Our first stop was Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa. Beginning on the boardwalk overlooking the scenic lake and woods, we immediately saw a Hairy Woodpecker on a tree close to us. We soon came upon some White Ibises below the boardwalk and then noticed a Limpkin feeding with them in the shallow water. As we continued along the cypress walk, we saw alligators, Great and Snowy Egrets, dragonflies, turtles and beautiful wildflowers.

 
Hairy Woodpecker, Lettuce, Lettuce Lake, Limpkin, Limpkin on boardwalk 

 
Tricolored Heron & Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron with fish, Snowy Egret, Sundown at Pasa Tiempo

10/14/2011: 

As we were enjoying our breakfast on the dock, a Yellow Crowned Night Heron was perched on the lowest limb of the banyan tree beside us. Another YCNH was feeding in the water beside us. A Little Blue Heron joined him for awhile. Finally a beautiful Green Heron landed in a smaller banyan tree next to us. We enjoyed egrets, gulls, and pelicans flying all around.

Our first outing was to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, a B&B for injured shorebirds and raptors. Our first observations were the egrets and night herons flying loose. I guess they were after easy food. As most of the birds were behind wire fencing, it was tricky to impossible to get my camera lens into an opening without interference. It was awesome to see the White Pelicans and Black Skimmers at such close range.   

 
Yellow Crowned Night Heron, juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron, juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron on bicycle handlebars, juvenile Black Skimmer, Snowy Egret admiring its shadow, White Pelicans

Cormorant visiting Gator's Café 

 
Yellow Crowned Night Heron, YCNH by pool, fish fountain, lovebird fountain

10/15/2011:

After breakfast, we drove straight to Fort Desoto Park for some morning birding. After checking out East Beach and not having the sun at the right angle on the few wading birds, we proceeded to North Beach. Instead of immediately crossing the wooden footbridge to the beach, we walked further north through the woods and found some lookouts over the water, which was a good decision. There we got some great views of Roseate Spoonbills feeding and a Reddish Egret demonstrating its expressive dance routine. Later we crossed the footbridge and came across a Piping Plover. Walking south along the beach, we saw an olive shell crawling in the sand, picked it up and got a close look at the resident animal. Continuing further, we came across Ruddy Turnstones, Sandwich Terns and a Tricolored Heron. The biggest surprise was to see a lone juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron walking the beach.

 
Horsemint at Fort DeSoto, olive shell (live), Piping Plover, Reddish Egret
 
Ruddy Turnstone, Sandwich Terns, Tricolored Heron, juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron

10/16/2011:

Sarasota Jungle Gardens was beautifully landscaped with ponds containing moorhens and flamingoes. A trail connected ponds with gardens and bird and other animal enclosures. A variety of macaws and other tropical birds on outdoor perches provided an opportunity for me to get some facial shots. I also got facial shots of the pythons inside a glass enclosure—not quite as beautiful as the birds. Our next three nights were at Lovers Key Resort in a condo on the 11^th floor overlooking the inlets, lagoons and the Gulf in the distance. The first bird to fly by our picture window was a vulture.

Burmese Pythons, Flamingoes, Macaw, view from Lovers Key Resort  

10/17/2011:

The three-day drizzle began, but we didn’t let it stop us from visiting Lovers Key State Park. I was rewarded by my first sighting of an American Golden Plover. The drizzle didn’t stop the birds from foraging for food either, as we watched Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibises, Osprey, Red-bellied Woodpecker and a hawk from the boardwalk. Our walk on the beach was not as productive.

American Golden Plover, Red-bellied Woodpecker & Osprey, Reddish Egret, Red-shouldered Hawk, Roseate Spoonbill, Roseate Spoonbill & White Ibis feeding

10/18/2011:

Rain, rain, rain and wind! The only things to photograph this morning were the raindrops on our picture window and some spoonies 11 stories below us on the beach. We went to a movie theatre to see “The Help.” When we returned to the resort, the rain and wind were blowing so hard the pool furniture was scattering and the adjacent restaurant roof was flapping.

Rain at Lovers Key Resort, view of Roseate Spoonbills 

10/19/2011:

After checking out of Lovers Key, we drove to the Everglades Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs. We were provided an educational tour of the animals in their habitats. My eyes wandered to a female American Redstart in the tree beside me. I was also glad to get a close look at a Crested Caracara. This night was spent in Clewiston adjacent to Lake Okeechobee. We spent quite a while trying to access the lake, but we could only find some narrow boat channels and some Sandwich Terns.

American Redstart, Crested Caracara, White Ibis

10/20/2011:

What a treat this day was! From 8:30 a.m. until after 3:00 p.m., we had a private tour of Devils Garden Bird Park on an ATV with our excellent guide José. He drove us through this magnificent 7,000-acre farm/plantation. He made sure we got a good look at all the wildlife that could be found—Limpkins, Purple Gallinules, Sandhill Cranes, Snail Kites, Tree Swallows, Belted Kingfishers, Glossy Ibises, Green Herons, White Ibises (including juveniles), Turkey Vultures, Blue-wing Teals, and a wild turkey. A picnic barbecue sandwich lunch was provided in a scenic spot.

 
Belted Kingfisher, Glossy Ibises, Green Heron, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Sandhill Cranes
   
Snail Kite, Tree Swallow, Turkey Vulture, juvenile White Ibis, wild turkey

10/21/2011:

After leaving Clewiston, we made a stop at the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. This proved to be too short of visit. Before we left the picnic and parking area, we spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk in the tree above us. Continuing on the trail into the marsh, we saw moorhens and coots plus the usual egrets. There were several trails into different habitats. Just as we were turning around to return back up the path, someone told us of a bobcat along the trail a few yards further, so we turned around. A few yards turned out to be a quarter mile, according to the next person we encountered, so we turned around again, promising to come back one day.

 
Coots & moorhens, Circle B Bar Reserve marsh, Circle B Bar Reserve trail, Common Moorhen, Red-shouldered Hawk