Our Natural Places

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Header Image: Roseate Spoonbill We are so very fortunate in many aspects of our life here in central Florida. Beautiful beaches are within an hour of our house. Nearby lakes teem with fish begging to challenge the sportsman. Forests, swamps and fields offer incredible opportunities for birding. Of course, the crowning glory of interplanetary entertainment is a mere 30 minute drive from our front door. (Well, 90 minutes in “normal” traffic.) For… Read More

Header Image: Dawn at the lake. Early mornings in nature are consistent. Weather can cause variations in the routine, but creatures go about their daily business of survival regardless of whether we are there to observe. When we are lucky enough to be there it is impossible to see everything but what we DO see adds to our data base of experience and, once in a while, special events become memories. It… Read More

(Header Image: Female Painted Bunting) Time. It doesn’t wait around for us. It seems we were enjoying New Year’s dinner and all of sudden we remarked how wonderful Easter Dinner was! Just a few days ago, in my mind, the yard was filled with nervous Palm Warblers and Chipping Sparrows combing through the grass for insects. We just realized we haven’t seen one in a week. Our winter flycatcher is no longer… Read More

(Header image: Peace River swamp.) “The Butcher Bird’s been busy!” This was the third insect Gini had spotted stuck on a fence barb. The Butcher Bird is a nickname for members of the shrike family, in our case it’s the Loggerhead Shrike. They will capture a bug and impale it on a fence barb or thorn to make it easier for them to eat. It is not unusual to find caches of… Read More