As summer progresses into early Fall we can see additional signs of the changing seasons. From my bedroom window I observe that the whitetail deer “twins” continue to grow although they still have their spots. Their grazing in our wildflower […]
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As the summer season progresses into the infamous dog days, which are historically associated with the rising of the dog star Sirius, nature undergoes some profound changes. Spring bird migration is over as is most breeding, fall migration has begun […]
One of the little known secrets of southern Sarasota County, FL, is the presence of a large piece of Old Florida within the Myakka State Forest ( https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Myakka-State-Forest ). This massive 8593 acre tract along the tidal Myakka RIver is […]
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a marvelous linear necklace of natural attractions. One of the gems in this necklace is Price Lake, near Mile Marker 297. We enjoy walking the 2.3 mile loop around the lake and watching for seasonal […]
Some areas with great natural beauty and lots of wildlife are rarely visited because they are in an out of the way location. This is certainly true of South Venice (FL) Lemon Bay Preserve (SVLBP). It is on the mainland […]
Too often we think that we have to go to a far country to see fantastic animals. However if you extend your gaze towards the insect world you may find a remarkable menagerie right in your own backyard. Here are […]
Most who live in SW Florida will have noticed in their yards a very common small lizard, the brown or Cuban anole. It is an exotic species which has long been established here. The males extend a colorful orange/red dewlap […]
Although Wildflower Preserve in Englewood, FL, has in the past been one of my favorite areas for nature study, it has been in an extended hiatus for visitors during ecological restoration, and is only now in the […]
My wife and I visited Grayson Highlands State Park (GHSP) in VA recently and marveled at the diversity of life at high altitudes and how it differs from that at lower elevations. Conditions are much harsher as one […]
Hundreds of people use the beautiful Boone, NC, Greenway Park daily for recreation and likely do not think about the myriads of small predatory interactions that occur there among the resident animals. Indeed if you were the size […]
Lemon Lake within Amberjack Preserve in Charlotte County, FL, is a most unusual body of water. It is a natural and thus very shallow FL lake with a tenuous tidal connection via Lemon Creek to Lemon Bay through Wildflower […]
In our “golden years” we are fortunate to be able to enjoy two wonderful spring times, one in our winter SW FL home and one in our new summer home in Boone, NC. In the North Carolina mountains the explosion […]
You would normally expect to find wildlife in relatively unspoiled places, but sometimes a city park will reveal unexpected natural wonders. In mid- April I dropped off my wife at Sarasota’s (FL) Pinecraft Park, a place famous for spring […]
A team of volunteers organized by Chuck Idelberger and Stan Plizga recently carried out a seine survey for fish and large invertebrates at four of 13 ponds in the new 168 acre Broadmoor Park (a former golf course) […]
The Cape Haze Pioneer Bike Trail might seem an unlikely place to have a good nature-based experience. But in fact this 8+ mile long rails to trails paved pathway passes through some relatively unspoiled landscapes and crosses two tidal creeks. […]
Some of the most interesting places for a naturalist to visit might not seem the most likely to provide surprising insights into the secrets of nature. One such place is Hathaway Park in Charlotte County, primarily considered a place to […]
In an effort to keep fit I often take an early morning 3 mile walk from our yard on Manasota Key down to the Tom Adams bridge and back along the beach. Although this is not intended to be a […]
– – While attending a Peace River Audubon Society field trip to the campus of State College of Florida- Venice ( http://www.scf.edu/AboutSCF/Locations/SCFVenice/default.asp ), I was delighted to find that the lovely constructed lake just in front of the campus was well managed. […]
The Deer Prairie Creek Preserve is one of many wonderful natural areas owned by Sarasota County and SWFWMD ( .http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html ). It is huge (> 10,000 acres) and offers extensive pine flatwoods and aquatic habitats along the Myakka […]
Several days after a winter cold front has passed is a spectacular time to visit Myakka State Park, since it tends to be cool but sunny with little wind. Many of the iconic animals are on display, such as the […]