A large alligator lurked around the fishing dock off of Hwy 441 at Paynes Prairie State Park while a fisherman lost a channel catfish when we visited in October.

primrose willow

limpkin

The road to the La Chua parking area is lined with beautiful arching oaks. The site was previously the largest cattle ranch in Spanish Florida. Organized cattle ranching on the prairie began in the 1600s, using cracker cattle, descended from Andalusian cattle brought from Spain in the 1500s. The state park manages a small heard to preserve the breed.

There were more apple shells here than anywhere we’ve ever seen together. Noisy limpkins were still searching for more.