Manatee!

Finally, a manatee near the wall this morning, feeding and moving along with lumbering elegance. It was a thrill to see one after the sad news about Red Tide.

This manatee seemed fine: it came up to breathe regularly and no distress was in evidence.

Lunch at John's Pass

Livin' the Pelican Dream at John's Pass

The crazy busy-ness of John's Pass makes for the best people -- and bird -- watching. We've become self styled experts at judging the relative size of pelicans, and the birds at John's Pass are among the plumpest and strongest. Free handouts from tourist fishing boats and plenty of fish under docks keep the food supply coming, I guess.

Sculley's for Lunch

Marilyn has been treating us to lunch every day, this time at Sculley's. The food: burger for Bob, conch fritters for Marilyn, and shrimp spring rolls for me. I think Marilyn's conch fritters were the best, but I enjoyed my shrimp too, and I especially liked the two large glasses of red sangria.

We went to 4:00 o'clock Mass at St. John Vianney (very humorous retired priest from Buffalo, NY) and settled down for a quiet evening.

We caught a Saturday night sunset on the beach near Tradewinds and called it a night soon after.

Boca Ciega Millennium Park

Boardwalk. Boca Ciega Bay in the Background

No Snakes on the Path

Boca Ciega Millennium Park is tucked away in Seminole, about 10 miles from our condo. one of the locations on the Florida Birding Trail. I expected the birders to be lined up for admission, and I was a little apprehensive that we were arriving around noon -- late in the day for popular attractions. No fear of that. We encountered so few visitors that it was a little disconcerting, driving into the park, quiet except for the call of blue jays in the distance.

No visitor center and only a couple of moms with their kids in a small playground. We passed signs (squirrel, snake, turtle crossings) that suggested the presence of animal life. We parked in a small lot near a lookout and were pleasantly surprised by a well constructed boardwalk to multi-leveled, stunning views of Boca Ciega Bay. An osprey was fishing and a large egret soared overhead. Lots of mangroves, pines, palms, spanish moss. Plenty of activity in the underbrush, not much of it visible, except for the odd gecko. On our way out the park, we took some pictures in a wetlands near the entrance. We realized -- too late -- that there was a viewing area for alligators as well.

Nice Habitat if You're a Bird or Turtle

A satisfying stop.