The predominant color of middle May in the Blue Ridge mountains of SW VA is green. There is an explosion in growth of plant life so an overall view of our farm shows a verdant landscape. Of course the re-awakening […]
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Spring is a wonderful time of year, with leaves and blooms emerging, birds singing, and amphibian reproduction in full swing. But breeding occurs over a prolonged period since different species have distinct tolerances and adaptations for seasonal progression in temperature […]
During spring time a virtual river of birds migrates from Mexico, and Central and South America to the eastern United States and Canada. These neotropical migrants take advantage of the mild weather and abundant food in northern latitudes during the […]
In middle April a sizeable proportion of the human population of the Englewood, FL, area either have left for their northern summer homes or soon will do so. We got a preview of what is in store for us […]
The calendar tells us that official spring is here and we can see that ourselves by our observations of nature. One of my favorite harbingers of spring is the glorious flowering of the pink trumpet tree, Tabebuia, at the end […]
It has been an unusual winter weather-wise in SW FL although I sometimes wonder if the weather is ever “normal.” It was unusually wet and warm earlier but has become a bit cooler with less rain. Natural events illustrate […]
Loons are a northern freshwater snowbird that winter here in SW FL in bay and near-shore ocean waters. They probably rarely set foot on land except when breeding. Thus one wonders, how do they sleep? We have a backyard loon […]
A wildlife saga of heart-rending proportions has unfolded on Manasota Key, FL, within the past two months. Ospreys have always nested in a tall Norfolk Island pine directly over our house for the 22 years we have owned it. […]
I am a huge advocate for enjoying and studying nature wherever you find yourself. So when you make trips to visit family, it is a great opportunity to expand your horizons in understanding of natural history. While watching our grandson […]
After a prolonged warm fall and winter, the cold fronts began to arrive in SW Florida and the animals had to cope with much cooler weather and periodic strong winds and heavy rains. Despite these somewhat harsh conditions, a diverse […]
It is now well known that some areas of Lemon Creek within Wildflower Preserve, Charlotte County, FL (owned by the Lemon Bay Conservancy) are filled with juvenile tarpon that thrive in its lowest oxygen waters which provide significant protection […]
Among the many important aspects of habitat selection that define the lives of water birds, salinity can be one of the most crucial. Birds that exploit food resources in saline areas along the coast or in inland salt lakes […]
After the discovery of the head of one of our beloved nesting ospreys on our front walk on Jan. 14, I surmised that a pair of great horned owls had killed it in the process of taking over the osprey […]
I was appalled by a gruesome discovery this morning just outside our front door. The head of one of our magnificent ospreys had been severed and was lying on the ground. A pair of ospreys has been nesting […]
A group of local naturalists from the Peace River and Sarasota Butterfly Societies and some native plant enthusiasts were excited to visit the yard of Englewood, FL, resident Mary Brown who is famous for her skills in raising butterfly caterpillars, […]
Mother Nature has given us some beautiful gifts this holiday season in conjunction with unusually warm weather. The insect world has been especially active. This spectacular mangrove skipper was attracted to a Mexican mallow in our yard. A pair of […]
Although there is still interest in the northern fall and winter landscape for the naturalist, certainly it is more fun to see lots of critters moving around instead of mostly being inactive. Thus I find never-ending joy in observing […]
Although I am generally anxious to leave our VA farm soon after the first frost, this year it has been unexpectedly warm in FL even into November. This is a shock to humans unused to such hot and muggy weather, […]
On Oct. 18, 2015, while walking along the beach on Palm Island, Charlotte County FL, just south of Stump Pass, I noticed one tiny shorebird, a sanderling, that had bands on its legs. This bling was unusual since there were […]
If you are at the beach you might look up and notice that an interesting migration of dragonflies is taking place just over your head. Dragonflies are heading south to escape the frozen north in considerable numbers and I watched […]