Florida Day Four: Exploring A Hammock In The Everglades And Then Watching Some Eagles In Key Largo , The Philadelphia Kind

It was another mostly cloudy and chilly morning on Sunday in South Florida. I was back in the Everglades National Park at dawn and watched the sun rise through an opening in the clouds over marshes   and reed covered waters of the Taylor Slough.

I was back on the Old Ingraham Highway Trail near the Royal Palm visitor center.

The temperature was in the mid 50’s with a strong northerly wind making it feel colder.

As I began my hike an osprey flew overhead, bathed in the soft rays of the rising sun.

The rising sun’s rays shone on the grasses and reeds in the Everglades.

The sun didn’t last long. The clouds soon covered it as it rose higher in the eastern sky .

I walked along the abandoned highway, seeing a few tri-colored herons wading in the reeds.

A few more flew overhead,

as did a few great blue herons.

and great egrets.

I walked out to Gate 15, where I parked the previous morning. It was about a  3/4  mile from the start of the highway at Gate 13. .

I continued under the cloudy sky,

past the cypress, poisonwood and coco plum trees  and marshes along the way.

I hiked out to the hammock I climbed the day before.

I had looked at Google maps and saw it was quite large so I decided to explore the top of the hammock.

Upon reaching the hammock I heard  and saw  yellow umped warblers and the palm warblers, I saw the day before although  not as many of them. 

I climbed to the top of the hammock  I saw a pair of sandhill  cranes fly overhead.It was the first time I saw these birds in 40 years when I saw them in Yellowstone National Park. 

There were not a lot of large trees on the top of the hammock. I’m assuming they were cut lumber.

Cabbage palms,

and strangler ferns were the larger trees I could identify. There were many other species of small trees  bushes and plants.

There were hundreds of pretty morning glories growing oh the hammock top.

Jack in the bush, or mist flowers were also prevalent, and the ground was covered in beggar ticks flowers

There was a sort of tree, following tire tracks around the top of the hammock, I followed it around the perimeter of the hammock a few times,  looking for and finding a lot of birds.

In addition to a lot more yellow rumped warblers and palm warblers I  saw red bellied woodpeckers,

northern cardinals,

a few blue gray gnatcatchers

and common yellow throats.

I also saw this bird , another lifer for me, an orange crowned warbler ,

it is not common in southern Florida. .

The clouds began to dissipate.  I could have spent the day  looking for birds on the hammock ,

However I had to check out of my hotel. I was heading to Key Largo for a couple of days.So after I hiked around 4 miles I left the hammock,

and walked down to the flat marshes and started my hike back on the old Ingraham Highway.

On the way I saw a few more juvenile little blue herons, I think so anyway, I get them and egrets confused. The little blue heron juveniles, for some reason, are white.

I also saw a few more great egrets,

and, this northern mockingbird. Here is a link to a gallery with some more of the birds I saw on my hike. Florida Day Four. Everglades Old Ingraham Highway. birds January 12 2025.

As I was finishing my hike, I noticed the sun warmed the cool morning air,  and some insects became active and including  few viceroy butterflies.

I finished my hike and returned to my hotel. I showered , packed and was on my way to Key Largo It was only a 20 minute ride from  my hotel in Florida City .Here is a link to a gallery on the web page with some more photos from my hike . Florida Day Four. Old Ingraham Highway. January 12 2025.

I first wanted to visit  Key Largo since I watched the classic. Humphrey Bogart movie.  I t hen listened to the famous song about the movie which again made we want to see this famous Key. . I finally got there about 7 years ago and I have been visiting every year since then. One of my favorite restaurants is  the Nam Thai.  was closed. A local told me to try the Key Wok and Roll.

I  ordered the hand  pad thai form the small food and it was excellent.  The chef and other workers were very friendly. I would eat here again

I arrived at my hotel the Courtyard by Marriott.  and edited photos  until the Philadelphia Eagles football game was on a 4:30 p.m. I  am a life long fan and never miss a game. I have watched them in Cuba, Ecuador,  England, Costa Rica, and Panama.

  I wasn’t going to miss them in Key Largo, not when they made the playoffs.   At half time I  made a run for food at the nearby  Conch  House  restaurant.

I got a bowl of conch chowder and  gilled mahi mahi,  avocado and salsa. I tried to eat  while I watched the game.but it  wasn’t easy because  it was a close game and I was stressing.  But the Eagles won!!! . A great way to end another great day in the Everglades and South Florida. I listened to the music from the bar across the canal from my hotel as I dozed off looking forward to another day of hiking and exploring  in Key Largo.

Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.  Jimmy Carter

Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.  Vince Lombardi