02-27-19 

Our next-to-last day turned out to be a beauty.  It started out foggy as usual but by lunch time the fog was pretty much gone, the sun was shining, and the temperature was up to 72.  There was a pair of Kiskadees sitting on the dock and one of the boats when we first stepped out on the balcony this morning but it was so foggy that neither of us could get a decent picture.

We took our usual morning walk on the beach then met Keith and Anna at Pier 19 for an early lunch.  Becky wanted to have one last picture with the pirate and her glass of veggies.

Keith's sister, Peggy, and her husband, Bob, were visiting so they joined us for a group shot.

During our time on the island during normal years we spend quite a bit of time on the jetty watching the fishermen, boats, and sometimes the dolphins.  With the construction going on this year we didn't get down there too much so Becky thought we should do that today.  We passed the boat launch on the way.  No boats but a whole load of pelicans.

There are usually lots of folks fishing from the jetty.  We rated today as a little below average.

Becky sat down on one of the blocks to watch for a while.

Since I had my trusty camera with me I took a few pictures.  That's the south end of the island beach behind me.

This was the view out toward the end of the jetty in the Gulf of Mexico.  More fishermen the farther out you went.

They had to be careful where they stood or sat, the waves were close to coming over the top of the jetty.

When we left the jetty area we drove through the rest of the park.  The construction isn't going to be finished in time for the spring break crowds but it's coming along.  Becky brought some old bread crusts and pizza crusts for the gulls.  

She's a brave lady.  When the gulls notice that she has a goody in her hand they show up in force and will snatch it out of her hand.

When they get too demanding she dumps the rest on the ground and heads for the car.

We stopped at the condo for a short while and then drove up to the boardwalk.  It was a great day to be there, the weather was nice and the critters were cooperative.  The herons are interesting birds, they can get their long necks into some interesting configurations.

We have lots of Ospreys around our home but I don't get many opportunities to get a shot like this.  It's interesting that they always carry the fish they catch so that it's pointing forward.

We heard a heron squawk and saw one jump up out of the long grass and move away.  When we walked down there we saw why.  This gator had been sunning itself down the bank a short distance and apparently wanted a little better spot to get more sun.

This spoonbill flew over so close to us that I couldn't get it all in the picture.

When we walked out on the other boardwalk Becky saw a couple of critters moving through the grass.  The grass was so long that they were almost completely hidden.  We hunted near the boardwalk and finally found one of them.  Cute little thing isn't it?

As we were leaving the boardwalk a trio of Ibises came in for a landing.

Here's a Northern Harrier.  I've been looking for one ever since I saw one here a month or so ago.  This guy circled around a couple of times just so I could get a decent shot.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

One more sunset tomorrow (maybe) and then it's back to the land of ice and snow.

Use your BACK button to return to the main page.