Flamingo #2

I've always prided myself on being a lifelong learner.  I have enjoyed my first two days here and knowledge has been gained.  I now know that Manatees live up to sixty years.  Vultures poop and pee on themselves to protect against foreign bacteria in carrion. Sawfish have a chainsaw like appendage used to dig out and chop up food found under the bottom sand. Mosquitos can detect me at great distances before moving in for the kill (Only the female bites). Nature is diverse and fascinating!

My appreciation has been sharpened by several ranger talks. This morning we spent an hour observing over fifteen kinds of shore birds diving and swooping and just resting on the mud flats at low tide.  Osprey and vultures circle and dive in their aerial duels. In addition to this I get to breathe fresh air blowing off the sparkling waters of Florida Bay and feel a soothing warm breeze on my face.  Ahhhhh!

That was this morning.  Now there is a cold front blowing through and it is raining and blowing outside. We are hunkered down for the afternoon here on Bounder reading and relaxing.  This is the view from my front window:

The good news it is seventy and raining and not cold and snowing like the northeast. I'll take It!