We human snowbirds are rapidly deserting Florida to return to northern retreats to escape the summer heat. Our 107 acre farm near Galax, VA, in the Blue Ridge mountains serves this purpose well but also allows us to engage […]
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Spring is a time of wonderful sights and sounds as critters go through an accelerated process of feeding and breeding. Of course reptiles are “ectotherms” and need to bask to elevate their body temperatures to increase digestion and to […]
While we generally assume that the best sightings of animals are most likely to be found at parks and nature preserves, such is not always the case. Observations in our humble backyards can often reveal some truly amazing critters. […]
One of my favorite tiny wonders of the wetlands of pine flatwoods is the sundew. The name is appropriate since the glistening orbs of sticky material at the ends of filaments certainly shine in the sun as would drops […]
Here in SW FL we are deep in the grip of what we call winter, and the first photo proves that we actually have had one light frost already on Jan. 2. The general weather pattern is an irregular […]
On a balmy early spring day, I walked with a group of friends around Wildflower Preserve in Charlotte County, FL, and enjoyed the many sights and sounds of the season . Dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are again flying in […]
Mid to late March is an exciting time of natural changes due to the almost daily arrivals and departures of migrant birds, the initiation of singing in many species, and the greater activity of reptiles. An unusual lizard that […]
As a famous philosopher (Forrest Gump) once said that his mother told him about choosing from a box of chocolates, “You never know what you’re going to get.” This expresses precisely the possibilities that face us when we take a […]
Florida certainly has its changing seasons although they may be more subtle than the more northern variety. This week at Wildflower Preserve certainly provided ample evidence of the arrival of spring. A flowering spiderwort in the butterfly habitat was […]
Just after arriving in Florida for the winter season in late October, an early blizzard is sweeping the northlands and I am dazzled by the array of fabulous creatures that are still active in Florida. The photos shown here […]
We have two sorts of “snowbirds” on FL beaches- human and avian. Many come long distances to enjoy the mild oceanic weather of the low latitudes during winter. Some of the birds breed in northern Canada so the contrast […]
My resolution for the new year is to ramble more and sit less. So to satisfy this goal I spent a great deal of time exploring the beaches and bays of Palm/Knight & Don Pedro Islands, FL, and the […]
I continue to be amazed by the beauty and biodiversity of creatures that I find at the recovering golf course that is called Wildflower Preserve in Englewood, FL. Only six years past a landscape that was predominantly mowed fairways […]
As winter tightens her grip on the natural world, the main effect we notice in Florida is less rainfall and periodic cool fronts. Since Wildflower Preserve contains many wetlands, the effect of winter drought is not immediately noticeable. Indeed […]
Since birds have good color vision but little sense of smell, you would guess that fruits that are designed to attract birds as a means of dispersal of seeds should be brightly colored with no odor. So how well […]
I am still enjoying the diversity of life at the very end of the fall growing season for flowers and insects. Soon for many species there will only be memories that will have to last us until next spring. […]
One of the great pleasures of the naturalist’s life is travel to locations where new habitats and species dazzle the brain. Our once a year trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit family provide exposure to habitats that […]
As the summer comes to a close and the first chill of fall begins to intrude on our consciousness, there are still a few warm weeks left to enjoy the flowers and insects and watch for migrating birds. I […]
Late June is a great time for a natural history ramble since so much is happening. Birds have been breeding for some time and the first crop of babies is out of the nests. For those birds which breed in […]
Late June is a great time for a natural history ramble since so much is happening. Birds have been breeding for some time and the first crop of babies is out of the nests. For those birds which breed in […]