MUSAP ~ Martha's United States of America Photos: Florida

Florida - Myakka State Park, Sarasota

MUSAP at the Bird Boardwalk

I had visited Myakka State Park on a previous visit to Florida and loved it so I was eager to get back there with my cameras. While it’s nice to find new places to explore, it’s always easier to visit a place a second time when I sort of know my way around. I wasn’t sure if I’d see many alligators because it was January - but many were out enjoying the warmth of the January sun! My first stop was at a bridge over a river on the long road into the park. There were cars parked and people taking pix so I stopped to check it out. There were roseate spoonbills posing for us.

Roseate Spoonbills & Anhingas (aka Snake Birds)

There were also some great egrets and I was happily photographing them when I realized the lumps on the riverbank next to them were big alligators. Oh yeah, I’m in Florida!

pay attention - there are alligators!

Myakka Wildlife Tours offers tram tours and airboat rides - I decided to try both. Nick, the driver/guide on the tram was great - very knowledgable and he enjoyed telling us lots of fun facts about the Myakka River area.

Airboat dock at Myakka River Outpost

Here are some of the things I learned

Sarasota area - lightning strike capital of the nation
Hammock - group of trees ~ Oak/palm hammocks are at Myakka
Great egret - about 40" tall
Snowy egret, sometimes called golden slippers because of yellow feet
Water locusts have huge thorns

water locust thorns

Ecological burn, control palmetto these used to be called controlled burn but it controls itself so name has changed.
Spanish Moss is an air plant that doesn’t hurt the host tree

Spanish Moss

I had a little time to relax before the Airboat ride across Upper Myakka Lake. Our captain was John. He did a good job spotting wildlife for us and maneuvering the airboat so everyone could be. We saw lots of alligators on the banks on the far side of the lake, most 10-12 ft long.

big alligators

After the boat ride I explored the area around the Outpost and captured some more photos.

snowy egret

Last stop was a bird walk on the boardwalk which was in an area of the park that I hadn’t visited before. It was quiet and peaceful at the end of the boardwalk. Across the lake I could see a herd of feral hogs. I pointed them out to 2 ladies who walked out the boardwalk and asked if I had seen anything. One of them had trouble seeing them because she was looking for pink pigs… these were black.