Arrival at Myakka River State Park

Yesterday’s drive took us from O’Leno State Park, just north of Gainesville, to Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota.  It was a fairly easy 215 miles, with a stop to restock the groceries.

This is our third trip to Myakka River. The facilities aren’t as new and fancy as at some parks, but the campground itself (Big Flats) is under large live oaks, hung with Spanish moss, but still managing to maintain an open feeling. It’s an easy walk from our site to the side of the upper lake, which in the past has been a great spot for bird-watching.

We took a walk up there in late afternoon, after setting up, and it appears that April is not as good a time for the birds as the usual February.  We did see a number of small shore birds which we will attempt to identify with the scope, as well as an ibis, some cormorants, and both great and snowy egrets. 

The temperature has been in the upper 80’s, with a high of 90 in early afternoon.  Our site has shade, and there was a good breeze moving across the Flats, so it was comfortable sitting outside until late into the evening.  Ranger seems much more relaxed here than at O’Leno, where he trembled much of the time and tried to stay inside the RV; he must have been sensing the presence of thunderstorms somewhere nearby, though we did not actually have any rain while camping there.  (That makes a record TWO DAYS  in a row without rain for this trip!)