We went back to Spruce Creek for a second try at seeing the Red-breasted Nuthatch without any success. So I wandered a bit mostly so I could hear some rails – got Virginia rail and a bunch of Clapper Rails. The boardwalk to the small fishing area. This is one spot that is quite easyContinue reading “Spruce Creek: Day-2”
Tag Archives: nature
Spruce Creek Park: Day-1
We spent a morning at Spruce Creek Park and Preserve looking unsuccessfully for a Red-breasted Nuthatch. We did have a lot of other interesting things. An American Kestrel is always nice to see perched, and not view from a moving car. Ballmoss (not a moss but a flowering plant in the genus Tillandsia). A coupleContinue reading “Spruce Creek Park: Day-1”
A day at the beach
The other day Don drove us along the beach at New Smyrna Beach. As always it was a fun time. One of the many Royal Terns that we saw. A Sandwich Tern with Royal Terns. One of the many Ruddy Turnstones that we saw. One of the many Snowy Egrets at the Ponce Inlet. Breakwall.Continue reading “A day at the beach”
Canaveral National Seashore
Yesterday we spent the morning at Turtle Mound and Eldora two delightful places in the Canaveral National Seashore that are great for seeing plants and butterflies. The first thing that we saw was a Common Ground Dove, neither botanical nor a butterfly, but nice none-the-less. This Phaeon Crescent was basking in the morning sun. Abbot’sContinue reading “Canaveral National Seashore”
An interesting start to the year
Every year I keep track of what I seen. This includes plants, animals and fungi. Typically, by this time of year I’ve seen 2-300 total species. This includes starting the year in Oregon. This year I have vowed to be more observant and pay attention to the “little” things such as lichens and fungi. InContinue reading “An interesting start to the year”
Thinking about warmer times
I’m sitting across from our wood stove at Whitefish Point in a warm room looking outside where the temperature is currently 7F. Tomorrow we’re heading into eastern Chippewa county in search of some winter birds. Who knows how that will go? But I am also thinking about last week when Susan and I visited GallupContinue reading “Thinking about warmer times”
Eugene: Day-12
When I got up this morning it was a lot warmer than yesterday (47F versus 31F) and while it’s overcast and foggy it’s not raining. We spent the morning yesterday outside looking at plants and listening to birds. Every year I keep a master list of “living organisms.” Last year I had 666 species ofContinue reading “Eugene: Day-12”
Eugene: Day-9
Yesterday was our last day at Yachats. We went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium but we got to Newport too early so spent an hour at Nye Beach. We parked next to this business and I thought to myself “That’s an Italian business, it has to be.” Sure enough it was an Italian Restaurant. AmongContinue reading “Eugene: Day-9”
Brazil – orchids
Whenever we travel we are always on the lookout for orchids. Typically we are finding terrestrial orchids in Michigan. But once you are in the tropics epiphytic orchids are the norm. Many of the lodges that I visited in Brazil brought orchids in and had them in trees for guests to see. Here are aContinue reading “Brazil – orchids”
Dia de los Muertos and insects
I have been intrigued with Dia de los Muertos since I first leaned about it in the 1970s. This celebration is the perfect mix of ancient Mexican beliefs and Christian beliefs. One year in the early 1990s I was at Palenque, Mexico for the celebration and it was amazing. But now, thinking about death theContinue reading “Dia de los Muertos and insects”