Lower Wekiva River & Blackwater Creek

Red Shouldered Hawk

A solo paddle today so you know what that means. No wifey, not many good pics. Did kayak one of my favorites; Lower Wekiva River from Katie's Landings. Went all the way to Blackwater Creek, explored it for 30 minutes and returned to Katie's. Did something that wanted to do but never had the chance. Instead of going down river thru the East of the island near Katie's, pushed my way thru the West side and it was nice. Otters were swimming and walking around there. Sadly did not have an opportunity for a decent pic.

Limpkin

Put In / Take Out: Katie's Landing. For more information about this place, one of the easiest to Put In and Take Out of the places I visit, please check our fist post about this place on this blog. Just in case you really want to have the information now here is a link Lower Wekiva River - March 5 2011.

Anhinga

Little Blue Heron

It was a terrific day in lower part of the Wekiva River. Two couples fishing put in as I did. Saw them again just before Wekiva Haven and did not see any other kayaker during the whole trip and the two motor boats I saw, one was a boat from the Tomoka Marsh Protection (or something like that) and the last one was almost at the end and I was in the wide part of the river near Katie's Landings. It was cold in the morning and a bit less cold in the afternoon. As I mentioned at the opening paragraph, did explore the west side of the island just north of Katie's. It was very nice change in the routine of paddling down river on the east side, where there are lots of houses. The west side is wild and very scenic. A couple of otters had fun at my expense. While one swam from me, eluding my efforts to get a pic, the other one swam 10 feet away from the kayak and went under when I realized it was there. Otters 1 - Me 0.

Eastern Phoebe

Sandhill Cranes

At one of the straight stretches of the river did see another otter swimming. Tried a pic that did not work. Then it went out of the water and got a pic of it that sadly did not come good. The otter played with, and gave me, another chance while running in the forest parallel to the bank. I did miss again. Otters won 4-0. Did not see it again. It is easier when my wife is with me. After that it was an uneventful and normal paddle to the mouth of Blackwater Creek. Lots of woodpeckers and song birds all over the place. There were also more wood storks than I usually see in this part of the river. Took me two hours and 10 minutes to reach the mouth of the creek and decided to explore it for a while instead of turning around. Almost immediately a Black Crowned Night Heron gave me a chance for a pic and took advantage of it. I was paddling very slow and listening to the forest's sounds, hoping to see a bear or a deer, or both. Instead did hear gun shots in the distance, which made me think that maybe it was a good time to turn around and go back to Katie's.

Black Crowned Night Heron at Blackwater Creek

Did You Know That? Wood storks are tall, white denizens of freshwater or brackish wetlands and swamps. They can be identified by their long legs, featherless heads, and prominent bills. These waders feed on minnows in shallow water by using their bills to perform a rare and effective fishing technique. The stork opens its bill and sticks it into the water, then waits for the touch of an unfortunate fish that wanders too close. When it feels a fish, the stork can snap its bill shut in as little as 25 milliseconds—an incredibly quick reaction time matched by few other vertebrates. The storks prefer to employ this technique in isolated pools created by tides or falling freshwater levels, where fish congregate in masses. In some areas, such as Florida, breeding begins with the dry season that produces these optimal fishing conditions. Wood storks are social animals. They feed in flocks and nest in large rookeries—sometimes several pairs to a single tree. Females lay two to five eggs, which both sexes incubate for about one month. Youngs fledge about two months after hatching. Wood storks breed in the southeastern United States and are the only stork to breed in the U.S. They also breed in Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. Though U.S. populations are endangered—probably because of the loss of optimal feeding habitat—the South American stork populations are in better shape.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

I am going to finish this one here now when the Packers trail the Giants 30-13.Master Dave must be very nervous right now. I was rooting for the Broncos and Tim Tebow but Brady and the Patriots destroyed them last night so now I can watch the playoffs and enjoy the games, which is what I usually do. Here are more pics of what I saw at the Lower Wekiva River...

Palm Warbler (ID courtesy of Georgia Wilson)

Limpkin

Sandhill Crane

Belted Kingfisher

Mallards

Pie Billed Grebe

Wild Turkey

Great Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Gray Catbird

Belted Kingfisher

Great Blue Heron

Wood Stork

Great Egret

Ibis

Ibis

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Turtle

Pileated Woodpecker

Red Shouldered Hawk

Great Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Yellow Bellied Sapscuker (ID courtesy of Georgia Wilson)

Moorhen

Red Shouldered Hawk

Little Blue Heron

Green Heron

Wood Duck

Osprey

Coot

Savannah Sparrow (ID courtesy of Georgia Wilson)

Green Heron

Post...post...Forgot to include a few scenic pics last night...

The Wekiva River is really clear these days...

Lower Wekiva River

Blackwater Creek

Blackwater Creek

That is it for this one. Thanks for reading and see you soon for another Views From Our Kayak. See you then.

Lower Wekiva River