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Corkscrew Swamp, Fakahatchee Strand, and the Loxahatchee River

12.28.2011 Posted in Editorial * Florida * Florida Photographer * Landscape * Nature * Travel * wildlife

For us, no trip to South Florida is complete without a visit to Corkscrew Swamp and Fakahatchee Strand.

Audubon’s approximately 13,000 acre Corkscrew Swamp Preserve, near Naples is an absolutely amazing place. The preserve is home to the largest remaining old growth Bald Cypress stand in North America. It also hosts the largest nesting colony of Wood Storks in the US. The benefits of the preserve certainly don’t stop at it’s boundaries. The preserve is a critical connection for the flow of water to coastal habitats as well as a corridor for the movement of wildlife such as the Florida Panther and the Florida Black Bear.

A 2 and 1/4 mile boardwalk trail will take visitors through Pine flatwoods, wet prairie, marsh, and the spectacular Bald Cypress Swamp. In the swamp, the variety and sheer density of ferns, bromeliads, and even orchids is breathtaking.

Corkscrew Swamp Boardwalk

Early morning light illuminates Royal Ferns, Strap Ferns, Leather Ferns, etc.

The lobby of the Blair Audubon Center was displaying photographs from the 2009 Florida Forever Calendar, published by LINC to promote awareness of the Florida Forever land acquisition program. It was great seeing all the photographs presented in this larger format.

Not far from Corkscrew is Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The strand, running north to south, is about 20 miles long and five miles wide. It includes swamp, prairies, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rock lands, and native groves of Royal Palms, all connected by a slow moving, shallow slough. It’s the main drainage slough for SW Florida’s Big Cypress Swamp. At it’s southern end is one of the world’s most productive estuarine ecosystems. One of the most exciting things about visiting Fakahatchee Strand is the possibility of seeing Florida Panthers or Florida Black Bears. It’s the only place I’ve ever personally seen a Florida Black Bear in the wild. Other endangered animal species that might be seen here include Indigo Snakes, Everglades Mink, and Diamondback Terrapins. I don’t doubt the State Park brochure that boasts 44 native orchid species and 14 native bromeliad species. For those that don’t want to brave the heat, the biting insects, or the wet terrain, Janes Scenic Drive, an 11 mile road (unpaved) provides easy access for viewing some of the marvels of Fakahatchee Strand. Tram roads from the area’s logging days provide relatively easy hiking (and even biking) for a more up close and personal view of the strand. For the adventurer, not afraid to get a little wet, a swamp walk is probably the best way to experience this magical place. If you only have a little time, there’s a boardwalk into Fakahatchee Strand off of Tamiami Trail.

One of my favorite sights-canoe, bikes, time for outdoor adventure!

Janes Scenic Drive

Ludwigia submerged under flowing water

More Florida fall colors. This might be my favorite photo from the trip.

Red Shouldered Hawk

A rather smug looking Alligator.

Driving out of Fakahatchee, just as it was getting dark, we came across two snakes crossing the limestone road. The snake on the left is clearly a Water Moccasin (Cotton Mouth). I’m not 100% certain but I think the snake on the right is a Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake. The color and markings of this snake are incredibly variable making it tough to make a definitive ID. If any of my herp friends can verify this snake’s ID from my technically poor photograph (using a weak flashlight as a light source), I’d be grateful.

Water Moccasin (Cotton Mouth) - Mangrove Salt Marsh snake (?)

For the end of our trip, we decided to head over to the east coast and paddle the Loxahatchee River. This was our first time on this river and we weren’t disappointed. The river is a Federally designated “Wild and Scenic River”. It starts out as meandering fresh water creeks and as it gets closer to the Atlantic it transitions to a tidal brackish estuary before ultimately flowing into the bay and the Atlantic. We didn’t have the luxury of a shuttle service for our trip so we did an out and back paddle, launching from Riverbend Park.

Cypress and Palms along the banks of the river

Stangler Fig encircles a Cypress trunk

This is the second of two blog entries from our recent South Florida trip. The first entry is here

by LME

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Happy Holidays!!

12.21.2011 Posted in cats * florida pet photographer * Florida Photographer * pet portraits

An out-take from a holiday shoot with my own cats from a few years ago.

Big One tends to be the most cooperative one of the bunch. All it takes is a string and she's good to go.

by LME

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Big Cypress

12.20.2011 Posted in Editorial * Florida * Florida Photographer * Landscape * national parks * Nature * Travel

As a native Floridian, I feel so lucky to live in a state with such wonderful wildlife and ecosystems. As a nature lover, I have to admit I’ve been spoiled. While some people think Disney World and Miami Beach when they think of Florida, that’s not what makes Florida so special. The real treasure of this state is it’s natural places. Unfortunately, some people, people who are in a position to either preserve, destroy, or exploit these natural treasures, don’t seem to understand the economic, let alone intrinsic value of preserving these places. Defunding of Florida Forever, attempts to add RV sites to sensitive barrier island parks, suggestions to build golf courses on park lands, the gutting of Florida’s Water Management Districts and major set backs in Everglades restoration efforts are just some of the recent threats to Florida’s natural places.

Now more than ever, I’m compelled to spend as much time as possible exploring these wonderful places. Beyond my vote and my voice on political issues affecting the environment, the best thing I can do is to share what I find so special about these places with other people. Since I think I can say more with photos than I can with words, I’ll let the photos do most of the talking.

Here is a sampling of the photos I recently made while visiting Big Cypress National Preserve.

A white bird convention along Tamiami Trail (Mostly Wood Storks and Great Egrets, a few Snowy Egrets and Ibis in the mix too.)

View from Tamiami Trail

Florida fall color along the canal that parallels Turner River road.

American Alligator

An impressive set of pearly whites!

Cypress

Little Blue Heron

Morning light on the grasses

Cabbage Palms in late day light

This was our first time paddling on Turner River. For me, the highlight of this trip was the Mangrove tunnels. The prop roots covered in epiphytes (air plants) were amazing. We were the first canoe on the river that day and had it to ourselves for most of the trip. It made for a very peaceful experience. The downside to being first and being in the front of the canoe was basically clearing all the spiderwebs with my face as we moved through the tight tunnels. I’ m not talking a web here and there, I’m talking one right after another, the entire way. Had I gathered all the fibers from my face and hat, I think it would have been enough to weave a blanket. Still, a small price to pay for such a beautiful trip. I was just grateful the biting insects were minimal.

When we started out, it was fairly cool and the sun was just rising. As we were finishing our trip, the sun was high and the day was warming up. This is when the Alligators start to come out to bask. This little one found a perfect spot on a fallen log extending out over the river. I was surprised he stayed put while we maneuvered the canoe into a position where I could get an unobstructed photo. Typically these baby gators are more shy.

A youngster basking on a fallen log.

Whenever visiting Big Cypress, I make it a point to visit Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. This trip was no exception. Not only can you see his wonderful work, you can walk a beautiful little nature trail behind the gallery. I highly recommend a visit.

Next up will be photos from Corkscrew Swamp and Fakahatchee Strand, two of my all-time favorite places.

by LME

2 comments

Romy - Those are exactly the memories I have of Florida – nice captures!

Some call Californians crazy but I think the state (CA) is going in the right direction when protecting what can so easily perish.
Here, the more crazy, the better.

That reminds me: I need to send a Christmas gift to a marine mammal rescue center I support. Merry Christmas to you too December 20, 2011 – 1:31 am

Corkscrew Swamp, Fakahatchee Strand, and the Loxahatchee River » LMEimages - [...] This is the second of two blog entries from our recent South Florida trip. The first entry is here [...]December 28, 2011 – 11:24 pm

Big Sur

10.25.2011 Posted in Landscape * Nature * Travel * wildlife

The last leg of our recent trip to California was spent along the Big Sur coast line. When the fog cleared enough to see it (a rare occurrence during our brief stay) the coast line was simply breathtaking. From the big scene to the small scene, it was a feast for the eyes, and the lens.

One of the most popular photo spots along the Big Sur coast is McWay Falls. It's out of the frame to the left. I preferred the pattern of the foam in the surf. If you want to see McWay Falls, Google it. You'll see a ton of images made from nearly the same spot where this photo was made.

The setting sun turned the shorline a wonderful golden hue.

Of course, I had to shoot some wave photos while I was there. It wasn't quite the same as photographing the gentle Gulf surf I'm so familiar with.

These colorful snails seemed to stick together on a few select rocks near tidal pools.

Patterns in the sand are refreshed with each receding wave.

There are just some photos that need to be done in black and white. This Kelp and Sand photo is one of them.

On an early morning hike in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, My eye was caught by the fall colors seen through the tree branches.

On our last morning, as we were leaving the Big Sur coast, we stopped at several overlooks. Each one was beautiful. I loved the colorful plant communities that make their home on the steep rocky cliffs.

Big Sur is another place I’ll have to visit again.

by LME

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