A Morning at the Refuge

Recently, Friends members Ann and Ron Kamzelski visited the Lower Suwannee Refuge. Ann sends this report and all the gorgeous photos.

With the “stay at home” orders and concerns about the virus, I realized that I had spent over 4 weeks on Cedar Key without leaving the island.  It was time.  However, I didn’t want to go shopping, I just wanted to get out.  I had heard that the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge was one of the places that was still open to the public.  So, I got my husband Ron to be my chauffeur and headed off to the Refuge with my cameras.

refuge pond with birds

way down along the Suwannee River

We decided to stop at the Shell Mound on the way.  When we got there, it was packed with cars, trucks and boat trailers.  Not a parking spot to be had.  We did an immediate U-turn and headed to the quiet of the loop road.

another refuge pond

big boy

I had a project that I was working on for a friend and needed to get some landscape images.  I wanted to portray the feeling you get when you visit our wonderful area.  There are several different terrains in the Refuge from pine forests, to tidal creeks, cypress swamps, and the Suwannee River itself.

tidal creek on the refuge

My focus was not on wildlife this trip, but wildlife “happens” when you take this drive.  There were lots of turtles and baby gators in the ditches along the road.  Dragonflies by the hundreds buzzed around the truck.  A great egret flew down the road in front of us for about a half mile.  We saw two piliated woodpeckers and I found a five-stripped skink.  There was a racoon meandering through the cypress trees. Some of the bigger ponds along the road had larger alligators in them.  One even lifted his head and smiled at me when I took his picture.  Another pond had one each of a great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, little blue heron and tricolored heron.  Oh, and there were lots of different flowers to be seen on the roadsides too.

alligator with reflection

We drove slowly along the loop road stopping here and there so I could take photographs.  We went to the McCormick Creek launch area because I love the way the road just nose-dives right into the water at the end.   I think we saw three cars the whole trip. Then we went to the headquarters area and walked the trail to the Suwannee River.  We sat on the bench overlooking the river and just enjoyed the peace.

along the Nature Loop Drive

McCormick Creek launch road

I came home with a whole bunch of photographs to sort through.  It was a delightful morning spent in a perfect location.  I am so glad that we have this place and that it is still open for us to visit.

tree with vine

dixie iris

five-lined skink

turtles