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| Swallow-Tailed Kite |
I am very excited about this paddle trip. 400 pics to choose from. This is the first one looked at. Given, most of the 400 are going to the trash bin but there have to be some good ones, like the one above. As a matter of fact, saw the three members of the Florida Air Force; Eagle, Osprey, and Red Shouldered Hawk. The eagle was a juvenile and too high for a good pic but will share with you what I got.
Put In & Take Out: Used the facilities of De Leon Springs State Park. It is a very nice one, besides a boat ramp, and the State now fixed the area putting a little more sand and widening the canoe & kayak lunch. Did pay $4 for the entrance since I was alone. Check with the park for fees.
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| Juvenile Bald Eagle |
Put In & Take Out: Used the facilities of De Leon Springs State Park. It is a very nice one, besides a boat ramp, and the State now fixed the area putting a little more sand and widening the canoe & kayak lunch. Did pay $4 for the entrance since I was alone. Check with the park for fees.
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| Osprey |
Had a late start hoping for my wife to come with me. She decided to stay at home yesterday so this was a solo. The kayak was in the waters of the Spring Garden lagoon, where the outflow from the De Leon Springs falls, at 10:08 AM. You have to be aware of where you are when kayaking in the area so it can be very shallow in some spots. The edges are very shallow and mucky. The smell of methane can be very strong in some areas. Did explore the waters of Spring Garden Lake before heading to the Spring Garden Creek, where spent most of the time.
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| Red Shouldered Hawk |
There is one reason because I do not like to kayak here during weekends and that is: Motor Boats. It is crazy. Lost count of how many motor boats I saw and how many times my little Perception Tribe was rocked by the wakes of the boats. But I knew that was going to happen and mentally prepared for it so did not take away anything from the paddle. At least all the boaters, but one...there is always one..., were polite and reduced speed near me.
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| Gator at Spring Garden Creek |
It was a heck of a day for gator viewing. Big ones, little ones, medium ones, tiny little ones too, all soaking the Sun light. There was one in particular that was so big that I hesitated before approaching where it was. Unable to find an angle to take a picture that would show it completely had to settle to take two.
When started my paddle had no specific plan. Thought that maybe will paddle to Lake Woodruff and then back to the State Park. When I reached the area where the docks for a pontoon boat used to be decided to take a break. Had a sandwich there and talked to a guy that showed up out of no where. He said that came from the Lake Woodruff Wildlife Refuge. Bottom line is that after 30 something minutes decided to paddle back to the State Park instead. The breeze was coming strong from the South, actually negating the current so it was not too much of a struggle to decide to go back. Enough of blah...blah...Let us see the pics that I got. Out of the 400 I took less than 150 survived. That tells you how good I am with the camera. Anyways...Here we go...
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| Great Egret |
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| Cormorant |
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| Osprey |
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| Moorhens |
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| Juvenile Little Blue Heron |
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| Juvenile Little Blue Heron with feathers starting to change colors |
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| Snowy Egret |
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| Coots taking off |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Tri-Colored Heron |
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| Great Blue Heron's nest |
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| Spring Garden Creek Scene |
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| Gator |
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| Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron |
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| Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron flying |
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| Defiant Gator tries to intimidate my 9.5 Tribe |
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| Green Heron |
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| Juvenile Bald Eagle |
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| Wonder how is the view from up there. |
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| Gator |
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| Gator slides into the creek |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Juvenile Little Blue Heron |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Gator |
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| Gator |
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| Juvenile Ibis |
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| Turtle |
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| I think this is a Yellow Rumped Warbler |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Limpkin |
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| Limpkin |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Tri-Colored Heron |
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| Little Blue Heron |
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| Sunning Gator |
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| Coot |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kite |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kite |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kite |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kite |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kite on a dive |
And that is pretty much it for this one. See Views From Our Kayak on Facebook for more pics. Thanks for reading and hope you join us on the next Views From Our Kayak.
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| Spring Garden Creek |
That Swallow-taik Kite picture would be very, very hard to beat. Exquisite, elegant...they take your breath away.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, a stunning array of shots.. The Heron nest was a treat! What a great life you lead in your kayak!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos! I love the turtle basking on the piece of bark sticking up out of the water, I think he's my favorite. Though the shot of the Limpkin enjoying his snack is really cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks you all.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, the Swallow-Tailed Kite is one of my favorites birds. Maybe because they are so unique and the way they flight...elegant and graceful. As you said, exquisite.
It is a great life indeed Cindy. I would go kayaking every day but...cannot do that now. Maybe in 20 more years, if I make it all the way there.
I also like the Limpkin pic Lauren. The turtle pic was by accident. They were very skittish, waiting until I was ready to shoot the pic to jump into the creek.