Back To Boyd Again, Again

Here we are back at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and about halfway through our walk. Everyone ready? OK, here we go.

Just returned to the area after a circular loop walk and look who decided to check things out? Having just been here a few minutes before, this was kind of jarring. Guess Momma was close after all.

One of the really freaky things about these guys is that they do not move...ever. They are as still as they possibly can be. You may get a little eye action, but other than that they are stealth-like.

I actually heard one bellow once up in Sawgrass Nature Park and it was extremely chilling.

Can you spot him/her?

This is one of the reasons I love Boyd - the chance to see a gator. Mission accomplished.

From a gator to butterflies might be a bit jarring, but damn, they slowed up long enough for me to get their picture.

Perhaps not as frightening as gators but flutterbys have their place in the animal kingdom, too.

Flowers were blooming as one might expect from late Spring, early Summer.

Another dragonfly.

An ugly bird sunning itself. It would take off toward the lake, dive and get a goody to eat, then return to this branch to dry off.

The peaceful idyllic setting hides the the fact that there be gators trolling these waters.

It kind of struck me on this trip that there is life everywhere around water and it is always attempting to feed. There was a lot of activity today, birds grabbing minnows, fish jumping for food, gators waiting for a meal and everything jockeying for advantage.

This is a peaceful smaller pond on the other side of he preserve. Nice hike over here but well worth it. Last time here I saw a bunch of turtles frolicking in the water. Just saw one today.

But I did see this cool leopard frog by the edge of the pond. He was very cooperative and posed for several pictures.

Made me want to shed some clothes and go swimming. Used to go with a bunch of people in college to a farm pond. Forget now what the connection was, but I think it was a friend of a friend sort of thing. Not sure if the Wombie came along on those or not. This looks a little like that old pond. Very nice cool water and fun times.

An osprey keeping vigil.

The next pictures are some of the flowers along the way. I don't know what they are except the next one.

This is called a Bird of Paradise.

And then we go from the beautiful to the not so beautiful. This vulture is one of a few birds that have been injured and the Boyd Hill staff have helped them recuperate from their injuries. Sometimes they stay at Boyd in these enclosures if they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves. Otherwise they are released back into the wild.