Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Now here is a giant Manatee!

White Ibis

Wood Ducks, male and female.

The ever present allegator.

Hu the hippo is celebrating his 60th birthday.

Not expecting to see a hippo in a bird sanctuary.

Black Vulture

Crested Caracara

White Pelican

When they have that knob on their bill, it indicates they are in breeding mode.

My favorite bird, the Pink Flamingo.

How can they curl themselves up like this?

Woodstork in a resting position. Again, how can they do this?

Bald Eagle

Green Heron

Osprey

Snowy Egret

The egret with the golden slippers.

Green Heron

Male Wood Duck

Male Wood Duck

I think a Burrowing Owl

Great Blue Heron with young in the nest.

It doesn't take long to grow up.

Here is Lu!

This sanctuary was one of the neatest we got to see.

It is a haven for birds that 

 were orphaned or could not servive in the wild.  They are provided with a habitate and diet that is as natural as possible.

It is a showcase of Florida wildlife.   There are a varity of animals  that althought behind fences you can get an up close and personal look at. We arrived a bit later in the day, but were

still able to cover a lot of ground.  There was paved trails and boardwalks, which helped

with Ron and the wheelchair.  We did miss the Underwater Observatory, a good reason to come back for a visit.

A lot of the birds roamed free. It was interesting to see a lot of them up close.  I have been surprised there are so many Bald Eagles in Florida.  Still have not been able to see a Scrub Jay yet,  One of these 

visits I will see this bird.

Each time I get to Florida I travel to different preserves and sanctuaries.  Some I like to go back to.  On this trip this was the last one I got to visit.  I just hope I can keep going back for a couple weeks in the winter.  It is a welcome diversion.

 

It is June, as I am writting this update.  So much happened shortly after this trip.  Covid-19 happened.  Who knew we would be on a lock down for so many months.  I am afraid Florida is going to be one of the next hotspots.  They did not close down when we did in March. Springbreak happened and a lot of young people chose to hit the beaches in Florida, and there was exposure to the virus. The older folks are the ones that will be most susputable to this virus, with no vaccine in sight.  It started in China and has now gone around the world reeking havoc.  It has hit some states harder then others. But that  is a story for another date.