St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St. Marks, FL

While traveling, I am always on the lookout for a National Wildlife Refuge.  Searching for one nearby by, I found info on

So this morning we drove the 65 miles south to this refuge on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. There are 75 miles of trails winding through diverse habitats.  We walked two trails each about a mile.

After visiting the Visitors Center and looking at the displays we drove the 8 miles through the refuge toward the Gulf to see the historic St. Marks Lighthouse

Over time minor and major storms have struck this section of the coast severely damaging or destroying the keepers home but the tower continues to stand almost 200 years later.  The lighthouse will be open to the public once this building is repaired from the damages of time, termites, age and weather.

On our walks and the drive we saw, among others:

Greater Scaup

Common Gallinule

Double Crested Cormornant

Little Blue Herons

Young nesting Eagle

Heron

Great White Heron

Peligans

We ate the lunch I packed at the refuges picnic area.  These beggars came for handouts.  I did not use the zoom on the camera to take their pictures.  They actually came this close.

Well yea, they got some of our lunch.  I suppose they knew from experience this would happen.

Aside from winged wildlife there were also these:

Until next time.....