More Withlacoochee River Images

I finally hooked up my fast internet connection and to celebrate I am adding some photos
from the last Withlacoochee float with Peggy. I have been visiting the parental units and since it rained every day at high tide in south Florida, I haven't been kayaking for a while now. I am hoping to get out tomorrow, though. This is my fish jumping pciture. It isn't as good as Peggy's and she won the steak dinner but I will be working on them! I will also be adding to my riverbirds blog and perhaps starting another one with only family photos.

Spring's Progeny

Earlier in March, I photographed a pair of red-shouldered hawks. They built a nest in the same tree, which is an oak on the north side of my home, and their progeny has now fledged. The little hawk still stays close to his home and here he is next door on the boy's basketball backboard. He was being divebombed by the Mississippi kites and he finally became annoyed and flew off. It reminded me of all the play that goes on around this hoop when the human boys are out! My son came home from his night job as I was taking pictures.

Floating the Withlacoochee

My dad likes buzzards and we did see this fella on the Withlacoochee last Saturday! When I get DSL later this week I will be able to post lots more photos than I have. I got nagged so much I gave in!

I've floated the Withlacoochee River twice in as many weeks now. This river converges with the Suwannee River in Madison County. There is an old springhouse at the convergence. The river is banked with large limestone rocks and it is filled with mullett and sturgeon. In fact, there is a sign warning boaters to beware of jumping sturgeon, which can seriously injure a boater if hit. All we got hit by was Florida sunshine as we floated about on a sand bank, doing nothing on a hot summer day! My idea of well spent time...I have stayed out of the sun for most of my years in Florida, but lately I've been unable to avoid tanning.

Playing Hookey on The River

How long has it been since I've been on the river? It seemed like an eternity this week. I rounded up two friends today...Peggy ( http://paddletales.blogspot.com/) of course, who was eager to see if her newly repaired Mystic would float (ha,ha) and my good friend Sherry; who has put up with me for eleven years on Blairstone Lane. It's great having two kayaks. My friends have no excuse for saying, "No"!
It was very hot today and I began my trip with a dip in the spring water of the Wacissa, which is always refreshingly cold. Sherry is a good wildlife spotter and she spotted a raccoon almost immediately near Little Blue Spring. Peggy got jealous! The purple gallinules have more babies scuttling about on the lily pads and this one was quite the jumper. His uncle looks on.

It took all afternoon to spot a yellow crowned night heron but we did and he was drying his wings, a comical pose when herons do it.

This Swallow Tailed Kite was fishing near the end of our trip. I cropped it with Photoshop Starter Edition.

Wacissa Monday

This scene looked like a face off but really turtles and alligators share logs with no apparent confrontations, all up and down this spring fed river. Or maybe the alligator hasn't gotten hungry, yet!
I think this is a spider lilly but someone who knows may tell me differently.
Floating the same river countless times brings a comforting sense of familiarity. One knows where to look for birds, alligators, and turtles. The time of year predicts babies, or migratory birds, and the temperature and wind currents affect what one is likely to see and experience as well. Wood ducks are still having babies and growing their ducklings, purple gallinules are having babies like this one, who was walking about on the river rushes by itself. . Many of the herons are juveniles with interesting coloration. The yellow crowned night herons are plentiful and mulletts are jumping. This river dissolves my anxieties, which of late have been too plentiful. I feel very lucky to be able to float this river when I need to.

Rainy Saturday on The Wacissa

With the advent of hurricane season Tropical Storm Barry has dumped some much heralded rain on the North Florida piney flatwoods. The birds are always out in numbers after a rain so I decided to take a late afternoon paddle on the Wacissa.

I looked first for the logging road through the Aucilla Wildlife Management area to see if I could get down to the mid river launch and explore the lower river. The yellow flies were thick however, and the logging road is very sandy with deep ruts. It is about four miles through the forest and not marked. I gave up after getting pretty close and decided to walk it from the river launch some time and see where the road goes so I can find my way in next fall. Peggy said she would do it with me sometime if I scouted it first. I just couldn't feature getting out amidst all those yellow flies.

The sky was cloudy with some sprinkles of rain and the wind was blowing briskly downriver. I saw many yellow crowned night herons and literally dozens of little blue herons. There were juvenile birds of several varieties and everyone was diligently fishing. I was nearly alone on the river as I was Thursday night when I went out for the Blue Moon.

Blue Moon Day

Once in a Very Blue Moon
by Pat Alger

I found your letter in my mailbox today
You were just checkin' if I was okay
And if I miss you, well, you know what they say
...just once ... in a very blue moon
just once in a very blue moon
just once ... in a very blue moon and I feel one comin' on soon
No need to tell me, you'd like to be friends
and help me get back on my feet again
If I miss you at all ... it's just now and then
just once ... in a very blue moon
just once in a very blue moon
just once ... in a very blue moon and I feel one comin' on soon
There's a blue moon shinin'
when I am reminded of all we've been through
Such a blue moon ... shinin'
Does it ever shine down on you?
You act as if it never hurt you at all
Like I'm the only one who's gettin' up from a fall
Don't you remember?Can't you recall?
just once ... in a very blue moon
just once in a very blue moon
just once ... in a very blue moon
and I feel one comin' on soon ... just once ... in a very ... blue moon

Alford Greenway Walk

Lake Francis Birds

I had a nice Saturday outing with Peggy of Paddletales. We took some bird shots in Madison at Lake Francis and then went on to the Withlacoochee for an afternoon of relaxation.

Mother's Day on The Wakulla River

This smallish manatee was munching down on water reeds at the top of the river, near the upper bridge.

Mother's Day on The Wakulla River

This yellow crowned night heron stands guard over the Wakulla River....

The Wakulla River winds down to the Gulf from a large aquifer which waters Wakulla county. Despite the fact that Tallahassee was shrouded with smoke from the fires burning east of here, the river was clear.

Thursday Camera Check

After a long day in the salt mines I shot up to Wacissa and put in an hour before sunset to see how my camera is working. It came back from the Canon factory today. I have felt naked without it...I had some trouble getting sharp pictures but it might be the light at dusk...

Little Blue Spring, Ducklings, and The River

I found myself in a spring shower this afternoon. It made the river sweet and calm.

More Sunday Friends