Training Log Archive: JanetT

Event: QOC: The Bumble
 

More arm than leg exercise, though AP imported this as "walking." :-)

We had planned to kayak the river at Myakka River SP but the water level (dependent on rainfall) was pretty low--noticeably lower than the previous time we'd visited the park--and would have been doing more portaging than paddling. So we found this kayaking center on the island where Fort DeSoto was, at the north entrance to Tampa Bay, and rented two solo kayaks. The water was pretty smooth the entire time (breeze picked up in the afternoon). Not a whole lot of bird sightings, but enough to make it interesting. Fun!

Got a small blister on one thumb until I changed my grip (just another in my list of small injuries this week).

After we were done kayaking, and had a snack, we hiked on the nature trails near the kayaking center, called soldier's hole. There were some interpretive signs (Eagle scout project), but they haven't been maintained lately so some were missing.

Interesting AOWN moments: a number of weird looking spiders had webs across or along the trail; and we saw a snake at the top of one of the palm tree carcasses (stump, or trunk without leaves). Will have to look at pictures to ID.

At Fort DeSoto, while Glen ran. I looked around the fort first, then went out the 1000' fishing pier that sticks into the Gulf, taking photos of opportunistic birds on the pier (white egret, cattle egret, sandpipers, brown pelican), and a porpoise or dolphin who I think was trying to steal fishermen's bait. Continued around the point and then cut back through where officer and troop buildings had been (early 1900s was when the fort was built) when it was time to meet up with Glen. Big guns--still in place--were made at Watervliet Arsenal (in 1900-01) which is located across the river from Troy, NY and north of Albany. All in all a nice last day in FL for this trip. Early flight tomorrow.

Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota. After a morning checking out 'gators; great blue, little blue, tricolored, and we think at least one green heron; wood storks; roseate spoonbills (we overheard someone calling them Rosetta spoonbills); and various other water birds, we hiked a trail we hadn't visited last time we were here before (2-3 years ago) from a parking area near the bridge and along the river.

Trail past the Homesweet Meadow Ranch site. Saw two sandhill cranes near the trail junction, perhaps the same two we had seen earlier in the day on the road out to the Birdwalk. Ranch site has just a couple of artifacts remaining, plus an interpretive sign.

Most interesting thing we noted besides the cranes was the evidence of wild pigs rooting around in the soft sand on either side of the sandy road we were walking on (and a few times in the median).

Honeymoon Island SP
Hiked on the Osprey and Pelican trails. Saw lots of osprey and nests, a pair of eagles and a nest, and a kestrel (I think; or two). We did not see the advertised Great Horned Owl, but dd see a gopher tortoise, and paw prints of what's probably a raccoon. Saw at least one pelican from the Pelican trail, too. :-)

Low 70s; lots and lots of sun.

Glen wanted to run trails (and I didn't), so I hiked up the beach along the bay. Shells were mostly sunbleached and broken but saw an interesting large bivalve (will ID later) and a small conch-shaped shell. And seabirds.

After strolling the trails at Blue Spring SP in Orange City, FL, Glen went for a trail run and I took a walk. Sandy trails, so not as easy a walk as it looks.

AOWN note: I was looking for scrub jays but didn't see any. Saw an armadillo on the trail in time to point it out to Glen but it escaped before I could take its picture. Fortunately it was out again in the way back but pics are in Glen's camera.

North today; cloudy and breezy, a degree or two warmer than yesterday.

A fellow stopped me to ask directions to Philadelphia (! ). I gave him the first I thought of which wasn't necessarily the shortest (or the way we would take, involving back roads).