March 6, 2014. Four Deer, Seven Turkeys, Twelve Pigs and one Turtle.

Today's forecast called for heavy rain, thunder, lightening and damaging winds. Fortunately, all we got here at a Myakka was rain, a few claps of thunder, and a bolt or two of lightening. It was a great day for reading and napping. I did both. But, the best part of the day was early evening when the park is closed to day traffic and the animals came out to play. 

                                   

                                     There is a pig in the middle of this picture

For days,I had been looking for wildlife other than birds and gators which abound in this park and tonight I was in luck. I got on my bike and started driving on the main park road. First of all, I spotted four deer grazing on the side of the road. As I pedaled slowly and quietly along, seven turkeys crossed the road in front of me. They were sauntering slowly until they spotted me and then they quickly strutted off into the woods, their long gobbler necks leading the way. The animal I was really hoping to see appeared next....big, black pigs...twelve of them so close to me that I startled them when I stopped suddenly to dig my phone out of my pocket so that I could get a picture. I should have put it on video mode, complete with sound because they seemed to warn each other of my presence by loud snorting and grunting. Sadly, they hurriedly trotted off into the woods as I snapped a shot of their disappearing behinds. It was kinda dark so the group shot didn't turn out to be very clear. The turtle picture is very clear.