Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Friday February 20, 2015
Collier Seminole State Park
Naples, Florida

 

 

 

We almost never leave the park on week-ends and this one was no exception.  But on Friday, we did go 3 miles down the road to a hike the Marsh Trail at the 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  The Refuge was established in 1996 under the November 18, 1988  "Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act".  I had no idea what this was and I’m not sure I still do, but here’s what I found about it on line.  Let me know if it makes sense to you.

This act directed the exchange of 68.4 acres of land at the Phoenix Indian School in Arizona for 107,800 acres of land in Collier County, Florida, and $34.9 million, from corporations owned by the Collier family. In addition to extensive provisions for implementation of the exchange and use of the funds to benefit Arizona Indian Tribes, the law directed that 80,070 acres of the Florida land be added to the Big Cypress National Preserve, 5,109 acres be added to the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and 19,620 acres be used to establish a new Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  

Seems like a big swap that benefitted Florida in a huge way.

 

 

In addition to the Marsh Trail, the Refuge which is in orange on the map, the Refuge has 3 canoe trails, the blue lines. During the winter they are quite low.  We can see the one that normally goes off from the parking lot is completely dry.  But there is a place where the water is deep enough  about a 1/4 mile down the trail.  If we have time next week and good weather we might use our kayak carts and check it out and look for the put ins on the other two.  But for today we are walking the trail.

Right off the bat in one of the canals along the trail we spot a green egret.  I just love their spectacular colors and markings.   Either this fellow gets around or there are a number of them here in the refuge.  I saw them several times all along the trail.

 

 

 

As we walk, ospreys are are flying and calling overhead.

 

 

 

 

Off to the side as we approach the viewing platform we see the waters are filled with egrets, herons and a lone spoonbill.

 

 

 

 

 

We climb the tower to get a long range view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From here I also spy an anhinga I didn’t see from my ground view.

 

 

The tri colored heron is starting to get his breeding plume on the back of his neck.   Doesn’t he look handsome?

 

 

And of course I can’t resist taking a picture of this Great Egret’s beautiful breeding plumage for which they were almost wiped out when the cost of a pound of their feathers to decorate women’s hats at the turn of the century was more than the cost of a pound of gold.

 

 

 

Finally we come down and walk on down the trail where we get glimpses of the wetlands.   We see great blue herons, another little green heron hiding in the mangroves, two white pelicans who fly in as we watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We follow along watching a group of blue winged teals moving and eating in their group.  They are hard to get pictures of since it seems they have their heads in the water every time I click the picture.  I actually try clicking when they put their heads in the water rather than when I can see their heads.   That results in at least one decent shot.   We didn’t see their blue wing patch at all but they have gorgeous markings.

 

At one spot we can see dozens of ducks all gathered together for some sort of social event.  They are dipping, diving, chattering.  A  closer look shows them to be a flock or two or three of coots with a few moorhens scattered among them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High above the fray in the top of a tree was a great blue keeping watch over it all.  I guess he must be resting since he is a wading eating and my guess is that the water here is too deep for him. Can you see his dark shadow just to the left of center in the tree tops?

 

 

 

 

When we reach the end of the trail, we can see that this area in wetter times is damp but not today.  The only wildlife here is a beautiful gulf fritillary butterfly enjoying the thistle.

 

 

 

 

 

We turn around to head back and off to the right, we find another nice kayak put in but it’s way too far from any parking to take advantage of so I suspect only refuge personnel use it.

 

 

It is now several hours later and as we walk back we see some but not all of the same birds.  A new addition is a lone mottled duck among the coot group.  I notice him particularly because of his bright yellow bill.

 

 

 

It’s as if the birds know this is a National Wildlife Refuge.  In many spots birds not of a feather are hanging out not too far from each other.   Can you spot the white egret, the great blue, white pelican and little blue?

 

 

A moorhen has moved into the picture as I watch.

 

 

The great egret’s long, lacy, delicate, flowing breeding plums are so gorgeous.  I wonder if they molt out after the season and one might find them.

 

 

We’re almost back to the parking lot when this catbird entertains us with some antics.

 

 

 

In the distance we see the red shouldered hawk keeping watch.

 

 

Another green heron in the reeds closes out our day at the Wild Life Refuge.  This walk is free and open to the public during daylight hours.  If you are in this area, don’t miss it.

 

 

 

THE END