January 18, 2024
We rode up to Inverness for some errands and lunch. We decided to stop at the Cooter Pond Park, a local city park.
It is a beautiful park with a boardwalk on the edge of Cooter Pond. Cooter Pond is named after the Cooter turtle that lives in it.
There was wildlife in the pond even though it was cool and windy. I enjoyed seeing the baby alligators at a safe distance from above. They were right near the boardwalk. The Cooter turtles were busy swimming and we could see their heads sticking up above the water. We had never seen Common Gallinules before. (We first thought they might be a type of duck, but could see their feet weren’t webbed.)
We saw this water vehicle, which we think was a ferry, beside the bank of the pond.
The park has free public parking, but be careful you don’t park in the sheriff’s office parking lot.
Across from the park is the historic part of Inverness.
As the day was getting colder, we decided to ride straight home instead of exploring more.
Blackberry Homestead 
Such lovely turtles! I never saw a bird quite like that one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We had never seen a bird like that one either. They were swimming around like ducks, which was why we were so surprised to see they didn’t have webbed feet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if the ducks pick on them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m guessing they hang out with the other shore birds and turn their beaks up at the ducks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like a great place for a wander
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was. I enjoyed seeing the different animals.
LikeLiked by 1 person