Some of the largest deer I have ever seen in Florida were spooked the other day, and ran down the edge of the Silver River, at the convergence where the Silver empties into the Ocklawaha River. I heard some noise coming from the bank, looked over, and there they were, a buck and two does apparently running for their lives. I don’t know what spooked them, but it sure was a sight to see.
The Rhesus Monkeys along the Silver River have been putting on a show here lately. We spent around 15 minutes watching them jump from one side of the River to the other. On a different trip, we were entertained by some monkey rivalry. The bigger monkey was intent on shaking the smaller one off of the tree limb, using all of his antics, jumping up and down, hooting and hollering at him, and finally knocking the smaller monkey into the drink!
On the Ocklawaha the other day, we were thrilled to see a huge Bald Eagle.It must have had a 5-6 foot wing span. Large schools of Mullet were jumping out of the water….watch out, one might decide to take a ride in your boat!
Due to high waters from the recent rains, logs that had been previously banked are now floating in the Silver and Ocklawaha Rivers. No Wake Zones are for a reason! Also, keep an eye out for snags on the Rivers that are constantly on the move in this ever changing environment.
See you on the River!
The birds are in such abundance on the Silver River that the numbers are countless. The Black-crowned Night Heron is a rare sighting, and we saw several on one trip last week. Also putting in an appearance were several male and female Wood Ducks, Pileated Woodpeckers, King Fishers, Limpkins, and of course, the Herons. The Cormorants are continuing to build their nests in the trees near the Springs.
The Rhesus Monkeys were out and about. By the way, we just found out the monkey leading them on a merry chase in the St. Pete area probably originated from the Silver River. Have Banana…will travel!
Lots of life in the water…a Cottonmouth, Nile Perch and Mullet were easily seen. The just hatched baby Gators are about 6 inches long.
For navigation purposes there are no snags on the Silver River at this time.
See you on the River!
Due to the recent deluge of rain, the majority of the dock at the Ray Wayside Park/Ocala Boat Basin is under water. The Silver and Ocklawaha Rivers are out of their banks, and there’s a good bit of floating debris that can be a hazard in navigation. Use extreme caution if attempting to access these waterways for the next several days.
Ocala has had one of it’s coldest winters on record. Finally spring is in the air, and the wildlife on the Silver River are ready.
As you travel down the River, you will see an abundance of new life all along the way. Lots of alligators, baby gators, river otters, and much more. The trees are greening up, and a trip down the river will reveal something new each time.
Cormorants are nesting near the Springs. Traveling down the Silver River you will come upon a grouping of 20 or so trees that the Cormorants are nesting in now. They have taking a liking here over the years. They are now showing off their nest building and mating rituals. and soon there will be several dozen nests in this area of trees.
See you on the River!
The season is changing on the Silver River, fall is giving us some beautiful weather. Day temps are in the 80’s, with the overnights in the 50’s.
On a recent trip down the Silver River, the gators seemed to be scarce. Well, they were just hanging out, down on the bottom, trying to stay warm. An interesting site to see, them resting just under you as you boat over them. Oh…by the way….GO GATORS! The monkeys didn’t seem to care about the change in temps, we spotted several different troops jumping from tree to tree. A Bald Eagle flying over us was an added bonus for the day.
Remember to time your trips to leave a little earlier. The shortening daylight can catch you by suprise.
Take the time to visit the Silver River State Park while you are in the Ocala/Marion County area. Please check with them for fees and operating hours, in paticular for the Museum. A great place to share with your children, with a walking trail down to the River. My mother and I had a deer run past us as we walked the path to the Silver River on our last visit there. So many have told us that they had no knowledge about it, that we want to share this special place with our readers. Just another of the many opportunities in Marion County to enjoy nature.
If you get the chance to visit the Silver or Ocklawaha Rivers, come back to our site and post a comment with us. We will be glad to share with our readers your experiences along the Rivers.
Silver River Tour News | Captain Nick | 
April 19, 2010 10:49 am | 
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