Nature Ali's Grand Adventure - Day 22, July 11th.

I left Gainesville hoping to make some distance but alas, wanting to revisit St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, progress was shorter than hoped. I was amazed at how many Swallow-tailed Kites I saw along the road to St. Marks. What a beautiful bird! I then saw a bird which reminded me of an Acorn Woodpecker… I had been wondering when I would see another Red-headed Woodpecker and there it was on top of a telephone pole. I turned around to get a photo but it flew. Someday, I will find and photograph this cool woodpecker.
I arrived at St. Marks as a thunderstorm was threatening but I asked Mother Nature to help stave it off until I had gotten in a hike. She has been so helpful this trip, parting the clouds and cooling the temperature to reasonable wherever I have traveled. I went immediately to the lighthouse trail to see what birds and other critters were about. I wasn’t disappointed… many herons including a full breeding plumage Reddish Egret (too far away for good photos) and a pure white fledgling Little Blue Heron. I have been searching every shallow area for damselflies and dragonflies hoping to get photos to help Dennis Paulson complete his book, but I don’t seem to be able to find anything out of the ordinary.
I did scare up a Least Bittern while searching. What a cool and secretive bird. I thought it time to leave just as a wicked rainstorm hit. I welcomed the cool rain while I was driving along the speed restricted refuge road.
I then headed to Carabelle, one of my favorite stops on Highway 98, it didn’t disappoint with American Oystercatchers, a Short-billed Dowitcher, Godwits, Willets, Brown Pelicans, and the ever present Laughing Gulls. There were plenty of people fishing and one particularly spoiled Great Blue Heron which was looking for handouts and being photographed by this grateful photographer. Continuing on I called my brother who finally answered his phone and enjoyed a brief visit with him before laying out my sleeping bag on his floor and calling it a night.