It is time for a wildlife drive through wetlands.  We spot many of the usual suspects; lots of great blue herons, anhinga, coots and moorhens plus a nice sampling of raptors and ducks and even a few warblers.   An eagle poses regally and a typically illusive limpkin strolls up the roadside.  We are along a lakeshore in central Florida so of course there are alligators.

This lake and its shoreline wetlands are part of a long-running experiment to restore a lake literally poisoned by agricultural pesticide and fertilizer pollution.  For over 20 years now water has been cycled out of the lake into the wetlands and back to allow vegetation to filter heavy phosphorus pollution from the water.  Water quality has improved from “toxic to nearly all wildlife” to “suitable for most bird species”.  Progress to be sure, but lots more work to do.  What a mess.  Here is hoping we have learned to avoid polluting like this rather than betting that nature can clean it back up.