Monday, April 8, 2019

John Pennekamp Coral Reek State Park, Key Largo


Hello, Happy Monday

I am close to ending my posting on our Florida trip. On this day we drove the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. Hubby enjoys snorkeling and we thought this would be a place for him to snorkel from the beach. We were wrong, you have to go out on one of their boats tours to see the good stuff. Hubby has been spoiled from his snorkeling in Grand Cayman, Hawaii, Belize and some other places we visited. 

My photos show the beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. There were not a lot of birds around, we did see a Great Blue Heron and some kind of Sandpiper. There were a lot of Palm Warblers around too. The no-see-ums were biting us to the point we could not enjoy the park. We did not stay long at this park. 




I am guessing a Solitary Sandpiper, please let me know if I am wrong. 



We saw a few of the Eurasian Collared Doves.


If you plan in advance, this park has boat trips for snorkeling and glass bottom boat rides. They also have kayaks for rent. There is a visitor center with a  30,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. 


Can you find the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.





Before we left we took a walk on the trail, I saw a Sapsucker sharing a tree with a lizard and more Palm Warblers. 


The trail was rocky and had lots of tree roots, we had to watch our step. 





These Palm Warblers were in the trees and on the ground. I guess the bugs were plentiful. 



We did not stay long in this park, we left and drove to the Everglades National Park. I will share the Everglades another post  for my last report on our Florida, 2019 trip.

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!




Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

54 comments:

  1. Hello,

    Wonderful images from your trip to Florida. It looks wonderful to be there.
    Happy Monday!

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  2. Uma foto mais linda do que a outra! Sempre me encanto aqui. Mostras a natureza de forma brilhante! beijos, chica

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  3. ...a beautiful start to my day, thanks.

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  4. Stunning pics.
    Have a nice week ahead.

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  5. Love the Sapsucker! How funny...nice to see it.
    Have a good week ahead!

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  6. That’s quite calm beach to spent time in private and watching birds and I could see the woodpecker pierced the tree a lot. Lovely photos!

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  7. I did not see the sapsucker until I read the words, focused on the reptile. lol... it is a beautiful park and best of all I see NO PEOPLE

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  8. Lovely photos, especially the beautiful beach. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Sure looks like a solitary sandpiper to me!

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  10. LOL It's FLORIDA!!! The bugs are ALWAYS plentiful!!!

    Beautiful photos. That water looks PERFECT for kayaking.

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  11. The lizard is fascinating. We only have snakes here and garter at that.

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  12. How disappointing that you have to take a boat out to snorkel the reef. I've heard about this park, and wouldn't have known that.

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  13. I know those bugs can be bad at the beach. I've not experienced them and hope I never do! Love that pretty dove, makes me wonder if we have them here too. And we are seeing the Palm Warblers now at our feeders! Enjoy your day sweet lady!

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  14. It's too bad snorkeling was very off shore, Eileen, and needed advanced reservations. The Keys really don;t have much of a beach area. We always liked Key West, but more for the fishing and the good food!
    One nice thing about Colorado isthat there aren't many flies or mosquitos here.

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  15. Beautiful photos, Eileen. Seeing is a lizard is different, I haven't seen one in years.
    Have a great day and week.

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  16. Hi Eileen, A good Monday morning to you. Sure enjoying all your photos from your Florida trip. I have to wonder here ... did the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker know the lizard was coming around the tree? :-) Thank you, as always, for sharing. I so admire all your travels and all the pictures you share. A happy day to you! Take care! John

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  17. Absolutely stunning of creatures Eileen.

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  18. I enjoyed seeing your fabulous photographs.

    All the best Jan

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  19. My heart beat a little faster reading the title - I do love John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Beautiful photos as usual Eileen. Have a blessed day!

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  20. Some very lovely scenes you took from the beach Eileen. It's too bad about the noseeums driving you away. Have an awesome week ahead. xx

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  21. That was a real treat. What wonderful photos.

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  22. Such a beautiful spot and I love all of your photos!

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  23. As much as I enjoy your bird photos, you just showed me something new here, the sapsucker.

    Worth a Thousand Words

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  24. A place I would love to go to and am taking a note of this state park. We really need to make another trip down to Florida and your photos are great. They make me want to pack my bags right now. Thanks Eileen, have a great week ahead.

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  25. There is nothing worse than being attacked by bugs when you are trying to enjoy a hike! You still got some good pics, Eileen!

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  26. For a short walk you sure got some terrific shots. I always that the dove was a Mourning Dove.

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  27. I am going to miss seeing posts from Florida, but I know you will find lots to post. I had not thought about the no see 'ums in ages...

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  28. Except for the bugs, that looks like a great park to visit.... One year we were at Sunset Beach in North Carolina --and the no-seeems were HORRIBLE. Obviously we didn't stay long that day...

    Love seeing the Sapsucker --trying to hide from you!!!!!! ha

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  29. Amazing lizard in a wonderful paradise looking place. I do see that sap sucker. I think you got a spotted sandpiper don't see any spots on the back it seems to me the spotted should be called the Solitary and the Solitary should be the spotted! Did you notice tail pumping action that would be a deciding factor. I look forward to your everglades post I really loved my visit there. SO Much to see.

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  30. Eileen - ah, the no-see-um. The bane of nature lovers everywhere! Sounds like this was a little disappointing with the bugs and the lack of snorkeling … but I'm glad to see the warblers and the sapsuckers! Thanks for linking up to Mosaic Monday!

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  31. I've only been to Florida once, many year ago. We rented an airplane and flew to the Everglades National Park. They had a trail from the runway to the park headquarters where we signed up for a boat tour. I remember it being very humid and buggy, but very interesting. - Margy

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  32. Too bad about the biting bugs, but you sure saw a lot of interesting birds!

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  33. i have enjoyed florida through your photographs, i will be sad to see it end. i have been snorkeling several times and i really enjoyed it!! sorry that your husband missed out, you will have to remember that for next time!!!

    today's images are really pretty, everything is so bright, blue and beautiful!!

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  34. What a shame about the mozzies cutting short your visit. I like the no-see-ums - LoL. I think it is a Solitary Sandpiper but not 100% sure.You have had a wonderful trip to Florida and worked up a whole series of memories and of course lots of wonderful photos. Have a lovely day Eileen.

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  35. The everglades are fascinating. Your photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing about your visit.

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  36. What a great stroll this was for me, you find the best places to roam! I shall be posting here this coming Saturday, because it's my weekend to be off! Take care enjoy your day.

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  37. Oh I hate those noseeums! But you got some decent birds in spite of those nasty creatures. I do see the sapsucker. ...and great photos. I am going to read thru the comments but I assume you were right about the solitary!

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  38. The lizard is quite a sight to see.

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  39. Those blue skies and that water take my breath away! Wow -- it must have been hard to leave. And I'm with you on the little gnats -- noseums. I sometimes deal with them at the lake or at the ditch -- never fun!

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  40. So lovely, Eileen. Such a different environment than where we live. Our pastor and his wife are in Pensacola this week enjoying some of Florida's weather and teaching some classes.

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  41. the sandpiper posed nicly for you :) Great shot! I like the rocky trail. Even if it is hard to walk :)

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  42. Hi Eileen!!! Very nice collage and images. Greetings ..

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  43. Beautiful Eileen ~ favorite is the sweet dove ^_^

    Happy Days to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  44. Interesting shots.
    I loved playing with Salamanders when I was a kid----but not anymore.
    MB

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  45. Me gustán todas Eileen. Pero más la cuarta. Cielo y tierra están en perfecta armonía.
    Te deseo un buen jueves.
    Un abrazo.

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  46. Beautiful pictures. I was going to,ask,if this was the park with glass bottomed boats. Many, many years ago Mom, her sister and I went for a ride on one of those boats.

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  47. Boa noite, voltei pra avisar que acaba de entrar teu céu por lá! Obrigadão! Lindo domingo! bjs, chica

    https://ceuepalavras.blogspot.com/2019/08/ceus-da-gracita-e-eillen.html

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  48. Eileen, vm avisar que entrou uma foto tua lá! beijos, chica e obrigadão!

    https://fincandoraizes.blogspot.com/2021/06/companhia.html

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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