Lake Kissimmee State Park

Just a short drive north of the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve sits our new home for the next few days, Kissimmee State Park. The park is close to Orlando and will give us a short drive to visit with famil over the weekend. It is a nice park and we would come back for a visit in the future. The only draw back is the park is remote.

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

I would have never guessed that there was a prairie in the center of Florida, but there is. Because many of the parks are booked up this time of year we are in the equestrian portion of the campground and for me, this is dreamy. And it is the nicer of the two campgrounds in my opinion with larger sites and 50 amp services and a view of the horses in the paddock across the center divide. A new set of hay-burners and no roaring at night here. Blue has already enjoyed several walks and I have added two new birds to my life list, the Crested Caracara and Burrowing Owl, the Red-Shoulder is not a new species for me but still a delight to see so close.

Sunday morning we will take a ride on the prairie buggy and with luck, I could add a third. I enjoyed the birding and watching the horses on the prairie adding several new species to my bird checklist, among the previously mentioned I now can include the Swallow Tailed Kite and the endangered Grasshopper Sparrow. We also followed a Barred Owl around the campground our last evening trying to get a picture with no luck. In Kissimmee I hope to include the Snail Kite while we are here, this Kite is another endangered species.

Last safari

Well yesterday we took our last safari ride through the park, with the evening light, it was beautiful. Gary got up close with Bob, the Giraffe, I had a last close encounter with the big cats and we woke at 4 am to the roar we have listened to for the last 3 days. Not complaining at all, it was fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

Hwange

Found in western Zimbabwe the Hwange area hosts two of my favorites, the Zebra, not camera shy and the Giraffe with her baby born Jan 21st. Camels and White Rinos are also in this area and there are signs that remind everyone that the Rinos have the right of way. Who would need that reminder? As we traveling through the last area, we had the chance to watch the Chimps take their dinner. Poor swimmers they are confined by water, so the ranger pitches food across the water to the Chimps. One chimp clapped as a companion chimp caught an apple while others waved at the ranger for their turn.

Gir Forest

India and the Asiatic region are represented here, with the Kulan, Nilgai, BlackBuck and the water Buffalo which have been widely domesticated and love the camera.

Serengeti

Waterbuck, Wildebeest, Watusi, Ostrich and Eland.

Ruaha Area

Impala, Aoudad, Impala, Nile Lechwe, Ostrich Greater Kudu, Rhea and Gemsbok were in this area of the park. The Rhea and Lama are actually from South America not Africa as my naming suggests.