Our Natural Places

Archives

Header Image: American Alligator In the early 20th century, Florida became a magnet for anyone who wanted to escape the snow of the far north, the bustle of a big city or even the long arm of the law. Warm weather, beaches, sparkling lakes filled with fish, pine forests, no crowds. Why, you could pick an orange right off a tree for breakfast! The fourth largest lake in the state, Lake Apopka,… Read More

Header Image: Eastern Phoebe Eyes Bagworm Moth We seem to relish foggy days. For one, as Gini noted on this day, it just seems so quiet. The stillness of an early morning on the bank of a lake blanketed in gray with sight and sound limited heightens the senses. More importantly, we know clear skies lurk just above the mist and the natural world will soon be going about the business of… Read More

(Header Image: Shorebirds At Dusk) There are some occasions when birding becomes secondary. (GASP!!) This was one of those times. The birds were numerous, it was exciting to see species we don’t normally encounter at our inland home turf, observing feeding behavior was fascinating – it was a birders dream day. The mid-afternoon sun was warm and the breeze from the Atlantic Ocean was gentle and kept the air refreshed and comfortable…. Read More

(Header Image: Swamp Sparrow) Is our “patch” TOO convenient? I mean, within ten minutes we can be in the middle of some pretty decent birding territory. So it is no wonder we tend to visit it more often than other, more distant locations. As Gini said on this morning, we always see SOMETHING special out here! Today was no different. Central Florida has only four species of sparrow which breed within the… Read More