Florida Day Eight: Everglades: My Last Hike, A Chilly One, Atop A Hammock On The Old Ingraham Road

Florida Day Eight: Everglades: My Last Hike, A Chilly One, Atop A Hammock On The Old Ingraham Road

Florida Day Eight Everglades hammock (24 of 44)
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Thursday  was another cool and windy day on my recent visit to  South Florida.  It was my last day in the Everglades on this trip.  A  threatening sky greeted  me when I left my hotel in Florida City and drove to the Old Ingraham Highway in the Everglades National Park.   Old Ingraham Highway  is located near the  Royal Palm Visitor Center . I provided more information on this now abandoned first road in the Everglades in my previous blogs.

The clouds obscured the sunrise and  made for a gloomy, desolate scene when I arrived. I parked at Gate 15 at the entrance to Hidden Lake,  a camping  facility that is not open to the public.   I knew that, because of the cold and wind, it   would not be a good day for observing alligators, lizards or snakes.  But I had a hunch about I may see  some bird activity atop the hammock I visited on my previous  hike.

I  began my hike on the abandoned road which passed through the reed covered  waters of the  Taylor Slough. A slough is a flow of water in the Everglades. The flow creates a higher level of water than in the surrounding marshes.

I  usually  see   large numbers of a wide variety of wading birds in the  water covered reeds along the road. On Thursday, probably because of the cold,  there were only a few,  this great egret being one of them.

However I did see a few flock of birds flying overhead including these pintail ducks,

and this large flock of great egrets, with a few little blue herons flying with them.

I walked past anoterh gate neat a small hammock on the trail

and into the a section of the road where the cypress trees grow. I often see herons, egrets and hawks perched in these trees but there wasn’t any on this cold, dreary hike.

I walked past the cabbage palms and

coocoplum trees and out to the hammock

As I approached the hammock I was  greeted by this whitetail deer who seemed to welcome me to explore the hammock, before he wandered off into the reeds in the Everglades.

At the base of the hammock I aw a small flock of yellow rumpled warblers fluttering in the shrubs.

There was also a great crested flycatcher perched among the many morning glory flowers blooming on the hammock.

I  followed the trail up the hammock,

and peered out at the vast sea of grass that is the Everglades below.

I heard the unmistakable calls of an osprey then saw this one soaring overhead in the steady winds and cloudy skies.

A few turkey vultures were also flying overhead, being blown about in the wind.

My hunch paid off and I saw quite a few birds on the hammock,

including a few northern cardinals,

gray catbirds,

and many eastern phoebes.

I saw a few white ibisises fly overhead and was surprised to find this one foraging on the hammock. I usually see them wading in marshes.

I also saw this interesting scene,  an eastern phoebe and a red bellied woodpecker perched next to each other.

I saw a few more red bellied woodpeckers on the hammcok but none were eating lizards like the one I saw the previous day.

I was surprised when a belted kingfisher flew over the hammock.

I also saw or heard  common yellowthroats, blue-gray gnatcatchers, palm warblers, and another orange crowned warbler but I couldn’t stay to try and get photos since I was checking out of my hotel and I wanted to  walk on   the Anhinga Trail  one more time before I left the Everglads  However, I was pleased with the birds I observed as I left the hammock.

As I was leaving this American crow began to loudly caw  in a tree top.

I walked, into the strong wind, and  under the cloudy skies. It did not feel like Florida.

I observed a few  a more more birds wading in the waters along the road, including a flock of American coots,

a few greater yellowlegs

a white ibis,

and this juvenile little blue heron that just captured what looks like some type of eel.

I watched as it devoured the slithering eel.

A pintail duck,

 got up and started flapping it’s wings as I walked past. It seemed, like the crow,  to be swaying goodbye see you again, or good riddance. lol

I left the Old Ingraham Highway and walked in the hardwood woods in the Royal Palm Hammock.

Here I saw more bird activity here, including a few blue gray gantcatchers,

a black and white warbler,

and, I think, the same northern mockingbird I saw on my first hike here this year. Again, appearing to wish me goodbye and safe travels or goodbye and good riddance.  Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the birds I saw on my   cold and dreary  last hike to the hammock . Florida Day Eight Everglades hammock birds January 16 2025.

I walked  about a mile on a trail through  the hammock,

and to the Royal Palm Visitor Center.

It was still overcast, windy and cold but there were a lot of people at the Visitor Center and on the trails, many of them high school students.

I was surprised, when, despite the cold, to see some alligators sprawled out under the cloudy sky. This younger one was before  I got to the boardwalk that winds through the marshes of the Taylor Slough,

and this big fellow at the other end of the boardwalk.

I walked along the boardwalk,

and saw this double crested cormorant,

and then this anhinga, or snake bird, after which the trail is named.

There were a crowd of people stopped along the boardwalk, and as I approached they were watching this colorful purple gallinule,

feeding on some aquatic plants, mainly spatterdock it’s favorite food.

As always these birds put on a colorful show, which I thought would be my final bird observation on this visit to the Everglades.

 

Walking back to the Royal Palm visitor center I saw  this large common raven began cawing loudly in a gumbo limbo tree. This time I was sure it was a farewell and come back soon song.  I will miss this magical place. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the birds I saw  my  hike  on the Anhinga Trail. . Florida Day Eight Everglades  Anhinga Trail birds January 16 2025.

Of course. as I was leaving the skies started to clear and the sun came out. I left reluctantly leaf the visitor center and hiked back to my vehicle finishing my five mile hike. It was the best hike I had  for observing wildlife on my entire trip.  Sadly, however I had to leave. .  Here is a link  to a gallery on my blog webpage with some more photos from my five mile hike. Florida Day Eight. Everglades Old Ingraham Highway January 16 2025.

I returned to my hotel, showered packed and checked out at noon. Before beginning my one hour drive through the south Florida traffic I stopped for one last breakfast at the Farmers Market, a farmers omelet, home fries and toast. I hope it won’t be long before I return and I am ordering my favorite fried catfish here again.

I was  on the highway taking a slow drive through the fast moving traffic on my way to my next stop, Dania Beach, near the Fort Lauderdale airport.

After a stressful drive through the traffic I arrived at my hotel, the Comfort Suites around 2 pm . It is only a mile from the airport. I had planned to visit the quiet Dania  beach but instead took a break.   I called my office and edited photos until  was hungry again later in the afternoon. I like to eat.  I walked over at Grumpy Gary’s at Docker’s great little restaurant near my hotel.  I had a delicious meal  starting wih a shrimp corn chowder ,

and  a delicious dish shrimp scampi for my main course. I  listened to a great band warm up while I ate.  It reurned to my hotel and spent  the evening organizing my photos and looking forward to exploring a new state park in the morning.

“Here are no lofty peaks seeking the sky, no mighty glaciers or rushing streams wearing away the uplifted land. Here is land, tranquil in its quiet beauty, serving not as the source of water, but as the last receiver of it. To its natural abundance we owe the spectacular plant and animal life that distinguishes this place from all others in our country.”  President Harry S Truman

 

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