Abounding wildlife on Sanibel Island

One of the consistent surprises of our recent trip to Fort Myers and Sanibel Island was sheer abundance of wildlife there. From dolphins cavorting outside our window to a personal meeting with a manatee, I’ve never had so many casual encounters with animals in such a short period of time.

We saw many birds during our stay, including this Snowy Egret at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to the excellent guided tour from Tarpon Bay Explorers, I now know that bird is easy to distinguish by its yellow feet. I thought it was kind to pose for a photo (though I do wish I’d managed to capture its entire reflection in that blue, blue water).

On Monday I’ll be sharing the story of our entire day on Sanibel Island, which include not only a trip to the wildlife refuge but some shelling on the beach and a visit to a hospital that rescues and cares for injured and sick wildlife. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Maybe get outside a little and see what you can find. You might be surprised!

For Photo Friday at Delicious Baby. Stop by there to see the other terrific travel photos.

Many thanks to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau for covering most of the costs of our trip and Tarpon Bay Explorers for the tour that let me photograph this bird.