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Thursday, April 29, 2010

The natural wonderland that is Palm Beach County.

We would like to tell you about a couple of amazing places that offer us the pleasure of being out doors and very close to nature. They provide for ample recreational walking plus numerous opportunities for our hobbies of photography and art.

The name Wakodahatchee is derived from the Seminole Indian language and translates as "created waters."
The Wakodahatchee Wetlands is fifty-six  acres of previously unused land that have been transformed into a vibrant wetlands ecosystem. Its is 30 miles south of us via Florida's Turnpike.


Every day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department's Southern Region Water Management Reclamations Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of highly treated water into the Wakodatcchee Wetlands. By acting as a natural filter for the nutrients that remain, the wetlands work to
cleanse the water for further use.  The water is evaporated into the clouds, falls as rain to be used again or its seeps through the ground into the aquifer system to be pumped up and into homes, business, etc. for washing, cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, etc.

This project has enhanced the 56 acres of ponds into a thriving wetlands habitat which attracts an abundance of wildlife including turtles, frogs, otters, rabbits, alligators, and a great variety of birds.

A three-quarter mile boardwalk winds through the wetlands ponds enabling visitors to read signs explaining what the visitors are seeing and to take photographs.

Join us on a walk through "Wako!"



Big Albert!!!










A male Red Wing Black Bird







   












                                                                                                          A Great Blue Heron......




Nature photographers come to Wakodahatchee from miles around !



                                                                                      A Great Blue Heron landing in a tree                   





A Giant Blue flying away!



A turtle and a Purple Gallinule



A mother Moorhen and her newly hatched babies




A Black Bellied Whistling Duck


Visitors, like my brother, Richard .........



Connie on the boardwalk, seeking the perfect picture...... 


Connie spots a crow and a baby Blue Heron........




                                             A Little Green Heron pokes holes in her eggs.

                                            we now leave, because there is more to explore.......



A few miles east of The Wakodahatchee Wetlands one finds.....



 

Green Cay Wetlands Nature Center is Palm Beach County's newest nature center that overlooks 100 acres of constructed wetland and provides educational opportunities about this unique habitat. Green Cay features 1.5 miles of elevated boardwalk featuring informative signs about the habitat. The Nature Center includes a lecture hall, a gift shop, and live animals in a exhibit room.

Join us for a tour of  Green Cay.......................














The nature center at Green Cay






Mrs. Mallard and her nine chicks.....




Mr. Coot.....


Connie on the Green Cay Boardwalk.......



A Roseate Spoonbill  and a female Red Wing Black Bird......



  
A Black-winged Stilt





 


A Blue Heron says, bye, bye!!!

We hope you enjoyed these tours of Wakodahatchee and Green Cay.....e
We have more to show and tell, but that is it for today......

Connie and John

PS, photos taken by both Connie and John







2 comments:

FOODalogue said...

You could have stopped by for coffee! What great photos and information about the various species.

Connie & John Kearns said...

Next time we will give you a call...We promise!