Day 27 on Captiva

This morning we went to Bailey Homestead Preserve to check out  Shipley Trail and more. To learn more about this homestead read this link.  We arrived about 9:30 and was greeted in the parking lot by a gathering of cattle egrets and ibis feeding under the trees.

 

 

Spotted a Phoebe near the manmade lake by the entrance.

 

There was also an alligator sunning on an island in the lake. I first thought it was a log.

 

We saw many beautiful wildflowers on the trail.

 

At the reservoir ponds there were many anhinga sunning, several cormorants feeding, many snowy egrets,  brown pelicans, great blue herons, and more.  But no storks to be found like last year.

 

 

  

 

And Al was pointing the way to Pond Apple Trail.

 

After our hike,  we had brunch at Jerry's Café which was not busy...we walked right in to a booth.  Al ordered eggs, sausage patties, hash browns, and rye toast. I opted for  lunch of seafood salad on lettuce and tomatoes with red pepper strips, cucumber slices, egg, and fruit.  We shopped for coffee, wine, sandwich meat and a few other items. 

We spent the rest of afternoon at the beach....was quiet day at the beach ....nice and breezy and  warm.  We saw a pod of dolphins swim by....saw at least 6 or 8. 

 

Dinner tonight at 5:30 at Lazy Flamingo....just in time to get seats at the bar.   Started with fresh oysters on the half shell.  Al ordered fried shrimp with fries and I ordered half Caesar salad with grilled mesquite grouper and garlic bread. And of course we shared our dinners.