Paynes Prairie is a series of ancient sinkholes which have formed into a lake with lots of wetlands. It is just south of Gainesville Florida. In the 1880s, flooded created a real lake. Since then it has receded to be shallow lake with wetlands. The wetlands are great habitat for Sandhill Cranes. They were quite noisy during my visit.
At several spots around the lake are observation towers or raised platforms. One was not accessible due to some flooding. The other two were available. One was behind the closed visitor center. It was three stories and where I took the Spanish moss photo above. The second was at the end of a mile and one half trail. I hiked out to that one but upon nearing the platform, an alligator lay in the trail. It was a raised trailbed with water on either side. I could see the platform just beyond the snoozing gator. It is fortunate I didn't arrive earlier and possibly get stuck on the other side. That could have been a very long Floridian standoff.
Anhinga in a tree. Birds were plentiful in the area. I spotted several long barreled camera lenses. All were gray or white headed. Several of the birds I saw were so close, the long lenses wouldn't have worked.
Dead end trail
Red Shouldered Hawk
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