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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

Bright (Bright) Sunshiny Day*

(Note: We’re changing to a somewhat more stable header image which will probably be some sort of generic Florida habitat display.) We love exploring new places. The excitement of finding something different. Anticipating new birds, blooms and bugs. The unknown – what’s around the next bend? Today is not like that. Today is relaxing with a good friend as she and I talk about our grandson’s recent visit, our son’s European trip,… Read More

Category: Birds, Fauna, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: barred yellow, belted kingfisher, blazing star, great egret, gulf fritillary, northern parula, red-headed woodpecker, salt marsh moth larva, spurred butterfly pea, tievine, white ibis, white-tailed deer

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

No Work Patch Work

Header Image: Black-necked Stilt When is a birding patch not a patch? The word “patch” denotes something small. Talk to a birder about their local patch and it will usually turn out to be a city park, part of a forest, coastal area, wetland – but near home and with a chance to see a fair diversity of birds. The patch is a spot where a birder can go often and is… Read More

Category: Birds, Fauna, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american alligator, black-necked stilt, cedar waxwing, common buckeye, eastern amberwing, florida softshell turtle, freshwater mussels, great blue heron, great egret, great southern white osprey, lesser yellowlegs, norhtern mockingbird, red-bellied woodpecker, snowy egret, tenoroc public use area, tricolored heron, wood stork

These Are The Good Old Days

Header Image: Atlantic Coast Sunrise Sleepless nights were common for me about a week before Gini and I were married. Tossing and turning. Worry. Will I really be able to support us? Will she be able to put up with me all day, all night, forever? Anticipation. The night before the BIG DAY, was also devoid of sleep. But this was different. All I could think of was – HER. Eyes open,… Read More

Category: Birds, Florida, Photography Tags: a max brewer bridge, american alligator, black skimmer, black-bellied plover, blue-winged teal, caspian tern, dunlin, gator creek, great egret, green heron, laughing gull, marbled godwit, merritt island nwr, mottled duck, northern flicker, northern shoveler, osprey, redhead, ring-billed gull, roseate spoonbill, ruddy turnstone, sanderling, sunrise, tricolored heron

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