Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Audubon Center

My brother and sister-in-law visited me last weekend at my new home away from home for 16 weeks in Ft. Myers, FL.  Just after I arrived here a viral video from a woman who visited the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary surfaced of a Florida Panther running past her on the boardwalk.  Prior to the video it had already been added to my list of places to check out while I am here but my brother wanted to see it too so Saturday morning, off we went!  There were no panther sightings but it was still a very beautiful place to visit.

The sanctuary is located in Naples, about 45 minutes from where I am staying but it is a nice, easy drive to get out there.  The park is home to many birds and wildlife and has a 2.25 mile boardwalk pathway around it so you can explore without harming the environment.  There are lots of extra little extensions to look out into lakes where we searched for alligators or to a clearer pathway where we watched two kite birds sail through the sky at high speed and swoop around the sky above us.  We sat on benches and listened to the sounds of wildlife around us from birds calling to the rustle of crawfish burying in the mud below us.  We saw a hawk perched on a branch, an alligator gliding through the water, little tree frogs sitting on greenery in the water, and a barred owl sleeping on a tree branch.  It's a very serene place that attracts lots of wildlife and if you are patient and observant you will really enjoy your time there like we did.