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(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) I saw a pretty red flower. Gini whispered: “That’s an orchid.” We were enjoying the final leg of our anniversary road trip. About 30 minutes north of our hotel in Naples, Florida, is the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Consisting of over 13,000 acres, the sanctuary is a testament to citizen action to preserve an ecological treasure. Logging threatened to completely destroy what remained… Read More

I gave up wearing hiking boots. For one thing, my days of going on lengthy hikes over rough terrain are in my rear view mirror. Water-resistant linings and treatments for preventing water soaking through footwear can be somewhat helpful, but walking through Florida’s eternally wet grass is pretty much like wading a stream and your feet are just going to get wet. So I now have a pair of very comfortable shoes… 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

(UPDATED Site Note: By popular demand — images have reverted to a large size. Clicking on the images will still provide a detailed view from which one can zoom in. Other small site changes have been made and others are in the works. Please let us know if you have any issues or suggestions which will make your experience a better one.) In the early mornings of our summer we celebrate the… Read More

Header Image: Pine Flatwoods We use the term “swamp” a lot on our blog. Many of our outings take us into or through areas which are defined as swamps. Other wetlands exist in our area and we are sometimes guilty of lumping them all into the same “swamp” basket. Herewith, some short definitions of wetlands found within the United States, courtesy of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Pay attention. There will… Read More