Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
I slothed through Fort Meijers and did my best to dissect Florida traffic and traffic infrastructure to the Ding Darling National Wildlife refuge. Somehow, 867 spit me onto 865 and I first ended up on Estero Island. I could see the bridge to Sanibel Island from there and soon found the $6 toll station to enter the island. Already, irritated from the drive, I wasn’t real happy to have to pay to get onto the island. I forked over another $5 at the wildlife refuge because the place was set up for motor tourist rather than hikers.
After touring the visitor center, I ate PB&J for lunch and started the loop drive. I stopped often to take pictures, see birds, and look across water. I spotted several birds. One of the first flocks I spotted I assumed were flamingos based on their pink feathers but later realized that I’d seen rosette spoonbills instead. I saw great white heron, great white egrets, pelicans, anhinga, and several more. I hiked some of the Indigo trail. What I saw of the Indigo trail didn’t impress. Much of it was surrounded by trees with few openings to the water.
I also hiked the Wulfert Keys Trail. I spotted something brown in the water and quickly identified it as an American River Otter before it dived. I followed it and every time it came up it looked my way. Seeing me, it quickly submerged again and again until it finally disappeared under some Red Mangroves. I saw my first Gumbo-limbo tree of the trip on the Shell Mount Trail. It surprised me that it is native since the smooth, red bark looks so exotic. I didn’t see any shell mounds on the trail. After that trail, I spotted an alligator information sign and almost didn’t get out. I pulled myself out of the car anyway because I’d yet to see an alligator this trip. Sure enough, a small alligator head lay floating just above the water waiting… I photographed it and left Sanibel Island.
Ding Darling NWR Gallery
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR
Ding Darling NWR