Tag: Nature
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Spring Update
Back on March 22, I wrote about the spring bird migration approaching. From everything I’ve seen, heard and read, the season for the colorful tanagers, orioles, and warblers has been rather disappointing for our region. It would seem that several factors contributed to a lackluster migration. Much of our coastal habitats were destroyed during the…
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Changes in the Air
The transition to our summer season for birds is beginning. It’s mid-March and almost all the robins have departed on their journey north. Likewise, the little hooded mergansers that usually populate the many small ponds in the area have left for their northern nesting grounds. As the weeks go by, more ducks will head out…
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Sunny in Seattle
We just returned from a trip to Seattle to see our kids. It was a fabulous visit with lots of fun activities. Our daughter and granddaughter joined us from Japan which was the first time we’ve all been together in several years. After spending many years aboard airplanes, I have to call out Delta Airlines…
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Backyard Birds
Sometimes the best place to photograph nature can be right in the back yard. We are very fortunate to have a wonderful yard filled with colorful flowering shrubs and nice trees. The shrubbery provides excellent cover for birds, rabbits, and squirrels and their flowers attract a wide variety of butterflies and often hummingbirds. When the…
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Farmland of Central Florida
One of our favorite areas to visit for the wide variety of plants and wildlife is the agricultural region of Hardee County, Florida. The area is a vast expanse of farms growing citrus, blueberries, tomatoes and other vegetables, and cattle. Separating the farms are areas of swamp and forests. The diversity of the land is…
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Springtime Changes
Living in Florida, the seasonal changes are a lot less dramatic than in other parts of the country. While our rain dial can go from 0 in the “winter” to 100 in the summer, our temperature dial usually only goes from 70 to 90. Sometimes we only notice the seasons changing when we must reset…
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A Couple of Recent Trips
Last week Pam and I took a quick trip over to Lakeland to meet up with an old friend from Canada who spends the winters with his wife and dogs in Florida. We met him at Lake Morton, which is one of our favorite bird spots in the region. It was a beautiful sunny day…
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Rare Fork-Tailed Flycatcher
Bird watching is often about patience and timing, and sometimes it rewards you with unforgettable moments. During a recent visit to Bahia Beach Nature Preserve in Ruskin, Florida, we experienced such a moment when we encountered a fork-tailed flycatcher. This rare bird dazzled with its graceful flight and striking appearance, making it a highlight of…
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Sebring
Last week right before hurricane Helene decided to wreak havoc on our area, my friend Art and I took a ride over by Sebring. It’s an area that we like to visit because of the diverse landscape. Most of the region is comprised of large farms with citrus groves, and a lot of cattle ranches.…
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Summer Update
Summer in Florida is the time of year when photography gets slow. While there are several species of birds that migrate here for the summer months, we start getting anxious for the fall and winter migrations. It’s a good time of the year for butterflies. Unfortunately, it’s also our rainy season and mosquitoes love the…
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Bahia Beach Nature Preserve
This past Monday, my friend Art Nadelman and I made a visit to Bahia Beach Nature Preserve in Ruskin. The preserve is less than a mile from Tampa Bay and has become one of favorite winter spots for waterfowl. We often see many other species of water birds like herons, egrets, gulls and shorebirds. Occasionally…
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Florida Snail Kites
As promised from my last post, here is the story about our recent trips to the Fort Myers area to look for snail kites. I’ve written about snail kites in the past because they are such fascinating birds with an equally fascinating story. The Everglades snail kite subspecies is unique to central and south Florida.…