Yesterday was an exciting  and fulfilling day with lots of interesting wildlife as well as incites in to life here in Florida. We met some really nice people, a real cross section of the nice people who live here.  

We decided to visit Loxahatchee Wildlife Preserve, north of here on State Rd 7 AKA 441. It is described as the most northerly remaining remnant of the Everglades. The attraction was going to be a nesting Great Horned Owl, North America's largest owl. After some difficulty in finding the nest, even though we had been given good directions, I was disappointed to  discover that the young owlets had fledged the nest only the day before! Can you believe that for bad luck?  Anyway, to cut a long story short, one of the youngsters was still around as well as both adults. It was hot, very hot………… well in to the 90's and humid. The mosquitos were attracted to my damp puffy white, obviously tasty flesh. I suffered for my art as I tried to get some shots of the owls perched high and a little too distant for a good photo. But perhaps that wasn't the point because this was a lifetime first for me and a big thrill. The bird and Spanish Moss in this photo really did make an attractive photo if not the most technically perfect shot I have taken. 

As for the Hawk at above. As we drove up the road inside the reserve this bird was perched  in the trees by the roadside. It was lit beautifully by the lowering sun and was not in the least disturbed by the car (and us)  only 10 feet away. I had time to lower the window, grab the window and back the car up in to a more photographically perfect position. As Jenny passed me the camera I prayed that it remained and I had time to take a few shots and realise that my camera settings were wrong, re-set the camera and get some good shots as you can see. After a while he drifted off to a bush on our right and now, not in such a good position, I took a few more photos showing the birds back.

Because of the hot and humid conditions and the mosquitos it wasn't proper for me to expose my wife to it, particularly the biting insects, but in the short time I was there I did see some very interesting wildlife including this mid-size gator.

The White Ibis, particularly when in spanking breeding condition like this one, are particularly attractive and a bird that is synonymous with the Everglades to me. This one was by a track and you can see how wild this area is.