After an early first breakfast on the boat, some of us sat out on the bow to see what we could see: Jane, Pat, Bill, Mary T, Jan and Annabel

Mary, standing at the starboard rail, somewhere between Key West and the Dry Tortugas

Jane, Pat, Bill Mary T, Jan, Annabel and Phoenix

Steve took some photos of the group.

Mary got out in front of everyone and took another group photo.

Annabel, Phoenix, Jan, Steve, Mary T, Bill, Pat, Wes (in back) and Jane, as we headed west toward the Dry Tortugas on the good ship Makai

Somewhere out in the middle of the Gulf, there were some rusty pipes sticking up out of the water that provided a resting place for several birds, like this adult female Magnificent Frigatebird.

First summer Laughing Gull with 3 adult female and one juvenile Magnificent Frigatebird on a pipe in the Gulf of Mexico

First year Brown Booby flying over the Gulf of Mexico

Juvenile Brown Booby

Juvenile Brown Booby in flight

Six juvenile Brown Boobies flying over the Gulf of Mexico

The juvenile Brown Boobies landed on the water, not far from our boat as we passed by.

Brown Boobies taking flight off the water

Juvenile Brown Boobies

Brown Boobies

Jan was the lookout as we approached Hospital Key, the first of the Dry Tortugas we saw.

Some of us were surprised the key was so small--and that there was so little protruding above sea level.

There were about 50 Masked Boobies on Hospital and one Brown Pelican...

...and a wind-blown Snowy Egret, juvenile Brown Booby, and a small shorebird.

Masked Boobies and a juvenile Brown Booby on Hospital Key in the Dry Tortugas

This photo shows two small shorebirds, one facing away in the middle, and one flying over the key in the middle right (you can see its shadow on the sand). Perhaps, someone will venture a guess at what they are....

Masked Booby in flight, Snowy Egret, shorebird, juvenile Brown Booby and other Masked Boobies on Hospital Key, Dry Tortugas

Masked Booby in flight

Is it a Laughing Gull?

Masked Boobies and Brown Pelican on Hospital Key

Masked Boobies

Masked Boobies and Brown Pelican

Masked Boobies and Brown Pelican

Mary, with Loggerhead Key lighthouse on the horizon

Jan, Bill, Wes, Mary T and Jane, on deck as we approached the Dry Tortugas

Jan was ready for any photo opportunity with two cameras.

Jan, photographing Ft Jefferson on Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas

Jan, on the bow of the Makai, with Ft Jefferson in the distance

Jan, juggling hat and cameras

Jan

Jan

First look at Ft Jefferson on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, FL, looking at the west side of the fort

Ft Jefferson

The dinghy was lowered to take us to the island.

Captain Joe and Amber watch as Erica takes off with the first group going to Garden Key: Phoenix, Jane, Bill, Wes and Steve

Captain Joe, Erica, Phoenix, Jane, Bill, Wes, Steve

First group in the dinghy to Garden Key with Loggerhead Key in the background

Wes in the foreground with our boat, the MV Makai, in the background

Bill, Erica, Jane, Phoenix and Wes on the dinghy, heading to Garden Key and Ft Jefferson

First dinghy-load unloading at the dock at Garden Key

Dozens of Magnificent Frigatebirds circling over Garden Key

Looking east of Garden Key, we could see Bush Key and Long Key, currently connected to Garden Key by a land bridge.

In the water off the pier, there were lots of small fish.

While we waited for the rest of our group, we walked south to the old loading dock and looked back to the north at the fort and the current pier where the Ft Jefferson ferry was docked.

There were several Ruddy Turnstones (Rusty Turnstiles, as Dave called them) combing the beach in their breeding plumage.

Juvenile Brown Pelican dries it wings

Royal Tern

Juvenile (first year) Brown Pelican

Adult Brown Noddy

Bill, Phoenix, Wes and Jane looked for birds while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

Brown Pelican

Double-crested Cormorant on one of the pilings

Back on the Makai, Captain Joe was getting the next group ready to go.

Pat, Erica, Dave and Jan were in that group with Mary L and Annabel, while Captain Joe looked on.

Captain Joe on the stern of the MV Makai with Ft Jefferson in the background

A look back at the MV (Motor Vessel) Makai

Mary, Pat, Dave, Annabel, Erica and Jan arriving at Garden Key

Dinghy group #2

Mary L, Annabel, Pat, Dave, Erica, Jan

And they see us

Brown Noddies on one of the rusty old loading dock pilings

Adult female Magnificent Frigatebird circling overhead

Mary L, coming ashore and documenting her trip

Jan

Mary L helping Jan adjust her camera backpack

Mary L and Jan making their way to the meet-up spot

An alternative means of transportation to the keys

Royal Tern

More soaring Magnificent Frigatebirds

Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies circling over nests at Bush Key

Female Magnificent Frigatebird

Laughing Gulls

Sooty Terns--dark above and white below

Sooty Terns

Peregrine Falcon on the radio tower at the fort--there seem to be some bird body parts stuck on the tower

Lou and Mary T and Erica and Amber came in on the last dinghy ride.

Wes greeted Mary T and Lou to Garden Key.

Office and changing rooms on the pier where the Ft Jefferson ferry was moored

First summer Laughing Gull in flight

Peregrine Falcon

Adult Laughing Gull

Adult Royal Tern

Erica and Amber brought a water cooler to a table near the beach and Bill, Dave, Annabel, Jan, Pat and Mary L gathered there.

After everyone had arrived from the boat, we all ventured into the interior of the fort. There we found clusters of Buttonwood trees. Among the trees in the SE corner of the yard, was a little fountain on the ground from which the birds could drink and it was surrounded by some benches for observers.

Lou, Dave, Wes, Bill, Mary T, Jane, Pat, Steve and Jan search for birds among the trees.

In the NE corner of the fort, scaffolding surrounded the old iron lighthouse as part of a stabilization project--the iron does not fare well in the sea air.

Cattle Egret in the fort's inner yard

Bark of the Buttonwood tree

Cannon on the top of the fort

Cattle Egret in breeding plumage

Several Cattle Egrets in the inner yard at the fort

More Buttonwood tree bark

Cattle Egret at the little fountain, getting a drink

Female American Redstart flaring its tail

Female American Redstart

Female Indigo Bunting

Female Indigo Bunting

Male Indigo Bunting

Male Indigo Bunting

Female Black-and-white Warbler

Female American Redstart

Mary and Jan, near the "sally port," the entrance to the fort

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Male American Redstart

Male American Redstart at the fountain--or is that Terminator II?

Rear view of the male American Redstart

Male American Redstart over the fountain on the ground inside Ft Jefferson, Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, FL

Male American Redstart

Male American Redstart

Female American Redstart

Male Indigo Bunting

Male Indigo Bunting

Back outside, the Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns continued to circle over nests on Bush Key.

The builders of the fort allowed themselves some artistic expression along the top edge of the outer walls.

Terns and noddies over Bush Key

Female Magnificent Frigatebird

Barn Swallows flew along the grasses growing atop the fort walls in search of insects.

Barn Swallow

Back out at the dock, we saw more of the Ruddy Turnstones.

Erica (in back), Bill, Jane, Amber and Jan on the trip back to the Makai

Annabel, Bill, Jane and Amber

The lighthouse on Loggerhead Key

A look back at Ft Jefferson

Magnificent Frigatebirds over Long Key

Sarah prepared and presented a beautiful and tasty dinner, starting with this salad.

The main course for the evening was clams over pasta cooked with butter--yummy.

After dinner, Phoenix (and the rest of us) took in the sunset from the stern of the boat.

A look at Loggerhead Key at sunset

The sun fell into the clouds.

Mary said she thought it looked like the clouds were gobbling up the sun.

Loggerhead Key in the twilight--last shot of the day