Blooms Among The Pines
(Gini and I have just returned from a week-long road trip to southwest Florida. We wanted a change of venue to celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary. Instead of exploring the familiar swamps near home, where else would a couple of native Floridian nature lovers go for such a momentous celebration than — bigger swamps? More to come. In the meantime, this post will be a description of our visit to a favorite forest area about five weeks ago.)
(Click images to enlarge, click again to zoom.)
We turned off the main road onto the access road which would take us through a couple of miles of pine, oak and scrub habitat to the entrance of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. The sun was rising and the moon was setting. Groups of noisy Florida Scrub Jays were foraging in the distance. A woodpecker had found the perfect pitch he had been seeking on a dead pine tree branch and was sending love notes to any female who might wish to respond. Spring was near.
The Lake Wales Ridge is a unique geological feature. It rose from ancient beach and dune systems that have stood above sea level for over a million years. The long, narrow ridge was uplifted about 300 feet above sea level and is one of the oldest natural scrub communities in Florida. The habitats of the Ridge can be relatively dry and almost desert-like. Many species of flora and fauna found on the ridge exist nowhere else in the world, making the scrub a unique and biologically important habitat.
We like it because it is beautiful and has few human visitors.
Nature, once again, goes by its own clock. “Official” Spring was still a few weeks away but birds were courting, flowers seemed to be blooming everywhere, pollinators were visiting the blooms and we just relaxed and enjoyed the spectacle.
Gini’s homemade blueberry bread sustained us through the morning. We discovered some new-to-us plants, enjoyed the high-pitched squeaks of Brown-headed Nuthatches high in the pines, distant booming calls of Barred Owls, animal tracks in the damp red clay of the forest road and each other’s company.
I’ll quit talking. Hope you enjoy a few images of things we found.
Netted Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata) is a member of the custard apple family and may not grow in many places outside Florida. It produces an edible fruit but we have never been able to beat the wildlife to it.
If you don’t know exactly when Spring begins in this area of central Florida, check your arms and face. If you find one of these lovely critters, congratulations! It’s Springtime! Deer Fly (Chrysops species). Oh, and smack it before it sucks any more of your blood.
Found only in three counties in central Florida, the Short-leaved Rosemary (Conradina brevifolia) has a very lovely flower.
As we were finishing breakfast by a small lake, a movement in a nearby long-leaf pine tree led us to a strikingly patterned male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. This species only visits during migration.
A member of the Aster family, the Coastal Plain Honeycombhead (Balduina angustifolia) is a prolific producer of bright yellow flowers. Too bad they couldn’t come up with a longer common name.
During our morning outing, we counted over a dozen Pileated Woodpeckers throughout the forest. Gini asked me if they resemble prehistoric Pterodactyls. You know, since I was around at the time.
There are 15 species of Crotalaria in Florida, but only three are native. One of those, Rabbitbells (Crotalaria rotundifolia), is fairly widespread, quite small and really lovely.
Running down a tree trunk like a Nuthatch, the small Black-and-White Warbler will soon wing its way northward to breed.
Some think the aroma of Sweetscent (Pluchea odorata) is quite pleasant. Perhaps they forget to add the rest of the sentence – “for a camphorweed”. I’ll forgive the plant its resemblance to the smell of mothballs since it produces such pretty pink flower clusters.
The very small blooms of Florida Toadflax (Nuttallanthus floridanus) can, like its cousin, N. canadensis, form blankets of lavender when massed in a field around this time of year. This one was all alone.
Pine Warbler plumage can vary from almost all gray to almost all bright yellow. This one was a nice balance of color. There were several gangs of the little bug eaters foraging among the tree canopies as they fuel up for migration. Some of this species will remain and breed in Florida.
Lupines were blooming in several spots this morning. Recently published research has defined three new Lupine species within Florida. Based on the kind help of botanists, these are probably Lupinus floridanus. No common name has yet been offered. For the really, really technically curious, here ya go: https://www.flawildflowers.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/04-PhytoN-UnifoliolateLupinus.pdf.
Plentiful and perpetually in motion, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen and heard every place we checked this morning. The species breeds in Florida but about a million of them will head north soon after Easter.
Massive thorny tangles are now sporting gorgeous white flowers and will soon produce dark sweet fruit for those willing to brave the plants’ defenses. These flowers belong to the Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus).
Northern Parula warblers migrate from our area during winter but are quick to return as the weather warms. Hard to believe a bird with so much color can blend in with the leaves so well.
Not nearly as plentiful as the Blackberry clan, Shiny Blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) is no slouch when it comes to attractive flowers. Branches supporting what look like miniature lanterns will soon have juicy treats for quick customers.
Also known as Rock Rose, the bright yellow of Pinebarren Frostweed (Crocanthemum corymbosum) dotted several areas of the forest. Hard to believe each bloom will drop all its petals after one day.
This very unique section of central Florida never fails to provide surprises each time we visit. Combined with the fact it is so very quiet and we seldom see any other humans makes it one of our very favorite places to explore.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!
Our Natural Places 
Happy anniversary Gini and Wally, and from what I can easily tell from your posts, some wonderful years together! I had to pat myself on my back – of all the new plant life you bring us, I think the Lupine is probably the first I’ve recognized. I’ve had some brief time with your Deer Flies and I will admit, they frighten me and that is before I saw your horrifying shots ha. We are currently trying our best to track down those Warblers. So far the Black and Whites have been fairly abundant here in Texas as they are the early migrators along with the Hooded and even the Waterthrushes have come through, but still waiting for the rest to reach land from their trip across the gulf. Take care and congrats again.
LikeLike
Marrying Gini is by far my greatest accomplishment in life. Her remaining married to me is by far a testament to her patience and endurance.
We really enjoy sharing the Birds, Bugs and Blooms we find. The lovely Deer Fly – well, we’ll try to limit such beasties to sharing images only. Unless you’d like us to mail you a pair?
Best of luck with the migrants!
LikeLike
Happy Anniversary to you both! I know you love spending time together and it’s wonderful to enjoy so many of the same things…like homemade bread! I love the Sapsucker in flight and HATE the deer fly. They really are painful. My son told me to let them light and then swat them…instead of jumping up and down and trying to scare them off! haha! Enjoy your weekend!
LikeLike
Thank you, Diane.
Nature. I reckon we must learn to take the not-so-good along with all the rest of her beauty.
LikeLike
Congratulations on your anniversary. It’s clear you found a perfect way to celebrate one another, and the beauty of your state.
I was interested in your description of the ridge. It reminded me of the pimple mounds in places like Nash Prairie; it’s really something to see species so different from the surrounding grasses atop the mounds.
My favorite photo might be the pileated woodpecker, although I laughed at both the black-and-white warbler and the yellow-bellied sapsucker in flight.
I found some Texas toadflax last weekend (Nuttallanthus texanus); it’s interesting to see how it differs from your flowers. And I really was surprised to see your Pluchea odorata in bud already. I’ve yet to see any this year, but the little roaming I’ve done has been in areas it wouldn’t favor. Ours often appears at the edge of ponds or in ditches, and sometimes in standing water; it’s another ditch diamond!
As for that deer fly, it’s a fine photo of a despicable creature. I try to appreciate everything in nature, but I have my limits. I’ll take mosquitos, chiggers, fire ants, and the occasional bee sting over those little demons. It wasn’t much of a comfort to discover there are around a hundred species of them here.
LikeLike
We appreciate the congratulations. It has been, and continues to be, a fun ride.
I recently read a description of how I typically have taken photos of birds as just a “mug shot”. It’s the result of having been a bird watcher for so many years where I had no camera and was only interested in identifying a bird.
I’m trying to change, but you may have heard about old dogs. That nice big lens makes it tempting to fill the frame with a subject. Habitat and surrounding environment has only recently become more than an afterthought. Anyhow, happy to see at least one other likes that big bird in the forest pic.
Within the past couple of months, I discovered how to separate Nuttallanthus floridanus from its more abundant relative N. canadensis. Likewise, I have mis-identified Pluchea odorata as P. rosea in the past. As you describe, the one in the photo had its feet in the soft mud of a small pond’s bank.
As for the dear Deer Fly – simply check to see if it’s male or female and leave the poor males alone. Only the female bites.
What? How to check? The eyes have it. Close together = male. Separated = female. (As in the pic.) No, I am far too sensitive to post the autopsy pictures of today’s model.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful shots! Looks like a great trip. The details in that deer fly are amazing. I’ve never seen one that close up. I usually panic and swat them without barely looking at them. They are worse than mosquito bites. Congrats on your anniversary.
LikeLike
Thank you, Dina.
I used to take close-ups of squashed deer flies but they don’t look quite the same.
LikeLike
Congratulations for the long road walked together! 🥂
I like all the birds and flowers you shared. The Netted Pawpaw is my favourite.
All the best!
LikeLike
We have been very fortunate as we traveled that long road. Thank you so much.
The Pawpaw is quite unique. The flower petals feel like wax and the inside of the petals is a deep purple.
We hope your week is a good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, 56 years, what a mutual accomplishment. I take it you’re looking ahead 16 years to the next product of two consecutive integers.
In a state with the shape and orientation of Florida, it seems “southwest” could apply to the location of many places not near one another. Is there a region that people within the state generally accept as “southwest”?
I see the lanternness of the blueberry flowers you pointed out. Have you ever beaten other would-be eaters to some of the fruit?
The bright red of the woodpecker’s crest, though a tiny element in the photograph, is a real eye catcher.
Be thankful people haven’t added the English translation of angustifolia to the Balduina‘s common name to make “narrowleaf coastal plain honeycombhead.”
LikeLike
The key word in your first sentence is “mutual”.
Generally, the tourist industry (with whom I would never disagree), defines “Southwest Florida” as portion of the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico running from Tampa Bay to Everglades City and a parallel line about 50 miles inland. Indeed, that is the area we wandered around last week.
I’ve never found any of our wild blueberry species with fruit. Plenty of blackberries and their relatives have been consumed over many years.
I had several images of Pileated Woodpeckers from that trip made at fairly close range but decided to go with that distant shot to show its habitat. Its size and shape are quite distinct at any distance.
Our discovery of the change in Lupine species’ designations had me feeling relieved “they” haven’t yet sorted out common names. Makes life easier for this commoner.
LikeLike
Belated congratulations on your 56th, Gini and Wally – Lindsay and I are just two years behind you. Quite an achievement in this day and age!
Your Deerfly image is stunning, and I was also wowed by your Sapsucker and Woodpecker images. However, your flora images were rather more than the icing on the cake, especially when accompanied by your interesting notes.
I’m now looking forward to hearing about your adventures in the Everglades.
Best wishes to you both – take good care – – – Richard
LikeLike
Thank you, Richard. We are very much looking forward to the next 56!
I appreciate your kind remarks about the photographs. Deer Flies are very patient models, however, they demand payment in blood so I prefer flighty birds who work for chickenfeed. (Hmmm, that may be an American idiom. “Chickenfeed” means working for very little payment. Apologies if you already knew that.)
Swamp tales in the works.
In the meantime, Ginia and I are very well and hope the same may be said for you and Lindsay.
LikeLike
Happy Wedding Anniversary (albeit belated). And thank you (so much) for taking us on this totally delightful outing. I hope that not too much of your blood was sacrificed.
LikeLike
Thank you, EC, very much for visiting with us. Sharing our delightful outing somehow makes it better for us. You know, like sharing images of colorful balloons filling the air. 🙂
No worries about me losing blood. About 56 years ago, I discovered small beasties prefer Gini’s extremely sweet blood to my bitter stuff and I never go into the swamp without her by my side.
(Don’t tell her, but I really just sorta like her company.)
LikeLike
My blood tastes MUCH better than the smaller portion’s. He is quite open about using me as bait – though I hope he enjoys my company as much as you do sweet blooded Gini’s.
LikeLike
Your Ridge is such a unique location, and I’m so glad you shared it with us. What a celebration of spring! I’ve never heard of a custard-apple, so thanks for the education on that. And what a treat to find any kind of rosemary wild. Of course I was tickled to see a close cousin of our Texas Bluebonnets in your collection, but I think my favorites this time were your two shots of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. You’ve got very quick reflexes!
LikeLike
It really is a terrific place for recharging one’s batteries, relaxing, exploring, learning – absorbing what nature offers.
I had to be quick. That guy was headed straight for me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy anniversary, Gini and Wally. May you be granted many more happy and healthy years together as well as the ability to explore your lovely natural places. I continue to be amazed at the beauty and bounty of Florida’s early spring.
LikeLike
Thank you very much, Tanja.
We continue to be amazed by all of it, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person