Nature at its wildest

The J.N. `Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge is the top location in North America to see and photograph many species of waterbirds

Author: By Paul Drake, Globe Staff

Date: SUNDAY, November 15, 1998

Page: M1

Section: Travel

First the spoonbills look to the left, then right, slowly turning their heads like an attentive tennis spectator or an observant photographer. But it's food they're after, and they look long and hard, methodically giving the patient row of a dozen photographers plenty of time to make warm images into the early morning light as the fog slowly lifts.

Spoonbills feed by swinging their heads through the water. When a special nerve ending in the beak senses the presence of food, either by movement, vibration, or contact, the beak closes instantly. The diet of shrimp, crustaceans, and plankton gives the roseate spoonbill its distinctive and vibrant pink color, just the way you would turn orange if you only ate carrots. On this morning, low tide coincided with sunrise for ideal viewing conditions with a rich, clear blue sky.

Though Ding Darling Refuge is 7,000 acres, it's only five miles along the Wildlife Drive, which veers right off of the main road to Captiva. The refuge is in a huge mangrove forest and is wild jungle, with more than 250 species of birds including osprey, red-shouldered hawks, snowy egrets, double-crested cormorants, brown pelicans, great blue herons, and mangrove cuckoos.

The mangrove trees are unique in their ability to thrive in salty water and hurricane weather. Some of those trees filter the salt from the water and others shed the salt through the leaves. The leaves eventually fall off and become food for the fish. Branches fall off, float downstream, and plant themselves miles from their origin. The roots of the mangroves look like a stick figure's legs and feet, forking down like a bird's claw. These roots provide protection for small fish when high tide brings in the bigger fish. The roots also help calm stormy waves, so sea captains seek mangrove coves during particularly rough weather.

With so many fish able to thrive in the mangroves, the place is packed with fish-eating birds and bird-eating alligators. It's so wild here but the birds seem to sense that it's a refuge and that they're protected, so most aren't too shy.

If you're energetic, try walking along the Indigo Trail. My patient wife and I trekked the length, some 2 1/2 miles, finding peace and solitude while seeing only four people even on a perfect Sunday morning at low tide. The trail begins with a sandbar near where the cars park along the side of the dirt road. We soon spotted a lone anhinga, black with starkly contrasting silver white stripes on the wings, and a yellow beak. It was standing serenely at the water's edge, 2 1/2 feet high, watching the tranquil setting and occasionally preening its wings. I thought this might be a nice foreground subject for my wide lens (35-mm), with the curving estuaries and green vegetation for background. Eventually, I was amazed to fill the frame with the wild, long-necked bird only three feet away, unconcerned with me in this safe sanctuary. Eventually it dived into the water and swam away, under the surface, before its neck and head rose up 30 seconds later like a submarine's periscope.

We then walked past most people to view an area where ibises feed on crabs and fish. Two wood storks danced and threatened each other before breaking off and settling down some 50 feet apart, within easy range of my ready camera. The wood stork is the only stork variety in North America, and, to us, seemed funny-looking.

After we walked for about five more minutes, we noticed a great egret, about 3 1/2 feet tall, walking in our direction while munching every few feet on whatever insect or lizard it found. The great egret is starkly white with a bright yellow beak, pretty green surrounding yellow eyes, and an impossibly narrow and curved neck. He shook his neck and trembled before snapping his beak forward like a cobra and expertly grabbing another lizard, which would wiggle for a second or two before being flipped down the egret's throat. By this time, the bird's head was filling my viewfinder only six feet away, the Indigo Trail having provided us with a quiet intimacy away from cars and other people. Farther down the path past many ibises, egrets, and two spoonbills, a loud male cardinal shrieked and screamed its place in the branches 10 feet up in the branch. A bright beam of sunlight occasionally lit up the head, allowing for a dramatic slide exposure with bright red in front of shadows.

Repeated visits are sure to provide surprises to the dedicated birder. One afternoon, I met the refuge's lone crocodile, a female affectionately named Clementine by the volunteer staff. Another afternoon visit brought us to within 15 feet of a red-shouldered hawk, perched at eye level, and close to a colorful brown pelican with a seven-foot wingspan, bobbing up and down with the wind while resting, perched on a tree branch. With bird photography, patience is necessary for rewards. Our last day, we watched as a friendly, curious cattle egret followed his favorite people around at the visitors' center. ``He's adopted us,'' a man said. ``He's been following us for more than an hour.'' Seeing a cattle egret is listed in the refuge's bird guide as an uncommon occurrence.

The refuge was named after J. N. ``Ding'' Darling, a two-time Pulitzer prize winning cartoonist at the Des Moines Register who specialized in environmentally sensitive, satirical commentary. He wintered on neighboring Captiva Island and was later asked to head the US Biological Survey (eventually re-named US Fish and Wildlife Service) by President Franklin Roosevelt, whose ``uncle'' Teddy had visited Sanibel. Darling established the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and initiated the Federal Duck Stamp Program, which uses hunting stamp proceeds to purchase additional wetlands for waterfowl habitat.

He's been called the best friend ducks ever had, for establishing a network of game refuges throughout the country.

After a visit to the refuge, you'll find empty beaches only five minutes away, and many good restaurants dot the road. We had an especially good lunch of fresh oysters, grouper sandwiches, and key lime pie at the nearby Lazy Flamingo restaurant. Or try poolside food and drink at Thistle Lodge on West Gulf Drive before using access to the bright white, shelled beach 200 feet from the pool. There are good shopping opportunities at the Sanibel outlet stores just off of the island, and luxury resorts cater to some of the rich and famous, including Tom Cruise.

But back in Fort Myers there was baseball to watch -- spring training, where hope and optimism are rampant. The Red Sox play in a cute ballpark before dedicated crowds of 6,500, while the poorer Twins play in an even more intimate setting before 1,000 fans. The Twins game we went to cost us $4 each and allowed us close access to the Twins' batting practice on a secondary field in front of the watchful but friendly Twins skipper, Tom Kelly, who talked freely to the fans.