Corkscrew

[Clark]

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a National Audubon Society sanctuary located in SW Florida. Not much going on here. Very dry. So dry, as per Audubon volunteer,
the Wood Storks did not nest. The best part about this daytrip, were the tips we got during the brief rainstorm. They provided the knockout punches we were looking for.
Anyway, some shots from the park.

Dendrophylax lindenii, the leafless wonder.(I knew this was out of bloom before we left)

Some background-http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/Wildlife/GhostOrchid.html



Gator




One of those epiphytes.




Baby gators.




Yellow-crowned Night Heron




Little Blue Heron




Great Egret

 

[Heather]

Cute babies! I'd say I want one but I wouldn't want it to grow up! Thanks Clark, love your photos.

 

[Shiva]

Cute babies! I'd say I want one but I wouldn't want it to grow up! Thanks Clark, love your photos.

Well I've heard they make great handbags eventually. :evil:

Another good set of pics Clark.

 

[jjkOC]

Really nice photos! I especially like the ones of the gator, Night Heron and Great Egret. How close were you to the gator? Weren't you scared?

 

[SlipperFan]

Is that Mama Gator's tail on the right side of the baby gators photo?

 

[W. Beetus]

Stunning pictures!

 

[swamprad]

I still have the scar on my leg from when I was 14 and had an unpleasant encounter with barbed wire collecting tillandsia in Florida, lo, 35 years ago. My children will not have the opportunity to be thus impaled. Thanks for your photos of a reality that is fast vanishing.

 

[biothanasis]

Great photos!!!!!!! :clap:!!!

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Thanks for taking us with you on vacation. Great photos Clark.

 

[JeanLux]

great pics again Clark!!!! That Dendrophylax lindenii must be a show when in bloom!!! Jean

 

[Clark]

Thanks Mark for the flotation device, I was drowning on that one.

Jennifer(Hello)- Corkscrew is setup as a boardwalk. One never gets off. It is sturdy, wood planked w/ narrow spaces, and railings/ballusters both sides.
Totally safe. I don't consider this free chase.
The head shot was a solo gator in seperate puddle.
Babies and next photo are different puddle of water.(Same babies)
35ft. for closest. Maybe mom and young are 50ish?

Hello Dot. Yes, that is the tail of mother.
Babies would be far left.
Male, in foreground, is about 50% larger than her.



Like I said before, got two tips. One is not far away.
So let's get the flock outta here, and beat the crap out of a rental car.







In the meantime, got these on the drive over to the lake.
The soccer mom in the first two photos are free chase. Found her in a drainage ditch with about 6 young.
The birds are behind barbed wire. A cow field we past. Birds were excited.






First time we have ever seen Sandhill Cranes.










Thank you very much. We'll see you at the lake.

 

[goldenrose]

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[NYEric]

Those purses were not in an enclosure but out in the open!?!?
Thanx for sharing.

 

[andre]

Great photos!
We are heading down to SW Florida next week... I plan on going to Corkscrew again this time. We have seen the ghost in bloom, but did not see Alligators last time. It was also "dry" there 2 years back.
andre

 

[SlipperFan]

Great shots, Clark. I don't think I'd have been so brave!