The Wandering Disciple

An elevated boardwalk winds through a strand of cypress as you embark on a walk in woods at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The 2-1/4 mile boardwalk traverses several ecosystems including the largest bald cypress forest in North America. Keep your eyes open along the way to try and spot the hundreds of native wildlife that call the sanctuary home.  The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,450 acre sanctuary that preserves critical habitats near the western edge of the Everglades. It is a gateway site on the Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail and is home to some vulnerable species of animals like the Florida Panther and Wood Storks as well as rare plants like the Ghost Orchid.  Taken: October 17, 2010 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Naples, FL)

A wooden boardwalk winds through the Corkscrew Swamp taking visitors on a walk in the wilds of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.  The boardwalk provides a glimpse into life in the 13,000 square foot sanctuary which contains one of the largest strands of Bald Cypress remaining. On your stroll down the almost two mile boardwalk you will be able to see the plants and animals that call the sanctuary home.  The vast sanctuary is home to the endangered Florida Panther, black bears, American Alligators and a wide variety of birds.  (Photo: November 7, 2015)

The greens of the autumn forest get a pop of color thanks to a pair of colorful birds grabbing a bite to eat at the Audubon bird feeder at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. This feeder is a popular place to see the colorful Painted Bunting. Here the Painted Bunting shares the fever with a bright red Northern Cardinal. (Photo: November 29, 2019)

A red-shouldered hawk snacks on a snake found along the boardwalk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The red-shouldered hawk is one of 224 species of hawks in the Accipitridae family. Found throughout Florida, the hawk also can be found throughout the eastern United States as well as in California as well. To help it pursue prey, the red-shouldered hawk features a rudder-like tail that helps turn quickly in flight to help it capture fast moving prey. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

A big frog looks up from the waters of the Corkscrew Swamp Santucary.  The sanctuary operated by the Audubon Society is home to over 13,000 acres of pristine wilderness and abundant wildlife.  (Photo: October 17, 2010)

While much of the nation is seeing bright colorful fall leaves, a look at thermometer in Southwest Florida makes you think its July not November. But if you look closely you can see signs that Fall has arrived even if the temperatures don't reflect it. (Photo: November 7, 2015)

Naples, Florida: Over the past couple weeks, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has posted some phenomenal wildlife photos on their Facebook page. Watching these photos made me want to go back and revisit the swamp so we decided to take the trek out to their boardwalk in eastern Collier County. The park was hosting a Photo Safari over the weekend so what better time to go and enjoy a walk in the wilderness while taking photos of what we encounter. Our last trip back in 2010 provided a bunch of great photos so I was hoping that today would be no different. During our exploration of the wilderness, we came across quite a few species including: Anhinga  Black Racer  Black Vulture  Cottonmouth Snake  Green Tree Frog  Gulf Fritillary butterfly Little Blue Heron  Northern Cardinal  Squirrel  Racoon  Red Shouldered Hawk  White Tail Deer  White Peacock butterfly  Wood Stork  We also had a chance to see the rar...

A swamp lilly rises from the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in eastern Collier County. The 13,000 acre sanctuary is home to the largest strand of Bald Cypress in the country. You can take a hike thought the sanctuary's diverse ecosystems on a 2.25 mile raised boardwalk. (Photo: November 17, 2010)

The boardwalk winds through the wilderness at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The boardwalk is almost two miles in length and passes through five distinct ecosystems, giving hikers an up-close look at the wildlife that lives there. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

A little blue heron searches for food in the Lettuce Lake at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The Audubon sanctuary in eastern Collier County features a 2 1/4 mile boardwalk that takes visitors through 6 distinct ecosystems. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

A Red Shouldered Hawk sits quietly as it searches for prey at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Run by the Audubon Society, the Corkscrew Swamp is a vital ecosystem for many native plants and animals. Visitors can get up close and personal with the wildlife through a raised boardwalk trail that traverses the park’s many distinct ecosystems. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

A butterfly takes a break in the brush along the boardwalk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Located in eastern Collier county, the 17 square mile sanctuary is home to many native birds and animals. Visitors get get close to nature on the over two mile raised boardwalk which traverses through many diverse ecosystems. (Photo: October 17, 2010)

Naples, Florida: Just a few miles east of I-75 in eastern Collier County lies a hidden gem on the edge of the Big Cypress Swamp. One of the last remaining strands of Bald and Pond Cypress in existence, the 10,000 acres of the Corkscrew Swamp are home to over 200 species of birds and wildlife. During the early 1900’s the Big Cypress Swamp was in its prime. The swamp stretched for over 5,000 square miles and was home to thick forests of cypress trees. The Bald Cypress were Florida’s version of the California Redwood, they grew to over 130 feet tall and towered over the swamp. Many species of wildlife resided within the canopy of the cypress, resulting in a very diverse population. By 1912, the National Audubon Society had wardens stationed within the Corkscrew Swamp to monitor the wildlife and most importantly protect the wading birds nests. During this time, it was common for a warden to record bird populations in the hundreds during a tour. The numbers continued to grow thanks the gre...