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(Click on images to zoom, click again to enlarge.) An hour past sunrise and lingering fog obscures the bright light we normally encounter. Damp air mutes the calls of Mourning Dove and Northern Cardinals. Along the edge of the lake a Pig Frog grunts a greeting from the cover of lily pads. Gradually, the gray veil lifts to reveal clear blue skies overhead. Today’s venue is a county park, although at over… Read More
(Click on images to enlarge. Click again to zoom) The recently plowed ground was unsettling in several ways. There had always been orange trees here. Across the road were ghosts of orange trees. Some dead and withering hulks of their former selves. Some were newly planted and wrapped in plastic giving them an ethereal appearance in the pre-dawn light. Two miles south, about 100 acres of former citrus grove is now filled… Read More
“Look at those red eyes!” No, Gini was not referring to me. A handsome (that immediately disqualifies yours truly) brown and white bird ran, stopped, cocked its head, ran a few more steps, stopped, grabbed a grasshopper, gulped it down and – wash, rinse, repeat. The behavior, plumage and beautiful dark red eyes belonged to the Killdeer, a member of the Plover family. Although a “shorebird”, it is more often encountered inland,… Read More
(Click images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Although she didn’t ask any questions, I could tell Gini was curious about my frequent checks of the time. Very uncharacteristic of me, as I normally don’t adhere to a schedule. Today was different. We had thoroughly enjoyed meandering along Black Point Wildlife Drive, lingering at spots where we could observe so many birds going about their daily business of survival. The wind was… Read More
Header Image: Burmarigold or Smooth Beggartick (Bidens laevis) Standing by the side of the road in the dark. Hands cupping our ears. Straining for the sounds of the night. “Whip, whip, whip, whip!” The loud call accompanied the sound of flapping wings passing us as an Eastern Whip-poor-will flew along with mouth open wide to inhale insects hovering above the sandy stretch of road. Ten minutes later, the surprisingly soft trill of… Read More
Our Natural Places 