Tag Archives: bur marigolds

Foggy and yellow

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I love going to Circle B Bar Reserve early in the morning when it’s foggy (as long as it burns off quickly). It makes the reserve look different than other days. You can see all of the spider webs across the marsh and it makes you realize just how many spiders there are out there.

Black bellied whistling ducks flying out across the marsh.

The bur marigolds were blooming in mid-November and the marsh was a blanket of yellow.

A few of the little critters flying around.

It was a quiet day for birds, except for some of the usuals including purple gallinules and swamp sparrows.

Early November walk

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It was a beautiful morning for a walk at Circle B Bar Reserve in early November.

A pretty mushroom on the trail. I rarely see them with color.

Critters on branches include a black bellied whistling duck, a tricolored heron and an anhinga that looks like she’s going through a full moult.

The whistlers have been regulars along the trail during the winter.

I thought this juvenile night heron was sleeping but he popped his head up after a few  seconds. That pattern on his wings is very cool and goes well with his bright orange eyes.

Far across the lake I could see both eagles sitting high up in a cypress tree.

I saw the crowd as I was walking down the trail and realized they were watching a tiny alligator cross the trail. He looked so tiny compared to the big ones along the trail. It was almost comical to watch him cross.

Along the trail.

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Color on the trail.

Crawling critters including that tiny alligator right on the trail.

Small birds along the trail. A green heron, a house wren making a face at me and then chirping and a blue headed vireo.

Having a snack.

A perfect start to a day at Circle B Bar Reserve.

Back on Alligator Alley

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Things along the trail including a snack left behind by some bird.

A great blue heron strutting along.

Alligator Alley trail was finally opened after being closed for 2 years. When Hurricane Irma came through in 2017, part of the trail was washed out. The county finally rebuilt the trail and it was great to walk down it after all that time.

The view along the lake.

The marigold were still out in late November, washing the trail in yellow.

The old trees at the Reserve

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I was looking through some old folders recently and came across some pictures I had taken of the great old trees at Circle B Bar Reserve. Some have changed a lot, some have not changed at all and some are gone.  The ones above were taken in December, 2010. They were full of wood storks and the marsh was full of coots. We rarely see coots there now.

The same tree, taken this past December.

Same trees as the first two pictures, taken in January of 2013.

The trees in the fog, taken in December of 2017.

This was taken in 2009. I loved the old tree full of moss.

My first trip to the reserve was in October 2009. The marsh and trees were full of birds.

 A very rare time I was there for the sunrise, back in November 2011.

 

Taken in 2011, some of the frequent visitors called this the “Magic” tree. It use to always have birds on it.

The same tree in 2013. Not long after this, the tree disappeared. It  must have fallen down from old age.

A recent picture of the tree that greets you on main trail. It’s rare to not stop and take a picture of some bird on it.

Black bellies and yellow flowers

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It’s always fun to see black bellied whistling ducks playing in the marsh. This time they were playing among the yellow bur marigolds in late December. Several families were hanging out in the same area. The adults have pink beaks and the juveniles still have gray beaks.

One was keeping an eye on a tricolored heron that was close to the group.

Flying across the marsh at Circle B Bar Reserve.

Bur marigolds and alligators

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I think late November and early December is the most beautiful time at Circle B Bar Reserve.

A few of the critters. I thought I had found a 2 headed gator but just realized they were just passing by.

Traffic jam on the trails. Some of the trails are heavily populated but there are also some quieter ones as well that you can walk to be alone,

A beautiful start to the day.

I’m in Oz?

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It felt like it in late November at Circle B Bar Reserve. The entire preserve was covered in yellow. Bur marigolds bloom for a short time in late November in central Florida.

Instead of the scarecrow and the cowardly lion, we had very aggressive alligators. One really big one was napping right up against the trail.

Lots of other pretty plants there as well. When the wind blows, the plant in the last picture has small white flecks flying off.  You would almost think it was snowing, if you weren’t sweating in the 82 degree weather.

Driving around a lake in central Florida

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The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is an 11 mile drive along a lake north of Orlando.  The weekend Brett and I stayed in Orlando, we got up early and drove through the area before heading back to Tampa. The 11 miles zig zags back and forth with channels running on either side.

The first things we say were birds of prey.  A northern harrier, a young red shoulder hawk and a kestrel right when we drove in.

A great egret fighting with a snake.

Fulvous whistling ducks were far out in the lake.

Alligators of all sizes were along the drive including that big one in the last picture. His head was huge. I wish his entire body was out of the water. He has got to be the biggest one I’ve seen out in the wild.

Pretty plants along the way.