South Florida

Heading south toward Miami.  First, a fine sunrise at Flagler Beach.

Stopped in Everglades NP to check out the Anhinga trail, a boardwalk through wetlands with abundant wildlife.  Apparently the vultures are causing problems in the car park...they like to peck away at rubber moldings on vehicles.

And here's one of the vultures in person!

Gator sloatin' out in Everglades NP.

A green heron in the Glades.  These guys are often hard to spot...not sure I'd seen one in the wild before.

Bluejay.  On the west coast we have Steller's jays and scrub jays, but not true bluejays.

Mangrove maze.

For a westerner it's odd to see a "pass" at an elevation of 3 feet.  I've marveled at this sign for about 30 years.

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens have all sorts of exotic plants.

Abstract tropical leaf.

The gardens specialize in orchids.

Fine leaf patterns.

A blue morpho butterfly at the gardens.  It's native to Costa Rica.  There is an exhibit where you can watch these insects emerge from their chrysalis.

These are also blue morphos, with their wings closed.  Much more drab, except for the huge spot that looks like an eye.  From a distance they look like fish on land.  The gardens put out watermelons and bananas for them to feed on.