Florida Day Six. Key Largo: A Sunrise , Some Rain, A Woodpecker Eating A Lizard And A Cool Encounter With A Manatee

Florida Day Six. Key Largo: A Sunrise , Some Rain, A Woodpecker Eating A Lizard And A Cool Encounter With A Manatee

Manatee (6 of 6)
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Watching a sunrise is always  on my  daily agenda when I travel. I am usually up early to do my hiking and exploring. Finding a place to see our sun rise is always one of my first priorities. So I found a place to  view  the  Atlantic  Ocean on Tuesday morning . The  temperatures was  a little cool,  in the low 60’s, but the sky was clear and I was able watch  to another sunrise unfold on the eastern horizon. . Every single sunrise  is different and special.

I also was able to enjoy the beauty of a  setting full moon in the western sky, . It was a great way to start the day.

I saw my first bird of the day , too, this is, I think, a  common  sandpiper ,  but I’m not sure,. It was wading along the shore. Another sign, I hoped,  of a better day of wildlife sighting then the previous day.

I  left the ocean  and  drove to another,   more remote,  part of  the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. This time I  hiked on a trail located about 7 miles north of Key Largo near and  an abandoned road and  cold war missile base.

The trail follows the old abandoned State Route 905.  In 1965, a few hundred yards from the entrance  a radar station for a Nike missile base , known as HM 40    was built  here after the Cuban Missile crisis.

I have hiked here a few times and you can find my blog posts from those hikes using the research tool on this page.  The skies became cloudy when I left my vehicle and  I began my hike under the canopy of sub tropical hardwood trees.

Like my hike the previous day, the woodlands were quiet. There was little bird activity. And, thankfully, few mosquitoes too.

I only saw this gray catbird fluttering in the trees along the trail

I walked past the gate to the old Nike Missile base and,

soon came to theses rocks leading to a trail to  the ocean.

When I visit in March I see many snails clinging to the trees trunks along the trail. There were no snails on the trees this January  but I found this pile of shells along the trail. A snail eating bird must perch in the trees trunks above the trail here.

There were a few downed trees obstructing the trail. I’m always cautious when walking over downed trees in Florida making sure they are not poison wood, which will cause a severe allergic reaction if touched.

As the trail approached the ocean I came to an area of tall Royal Palm trees and other dead trees. I often see ospreys perched here but not as n this hike.

The trail had been  cleared since my last visit.

I was now able to enter the thick grove of mangroves that grew along the shore .

I walked among the twisted  tree roots and debris tossed ashore by the waves. I heard a splash in the water and remembered the warning their were crocodiles in the area so I decided to leave the mangroves.

A light rain began to fall as I left the ocean and walked back to the main trail. Despite the rain, for some reason,  I saw a lot of birds active in this area,

first this white eyed vireo was fluttering in the vegetation along the trail.

I next saw this interesting scene, a red bellied woodpecker feeding on a lizard.

I have observed 100’s of these birds,

and thought they only feed on insects and larvae.

I was then surprised to hear the cheerful song of a Carolina wren.  I  love hearing their songs back home in Northeastern Pennsylvania, especially on a Spring morning.  I was surprised to hear one singing this close to the ocean. Unfortunately it would be the last bird I’d see on this hike. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the woodpecker and other birds I saw on my hike. Florida Day Six: Key Largo  morning birds January 14 2025.

I walked back to the main trail as the light rain continued.

As I was walked I felt something on my neck. I reached back, felt something , and tossed this spider  to the ground. Fortunately it was a golden silk orb weaver spider and  quite  harmless.

I also saw a live snail attached to a tree.

I continued my hike in the light rain,

and walked out to a side road that took me to a wetland.

Sea grapes,

and hopbush trees grew near the wetland. Both are native to Florida and their fruits and seeds provide food for the birds and other wildlife.

I usually see herons and egrets in the wetlands here but there were none on this morning. I was surprised since I thought they’d be there in the rain. I did hear a belted kingfisher chattering in the distance.

I was out around 2 1/2 miles now so I started back.

The rain became heavier now, and I had to cover my camera with my shirt. I got wet on my return hike but I still enjoyed my hike, especially seeing the lizard eating woodpecker and hearing the cheerful song of the Carolina wren. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my hike. Florida Day Six. Key Largo Dagny Johnson. January 14 2025.

Of course I was hungry so I had to find a place to eat. I decided on Alfredo’s. It had good reviews on Google maps. It was a good choice. I had a very filling and delicious shrimp hibachi lunch.

The rain continued, off and on during the afternoon. I made some calls to clients and my office and edited photos until there was a break in the rain around 3p.m. I decided to leave my hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott, and walk along the canal.

As I began my walk I saw the famous African Queen making its way on the waters of the canal. This is the original boat that appeared in the famous movie with Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn.

I had seen the boat docked at the pier before but never on the canal.

I also saw a few water birds including this great egret and,

a lot of brown pelicans.

It was overcast, windy and a chilly 60 degrees  but at least the rain stopped.

I walked along the canal hoping to see a manatee. I’ve seen them here before but not on this walk.

It was cloudy and chilly so I  walked to the end of the board walk and then back to my hotel. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my hike. Florida Day Six: Key Largo afternoon January 14 2025.

Soon, it was time to eat again and I decided to eat at Sharkey’s  Sharkbite Grill along the canal. On the way a person washing a dock on the canal pointed out a manatee. He told me to open up a water spigot and that the manatee would approach to drink the fresh water,  I did and it did.

It drank the water flowing from the walkway,following the water as I diverted it toward him/her.I was amazing watching this huge, timid and gentle creature drink.

I didn’t have my camera with me, but I took a video of the encounter with my iPhone. These are photos from the video.And here is a link to my YouTube channel with the video of my encounter with the manatee. https://youtube.com/shorts/GCWLDmEdUc4?si=IMQ74Z290G4U1McT

After this cool  experience I walked to Sharkey’s and shared my experience with the manatee  on social media whike I sat in the cold and wind along the canal  waiting for my dinner. It arrived, first a cup of conch chowder,

then blackened ahi tuna,

and then the most flavorful slice of key lime pie I had on this trip, and one of the best I’ve ever had. It was a good choice to eat here, recommend by the bartender when I walked along the canal earlier.I ate my meal quickly since it was cold. 60 degrees with a strong raw wind .I returned to my hotel, editing photos, until I got tired. I fell asleep, reflecting on the beautiful experiences I had that that day. I didn’t see a lot of wildlife but a lizard eating woodpecker and a manatee were  enough for me.

If you can reach out and touch and love and be with wildlife, you will forever be changed, and you will want to make the world a better place.  Terri Irwin

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