The scene above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.A very large alligator was observed in my February 2010 visit which is a testament to the successful feeding it has on the birds and mammals that have been attracted to Wakodahatchee.
The gator was interesting to watch in its apparent stealth to take down a Green Heron while the bird was brazen on a patch of land it seemed very comfortable on.
The alligator above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.A juvenile alligator was observed during my February 2009 visit.
The five different habitats created on former agricultural land adjacent to the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility has resulted in excess of 150 bird species seen thus far by wildlife enthusiasts.
The Cattle Egret above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2009.The majority of the birds are migratory species that should not be expected to be seen year round or even at certain times.
Such an example is the Black-bellied Whistling Duck which I had the great fortune to see in my 2010 winter visit to Wakodahatchee which was not seen in 2009.
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.The 2010 sighting more than made up for it as the dozen or so ducks in the group that inexplicably took flight and strafed me for a memorable experience.
Between the two visits, there was a give and take with species seen.
The Double-crested Cormorant and juveniles above were photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.The very attractive Hooded Merganser was pleasantly seen in the same spot I had observed the species on both visits.
The male disappointingly did not show off his crest on my most recent visit.
The Hooded Merganser above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2009.The Wood Stork, a bird species of special concern, was observed at Wakodahatchee in 2010 with about a dozen solitary individuals seen along Alligator Alley on the way back home to Florida's west coast.
Courtship behavior of the Great Blue Heron was not observed in 2010 as it had been in 2009.
The Wood Stork above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.There were a number of nests observed that had Anhinga and Double-crested Cormorant juveniles begging for food from their parents on both visits.
This venue is very popular with visitors that are quite disruptive for wildlife photography when using a tripod as the boardwalk shudders with almost every step even from a great distance.
The wildlife enthusiast above was photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in February 2010.A similar must see venue within the Whistling-Duck and Wetlands Cluster of the Great Florida Birding Trail on a much larger scale is Green Cay Wetlands a short drive to the west.
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