Castaway Island

When we were getting Mom's car fixed the other day, we drove past a park called Castaway Island, on the Intracoastal Waterway. It looked pretty interesting, and I loved the name -- very "Gilligan's Island" -- so Mom and I returned there yesterday morning.

The park's main feature is a nature trail and boardwalk that leads through the woods above and over the marshy waterway. We started along the trail, where we saw...

...a white peacock butterfly.

And then the trail abruptly ended at a "caution" ribbon, blocking any further progress. A very tan workman wandered up carrying two bottles of water, and I asked what was going on. Turns out there were tree crews taking down about 30 dead trees along the path, so the nature trail and boardwalk were closed for the day!

I couldn't believe our bad luck.

We went back to the parking lot, and walked out on a little dock over the water. We watched the fiddler crabs zipping in and out of their muddy holes, and around some obvious Fourth of July detritus.

I had heard that roseate spoonbills frequented the park, so I'd been hoping to see some. With the boardwalk closed that possibility seemed remote. And then...

...one flew right overhead, as if on cue! He made a wide circle around the parking area, and -- unlike the last time I saw flying spoonbills -- I had my camera ready and was able to get a few shots.

So at least the day wasn't a total loss! I'd still like to go back when the boardwalk isn't closed, but we left feeling like we'd seen some interesting sights.