We headed south to Jelks preserve a few days before Christmas with new camera bags to try out. Mike was just getting over a bad cold, so we took a shorter loop than we normally would. There are several shortcut trails crossing the main loop around the 614 acres. One edge of the park borders the Myakka River. The parking lot is in a more arid, open area, but as you get closer to the river and the trees get thicker, the blankets of epiphytes on the trees tint the entire canopy pink.

sori on underside of resurrection fern

Quill-leaf and air plants, Mike’s, as are the rest in this post

Deadly poisonous rosary pea

It had been cold recently, and the armadillos were out. One of them squeeked at us and scampered off.

Across the river a spunky kingfisher landed on a dead palm, although still quite far away