Many birds along the "Trail".
Now the journey returns back north again as we start the week that will eventually take us back home to Michigan. But not yet! We have some things to visit and see.
Traffic this day after the election (Oh congratulations to all the winners) was quiet and thin. We did see an election candidate who won a race for sheriff, had his people place :"Thank You" stickers on many of his signs still along side of the roads. (Ramsey for Sheriff in Monroe County).
US 1 leads to the north, and when we reached a point north of Key Largo (We stopped there to get some sea shells for cathy and family) taking the Tamiami Trail was a smooth way to travel. That led us west again toward Ft.Meyers. There was some construction stoppages as they were building that road. (Perhaps from a Hurricane that did road damage). It was stop and go for a while and we passed many venues that specialized on Prop boats that take customers over the swamps and water. 
This was "Shell World" where they had a magnificent display of
all kinds of shells. Of course much of the United States beaches
are protected so most of the shells (even the same ones) come from overseas.
Sand dollars were $.50 to $2.00 for the larger ones.
Road construction on US 41 east of Miami led to some 6 stoppages
as the bridge building and the macadam laying slowed us down a bit.
The peak of the day (except for the ribs that night) was stopping hat Shark Valley which is the northern center for the Everglades NP. Here is a stop that Ruth and I made some years ago with Shirley and Mert Myers. It brought back great memories of a terrific birding site. It did not fail us.
The Anhinga is a water bird that can swim with speed and agility
under water giving it a great advantage in hunting fish and other food.
I worked for 30 minutes to get a good shot of this camouflaged
Green Heron, tucked back in the woods . Great ability to hide.
The MoorHen is another bird of the swamps here at Shark Valley.
They poke around the lilies and the edges of the marshes for food.
The sawtooth grass (a sedge) has little sharp teeth on the edges (look close)
that during the dry season catches dew on the edge and drops the water into
the groove in the center that flows down to the roots. It also keep animals
from eating it as the sharp edge cuts the animals when chewing it.
I saw three warblers while looking the grass over.
Little Bliue Heron There were many of these in this area.
The story of the Wood Stork is a sad one.
In the 1960's there were 5,000 nesting birds in the
southern Everglades. in the 1980's there were fewer than 500 nesting pairs.
The timing, quality, distribution and quantity of water in the Everglades
determines the fate of this bird.
FACT: The Wood Stork moves its bill from side to side in the water and
by 'touch' can secure it with a snap of the bill within 25 milliseonds,
which is the fastest known reflex action of a vertebrate species.
We did end the day with getting those ribs for Cathy at "Mels diner" next door to the Laquinta Inn. This is a full menu restaurant that obviously has a continuous clientele of old timers each night. We are going to eat there again. (oh...I had a heaping plate of #30 shrimp, baked potato and soup for $8.99. Such a deal.
Tomorrow we will head for Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve.
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