Florida Trip--St. Marks Again

We decided to go back to St. Marks and spend the day on Sabbath. We bought some picnic food and things on Friday evening, then got up early--before dawn--and went to St. Marks to watch the sunrise.

This was from the observation tower by the lighthouse just as the sun peaked over the horizon (behind the trees).

The clouds made the colors just beautiful.

Full sunrise.

We ate our breakfast at Picnic Pond with the White Pelicans (again about 16 or 17), about 30 Great Egrets, and a Wood Stork.

Over at the Headquarters Observation Tower we saw the wild pigs again. We also saw a Brown-headed Nuthatch in the pines behind the tower--a lifer.

Back at the lighthouse, I got the standard "Brown Pelican on a piling" photo.

From the lighthouse observation tower we saw this alligator in the water below.

The day had been hot, not as many birds as the day before. A thunderstorm had rumbled by. As the sun began to go down, we headed back to the hotel, tired but happy.

Sunday, we returned home--about a 12 hour drive.