FLORIDA: A Day in the Dry Tortugas

Following breakfast we ventured to Loggerhead Key as the sun rose over Fort Jefferson (above).

Dropping anchor on the lee side of this elongated coral island we took the zodiac (above) onto the island dodging the coral reefs along the way.

A Ghost Crab (above) was the first to greet us followed by a bathing Cattle Egret that proceeded to act like a Reddish Egret as it left the water!

We walked our way all around the island (above) on this lovely morning but sadly the strong southerly 15 to 20 knot winds had sent most of the birds northward. There were only a handful of warblers, a Palm, Blackpoll, Yellow and a few Common Yellowthroat and American Redstart. Our only kingbird was a Gray.

All the three Yellow-billed Cuckoos that we found were hunkered down, and the two Peregrines (above) and a Merlin, who prey heavily upon these birds, probably wondered where they all were.

By early afternoon we were back on Garden Key. We soon found that most of yesterdays species were still around, though there seemed to be fewer thrushes and warblers. The Yellow-billed Cuckoos were flittering about the buttonwoods as a Merlin kept a watchful eye on the situation.

Ron and Katharine choose to go snorkeling for an hour, while those that choose to relax in the shade at the fountain (above) were treated to an uncommon visitor to the island, a Warbling Vireo.

We scanned the noddy colony, both on the North Coaling Docks (above) and Bush Key, for a Black Noddy but this year seemed to be one of the few years that one has not been located one.

The campground was alive with Ovenbirds, Tennessee, American Redstarts, Worm-eating and Black-throated Blue Warbler (above).

We made several runs in the zodiac along Bush and Long Key (above), so that the whole group had a chance to witness the seabird colonies up close.

The Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns (above) would fly out from the low vegetation that covered Bush Key and drop down to the water level where they cruised slowly along and scooped up a drink of water. Rising up they would pause and shake any excess water off their feathers and resume their flight.

Dutch negotiated the coral beds and shallow water with precision encountering a pair of 8 foot Nurse Sharks in the process. Scores of Magnificent Frigatebirds hung in the air above their colony on Long Key (above). There was even a Brown Booby that was being chased by a frigatebird who hoped to harass the booby to the point of giving up its meal. A few young fluffy all white chicks could be seen standing on their exposed flimsy stick nests. Those on the second ride got to see a male in flight with his inflated red gular pouch.

Nancy, John and Art joined me for a walk around the moat at Fort Jefferson after dark. With our torches in hand, we spotlighted a wide variety of corals and sea creatures. The expected Keel-tailed Needlefish, Mangrove Snapper, Conchs, Upside-down and Mangrove Jellyfish, Sea Cucumbers, Sea and Long-spined Urchins were all seen in numbers along with a few Sea Anemone.

What makes the moat walk most fascinating is that one never knows what else we might encounter, and on this evening for an hour there was plenty to keep us enthralled. A juvenile Cushion Sea Star, which is green color, lay on a concrete platform on the ocean side of the moat. Our first Caribbean Reef Squid was a small one of about 2 inches, which we were in awe with, but two 6 inch ones, which are transparent with an unusual barred stripe down the back of the body and flashing golden eyes, were stunning. The Spiny Lobsters ranged in size up to at least 2 feet with two fighting over a territory! One of the two Brittle Stars that we saw was very cooperative and did not make a hasty retreat. There were several very thin Ribbon Worms that must have been well over 2 feet in length. As for fish, a few small Barracuda took refuge in the moat amongst the eel grass, while Beau Gregories hung out near the wall. The prize for prettiest certainly went to the black and yellow striped French Angel.