Just a little catching up before I start talking about Ding Darling. Yes, we are still in Bonita Springs. Again, we cancelled some of our plans opting to stay in one place while the pups are young. They are doing great, growing like weeds.
Fortunately, I was able to get away for a day of exploring. This time I made my way to Sanibel Island where the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located. As a barrier island it is fringed with shallow bays, white sandy beaches, and mangrove forests. For years the island was used by farmers but the hurricane of 1926 destroyed the agriculture industry. The building of the Sanibel Causeway in 1963 opened the flood doors for tourism.
As an avid hunter, fisherman, and political cartoonist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling became alarmed at the loss of wildlife habitat and the possible extinction of many species. Darling was instrumental in blocking the sale of environmentally sensitive land to developers on Sanibel Island by urging President Harry S. Truman to sign an Executive Order creating Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge in 1945. The refuge was later renamed in 1967 to honor Darling.
The refuge consists of over 6,400 acres of mangroves, seagrass beds, and hardwood hammocks.
Approximately 2,800 acres of the refuge is designated as a Wilderness Area. Today, the refuge provides a safe habitat for wildlife as well as a feeding, nesting, and roosting area for migratory birds. At different times of the year there are over 220 species of birds that call the refuge home.
Seeing the refuge can be done by vehicle, guided tram, bicycle, or walking. I decided ahead of time that biking was the way to go. The one way 4 mile Wildlife Drive is open every day except Fridays. The entrance fee is $5.00 per vehicle or $1.00 per pedestrian/bicyclist
My first stop was the mangrove forest where I was told to look for Mangrove Tree Crabs. Sure enough there were thousands of them just hanging out on the red mangrove trees.
Across the road I spotted a Snowy Egret waiting for a meal to swim by. He's not quite in breeding plumage yet.
As I continued down the wildlife drive I couldn't help but wonder why people where driving so fast. With all this beauty it's hard not to just sit and take it all in. I sure did.
At the half way point there's an observation tower that overlooks the refuge estuary. Several shorebirds, herons, egrets, pelicans, and so on can be seen. This is by far the most popular spot along the drive.
There are three trails that can be accessed from the wildlife drive. Wulfert Keys Trail is a 1/4 mile long trail that leads to a view of Pine Island Sound. This is where I got my first taste of the dreaded no-see-ums. Man I hate those little critters. And yes I forgot my bug spray, so I was out of there real fast. No pictures.
Closer to the end of the drive is the 1/4 mile long Shell Mound Trail. The boardwalk is a great opportunity to learn about the ancient Calusa Indians through interpretive panels.
Because the Wildlife Drive is 4 miles one way getting back is done via the 4 mile main bike path along Sanibel-Captiva Rd. A total of 8 miles got me back to my truck in time for some much needed lunch.
After lunch I still needed to see the Indigo Trail which is 4 miles round trip from the parking lot. Not being tooooo tired away I go. The Scat Education Bridge was 1/2 mile down the trail and yes it teaches you all about the scat found in the park. There's small boxes you flip open to tell which animal, bird, or reptile produced that scat.
Continuing down the trail an otter crossed my path. It's pretty tough to stop the bike, grab my camera, and take a picture while the otter wants to get away as fast as possible. So of course no picture, again. But I did manage a new red mangrove tree.
My final picture of the day was a beautiful Yellow-Crowned Night Heron that was just yelling at me to take his picture.
All-in-all what a great day. The traffic was crazy trying to get back home but so worth the 5 hours I was exploring.
When our friends asked where a great place to hike and bird watch my first thought was Santa Ana NWR. This fantastic 2,088 acre national wildlife refuge is located on the Rio Grande about seven miles south of the town of Alamo. The park was established in 1943 for the protection of migratory birds. Santa Ana NWR is positioned on the major east-west & north-south migratory routes for many species of birds and butterflies. It also is the northern most point for many species whose southern range extends into Central and South America.
With more than 12 miles of trails to choose from we decided on some of the more popular ones. Equipped with my camera & long lens, camera & short lens, binoculars, an extra camera card & camera battery, and water I'm ready for the first RGV birding experience. If I make it, that's allot of weight to carry around.
We arrived early hoping to catch glimpses of birds and ducks partaking in the early morning feeding frenzy. With more than 350 birds and 300 butterflies calling Santa Ana their permanent home or just their winter home, we should see something. Within minutes of arriving, my camera was at work and didn't stop until it was packed away for the trip home. This Altamira Oriole was perched on a tree at the entrance of the park.
Most of this subtropical riparian forest has been lost to agricultural clearing. At one time the ocelot roamed freely in the area. Today because of agricultural clearing they are no longer present in the park.
As we were making our hike around the park, we had found out that a very rare bird to Santa Ana was present. Known as a Jacana it shows up about every 5- 6 years and yes we got to see it through binoculars. Did I get a picture? No because it was too far away.
After climbing 91 steps and reaching 40 feet above ground we were rewarded with the most beautiful view of the valley. Can you imagine being at the top during spring and fall raptor migration when 15,000 hawks, vultures, and falcons soar overhead. I can't wait. A short distance from the tower is the 25 foot high, 100 foot long rope bridge, suspended by the ebony and anaqua trees. Kathy and Susan were not keen on the idea of crossing but they did it.
Before leaving the visitor center we made arrangement for the 2 hour tram tour at 1:30 but first we needed some much deserved lunch.
The open air 60 passenger tram traverses a 7 mile trail around the parameter of the park where a park volunteer talks about the history, wildlife, and ecology. It wasn't the most comfortable of seating but the scenery made up for it. We found mistletoe (below) growing on a mesquite tree. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant meaning it gets some or all of it's nutritional requirements from the tree/plant it is attached to.
Famous for it's wildlife, Santa Ana's most popular attraction is the 150+ year old cemetery. In 1822, Mexico won it's independence from Spain. Settlers were encouraged to move to the Rio Grande Valley. Land grants consisted of 1 mile wide by 15 mile long parcels of land (approximately the distance a mule could travel in one day). Santa Ana NWR was part of an original land grant owned by Benigno Leal in 1834. His ranch consisted of several buildings, none of which are present today. However, the ranch cemetery did survive the test of time and the border bandit raids of 1915-16. The cemetery is partial surrounded by the original 100 year old hand-hewn ebony fence.
The 30 graves are thought to be workers or descendants of Leal. The tomb constructed of hand-made brick was the final resting place of Leal's adopted son and his wife.
The tram ride also included a stop and short walk to view the Rio Grande and Mexico beyond.
One of the greatest highlights of the tram tour was seeing a Texas Indigo Snake. It was so big, black, and fast there was no time for a picture. The tram drew to an end and so did our long day of being one with nature. As we exited the park a beautiful Great Kiskadee was perched on a tree singing away.
