MANATEE PARK 2019

 

Spring flowers, Southwest Florida

 

Close to home nature this week.   We've been busy with end-of-the-season activities here in the RV resort.  (We will be here until the end of May, but most of our snowbird friends will be gone by mid-April. )  I walked Saturday at Manatee Park which is about a 10 minute drive from home.   

 

 

The flowers, the butterfly, and the ground dove below were in the Butterfly Garden at the Park.  The plants are all native to this area.

 

 Ground Dove

 

Manatee 

 

Yes, I was at   Manatee Park, but I actually didn't expect to see any at this time of year. This one was a surprise.   Because the water at this park is warmed by a nearby power plant, these big gentle creatures hang out here in the "cold" weather.    December and January are the best months to see them.  By this time of year, the water in the Caloosahatchie River is warmer and the manatees have mostly disbursed out in the wider waters  (we even glimpse them in our canal occasionally).  There's not much for them to eat in the water at this park, so they usually just stay there until the river warms up.

Manatees are aquatic mammals whose closest relative is the elephant.  They are vegetarians, subsisting on water plants.  It's really hard to get a good picture of them, because they don't emerge from the water much.  Just occasionally to take a quick breath (and to eat green stuff where there is any).  

 

 

The Peace Pillar was erected to honor  Manatee Park volunteers .   I like the message so much and always walk this path when I'm here.  This is a collage I lifted from a previous year's post.  

 

 

There weren't many people at the Park (in the Winter, it gets really busy) but there was another kind of noise (and another interesting thing to observe).  A crew was replacing the  roof on the Chickee Hut, a well-recognized  feature of the park.  It's a replica of the kind of huts the Seminole Indians used.  It has a a raised floor, open sides and a thatched roof made from palm fronds.   One of the workers told me that the roof needed to be re-thatched every six or seven years.  This year they are also repairing the inside and the wooden part of the structure.

 

 

 

 This picture (also copied from a previous post) shows what the hut looks like in its finished state.  I don't know why I did it in black and white back then (and I couldn't find the original.)

 

 

I drove a few miles down the road to Hickey Creek Park to walk a little more.   I was the only person walking the trails here and I enjoyed the peace and the blue skies.  I'd gotten too late a start though and the heat and humidity kept it to a short walk (and there were no birds or animals about at all -- they were too smart to be out in the mid-day sun).   I need to start getting around earlier this time of year.

 

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to all of the hosts:

 

NATURE NOTES;   ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; OUR WORLD on Tuesday;  SAY CHEESE;  WILD BIRD Wednesday;   MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;   SIGNS SIGNS;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   FRIDAY  BLISS;   SATURDAY CRITTERS;  and RATHER B' BIRDING  

 

 

Comments

[Jutta Kupke]

My new challenge
I would be very happy if you would join in.
I found you in skywatch :-)
Greetings

[Stewart M]

Nice post - I'd like to see a manatee - and I think I would like to see more than its nose as well!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

[Michelle]

What a gorgeous area! Very cool pic of the manatee! I enjoyed going on this walk through your camera lens.

[Jeanna]

I'd think six or seven years wasn't enough to keep that sweet hut in shape, so good deal they keep it up so well and don't have to work on it a lot. I love manatees, one of my fav things about Florida (aka "Amerian's wang").
You sure do a lot of walking, hoping to get back in walking shape soon, but then again it could snow again for all I know and I try not to walk much in that whole mess.
Great shot of the dove, and all that color, you're killing me, it must be hard on you guys to leave.
We did notice a hint of green yesterday but the lakes and ponds and rivers are pretty swollen from all the snow melting so quickly (again).
I've been looking for a coin bank to replace my Tootsie Roll bank (I'm already antsy enough going off candy cold turkey—damn, now I want turkey) so it doesn't make me think of Tootsie Rolls, sweet, delicious, chewy, chocolatey—see what I mean. Anyway, I kept finding the cutest RV and camper piggy banks and kept thinking of you. Makes me wish I had a camper just to get one of those banks (and found some adorable camper string lights too).

[Adam Jones]

Lovely looking butterfly.

[Betty Crow]

Would love to see a manatee! The butterfly and flowers are wonderful!

[Jennifer Jilks]

I love those manatees!!!! Great post.

[Anu]

Hello. Interesting post. Great photos. The dove is beautiful.

[Eileen Wise]

Hello, wonderful critters and photos. I love the sweet dove and manatee. The butterfly is beautiful. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

[diane]

You find lovely places to walk. Like you we have to walk early before it gets too hot. I wonder what the difference is between a Manatee and a Dugong. We have dugongs in the bay.

[KB]

Beautiful collection of shots

[DeniseinVA]

Oh wow, such a great collection of photos. The flowers are gorgeous, love their colors and the other vegetation looks so lush and tropical. I would love to see a manatee. Great photos Sallie! Can't wait to see my first butterfly, this one is super and what a sweet little dove. Thank you and have a great weekend :)

[riitta k]

Your flower collage is a wonderful burst of color - so needed here! The hut looks fun and I would like to see your manatee photos sometime. I did not know anything of them - but google told me interesting facts. Happy weekend.

[Lady Fi]

Your shots are lovely! And how exciting to see a manatee!

[Michelle]

I love that you have seen a manatee. Such wonderful creatures. They live near my parent's home, in a cove. Thanks for linking up today.

[Peter B.]

Very cool hut, and interesting how they build them. I've never seen a manatee (only pics)... one of these days!!

[Laurie]

Such a beautiful location. I'm glad you got to see the "surprise" manatee. I don't think I have ever seen one in the wild. Maybe next year when we come to Floride to visit my sister in January we can make the trek to Manatee Park. Love the quote on the post.

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

Beaut shots.

[MaryBeth Schwartz]

I have always been fascinated by Manatees. Such different creatures
MB

[RedPat]

I remember seeing the manatees in Florida at Homosassa (sp?) - they seem to be such peaceful creatures.

[My Corner of the World]

Wow, thanks for taking us along with you! The critters that you found are really interesting (because I don't see anything like them here) and the peace pillar is an awesome thing. I appreciate you linking up to make My Corner of the World a success!

[Junieper2/Jesh]

Came here on Sunday but I was not able to link on the I-pad - sorry, later than intended! Really a great detail you showed in putting new palm leaves on the roof of the gazebo! Always great to see aquatic animals! Many thanks for sharing this park with All Seasons, Sallie! Have a great week:)

[NatureFootstep PhotoArt]

I did not know Manatee so I had to google it :) A nice creature :)
Fine places for you to walk around.

[Linda Brown]

I love your spring and winter It like our summer! And the colors are Marvelous!

[ellen b.]

Hello dear Sallie!
What wonderful images you have shared with us. Love the flowers, the critters and the beautiful skies. Hope April brings many more beautiful things and places for you to enjoy!

[tomthebackroadstraveller]

...WOW, what colors!

[Fun60]

I've never seen a manatee so even its nostrils look interesting. Lots to see in the park. Thanks for sharing.

[William Kendall]

A welcome sight, those manatee nostrils!

[A ShutterBug Explores]

Another great place and gorgeous nature photography ~ ^_^

Happy Days to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[Linda P]

An interesting post, Sallie. I've learnt some more about life in S.W. Florida and the flora and fauna there. Those manatees are fascinating. I like the hut and the Peace Pillar.

[Michelle]

I love manatees

[Margy]

We are just getting into RV life. Yesterday we bought our first one, a 24' Forest River Sunseeker. Looks like next winter we will play Snowbird again, but down to Arizona. - Margy

[Jennifer Jilks]

Wow. It is lovely. My son did a speech on them one year. In elementary school. He's approaching 36 now!

[Amy Franks]

I've never seen a Manatee!

[Photo Cache]

I hope when my husband and I retire, we could do something like what you do. Half the time in one place and the other in another place. So exciting.

[Lois]

So beautiful Sallie! I always enjoy seeing manatees.

[Hootin' Anni]

Enjoyed this post, immensely! That manatee image is beautiful, yet...mysteriousn

[gillena]

Your Mosaics are gorgeous. Happy Mosaic Monday

much love...

[Gaelyn]

You are so fortunate to live nearby these beautiful natural places. I've never seen a manatee but that pic of its nose certainly reminded me of an elephants trunk.

[Lavender Dreamer]

Oh, how neat to see a Manatee in the warm waters! I guess he likes it there! And we need to start taking some morning hikes because of the heat. We missed going this weekend...to many 'chores' around the house. Would love to visit your area and walk around those parks! Enjoy your week! (doesn't it feel like you just got here...when it's time to leave again?)

[Heidrun]

A wonderful Post again... thank you for sharing.

[Eileen Wise]

Hello, Sallie!

I love your flower mosaic, very pretty. Beautiful butterfly! The Manatee Park looks like a great place for walk and visit. Love the cute manatee. Peace on Earth, that is what I wish for. Lovely post and photos. Happy Monday, enjoy your day! Wishing you a happy new week!

[Nancy Chan]

Its a beautiful place to enjoy your walk. I google searched to find out what is a manatee. Happy new week.

[Phil]

A shame you couldn't get out of the water pictures of the manatee but just to know they are around and to glimpse them occasionally must be a thrill. It would be a great thrill for us over here who have nothing approaching large animals like the manatee.

I'm guessing that the Seminoles used open-sided huts all year round in that climate? But maybe not when there were alligators and other predators in large numbers.

[mick]

You have a number of beautiful places to visit quite close to where you live. The butterfly is especially lovely and of course the little glimpse of the manatee is exceptional. I think the manatee might be related to the dugongs which we have in the bay around here - but so far I haven't even caught a glimpse of one.

[Jutta Kupke]

Great and impressive collages !
I like all of theme, well done
Greetings from Germany
My contribution : https://meinmitmach.blogspot.com/2019/04/blue-love-monday.html

[Pat]

You are fortunate to be able to walk to such a special place, Sallie. I loved seeing a peek of the manatee, the beautiful flowers, and the beginning construction of the new palm frond roof on the pavilion. The only part of this post I did not like was the word "Humidity". I would rather have snow than humidity any day. I just wilt in the heat.

[Angie]

Sallie - that first collage is to die for - I am ready for some color in our white (still some piles of snow) and brown (mud!) world!!! I have never seen a manatee in the wild … a cute shot with the nostrils! I am very interested in the thatching with palm fronds - I am impressed they can still find someone that knows how to do this. Thanks for linking up to Mosaic Monday!

[Debbie]

oh sallie, i am not sure i have ever seen a more perfect picture of a monarch, i know that took timing and patience. the flowers are so pretty and colorful, your mosaic is beautiful!!

i have been to that park, the manatees are such gentle giants, i'm glad you got to see one!!!

[Penelope Puddlisms]

That’s a perfect capture of a butterfly drinking nectar from the flowers. I also like the signage "May Peace Prevail On Earth" and imagine it would be heaven on earth if one day world peace were true.

[Alan Bates]

I love the manatees. I think that Seaworld in San Antonio had several. It has been years ago so I cannot be sure.
We just had our first real warm day of the year here. I mowed the yard, and I am already tired of it.

[Barb]

I love seeing the flowers and thinking about the warmth (but not the humidity). Great that you got a pic of the Manatee. Have fun as everyone else leaves.

[Carol]

I've never been to Manatee Park - it's so beautiful! Love the flowers, butterfly but especially the manatee.