Archives
(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) The red clay road is still damp along the edges from yesterday’s brief rain shower. Pine trees provide that fresh scent only they can manufacture. Blue sky, no breeze, no man-made sounds. We pause and sigh as one. Ancient geological phenomena make the Lake Wales Ridge one of our very favorite places to visit. This unique ecosystem is covered with a mosaic of… Read More
(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) A symphony during breakfast is a great way to simultaneously relax and be filled with anticipation at what other treasures Nature will reveal as our quest continues. The musical richness provided by this morning’s performers was simply incredible. Loud and declarative, the White-eyed Vireo kept telling us “I’m a Vireo. I’m a Vireo.”. Clear chirps in sets of two and three notes were… Read More
We arrived at Lake Apopka just before “official” sunrise. Of course, the fog obscured the sun completely. It was now about three hours later and the marsh was awash in sunshine, skies were nearly clear and the natural world was beginning to make up for the daylight delay. It’s a bit eerie how fog dissipates. Like clock watching. (Remember analog clocks?) We know the hands are moving but can’t actually detect any… Read More
Header Image: Brown-headed Nuthatch “Rubber Ducky!” We were meandering along the forest road toward Lake Godwin, a small lake surrounded by Longleaf Pine trees and Saw Palmetto understory. Gini’s sharp ears heard the squeaky calls of Brown-headed Nuthatches as they foraged among the tops of the pines. Late summer finds these gregarous birds remaining in loose family groups, sometimes with two or three families intermingled. In typical nuthatch fashion, the little birds… Read More
Our Natural Places 