Everglades City to Miami - Feb 7

February 7
It was foggy as the day dawned and we packed up and motoring out of the Chacaloshee Campground.By 7:00 a.m., we arrived at the south entrance to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.
Don't those cool Seminole names just roll off the tongue?

This park is a linear swamp forest 20 miles long and 4 miles wide. It is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) which protects unique habitat and maintains the steady flow of water through the Everglades. The goal is to restore the natural flow of water into the Everglades and overcome the past damage from clear cut logging, road building, drainage and water diversion.

The half mile boardwalk provided great access into the heart of the swamp forest.

In the mid 20th century, the forests were logged, the swamps were drained, the water was diked and diversion channels rerouted the waters natural flow through the Everglades. Bird populations plummeted as the Everglades withered.

Fakahatchee Strand is on the western border of the Everglades drainage system. As a key component of  the CERP, the water flow through this state park is being restored by filling in the Prairie Canal. This will allow water to spread out and flow naturally over the landscape to the Gulf of Mexico.

Bald Cypress with a Strangler Fig

This fig tree is slowly strangling its host Bald Cypress tree and will ultimately replace it in the forest canopy.

Royal Palm

This park is the only place in the world where the forest canopy is shared between Bald Cypress and Royal Palm Trees. This thriving ecosystem is home to a lot of birds.

Anhinga

Little Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Big Cypress Preserve Visitor Centre

 Big Cypress National Preserve is another part of the CERP to restore the natural flow of water. It is also an excellent sanctuary in its own right. When we arrived at the Big Cypress Swamp visitor centre we were impressed by the excellent displays and  informative signage.

Cool Alligator statue near the Big Cypress Visitor Centre

There are panthers in the Florida Everglades but this statue was as close as we got to seeing one. It's just as well  that we didn't. Even with all the alligators, Emma is more relaxed on our hikes and, east of the Mississippi, has not insisted that I carry bear spray and a hunting knife on every hike. 

Emma and I enjoyed the one mile round trip along the Kirby Storter Boardwalk as we proceeded to explore the Big Cypress Preserve.

Saw Grass transitioning into a Bald Cypress forest

110) Downy Woodpecker

This Bald Cypress forest was made possible by a decrease of a few inches in ground elevation. This ensures that the base of the trees will be covered in water most, but not all, of the year.

Bald Cypress Forest

 Great Egret

 Down the Hatch

This Anhinga was trying for several minutes to correctly adjust the large fish so that it would slide head first down its gullet.

Wood Stork

As we approached the eastern section of Big Cypress Preserve, we stopped at the Oasis Visitor Centre. This friendly Palm Warbler was greeting the many people who were passing through.

Palm Warbler

White Ibis

Anhinga

Our parting photograph in Big Cypress National Preserve

We continued east from Big Cypress National Preserve and arrived in the Everglades National Park at the Shark Valley Visitor Centre. This location is in the north central section of the park where there are a tremendous number of birds in the surrounding marshes and ponds.

 Wood Stork

 Tricoloured Egret

 Snowy Egret

 Snowy Egret

Alligators of all sizes were sprinkled about. Some were on the banks basking in the sun while others were cruising the ponds with only their eyes visible.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Swamp Lily

In the Everglades when the signs say to stay on the path, they mean it.

There are always folks that want to push the envelop. However, this couple didn't pick the biggest alligator for a photo op.

Naturally, I sought out a much more impressive specimen for a photo op with Emma. Unfortunately, when I called upon Emma to pose with this magnificent fellow my trusty muse had departed for places unknown.

Anhingas were about in large numbers. They do not have good water proofing so need to frequently spread their wings and bask in the sun to dry off.

 Anhinga commonly known as the Snake Bird

The fishing must be great in the surrounding waters because several Anhingas were nesting in the bushes.

Herons and egrets from several species were foraging in significant numbers.

Tricoloured Egret

 Little Blue Heron

Immature Little Blue Heron

Slight elevations in the swamp terrain enabled small trees and shrub islands to develop.

 Great Egret

Gar and other fish were visible in the clear pond water.

 Spotted Gar

As we were walking back to our RV, we spotted this busy little Purple Gallinule.

Purple Gallinule

We carried on in the late evening to the Miami Everglades RV Park which was located in the outskirts of Miami near the eastern boundary of Everglades National Park.