# Out in the Everglades



## cdmay (Nov 20, 2013)

Daybreak winter 2010. 





Dwarf cypress in winter with moon in the background





Looking at the moon from inside a cypress dome in winter.





Dormant dwarf cypress in winter. These trees are likely hundreds of years old.





Sleeping cypress. Winter 2010. You can see cypress domes in the distant background.





In the winter there is still activity. The Florida chicken turtle is often found in winter and they reportedly nest down here in winter too.
This adult female was photographed as found.





She wasn't too happy about being photographed!





Her striped pants






Another female chicken turtle found cruising the shallows of a cypress dome pond. Winter 2010.





Yet another one. This girl had wandered out on the road one morning...presumably after nesting.





Florida snapping turtle from inside a cypress dome, miles from anywhere. Notice the neck tubercles that this race is known for.





Juvenile Florida snapper out on the road one evening.





Blond phase striped mud turtle one rainy night. March 2009.





Another blond phase striped mud turtle out on the road at night. When there are especially wet nights, these turtles wander about until about 2:00 AM.





One more, you can tell how much rain there is on the road from this shot.





One night I found this old male Florida mud turtle that only had one eye. At first I assumed it was just another very old striped mud turtle but after posting this photo elsewhere somebody pointed out that my I.D. was wrong. Happens to everyone from time to time.





From this photo you can clearly see his narrow bridge, something Florida mud turtles are noted for. There was a line of trucks coming down the road so I just snapped these photos and released him way down near the waters edge. I wish now that I had taken better shots of him.






On another rainy night this crayfish wanted a hug...










Liguus faciatus tree snails. Summer.












Burmese pythons are all over the place in the Everglades National Park (ENP) now. Despite the ridiculous stories often told on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, they did NOT arrive here like Dorothy and Toto in The Wizard of Oz during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. In fact they have been found in the ENP on a regular basis since the mid 1980s.
This is a neonate out on the road. October 2007.





Various other pythons...


























Native orchid. These are everywhere and seemingly on every cypress tree more than seeding sized.





Tillandsia bromeliads of numerous species are also extremely common.











Inside a cypress dome pond. These places retain water longer than most other places in the everglades and so are important refuges for many species of plant and animals.





This is the 'N' cypress tree that many of us have admired for decades. It is hundreds of years old. There is some debate about whether its shape is a result of hurricanes or native Americans.





In the wet summer season...





In the winter dormant time...





Young male box turtle found in a tree island June 2008.





My friend John Brekken with a nice male Florida softshell turtle found inside a small dome pond three miles off the Main Park Road. The mosquito netting and full coverage is needed during the wet season.





Last shot. Giant thunderhead at dusk at the very end of the Florida mainland.


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## AZtortMom (Nov 20, 2013)

Great pics! Thank you for sharing [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]


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## kathyth (Nov 20, 2013)

I have been to the Everglades and they are cool but your pictures are some of the coolest things I have ever seen of them!
Great turtles and other creatures!
Thanks for sharing!


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## wellington (Nov 20, 2013)

Wow, such beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing them. What a great place to spend a day enjoying nature.


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## Moozillion (Nov 20, 2013)

WOW!!! Fabulous photos!!! Thanks so much!!!


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Nov 20, 2013)

Thank you cdmay! I totally enjoyed my trip to the Everglades, albeit vicariously, but happily, via your awesome photography! Loved my little vacation! Beautiful! : )


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## Tom (Nov 20, 2013)

I enjoyed that CDM. Thank you.


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## diamondbp (Nov 20, 2013)

We need more post like these. Nothing can take the place of beautiful Herps in nature (minus the invasive pythons)


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## mike taylor (Nov 20, 2013)

I loved Florida when I was out there. Would be the only other place than Texas that I would ever live . The wild life there is amazing . Thanks for posting your pictures.


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## Anthony P (Nov 20, 2013)

Wonderful photos. It was great to see the reticularia, especially attractive baurii, steindachneri, and the former osceola in nature. Those are not species you see very often in field herping photos. I would love to herp the everglades. My wife knows it is one of my dreams.

Awesome stuff!


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## AnnV (Nov 21, 2013)

OMG Awesome photo journey! Thank you so much for taking the time to post those incredible pictures!!!
Moving to Florida some day, and I am making a beeline to see the Everglades!!!


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## Kapidolo Farms (Nov 21, 2013)

Hey Carl, that cypress looks like a Salvador Dali picture painted into your photo. Lots of great images, put a bonus in yourself from TFO.


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