Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (Homosassa Springs FL)

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is a rehabilitation center for injured and orphaned West Indian manatees until they are returned to the wild. The park’s centerpiece is a first-magnitude freshwater spring, which produces millions of gallons of crystal-clear water each hour with the spring outflow creating the Homosassa River. Visitors a given a rare opportunity to observe Florida’s native wildlife in a natural setting and can stroll along the paved trails and boardwalks to see manatees and alligators, black bear and bobcats, and tiny Key deer and otters at close range. Many birds species, from colorful wood ducks and roseate spoonbills to majestic birds of prey and whooping cranes also inhabit the park.  For a birdwatcher, this state park is a dream come true!

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

You start out taking a pontoon boat down the river to the park.

The park is surrounded by the river, so you take this

boardwalk to the different areas.

The very rare Whooping Crane

Sandhill Crane

BIRDS OF PREY

There are two beautiful bald eagles in the park.

This is a Crested Caracaras, a member of the falcon family.
(I like his toupee!)

HAWKS

Red-Tailed Hawk

Barred Owls

Horned Owls

Osprey

FLAMINGOS

Little Night Heron

Roseate Spoonbill

White Pelican

(Life is GOOD if you are a bird living in the park!)

Beautiful Flowers

 Key Deer

 

This hippo is the park's oldest resident. The park used to

be an exotic animal farm. When the State of Florida bought it,

they only wanted native animals. But, "Lou" was so

popular, so he was allowed to stay.

 MANATEES (there were a LOT of them)

 

This manatee was huge!

Common, but cute!

REPTILE HOUSE

This thing was so small - the size of a golf ball.

Alligators

 Beautiful, clear spring

 A man and  his 2 friends enjoying the river

 Beautiful, endangered Florida Panther
(there were a  couple of them there)

 Red Wolves (also endangered)

(Smaller than the gray wolf, but bigger than a coyote)

 A very large retired circus bear

Bobcat

 A little fox

 Lots of Herons and Egrets

 

 Pair of Wood Storks

Anhinga

 Brown Pelicans nesting

Beautiful Wood Duck

 Wood Duck and his Wife

He was never far from his wife

River Otter out for his morning swim

Then a little roll in the dirt

Many, many varities of fish.

(Click on the play button (bottom left) to play videos.)

Whooping Crane making his famous whooping call

The underwater viewing area - LOTS of fish swimming in circles!