Tidal marshes are some of the most diverse ecosystems I've had the pleasure of exploring. You've got all of your grasses, reeds, and shrubs of course, not to mention any wildflowers you might find in the right season. And then the fauna: millions of insects, spiders, and other bugs constantly zoom around you, carrying on their own simple lives. Crabs and snails and all sorts of fish swim in the pools, ponds, lakes and waterways. And the birds, oh the birds! Storkes, herons, ducks, little field sparrows, swallows and many, many more I can't name. No wonder the tidal marshes near Sea Rim State Park are set aside as a National Wildlife Refuge! There are enough birds nesting in the reeds, only to pop out for a moment before diving back in, to fulfill any bird watcher's dream list. Have I mentioned the alligators that roam the park, or the wild hogs that go snuffling, snorting and splashing through the shallows, or how about the otters that make their home among the warm brackish waters near the coast? It's a nature lover's paradise and a refuge for everyone, not just those who call it home but for those who are just passing through as well.
Leave me a comment and tell me if you've ever explored tidal marshes. What did you think?
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