Blue Goose ~ Day 233

January 15, 2014 ~ Naples, FL to Collier-Seminole State Park, FL

After a good motel breakfast, I went to the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary which was 20 miles north and east.

Corkscrew was a plume hunter's paradise - plumes being feathers taken from birds and sold to decorate ladies' hats. Plume gathering was eventually stopped, but then the swamp began to be logged until enough concerned locals and "a long list of organizations" including the Audubon Society protested and prevailed, thereby saving Corkscrew. (Interestingly, the Lee-Tidewater Cypress Company donated 640 acres.)

Anhinga - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - FL

Corkscrew Swamp is always recommended as a must-see stop for birding in Florida. A main attraction for the visitor is a 2.2-mile boardwalk mostly through this old growth virgin bald cypress swamp. In addition to bird- and swamp-watching, Corkscrew has two trees on which a rare and beautiful "ghost" orchid" blooms. These are epiphytic (grow on another plant for support but not for nutrients) and in Corkscrew are 40-50 feet off the ground on bald cypress tree trunks.  For lovely photos and information about these specific ghost orchids, to to: archive.audubonmagazine.org or fortmyers.floridaweekly.com. (Google "ghost orchid" and look for this link.)

Swamp Lily - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctury - FL

At first, all was completely silent, bird-wise. I have never been in such apparent birdy habitat and heard or seen nothing. The other early walkers also noted this. But halfway through, it picked up, and I saw a life bird after searching diligently for 15 minutes along with a small group of other birders. Several of us were giving verbal directions as we saw movement high in the treetops before finally getting satisfactory, long-enough looks at a Yellow-throated Warbler, lovely and striking as most warblers are. While not uncommon in the southeast, it is rare in Michigan. It's fun to be with other knowledgeable birders and share the excitement when the thing flitting in the canopy is finally seen and positively identified.

A small boy with close-cropped curly blond hair and wire-rimmed eyeglasses was pushing his stroller along the boardwalk. A couple came from the opposite direction and they told the boy's parents that he was "well trained to not talk to strangers," to which they laughed and said, "He doesn't speak English."

Another darling little girl in bright pink crocs was with her grandparents, taking it all in.

A docent near the end of the boardwalk pointed out a four-foot long water moccasin right below the trail. She said it had been there several days. A large alligator with sea lettuce on its back snoozed nearby on a little hammock.

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - FL

Eventually, I saw Blue-headed Vireos, Black and White Warblers, Great-crested Flycatchers, a Tufted Titmouse, Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Pileated Woodpecker, very noisy Anhingas sounding like firecrackers in the bush, egrets, ibises, Wood Storks, several Red-shouldered Hawks...with, surprisingly, very few mosquitos.

Not far south of Naples going down the west coast of Florida is Mr. Watson territory (Peter Matthiessen) and the Ten Thousand Islands with few roads. I turned east on the Tamiami Trail and soon found Collier-Seminole State Park where I stayed for the night after making a food run to Marco Island. The campsites were adequate although close together which doesn't bother me. A couple camped in a tent on one side and a single gentleman slept in his truck on the other but most people were in RVs.

I read through what was left of the afternoon, ate a tuna fish sandwich, had a glass of wine, cheese and crackers, put a Skeeter Beater on one window and slept well, 20 feet from the real Everglades. There were surprisingly few night noises. All campers must go to bed early. When it gets dark, what little commotion (grills, campfires, food prep, conversations, muted radio or TV) ceases. Kind of amazing...but nice.

Water Moccasin - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - FL