Monthly Archives: April 2024

Local Color

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) “Sounds like an alley-cat convention.” Gini’s hearing, which is significantly superior to mine, was picking up at least a dozen individual Gray Catbirds calling. During pre-migration, this species forms up into groups of one to a couple of dozen birds as they prepare to return to their northern breeding territory. After some far-flung adventures, it felt good to be in our familiar “patch”… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: blue dasher, bluejacket, canadian toadflax, cucumberleaf sunflower, cutleaf evening primrose, eastern amberwing, eastern phoebe, eastern pondhawk, florida toadflax, gray catbird, long-jawed orbweaver, prairie/savanna iris, river sage, spicebush swallowtail, spider web, woodland false buttonweed, zebra longwing

“One of the Forever Gifts …”*

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Here we are again. We don’t exactly know each tree by their name, but we know we are among friends. The arching branches provide shade for our late morning breakfast. A breeze by itself makes no sound, but when it rustles pine needles above our heads it gives the impression of waves breaking along the shore of our souls. No matter how ingenious… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: bahaman aster, blue-eyed grass, blue-gray gnatcatcher, carolina desert-chicory, cloudless sulphur, common ground dove, common yellow stargrass, downy woodpecker, eastern leaf-footed bug, four-petal st. johnswort, leavenworth's tickseed, little yellow, mexican primrosewillow, north american racer, northern parula, oakleaf fleabane, prairie/savanna lily, red admiral, regal jumping spider, savannah sparrow, spotless lady beetle, walter's viburnum, yellow-rumped warbler, yellow-throated warbler

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) I saw a pretty red flower. Gini whispered: “That’s an orchid.” We were enjoying the final leg of our anniversary road trip. About 30 minutes north of our hotel in Naples, Florida, is the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Consisting of over 13,000 acres, the sanctuary is a testament to citizen action to preserve an ecological treasure. Logging threatened to completely destroy what remained… Read More

Category: Birds, Fauna, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american alligator, blue dasher, blue-gray gnatcatcher, bretonica peluda, brown anole, bulltongue arrowhead, buttonbush, cardinal airplant, chapman's arrowhead, corkscrew swamp sanctuary, cypress tree, great crested flycatcher, green magnolia jumping spider, leafy beaked ladiestresses, mexican primrosewillow, nuttall's thistle, orchid, pickerelweed, prairie/savanna iris, purple thistle, rabbitbells, rice button aster, southern dewberry, strangler fig, virginia sweetspire, white ibis, yellow-crowned night heron

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Sea breeze. Invigorating. Gulls calling, mullet jumping, the unique aroma of low tide, fiddler crabs scurrying for cover. Gini and I grew up with these sensations along Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast. It feels like home. Today we are visiting the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island just west of Fort Myers, Florida. Sanibel is a barrier island jutting into… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Photography Tags: american white pelican, button mangrove, ding darling nwr, goatweed, great blue heron, grey plover, least sandpiper, little blue heron, osprey, red mangrove, red-breasted merganser, sea grape, white ibis, yellow-crowned night heron

More Big Cypress National Preserve

The sound of nature can be incredibly silent. We scanned in all directions and saw no sign of human existence. We strained to listen in all directions and heard no sound made by a human being. No traffic noise. No sirens. No electronic emissions disguised as “music”. No one yelling at someone. The wet prairie of sawgrass, reeds, palm trees and cypress trees awakened gradually as the sun rose higher. Barred Owls… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american crow, big cypress national preserve, blue dasher, cardinal airplant, common grackle, eastern lubber grasshopper, floating heart, moonflower, needham's skimmer, northern cardinal, pond apple, starrush whitetop, white ibis

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Our Natural Places

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