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Today is not one of your typical sunny Florida days here--in fact it is dark, dreary, and pouring. Don't get me wrong, we NEED the rain. So, being stuck inside, I decided to blog about one of the trips we took last month to
Corkscrew Swamp. I love Corkscrew Swamp. It has a 2.25 mile boardwalk which winds through a pine upland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest, and a marsh. Along the way you can spot wildlife and flowers. Corkscrew is also a huge Woodstork nesting area. The Woodstorks weren't back yet so we didn't see any of them. In fact there wasn't a lot of wildlife this time but it was still a beautiful walk.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryORAVadBiNDngZLI2Rt0mHqhB2Sd9woO96EnkhT5Soh2cA77zGTKbIR8-1Y8cpCkUOYIsM1mdzxo2exJuV9D-AKtydC4mCKrU5YlQ3HWVZ_uld3O-DWO1HF8KH_QyB2XIdftY7rS168/s400/Chuck.jpg)
A view of the boardwalk.
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There are many very old Bald Cypress along the way.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaO4YgdkrOyAz91v-T3svu0gWOueAXIkZU3QAnJKkvS9SEjFmiAhmUxdIpiPeg8qgncMlhyJhJowjW7nFNTtckWBmCGhlHzGQaiLiTSRqXWynf1Lp8tIOxZUhYlWMNH4NaO6WHmmpIZrg/s400/Bald+Cypress+sign.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTDLbDWdouaD7_pxQ-CidlRXnkg4cPRovFLE8AasgCDR2QZ6taT2zqrLfgvG_gYJfQfWJz3NOxQ-w8h92uy5m_6q8lv3loLgQfRz5au9L-db9NwIUz6RV2r8Kzmp_mMUzOTnRUcJ-AVM/s400/Bald+Cypress.jpg)
There are always lots of beautiful flowers along the way.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh5Fp7M-UwgIHPjTqZiQLPTqMN7qecZLlVOBTIaz6uP6rdPBIYW1E18wk0Erh0UPS3pewN2es4kTQx8DJIsxDnzTs6G2Sm39ZswowkU6M4Ow8fsTsHFCWwTTxzYsQy2iTHa5DoaxGuVQ/s400/Pink+Flower.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDi65AmaUuZiJGtSXiOgNWcyFQtnJ_JY-W4CESFhvuVcA3nWWZtKACk1ZcexWOjhmUVYpqwN504psXA2nbHjRcc7iMwehB740v5Gmjc8oQxlN9ogDKNl5MJpMalROiCMAnpjpBPzWUYk/s400/Flower.jpg)
The red lichens are kind of interesting.
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There are lots of bromiliads.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P0Nf4wmz_msVOz7HNE94Q5I84UNzaAZqTjQQMrSZQ0ZNcWKV2bu_JKhI1aer9pRgDSGaL5R1lNCZXmh6i73SpO2_SOK47o7Z1KKY6HcsyiXPs4B4wTjnaBwFTSBoJF407nF2DwfI1so/s400/Bromiliads.jpg)
We didn't see a lot of wildlife this trip but did spot an Egret and a Little Blue Heron. We did see a HUGE alligator but it was way back in the swamp and we couldn't get a good picture of it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yhmanJiuyCCa6UCWImprkLvmtnbPrflTIG-lkcSFrIOcxosylVXNfisbIcwFCD4zP4Bmjq83e5PXP8iU0h0H7eCAfQ3UOMAlvKHxHWa8W0Rw65_RC_IoYvZbYKnwLUk8XGuCSu8eIh8/s400/Little+Blue+Heron.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpI2pLBp7F5ug1EkTIP_Jz2qubceyfKYDf4QU9JacrPkGwSCt2CD8beKM8uFkIGdeWcdUwHG0eavsLhWTG1JJuY1uhHyIHc2JhuzlaIRdQWnr4_h08rzN_yRuW7kTcA_tuG2BW96dBgY/s400/Egret.jpg)
One of the most interesting plants down here is SW Florida is the
Strangler Fig. It starts it's life as a seed at the top of a tree. The roots grow downward toward the ground and then it twines around the host tree until it finally kills it. Some of them make beautiful patterns on the trees.
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Anyway, that was our walk through Corkscrew Swamp. Just looking at the pictures helped brighten up an otherwise really dreary day here.
2 comments:
I'm just glad there is no lightening today, the dog freaks out and is just pitiful.
Great pics, Strangler Figs are so fascinating, I did a post during the summer of one near me that has completely encased a palm tree.
I know we need the rain, but tonight's Christmas Boat Parade in Tampa was canceled and I was looking forward to it. Oh well, my plants are happy.
That is quite a beautiful hike you took (me on). Interesting plant life. Hard to imagine such an adventure in the middle of winter!
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