Yesterday, my friend from Massachusetts and I walked through the Red Bug Slough Preserve. Since this park is near my home, it is a favorite of mine. This 72-acre preserve has several miles of hiking trails to walk and spend time with each other and with nature. We were even lucky enough to see an otter in the pond. Once inside the park, it is hard to image that this area is completely surrounded by development. It truly is a haven.
The Red Bug Slough (slow) is a water channel that flows from Phillippi Creak down to Beneva Ave., about 1.5 miles. Historically this was a series of marches connected only during heavy rainfall, but it has since been deepened and the water now flows year-round.
The Slouch is a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. There are alligators, river otters, freshwater turtles, and a variety of waterfowl. We saw egrets and ducks. Overhead birds of prey glided on the air thermals.
There are live oak, laurel oak and water oak, though I am not adept at identifying each. The closed canopy from these trees is ideal for the plants and animals that prefer the shade cover. There are reports of raccoons and blue jays, but we saw neither.
We did encounter several dogs out for a walk with their masters. The stopped for a scratch and sniff, and then continued on.
After our visit at the preserve we went to Turtle Beach. The sand is not as softer there as as Siesta Key, but it is not as crowded. I was surprised to see how much winter erosion there was. The beach was not very wide and there was a steep drop to the water’s edge.
We walked south for about a mile. One Sandhill Crane stood immobile. It watched me as a walked close to it, but did not move. Most of the shore fisherman had a disappointing catch.
On our return trip, we walked past the entrance to the beach. I just did not recognize the walkway to the parking lot because of the beach’s changed appearance. After about a quarter of a mile, we turned around. Prior to leaving the beach, my friend sat and enjoyed the Gulf view.
In all, visiting Red Bug Slough and Turtle Beach was a wonderful way to spend a morning in sunny Sarasota.
