw it too. We chatted for a few minutes, which was a very welcome break for me, and saw a Swallow-Tailed Kite while we were talking. No chance for a pic. Did take some pics  from each other. 

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

Butterfly

Talking about the deer, I have seen them in the Lower Wekiva River before but usually in the same area near the Wekiva Haven. Today saw deer in three different locations. The first one was the area that I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Then like 5 minutes after leaving Joanne and Pam, saw another one in the West bank of the river. That one was busy eating, saw me, but did not mind my presence. It acknowledged I was there, it is fun to watch how the ears go North as soon as they are alarmed, but did not go away. That gave me the chance to shoot several pics. Only a few ones came up OK but I was happy with what I got. The deer stayed with me until the Sheriff's boat came down river. The deputy told me about two more deer a couple of hundreds feet upriver. I thought about paddling there but did not do it and kept going downriver. At 12:30 finally turned around and took a break 30 minutes later at a high ground area that is a very popular illegal camping spot. But now the river is being patrolled so I thing people will think twice before camping there. Two motor boats went by while I was taking the break. One going up and the other going down.

Deer in the forest

Lower Wekiva River Turtle

The trip upriver was not productive in terms of pics. To make things worst caught a boat going up, the same one that went by while I was taking the brake. They were bow fishing and going very slow. I stopped and let them go ahead since it was obvious that with them in the area no wildlife was going to stay close because all the noise they were making. One of the young men with a bow caught a monster catfish though. It was huge. Congrats to him, whoever he is. Just before the Wekiva Haven area they turned around and a few meters South I had a nice experience with Limpkin chicks. I have seen Limpkin chicks in the past but never had the chance to take pics of chicks so little. It was cool to see them interacting and also to hear the noises they make. They did not mind me being there and even posed for several pics. Spent many minutes with them until Mama Limpkin decided to leave with her little ones.

Limpkin Baby Chick

I think it is enough of talking. Here are more pics of what I saw at the Lower Wekiva River. Do you still wonder why is my favorite place? Oh...Closed the day with another deer just across Katie's Landings. What a day. Three deer sightings. In my past two trips in waters associated with the Wekiva River, Rock Springs Run was the other, has spotted deer in 6 different places. Not bad at all. Anyways, here you go...

Two for One...Ibis and Snowy Egret

Limpkin

Sandhill Crane

Raccoon in a tree

Raccoon in the river bank

Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Black Crowned Night Heron

Black Crowned Night Heron

Little Blue Heron

Tri-Colored Heron

Green Heron

Lower Wekiva River deer

Small Lower Wekiva River Gator

Ibis

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Limpkin chicks

Limpkin and a chick

Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Deer across Katie's Landings

Lower Wekiva River Deer

Deer goes hiding

And that is it for this one. Thanks for your patience with this one. Hope you like it and that you come back soon, will rest my back today and try to go out tomorrow, so we can share more Views From Our Kayak. Thank you very much for reading.

Lower Wekiva River Scene