Apologies for hiatus!

Well it has been a busy few weeks of traveling and adventure! I will be sure to write about that this week. To tide you over here are some pictures from this year's dry down.

Easy prey...an otter readily snagged this invasive sailfin catfish from an isolated pond formed from the dry down in the flowway area.

The alligators are starting to congregate in the areas where the water is left as it dries up. They are actually quite curious!

Wood storks have also been taking advantage of the dry down to forage.

I know many people have a dislike of these misunderstood waste managers but I adore black vultures! This guy is a juvenile and still has a little tuft of down on his soon to be bald head.

Spoonbills have been foraging alongside wood storks during the dry down, especially in the flow way.

Dry Season Video

I have a love/hate relationship with Panther Island this time of year. The wildlife viewing continues to astonish. But the waters are receding. Part of the natural dry down of the dry season, it makes spraying at times easy but difficult as the afternoon winds whip sugar sand up off the ground and into my mouth and eyes. But then when I wipe the sand away, I am blessed to watch a 10 foot alligator scraping the mud to get fish agitated and then watch as he hauls his body up and slaps down onto the water. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's volunteer and amazing nature photograph Rod Wiley put together amazing video and photos discussing the dry down along the boardwalk. Please take time to check it out! Nature video is at this link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7OVYljbCdk

Gator coming up out of the water...

And coming back down with prey in his mouth!