5-1-16 --- Sunset at Green Cay:

I've been curious about going to Green Cay for sunset, but the sign at the entrance always scared me.  It said open from sunrise until sunset and there were gates.  Didn't want to be there and have the gates locked.  But I kept seeing pictures from sunset that other people took, so I concocted a plan----Ken would go, too, and wait for me outside the gates.  So we went to dinner out that direction, then headed to Green Cay.  Got there about 2 hours early, so Ken decided to walk around the boardwalks with me.  At one point, we asked someone about the gates locking at sunset.  He assured us that we will be able to leave, just noone will be able to enter.  So Ken lived dangerously and stayed for sunset, too.
The boardwalk entrance.

Since I was planning to take sunset pictures, I had my wide angle lens today.

I was surprised how much water was gone!  Usually a lot of the greens are in water.

 this is the berm that was above water, now there's a lot more above water.

 First we did the mile long boardwalk.  This is looking back towards the entrance.

 some of the pretty wild flowers. 

one of the pavilions along the boardwalk.  

The pavilion use to be over water.

This use to be mostly water all the way to the entrance building.

 We heard that the water was low at Wakodahatchee (a couple miles away) because of a bird nest built in the flood zone.  I wonder about that now after seeing how low Green Cay has gotten, too.  We've also heard the excess water is being sold to golf courses.  We haven't had rain in a while and it's beginning to show.

another view of the dried up water way.

At least there were a few areas that still have water.

 another pavilion in the forested area.

some more pretty wild flowers.

I still enjoyed the walk.  There's still a lot to look at.

here a turtle and a tri-colored heron are eyeing each other.

 this use to be one big lake, too.

This dead tree is usually in water.

 The almost dry waterbed made for an interesting turtle trail.

some moorhens wandering around in the mud.

creative moorhen foot prints.

more of the board walk.

and more wild flowers.

the east end of the boardwalk.

 it was getting late enough we started hearing lots of frogs, but didn't see any. 

 There aren't too many birds here anymore.  They all seem to like Wakodahatchee better, but there were quite a few green herons here.  This was the 4th or 5th one I saw.

Then this one flew in.

after doing the mile loop, we still had quite awhile before sunset, so ended up doing about half of the half mile loop, too (up to where it meets the boardwalk we already did).

 another berm and lots of greenery where the water use to be.

 heading back to the entrance.

 one of the diving birds that entertained us while we waited for sunset. (Royal tern)

back to the main entrance.

 looking east from the patio in back of the main entrance building.

a purple gullinule decided to join us for awhile.

The sun peaking over the main entrance building.

 one of the birds diving for dinner.

a Royal tern getting ready to dive 

not the most spectacular of sunsets, but somewhere different for a change.

even saw "Crooked Jaw" while watching sunset.  Apparently he's had the crooked jaw for quite some time, but it doesn't seem to affect it's eating.  He's a big gator.  Noone seems to know how he injured his jaw but it's been that way for years.

one last picture.

and we're out of there.  Didn't even have to spend the night!  The auto gate opened to let us out.