Header Image: Great Blue Heron
We married young. Too young, “they” said. With our 20-20 hindsight, Gini and I have determined we married at the exact time the universe had scheduled the event. Our life continues to be infinitely rewarding.
In those early days, we had little “spare” money. (Times haven’t changed much!) What we had an abundance of was curiosity – about everything. The military life had its challenges, but a nice side benefit was the new places it flung us every few years. Different cultures, languages, foods, environments – we were like sponges and soaked up all we could absorb.
Time marched on and we were blessed with the two best children which have ever been born. The money poured in. And leaked right back out again. Thanks to Gini’s frugality and detailed planning, we socked away a few coins. Eventually, we reached a point where we thought we could afford a “luxury” now and then. A better Tee-Vee set, a stereophonic system, nicer toys (for those children, you know).
Camping equipment was a “necessity”, we convinced ourselves. Exploring nature required binoculars (for those children, you know). The military camera club had a sale too good to pass up and, after all, seeing all that stuff is one thing, but to have it recorded for posterity (for those children, you know), well, another “necessity” was checked off the list.
Sigh. Those children. Long ago, it seems, they fledged, as they were bound to, and forlorn parents simply had to do something to maintain our balance in life. Upgrades! That’s the ticket! The digital world beckoned and the siren song of sending those children‘s children instant gratification of their grandparents’ exploits could not be denied.
Meanwhile, in the real world of our present reality, we have a lot of stuff which has not only accumulated over many years, but, I swear this is true, it has found a way to multiply when we aren’t looking. How else can one explain all the camera bodies, lenses, tripods, packs, batteries, memory cards, ad infinitum, spread out over the living room floor??
Our typical birding day-trip includes renting a small moving van to haul the requisite equipment one must have available to adequately capture the essence of an avian subject resting upon a twig. After all, THIS might be the one which will motivate National Geographic or Sir David Attenborough his own self to contact us concerning our upcoming fame and fortune!
Last Tuesday, in an outright display of unacceptably irresponsible and reckless behavior, I left the house with only one camera, one lens and one pair of binoculars. I know. I should have been reported.
A strange thing occurred. During the next hour-and-a-half at the local park, I observed nature. Right here within the city limits. Standing on the shore of the lake, I actually saw the sunrise. I don’t mean I looked eastward and there was the sun at 0710 as scheduled. I mean – I watched as the horizon turned pink, then orange and the bright arc of our sun moved slowly upward and became the fiery ball which keeps us all alive. Water droplets gathered on the flat lily pads. Fish broke the water’s surface as they fed on floating insects. Calls of birds filled the air.
It was – exhilarating.
There was no urgency to record anything. Being there was enough.
(Habits are difficult things to ignore. Images were made.)
Water on the lilies resembled shards of broken glass.
The white face and bright eyes of a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) greeted the rising sun of a new day.
This is a city park where well-meaning people indulge in feeding the birds. The resident population of Purple Gallinules has learned to head straight for humans when spotted knowing they will likely be rewarded with a soggy bit of hot dog bun or handful of potato chips. Yum.
The tops of trees throughout the park are now filled with resident and migratory birds in their non-stop quest to consume fuel for their journey further south. This Blue-gray Gnatcatcher seemed to inspect every single branch.
Park personnel thoughtfully placed a bench at the lake’s edge for weary White Ibises to rest.
Northern Flickers tend to feed in an “un-woodpecker-like” manner by hopping along the ground, where they often target ants. In the eastern United States, the Yellow-shafted form of this handsome woodpecker is prevalent while in the west there is a Red-shafted form. Once upon a time, they were considered separate species. But then – science happened.
Bright early morning sunshine highlights the latest trend in hair style for modern Red-bellied Woodpeckers. This may be a result of late molting, “bed-head”, no coffee yet or simply a reaction to seeing me standing under its perch.
Thick, hooked bill and yellow “spectacles” help identify the Yellow-throated Vireo. This beauty breeds in our area but its numbers increase as fall migration progresses.
The large Brown Thrasher with its golden eyes is an accomplished singer with a vast repertoire exceeded only by his cousin the Northern Mockingbird.
More often lately, we tend to eschew the moving van of paraphernalia and instead grab the bins and camera and head for somewhere local. We are exceedingly fortunate to have superb birding venues mere minutes away. The storehouse of equipment will still come in handy. Just not on every trip.
We hope you enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!
Header Image: White-tailed Deer
No. The title does not refer to Gini. No matter whether such a description might be true, she may take exception to that “short” thing. And you wouldn’t want me to end up bruised (again), would you?
Our days have been interrupted lately with catch-up visits to assorted physicians and lab specialists which were postponed due to the interplanetary plague of recent years. It was becoming serious as our birding and nature exploration was in danger. Thankfully, we are almost current in such appointments. Except for this afternoon.
Thus, a quick morning trip before the afternoon is consumed by medical locusts.
The short trip began in fog. Unlike my occasional brain fog, no caffeine needed to clear the skies. Simply wait long enough and the gray mist dissipates to reveal the green world around us still exists.
A dawn flock of Cattle Egrets descended in front of us as they hungrily devoured insects stuck to wet grass stems and weed leaves. White-tailed Deer were too busy munching their own breakfast to pay us much attention. Until we got too close. Then, their namesake white flag tails were all we saw as they disappeared into the woods. Fall is here. Groups of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees seemed to be all around us. Vireos sang from hidden perches. A Great Horned Owl surprised us with its soft “who-who-who-who-who-who” from a nearby snag. (Of course, reaching for the camera caused her to immediately abandon the area.) A new Eastern Bluebird family was a joy to watch as they hunted bugs and decorated a utility pole. A line from that same pole supported an Eastern Kingbird, passing through on his way even further south.
Short and sweet. Even a quick trip beginning in a fog and ending with bluebird skies makes it all worthwhile.
If you have a chance, get outside, even if it’s for a short time. Marvel at how Nature goes about the business of survival. Sometimes, She doesn’t even mind if we watch.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!
Header Image: Swamp Sunflowers, Marl Bed Flats, Lake Jessup, Florida, USA
(We interrupt our irregularly scheduled attempts at blogging to bring you a public service announcement. There is joy in the world. Seek it.)
Or, as our favorite group of all time used to say: “And now for something completely different.”**
*(“Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U
Yes, you may sing along.)
The Narrowleaf or Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) is quite common throughout much of the eastern United States. It likes to keep its feet wet. Growing in sometimes dense patches, the plant normally grows to four or five feet tall and can reach over seven feet. A single plant can produce dozens of bright yellow flowers. Blooming season is from September to November.
Yesterday, October 12, we visited Marl Bed Flats on the shore of Lake Jessup in Seminole County Florida. A short hike through a wonderful oak hammock opened onto the vista of thousands of blooming sunflowers.
We hope your day will be as brightened by the views as was ours.
Many thanks to Ed at https://edrosack.com/2021/10/03/sunflower-status-oct-2-2021/ for turning us on to this spectacular venue! (Be sure to check out Ed’s superb Flickr images.)
**Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit.
Header: Great Blue Heron At Sunrise
An Osprey called as she flew over my head while I was getting out of the car. She was followed by a flight of several White Ibises heading from their nightly roosting area to some spot they knew would provide an adequate breakfast. A nice paved path led from the parking lot to the dock which jutted a short ways into Lake Crago. Boat-tailed Grackles cranked up the volume at my approach to the lake’s edge. The sun was about to peek over the eastern shoreline as a Great Blue Heron stalked the shallows among the reeds.
My normal walking shoes are something called “cross-trainers”, designed for runners who like to speed across hill and dale, mud and rock, leaves and puddles. This particular pair has never had to worry about being abused in such a fashion. Running is something I may have done once to catch a train in Germany. The shoes have been fabulous for what I do. Walk slowly in easily maneuvered areas, stopping often, occasionally stepping into the edge of a lake or fording a shallow stream. They are very comfortable.
Yesterday, those normal walking shoes got pretty wet and were not dry this morning. Plan B. Hiking boots. Large. Substantial. Heavily lined (“water resistant”). So naturally I selected a venue consisting of paved trails. But I could have gone into the bush, if I had wanted to.
Today’s exploration was short but filled with amazing things. The heron fishing, a group of huge mushrooms, dragons, damsels, a tired butterfly, birds, a snake, alligators. I promised Gini I wouldn’t be long so I was back home in under two hours. Pretty good, for me.
Scenes seen can be seen soon.
The subtle colors of a Little Blue Heron seem really dark before the sun brightens them up.
A group of six large mushrooms was pretty impressive. Each cap exceeded six inches across.
Patience is a virtue. The Great Blue Heron must be one of the most virtuous creatures in the bird world. They seem able to wait forever for a meal to appear.
I could not convince this Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) to turn for a better angle so this is all you get.
It should not be surprising there are plenty of Osprey around any water source in Florida. They are not all as cooperative about posing as nicely as this model.
Brightening up the morning was this great-looking Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida). The white stigma near the wingtips are like flags signaling “Here I am!”.
Ms. Cardinal was not happy that I woke her up. I promised next time to bring her coffee.
Looking a bit tattered, a Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe) was visiting as many blooming Spanish Needle, or Beggarticks (Bidens alba) as possible for sufficient nectar.
Although the Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) is a damselfly which is common over a large range, it can look very different depending on specific location. In Florida, the species is very dark and is known as a Black Dancer (Argia fumipennis atra).
Sometimes, your feet get tired of sifting through mud for a meal and you just have to find a comfortable branch to give them a rest. A Wood Stork in a pine tree may not be the normal view we have of this big wader, but he looks pretty good surrounded by all that green.
Speaking of giving your feet a rest. I’m headed to the house where I’ll kiss and hug Gini, slip into my bare feet, make a pot of coffee and burn some bacon. Even if you aren’t wearing your favorite shoes, get out early, celebrate a sunrise and all that Nature has to offer!
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!
Header Image: Immature White Ibis
Why does food taste better in the forest? I mean, a boiled egg is a boiled egg. Eaten at the dining table in comfortably conditioned air and protected from natural elements, it is satisfying. Taking a bite of that same hen fruit under a canopy of pine boughs, surrounded by yellow blooms, purple berries, hammering woodpeckers, yammering jays, brown-eyed deer and with a background of a cacophonous cicada chorus – well, the lowly egg has become a veritable feast for the memory.
Our early morning foray into the forest at the edge of central Florida’s Green Swamp began in fog. Stillness. Silence. Wonderful.
Blue sky was visible above the grayness and within an hour after sunrise, the mist had dissipated. Nature awoke. The sounds of the day greeted us from all sides. Against a green brushy backdrop, Gini spotted the delicate form of a String Lily. Stepping closer to the bright white bloom, a large bright yellow Lubber Grasshopper inched lower on a plant stalk, just in case we were potential predators.
With “autumn”* just around the bend, we were hoping to spot early bird migrants. Excitement rose when a Belted Kingfisher flushed from a small pool, perched in a pine tree and chattered her disapproval of our presence. Other likely migratory birds we saw during the morning included a large number of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a few Red-eyed Vireos and a couple of American Redstarts. This, in addition to almost 40 additional (resident) species made the morning a very respectable birding effort.
(*Autumn in the middle of Florida is a term associated with a calendar. The only noticeable difference for us is the appearance of migrating birds. Florida’s autumn is an extension of Florida’s “green” season and a prelude to our “brown” season.)
Over the years we have made a significant scientific observation. As we busied ourselves searching for birds, we discovered a whole bunch of other stuff Nature has to offer! In the same habitat which supports bird life, there is an amazing variety of plants, insects and other animals. Who knew?
Increasingly, we find ourselves so fascinated by a flower or a bug that we almost forget we are bird watchers. Almost.
A small sampling of Nature’s diversity coming right up.
The Belted Kingfisher does breed in parts of Florida, although we are at the southern limit of that range. We visit this area frequently and don’t typically see one during the summer, so this young lady is almost certainly a migrant.
A delicate String Lily (Crinum americanum) brightened up the otherwise green landscape. Also known as Swamp Lily, this aromatic beauty is similar to the Spider Lily (Hymenocallis spp.) but the flower does not have the staminal cup connecting petals like the Spider Lily.
Adding a bit of technicolor to the woods is a large Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea microptera). One day we’ll talk about their spitting habits.
A very common plant in wet areas is the Bulltongue Arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia). Long green leaves supporting tall stalks of white flowers around the lake attract a diverse group of life forms. Sometimes, those life forms remain almost hidden. Like a small crab spider which I didn’t see until processing the image.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose – By any other name would smell as sweet.” Perhaps Juliet could have excused the aroma of the Skunkvine (Paederia foetida) and between her and Mr. Shakespeare come up with a more pleasant-sounding moniker. It’s a vine with attractive flowers, but in addition to a foul odor, is also quite noxious in its growing habits, an invasive plant which overcomes native flora.
Gini noticed a group of pretty-in-pink Apple Snail eggs had attracted a Horse Fly (Tabanus atratus). We aren’t sure why the big insect was attracted to the egg cluster, although male Horse Flies are known to feed on nectar.
One of our favorite spiders, the Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) is fairly common in our area. Still, spotting one among green foliage can be challenging. Or, you can use my tried and true method: l-u-c-k.
A bee! On Beebalm! Who’d a thunk it? Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) and Bumble Bee (Bombus spp.). This plant is also known as Dotted Horsemint. We did not see an actual horse on one today.
There are nearly 30 species of plants belonging to the genus Ludwigia in Florida which can make identification of some quite a challenge. The Narrowleaf Primrosewillow (Ludwigia linearis) simplifies things a bit by having very narrow leaves, rather sparse growth and usually remaining less than a couple of feet tall. The yellow blooms are just as attractive as any in the family!
This small Downy Woodpecker gave me only one chance at a photograph and it is not a good one. The quality of the image does not subtract from the actual beauty of the little bug hunter.
Growing to over three feet tall, Gini thinks the pretty blooms of the Winged Loosestrife (Lythrum lanceolatum) could use an iron. (If you didn’t have to look up “iron” in this context, welcome to pretty-near-to-senior-citizenry.)
Even though I don’t care for the face full of web I often get due to their habit of stringing them across a path, I admire the beauty of the large Golden Silk Spider (Trichonephila clavipes). This lady has invited a friend for breakfast.
We began bird watching many years ago. With each trip we took, it became clear we enjoyed much more than just seeing birds. Nature is so diverse! Hopefully, no matter your specific interest, you will find new and wondrous gifts each time you venture out.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!
Our Natural Places 