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Colors of the Spirit

My Dad was a builder of homes. Much like any kid, I valued those days I rode along in the pick-up truck to a job site. The sights, sounds and smells of a new house being built can be pretty heady stuff for an eight-year old. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but by far the most significant part of the experience was time spent with my Father. On… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american kestrel, cloudless sulphur, cypressvine, dotted smartweed, dusky pygmy rattlesnake, eastern tiger swallowtail, great egret, hairy chaffhead, narrow-leaf sunflower, narrowleaf silkgrass, phaon crescent, pinebarren goldenrod, red-shouldered hawk, tufted titmouse, virginia buttonwood

Field, Forest, Fun

Header Image: Sandhill Cranes Thank goodness we have venues nearby where we can travel less than ten minutes and enjoy birds, blooms and bugs! If we had to plan for a long drive, we might “accidentally” oversleep. Our unscientific research reveals that sunrise and the early birds wait for no birder. One of our current favorite patches is Tenoroc Public Use Area. It is near the city of Lakeland in central-west Florida… Read More

Category: Birds, Fauna, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american kestrel, bald eagle, common ground dove, coyote, northern parula, ornate bella moth, palm warbler, prairie warbler, red-femured spotted orbweaver, sandhill crane, spicebush swallowtail, tenoroc public use area, tufted titmouse, wild bushbean

Inhaling The Rain

Header Image: Great Egret Our current summer has caused childhood memories to flood my conscience lately. It is hot. I walk barefooted to the mailbox and as I cross the concrete driveway, my pace quickens as it seems I’m walking in a frying pan. As a kid, my feet were tough enough to walk on sandspurs without ill effect. A dish of ice cream last night (yes, I know, apparently verboten at… Read More

Category: Birds, Florida, Photography Tags: american kestrel, balsampear, blue dasher, cloudless sulphur, common buckeye, common gallinule, dorantes longtail, eastern amberwing, four-spotted pennant, great egret, green anole, green heron, needham's skimmer, rain, roseate skimmer, snails, spicebush swallowtail, summer, water moccasin, white peacock

That Perfect Blend

Header Image: Picnic Lake At Sunrise A liter of water and about 60 grams of coffee beans, for me, is a pleasant way to begin a morning. One of my favorite Central American coffees is lightly roasted at a small local roastery. The flavor is wonderful, but I wished it could be “more“. I tried increasing the amount of beans to the grind but, although stronger, it didn’t increase the flavor. When… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american kestrel, american robin, cedar waxwing, double-crested cormorant, eastern phoebe, migration, northern flicker, osprey, palm warbler, red-tailed hawk, savannah sparrow, sawtooth blackberry, sepia baskettail, snowy egret, spring, tricolored heron, white ibis

Drive-By Birding

Header Image: Lake Shore When is the best time to go birding? Early in the morning. Or – When the birds are feeding. Or – During migration. Or – Late in the day as they feed before roosting. All of the above. None of the above. Any of the above. My Dad was an avid fisherman. Tides, phase of the moon, time of day – all can influence when fish are more… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Photography Tags: american alligator, american kestrel, common grackle, common ground dove, eastern bluebird, glossy ibis, moonflower, pied-billed grebe, tenoroc fma, white ibis, yellow-rumped warbler

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