Visiting Shark Valley

The Everglades National Park is one of my most favorite places in the whole country {In the Wintertime]. Never been here in summer but love it in the winter. It is so unique and different and the ecosystem so dependent on it's surroundings as other parks are too but not quite as sensitive as this one. Shark Valley is a small section of this vast national park with a lot of wildlife right along the walkway. We were surprised there were not more birds but did see my beautiful little purple gallinude. He is a cousin to the coot and common moorhen. pretty little thing with an array of colors; purple, blue, green, yellow and red! Lovely with a little tuft of white for his behind end! Our timing was good since we had pea soup fog in early morning hours and later in evening much needed rain again! What is not to like.  The drive down Monroe Station which is usually filled with wildlife still had some (last time  here we saw a wood stork with a frog hanging out of it’s mouth) but this time the road was one mass of huge potholes (they were so big they almost qualified as alligator holes). Ha!  Long, slow drive and would recommend not traveling after a heavy rainfall.  Next time we’ll check with rangers before heading down that road!