The water birds were strangely absent from Hillsborough River State Park this weekend. Usually we see at least one or two egrets or ibis. Mike saw a kingfisher while I was taking pictures of cypress knees.

We took the three mile Florida Trail this time, which succeeded in distancing us from the crowds. We saw and heard several pileated woodpeckers, and something large enough to have been a deer bolted near by, though we never got a good look at it. A group of volunteers was repairing one of the bridges on the far side of the trail. I would not have enjoyed carrying those support beams all the way out there.

The air plants are blooming now

I thought it was a stick in the road at first, but instead it was an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, my first encounter with a poisonous snake in the wild. I was very happy to be in the pickup and not outside. It took its time crossing, unconcerned that a large vehicle was approaching, very unlike the black racers which quickly dart away.