Photos from our trip to the Corkscrew Sanctuary in Naples on 2/25/01.
Click on photos to enlarge.
All info in quotations is from the Field Guide.

    Airplants living on Cypress tree

     
American Alligators in Lettuce Lakes

    Anhinga, stretching & swimming
^{"Resting on branches, anhingas will spread their black and silver wings to dry individual feathers in the sun (see photo on left).  Unlike most other water birds, anhingas have a small oil gland and, therefore, do not have the water repellent coating needed to keep their feathers waterproof.  When meal time comes the anhinga will plunge into the water swimming submerged until it is able to spear a fish with its sharp bill.  The anhinga resembles a snake when it swims with only its slender head and neck out of the water (see photo on right), giving rise to the nickname 'snakebird' ".}

      Great Egret
"This majestic bird is often seen in the wet prairie searching for fish, frogs or crayfish.  During the winter, great egrets display elegant breeding plumes.  In the early 1900's such plumes were used to decorate women's hats.  Demand was so great that this bird almost disappeared entirely.  The Audubon Society was created to stop this wasteful slaughter.  The great egret became and still is the symbol of the National Audubon Society.  Once again wading bird populations are being threatened due to drainage, agriculture and development in South Florida and have declined by as much as 90 percent."

   Green Heron

  Ibis

  Little Blue Heron

      Raccoon
Raccoons wouldn't normally catch so much attention, but these babies were out in one of the low lakes searching for food.  There were four youngsters out searching.  We could hear one of the parents from deeper in the brush grunting if they returned.  They would then come back out and search and play some more.  Very cute to watch.