Spotting the seabirds 
The closest big island -- Otsena Oti, sometimes known as Atsena Oti -- is not part of the wildlife refuge system. It was the site of a town which a hurricane wiped out in the late 1800s, and home to a factory that made pencils from the plentiful cedars on the island. It was the town where the train line ended.
Otsena Oti is off-limits, for all practical purposes. Privately owned, it has been subdivided for development. Remnants of the lost city dot the shore -- pieces of metal, pottery, bricks with their manufacturers' names rendered almost illegible by the unceasing surf.
But the birds come. Roseate spoonbills, great blue herons, ibis and shore birds of all types. High above, magnificent frigate birds soar, reluctant to light because their short legs make take-offs difficult. Pelicans float on the surface, and stingrays glide silently beneath it. Dolphins follow boats, surfacing and diving in a gentle rolling rhythm.
Seahorse Key, within sight of Cedar Key, claims title as the Southeast's largest water bird rookery. It is also home to a University of Florida marine research station. A lighthouse, built in the 1850s, juts above the tops of thick trees on the Keys' highest point. Birds chase waves along the shore while pelicans and double-breasted cormorants -- their wings spread to dry after a fishing swim in the Gulf -- dot the trees.
Tours regularly run to Seahorse. A sunset tour is especially scenic. Other smaller islands are well within reach in a rented boat.
Intro | In and around Cedar Key
The natural beauty of northern Florida
Also:
A Cedar Key Sampling
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