Just back from a 10 day trip down the Keys and through the Everglades. Such lovely tropical plants everywhere, tons of birds, and of course alligators.
I found quite a difference in the oceans as well - the Atlantic is much more salty, no surf to speak of, gorgeous turquoise color, open gentle shoreline, and of course much more populated. Bobbing in the Atlantic was warm and therapeutic to my joints. I highly recommend a visit if one has the time.
Pacific v. Atlantic:
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
I have a rather fun app on my Nook put out by Audubon which allows one to ID birds and save them back to folders. I now have a backyard folder and a Florida folder. My sister and I had a fun time snapping bird pics and then using our evening wine time to figure out what exactly we had been looking at. I hope to do the same for future trips. Better than gin-rummy...
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
Per Audobon, the striped bird is an anhinga. It was great fun ID-ing birds, most of which are likely very common to Floridians but exotic to me. We did see one bright red cardinal but didn't get a photo. Lots of ibis, pelicans, cormorants, kites, and various types of herons and storks. Vultures (ugly). Again no pic, but we did see three spoonbills in flight, which are really pretty pale pink birds. No flamingos, dang.
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
Here's some more birds, plants, and gators. I don't know what any of the plants are, but most of the birds are labeled to the best of my knowledge. If anyone can correct the birds or ID the plants, please chime in.
Brown pelican ---- sandwich tern ---- cormorant
Pretty plants
Laughing gull ---- red bellied woodpecker ---- bald cypress (will leaf out later in the spring apparently)
Wonderful pictures Deb!!! Seems so many birds around the sea. The pink flower is interesting, I have no knowledge of tropical flora either, like a foreign planet. Your blue heron picture is fantastic! Thanks for posting more really enjoyed this.