Savannah to Orlando

    The second day of our trip began with a visit to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. We pulled of at a trailhead along an embankment, but as soon as we stepped out of the car low growls came from the vegetation and the kids freaked out. At least two alligators were down in the reeds and it seemed that our presence was unwanted. 

The calm before a storm

    We took the hint and moved on to another trail. This time we saw lots of great wading birds and ducks, including two Mottled Ducks. They were species #500 and it couldn’t have been any more lackluster. Try imagine a female mallard with a yellower bill and that is what a Mottled Duck looks like. All of these great southern birds that I’ll be chasing and that was my milestone bird. Oh well. On to #501!

Some old building... Notice body language, post storm

We entered the city of Savannah for lunch and to do some tourist stuff. It was a really pretty city and the giant Live Oaks with Spanish Moss made the streets look great. Definitely felt like an old city. We ate at a seafood restaurant overlooking the riverfront. The kids were great and the wine served in plastic cups made for a good laugh. 

Tag around a Saw Palmetto

The rest of the day was spent in the car getting to Orlando. It was an easy ride and we only had to stop once to let the kids stretch their legs. The villa we rented is really nice and the pond outside is even fenced to keep the alligators away. Gotta love Florida!  The villa has two bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen and a living area.  We don't think we'll ever be able to stay in a single hotel room again.