Tag Archive for ‘alligator’

Along Alligator Alley

In Florida, if I say Alligator Alley most people think of the stretch of I-75 that cuts through the Everglades. However, I much prefer another Alligator Alley, a lakeside trail at Circle B Bar Reserve. Last week I was fortunate to attend a special tour of the roughly 1,300 acre former cattle ranch.

I left home before dawn for two reasons, I was hoping to avoid the worst of I-4 traffic and I wanted to walk the loop before joining the tour. Since my last visit two years ago, not much has changed (which is a rare thing here in Florida).

The trail was fairly busy, with quite a few photographers in the mix. As I passed by two young men pointing into the water, I overheard their excitement at seeing their first alligator. They certainly came to the right place, Circle B is loaded with them!

I enjoyed the tram tour, not only was it informative but it took me into an area I had not yet explored (plus we spotted a Barred Owlet).

After the tour I decided to hit the loop one more time before heading home. And I’m so glad I did! Since it was closer to midday, there was hardly anyone else on the trail. I went the opposite way and was rewarded with wonderful wildlife moments: an absolutely massive gator (roughly 15′ long), a raccoon looking for food, a turtle laying eggs, and a squirrel feasting on vegetation.

So thankful that areas like this have been protected!

Florida Softshell, Laying Eggs

Squirrel, Eating Greenery

2 days ago 0

Alachua Savannah

After leaving Palatka I drove west toward the broad Alachua Savannah, south of Gainesville. I stopped and explored at two connected sites; Sweetwater Preserve and Sweetwater Wetlands. Both are roughly the same size at 125 acres but they are owned by different government entities, protect different kinds of habitats, and are therefore, managed differently.

The Preserve encompasses a stretch of Sweetwater Branch (a small creek) with narrow, dirt trails that wander through an upland forest. In contrast, the adjacent Wetlands are a series of highly engineered water retention basins that serve as a natural filtration system to improve water quality before it flows into Paynes Prairie and the Floridan Aquifer.

I weathered the hottest part of the afternoon next to the quiet creek in the shady Preserve before venturing over to the wide open Wetlands. As is usual with man-made waters- if you build it, wildlife will come. The tall berms between basins afforded not only great views of wildlife but of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park to the south as well.

I spotted dozens of species of birds and quite a few alligators as I strolled the along. It was difficult to tear myself away but I still had a 2.5 hour drive. It turned out to be a good thing that I left when I did as my route home from the Wetlands paralleled Paynes Prairie State Park and there was enough light left to spot a herd of horses from the roadside lookout.

It was my first time seeing some of the wild-roaming Florida Cracker horses and I enjoyed watching the interaction of the band. The mares, and last year’s young (which was still trying to nurse), were carefully watched from the side by their stallion (there was another small band in the distance that he kept a wary eye on). I had surmised he was a stallion by his stance and thick neck but then he relieved himself, letting it all hang out which erased any doubt (see photo above).

Even though much has changed in the Alachua Savannah during the past 250 plus years, William Bartram’s description of the area from 1774 still holds true: it is a vast, fertile savanna surrounded by forests, teeming with cattle, horses, and wildlife.

2 weeks ago 0

A Walk in the Park

The weather down here has been incredible lately, with daytime temperatures in the upper 70s and plenty of sunshine. On Sunday I drove down to Myakka River State Park. It was the first state park I visited in Florida when I moved here back in 2019, right about this time of year. While I’ve returned to wander a few times since, I don’t think I’ve had quite such an amazing experience before.

Northern Cardinal – Male (*Cardinalis cardinalis*)

As the afternoon heated up, I headed into the forested hammock. The thing about winter in Florida, I go through a lot of clothes! When I left my house it was 59° so I wore jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. By the time I parked at the trailhead, it was mid-70s and sunny so I switched into shorts and a tshirt. I started the day on an open trail but by mid-afternoon, the sun chased me onto a much shadier trail. We may not get showy Fall colors down here but as you can see, the foliage was definitely festive!

For the last part of my day, I trekked south along the much-diminished Myakka River. Though our dry season has just started, most of Florida is already in a Stage 1 drought. As a result, I was able to reach sections of the river that would typically be completely under water.

I perched on one of the trees downed by last year’s hurricanes and waited, knowing that low water levels elsewhere in the park would bring wildlife here. I didn’t have to wait long, as a steady stream of birds and even a raccoon soon stopped by.

Black-necked Stilt (*Himantopus mexicanus*)

As for alligators, you know what they say, if there’s water in Florida it’s a safe bet that there’s gators! I admire them from a distance because although they mostly laze about, they are surprisingly quick and agile. The momma gator in the video below swam over to warn me to stay away from her not-so-little babies.