Moving Day

Not very often when I book a campsite we have to move to another site. Well, Myakka is a tough place to get 5 days in one place. So today we had to move about 100 yards down the road but that  didn't stop me from playing first. I went straight to the birdwalk to try and catch some of the early morning birds. Going there so early in the morning you have to watch for wildlife on the road.



Wild Turkey

Getting to the birdwalk you never know who is going to be there or what you will see. Besides a camera one of the most important items you need is a good set of binoculars. Mine are at home in Canada. This snipe was sitting down in the grass quite some distance away. His movement caught my eye.



Wilson's Snipe














Wilson's Snipe in morning dew







Deer grazing at birdwalk







I had to hurry back to back up and change sites. Nice pull-through site with some privacy. Open to the sun but cooler only 80 degrees. Will need the AC here.





Site # 64

One of my favorite places to take pictures is the outpost and tram area. The Gator Girl which is the name of airboat was just arriving. The Gator Girls claim to fame is being the largest airboat around. Looks like fun but I don't have time other things in mind.

 

Gator Girl

There is never a shortage of alligators in Myakka whether on the bank sunning themselves or swimming lazily down the river. This guy was sunning himself at the launch area for canoes.



American Alligator

At the end of the day, or I thought it was the end of the day, a turtle comes out of the bush starts digging a hole on the side of the road. Quickly I pull over and watch this for over an hour. Soon others did the same but most just flew by in their cars oblivious to the nature around them. I found out later with a little reseach this was a Peninsula Cooter native to Florida. Peninsula cooters are normally found in still water, such as wetlands, marshes, and ponds. They are mostly herbivores feeding primarily on aquatic vegetation. Peninsula cooters construct an unusual 3-hole nest, digging one deep center hole and shallower ‘false nest’ holes on either side. The female lays most of the eggs in the center hole, putting only one or two eggs in each of the false nests. The false nests are thought to distract predators from the main nest.

 

Peninsula Cooter digging three holes

After digging the holes within 10 minutes she layed 20 eggs in the center hole and 1 in each false hole.

Covered the eggs and away she went never to return

The site on the side of the road where she dug the holes. Absolutely no evidence to indicate she was there. She even placed leaves over the site. What an amazing experience. Momma didn't seem to care she had an audience.