3/1 More Big Cypress & Kirby Storter Boardwalk

I spent another 10 days at Midway Campground in the Big Cypress National Preserve, but did not bother taking more photos of the campground.  However, I did make a trip down to Kirby Storter boardwalk and took more photos of birds.  No matter how often you go there, you are likely to find something different, so multiple trips are worthwhile. 

First, I mailed some postcards to my grandkids a the smallest post office in the U.S.   There is a real postman there for an hour in the morning and from noon to 4 pm in the afternoon.  He sells stamps and handles other mailing issues, so it is nice to have a real post office way out here.  

A couple more photos of the boardwalk.  Since I was last here, the "bald" cypress tress are beginning to get some leaves.  (They were called "bald" cypress because while a lot of Florida trees keep their leaves all winter, these trees lose them in the fall. 

This is such a lush and beautiful place, especially this winter when it is supposed to be the dry season.  Last time I was here in winter, it was dry here, but this year, there has been a lot of rain in southern Florida, so it is abnormally wet now.  More water, or at least the right depth of water, means that there will be more birds feeding and hanging around.  Also, there are lots of ferns growing right now. 

Bald cypress are so large and tall, that they require a wide base to keep from falling over in winds. 

 

 

And these are the tiny, new leaves growing on the bald cypress trees.  

 

A great white heron.  

Isn't this swamp beautiful? 

If you look closely, you will see two mud turtles on a log in the sun.

This looks like a southern Florida racer water snake.

And I think this is a southern mangrove water snake.

Another great white heron.

This great blue heron stood in this statue-like pose for almost half an hour, looking for a fish to spear.

And an anhinga. 

And finally a black-crowned night heron.

This is an endangered wood stork. 

Note that the wood stork uses a wing to shade the water from the sun so it can better see crustaceans, frogs, insects, and fish. It also stomps one foot to stir up anything that might be hiding in the mud. 

Great blue heron is taking a break from fishing.