We took our second Everglades boat tour, the Florida Bay Boat Tour, on the final day of our late January visit to the Everglades.. We selected this for the afternoon, hoping that it would be a warmer time to be out on the open water. Basically, we cruised from the Flamingo Marina to some of the islands in Florida Bay that are bird sanctuaries. Florida Bay is the body of water that lays between the lower part of mainland Florida and the Florida Keys. The water is extremely shallow in most areas so a seasoned captain is a must.
As we were leaving the marina, passing through a lagoon, we saw our first American Crocodile. The American Crocodile is an Endangered Species Act success story. In the early 1970s there were thought to be between 100 and 400 in Florida, but with only between 10 and 20 breeding females. The population now exceeds 2000 individuals and they are no longer considered endangered, but are still listed as threatened.
Crocodiles can be differentiated from alligators by their more pointed snout and the fact that both upper and lower teeth show in the crocodile. Also, crocodiles are found in salt water while alligators are generally in fresh. In the photo below, note how the forward lower teeth protrude up through openings in the snout of the crocodile.
In this same lagoon both our captain and naturalist started calling out the names of the birds that they were seeing. Often the sightings came too fast to allow for photography. One of the first noted was the Little Blue Heron.
Little Blue Heron
We then headed out into the bay and the open water, to cruise to some nearby islands.
There we saw this unusual Osprey nest that was just six foot above the water, on what appeared to be a beached piece of driftwood.
There was not a lot of down time as the sky was full of birds. These are Snowy Egrets. Their identifying features are the yellow feet and black bill.
As we neared the individual islands we would note colonies of bird species.
Brown Pelicans were hanging awkwardly in the mangrove trees. This is obviously a frequent roosting site based on the fecal “whitewash” on the leaves.
Great Egrets have the opposite coloration of the Snowy Egret, with black feet and legs, and a yellow bill, except in the breeding season, when some will develop a reddish hue to their legs.
We saw seven species of herons on this outing, although we did not capture them all with photography. Characteristics of the heron family include long legs, a long sharp bill, and an “S” shaped neck.
Tri-colored Heron
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Great Blue Heron
We also saw this young Black-crowned Night Heron on one of the island rookeries.
For me the White Ibises, as noted in the title photo and below were a highlight of the outing. While at rest the Ibises looked entirely white, but when in flight their wingtips are black.
The Double-crested Cormorants were ungainly and awkward when trying to roost in the Mangroves.
Sometimes identifying birds can be a real challenge because the juveniles can look so different than the adult form. Such was the case with a juvenile Little Blue Heron, which is white and therefore easily confused with egrets. The boat skipper and the naturalist on board helped with the identifications.
Another example of the variability within a species is the white Great Blue Heron. This morph is considered a subspecies of the Great Blue. It is identified by its stout, yellow bill, flesh colored legs, and the shaggy neck feathers, which the Great Blue Heron has. These are primarily found in the mangroves habitats of South Florida and the Caribbean.
We saw a number of what would be considered less majestic birds.
Royal Terns were frequently resting on man-made sign posts. They are named “Royal” do the black crest on their head that resembles a crown.
Laughing Gulls were the welcoming committee in the marina, both on departure and return. And yes, their call, a laugh, will bring a smile to your face.
We also enjoyed seeing this immature Sandpiper as we returned to the marina.
I mentioned previously that the waters between the islands are often very shallow. Across this broad expanse, with many species of birds wading, the water depth appears to be six to twelve inches.
As this was nesting season, another common site were Osprey returning with fish in their talons. They are remarkably skilled hunters with a success rate of capturing prey in over sixty percent of their attempts.
Its been awhile since we have done a seek and find.
Did you see it? An American Crocodile amongst a tangle of Mangrove roots. In some ways it looks just like another root dipping down into the water.
Lastly, an image of the moon that was high in the sky during this mid-afternoon cruise. Whenever I see an impressive mid-day moon I think that I have a lot to learn about the moon and its orbit.
In summary, the Everglades Florida Bay Boat Tour is time and money well spent. The knowledge of the boat captain and the naturalist will give a visitor a much better understanding of the Everglades and the surrounding islands, which are often overlooked. But in fact, the Florida Bay section of the Everglades totals about 1000 square miles and makes up one third of the park’s acreage. The concentration of bird life and the variety of species in the sanctuaries is very stimulating and rewarding. Make the reservation. You will be glad you did.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview:
Location – 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy, Homestead, FL 33034
Parking – Paved lot for 30+ cars.
Facilities – Yes
Cost – $35 for adults, $17.50 for children (5-12).
Kids – the cruise and wildlife spotting should be fun for kids of all ages.
Links:
https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=B4B97CA2-0F07-3BAB-D78A657BF1256AEF
The Indian is on the moon!