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A few very cold mornings are uncomfortable events for these native Floridians. Ever the optimist, Gini opined that the below freezing temperatures will help “set” the sweetness for our local strawberry farmers who run sprinklers all night to provide a frozen blanket to protect the little red bundles of pleasure.

Today, the thermometer rose sufficiently for us to venture out and explore what used to be our local “patch”, which once was a ten minute drive. Our new home is over 30 minutes away but we braved the onslaught of morning commuters to see how things are at Tenoroc Fish Management Area.

Gini is not up to hiking yet so our sights and sounds were enjoyed mostly from the car. Even so, we found plenty to make us happy.

“If it is your nature
to be happy
you will swim away along the soft trails for hours, your imagination
alighting everywhere.”

(From Morning Poem by Mary Oliver.)

Trumpeting from the skies, a group of Sandhill Cranes headed northeast. They all appeared to be adults which means they are likely winter migrants. Florida has a resident subspecies but it is rare to see more than three or four individuals (family group) together.

Another winter visitor, an Eastern Phoebe. These little flycatchers are fairly abundant at this time of year.

Florida’s state bird is the Northern Mockingbird. They are so common it is easy to pass them by without taking their picture. I’m trying to rectify that sad habit. Those eyes!

Butcher Bird! The Loggerhead Shrike will use any sharp object to impale its prey thus making it easier to eat. They have been known to store prey in a convenient crook of a branch for eating later when food might be scarce.

Lovely to look at, especially with bright green pine needles as a backdrop, the Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius) has bright red seeds in a brown pod. Pretty lavender flowers will begin blooming in a few weeks. Caution. Those shiny seeds contain the deadly toxin abrin and can be fatal if swallowed. This is a non-native plant from India/Asia.

“Look straight up!” I was getting out of the car to chase a warbler, but her shout revealed a huge flock of birds high overhead. From several photos I estimate there were 220-250 Laughing Gulls in the group. There was a mix of mature/immature birds in breeding and non-breeding plumage. Never seen a flock of gulls that large.

Speaking of that warbler. We found around three dozen Palm Warblers in various size groups throughout the morning.

This area consists of many lakes filled with fish. Naturally, Ospreys like the proximity to all those groceries and nests abound at this time of year.

Another very invasive plant, the Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia) is a native of South America and displaces native species if allowed to thrive. It is very difficult to eradicate. One reason it’s so hard to control is those darned birds love the juicy red fruit and spread the digested seeds far and wide. Although we were happy to find a group of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings busily consuming the energy-rich berries, we wished there were native plants for them to visit instead.

American Robin.

Cedar Waxwing.

This was our first outing of any length since Gini’s second knee operation. She is doing very will with rehab but is not quite ready for walking over uneven terrain. Soon.

Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!