La Chua Trail Gators

B and I had a long drive back from central Florida recently and decided to break it up with a hike in Payne's Prairie on the La Chua Trail. Thank goodness for a smart phone to help us find the place. The park access is tucked away in a neighborhood in Gainesville and not at all near the entrance on  U.S. 441. We had been there but once. A long boardwalk at the beginning was a fairly popular spot for wildlife observation. (The Gators were out watching the gators.)

In this one pool area, we counted 24 gators! There more further down the trail.

This guy was a big one!

But this guy was HUGE!

For comparison, note the ibises. They are not small birds.

This is a great place to see wildlife!

St. Augustine Sights

We spent some time over in St. Augustine during my spring break from school.
Here is a sampling of what caught my eye:
              A Flagler College turret cone.

And a tall stack, also on campus.

A trawler with gulls, off Vilano Beach.

The Tolomato River, AKA the Intracoastal Waterway through the boardwalk rails. I sat and enjoyed the wind and sun and three bald eagles that flew overhead. B tried his luck at fishing.

There was so much to see, but these are just a few shots.

Mailbox Monday: Easter Greetings

Living "Dinosaur"

Before going into the dinosaur exhibit at the Jacksonville zoo, we spent a bit of time watching in wonder at the Komodo dragon pen.

It has not been all that many years since it was discovered that not only does this animal attack with its sharp teeth and claws, but that it has ducts between its teeth that contain highly toxic venom that severely weakens its victim until the lizard can leisurely catch up to finish it off and consume it. It was previously thought that it was all the bacteria that can be found in its mouth that was the source of the blood poisoning.

They can grow to ten feet long and weigh 300 pounds. Until World War I, most of the world had considered its existence to be a myth.

Jurassic Jacksonville

The latest attraction at the Jacksonville Zoo is a dinosaur exhibit.
Here are some shots:

Contrary to what  you might be thinking, I did not photograph all of the dinosaurs.  

We have seen roaring robotic dinosaur exhibits inside museums, but this one being outside, added new realism. The problem we had with it was that it did not appear finished. At least, let's hope not. But I am afraid the industrial junk (such as oil drums, iron gates and wire) may have been planned as part of the exhibit. It just didn't work for us. It just looked junky and it distracted from the dinosaurs.

What I really liked, besides the dinosaurs, were these:

The huge, iron entry gate:

and the cool playground

and the excavating area for kids.

Even with our complaints about the exhibit,  it is all worth the trip to see!

A Few Zoo Mammals

There is so much to see at the Jacksonville Zoo. Here are a few of the mammals. This elephant was feeding on hay.

Pretty kitty!

The giraffes came right up for a handout.

These are fruit bats.

And there are lots of primates. Here are just a few shots.

Zoo Birds: For Hot and Cold

To celebrate our grandson's first birthday, we joined a family group at the Jacksonville Zoo for a fine day  of interesting sights. He loves birds so it was a great place to take him. In one large enclosed area, visitors are invited to feed nectar to some tropical birds.

The Florida native wood storks have a large rookery and come and go as they please, building nests now.

I loved watching the flamingos.

Note the immature one that is still rather brown and white. It is the diet of shrimp and crayfish that  creates their bright color.

What a magnificent bill! I have been told that black feathers are stronger and that is why many birds have black wingtips. I wonder if the keratin in the beak is tougher on the end where it is black.

I did not realize that they use it almost upside down for feeding.

Speaking of feathers...

 The penguins were a hit, especially with the kids. The coloring of these birds is a better match for rocks and ice and snow and cloudy weather that can be characteristic of their native habitats.

B and I have been to this zoo several times over our decades together. It has grown into quite the attraction.