Gladeswader: Kissimmee Prairie revisited

Christmas Eve, I returned to KPPSP to camp. I came in Saturday afternoon and left on Monday morning. the following are a fraction of what I saw and photographed. I found out that during the winter months they have swamp buggy tours of the Preserve. These tours take two and half hours and seem to run all over the place. An illusion to be sure as the park has 100 miles of trails.

Coming into the park the cute burros I saw last time were nowhere to be seen. Nearby there was an old home now blocked by Sabal palms. Once these old hand made buildings disappear there won't be anymore. This being the prairie and no pines in sight, I suspect the house may have been built with cypress. The area has been ranched and then bombed as part of the Avon Park bombing range so who knows when anyone last lived here. The local housing now appears to be modular or mobile homes in the area. Even the larger homes appear to be manufactured. Near the house was this long horned cow, keeping an eye out while her calf nurses. It's hard to tell what breeds these cattle are, they have to be tough to handle the heat and the bugs. She was tucked up near the old house with her calf. Her calf is fawn colored so she was probably bred to a Charolais or Simmental bull for a heavier calf. Near this house stands a tall three-legged tower with a platform, I presume that at one time it held a water tank for the house.

Further up the road, I spotted this Loggerhead shrike on a post.
The Audubon's Crested Caracara was in a nearby
tree both waiting for a meal to appear.

Further into the park is this head of Sabal palms, a pair of Red-shouldered hawks live here, often seen hunting along the dirt Peavine Trail that leads into the park. On top of the outermost three tall palms on the left, you can see a hawk. The mate is in another Sabal in the middle front out of sight.

The Peavine Trail turns west and heads for the campgrounds and Park office. The campground is in the trees on the horizon. One day I rode the bike out here, the distances between places are deceiving. Luckily I had the wind at my back heading back to camp.

Simpson'sZephyr lily

The prairie south and east of the campground had been burned about a week before and the Zephyr lilies were in bloom. The Rudbeckia or Blackeyed Susan below is on the north side of the road which was probably burned some months ago.

Sundown in the upper photo looking to the east from camp. This land is flatter than water. It's amazing. I think most changes in elevation were made by man to move water, or collect water for cattle. It is a wet prairie in the rainy season and the roads can become impassable mud pits in areas.