Floridian Nature

The  eagle is one the largest and most powerful birds of prey. Soaring high above the earth, spying its prey with its keen eyes, the eagle presents a majestic picture. Eagles are notable for their powerful set of eyes. Even though their eyes are just slightly larger than human eyes, they can see up to 3½ times better than a person with perfect vision. An eagle can see a moving rabbit from a mile away, and can see a fellow eagle soaring 50 miles away!  Read more at Floridian Nature

  The  Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge are located midway on Florida’s east coast between Daytona Beach and Melbourne. The history of Merritt Island extends from prehistoric times to the space age!    Read more at Floridian Nature

 If you ever wanted to purchase art pieces by Michael Arnold but couldn't afford it or didn't have enough space, try buying his book filled with his complete collection of artwork. It's on sale on Amazon! A great selection of artwork with descriptions by award winning Florida artist Michael Arnold. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1731403828

Armadillos are small placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one". In the United States, the sole resident armadillo is the Nine-banded Armadillo, which is most common in the central southernmost states. Armadillos have been consistently expanding their range over the last century due to a lack of natural predators. Armadillos feed primarily on insects and their larvae. They also eat earthworms, scorpions , spiders , snails, and small vertebrates and their eggs. Reports of armadillo damage to birds' nests on the ground are rare. People cannot help but appreciate the fact that armadillos consume large amounts of armyworms, cockroaches, ants , wasps, flies, beetles , and grasshoppers. They have been known to dig up entire yellow-jacket nests. Armadillos usually search for food by rooting or digging in ground litter, but will occasionally...

The red-throated loon is the smallest, slightest of the divers. It is distinctive among loons not only in size, but also in behavior, vocalizations, locomotion, and other aspects of life history. The Red-throated Loon, unlike other loons, does not need to patter on the water's surface on a long takeoff, but rather can take flight directly from land if necessary. Most loons must paddle furiously across the surface of the water before becoming airborne, but the small Red-throated can practically spring directly into the air from land, a useful ability on its tundra breeding grounds. Whereas only males of other loon species vocalize, both male and female   Common loons are heavy-bodied birds that sit low in the water just offshore. They are known as the great northern diver by British birders and for good reason. They dip their heads below the surface to visually locate prey and then power through the water with large webbed f...

The Florida population of  rhesus macaque gained a foothold niche in the Silver River State Park   Local legend has it that the monkeys descended from animals used to film several Tarzan movies nearly 50 years ago at Silver Springs. The first monkeys were brought here at that time, but by a former Jungle Cruise operator who figured that the animals would add an exotic and amusing touch to the lush natural setting. In addition, various colonies of rhesus and other monkey species are speculated to be the result of zoos and wildlife parks destroyed in hurricanes, most notably Hurricane Andrew .  The rhesus macaque has a brown body with lighter brown under parts. The monkey's face and rump are red. The average height for females is 18.5 to 20.9 inches, and 19 to 25 inches for males. The average weight for females is approximately 9 to 24 pounds, while males weigh between 12 to 24 lbs. The head is round, the eyes...

When a heavy evening rain is impending during the spring or summer, many frogs and toads begin to call. This is the first signal of intense breeding activity. Frogs and toads generally mate at night, since the darkness conceals them from sharp-eyed predators, especially wading birds. As rain starts to fall more and more frog voices are heard, until in certain places it becomes almost deafening.  Although it may seem like frogs are just singing for fun, it is actually the males who are calling to set up territories and to attract females. Most frogs in Florida breed and lay their eggs in shallow, temporarily flooded ponds, ditches, and depressions. Temporary water holes do not have large resident populations of predators, such as fish, salamanders, and water snakes, that would feed on the eggs or tadpoles because theses shallow pools usually dry up quickly. The Pine barrens tree frog is only about 1–3 inches  long and is o...

Owls are a common bird in Floridian nature. They come in a variety of sizes and help keep area rodents in check.  Five species of owls call Florida home and include the screech owl, barn owl, barred owl, horned owl and burrowing owl. The barn owl ( Tyto alba ) is found throughout the state of Florida and inhabits hardwood and tropical hammocks, urban areas with abundant palms and large hardwoods, and manmade structures such as silos, barns, and deserted buildings.  Barn owls forage voraciously for rodents in open areas such as prairies, pastures, fields, and sparsely wooded areas. Barn owls in Florida breed from March through July and nest in secluded places like caves, barns, tree cavities, and large bird houses.  They build no actual nest and lay from 3-11 (most commonly 5-7) white or buff-white eggs. Many people attract barn owls by erecting nest boxes in an effort to control local rodent populations The Barred Owl is a medi...

The loveable, slow-moving Gopher Tortoise is famous for digging underground burrows 10 to 35 feet long with "bedrooms" at the ends. The burrows are found in sandy well drained areas through out Florida. In good weather, the tortoise emerges from its burrow to browse on low-growing vegetation, including leaves, grass and wild fruits. Over seventy other kinds of animals have been found using the state protected Gopher Tortoise burrows in various ways. These include burrowing owls, raccoons , opossums , gopher frogs, spiders, insects, cotton rats, indigo snakes, and rattlesnakes . The Florida Box Turtle is an attractive turtle that has been used a a children's pet. It spends most of its time wandering through woods, fields, and gardens, but it will occasionally soak itself in water. A small to medium sized turtle, the Florida Box Turtle is one of the well known subspecies of eastern box turtle. In both appe...

Florida has a longer coastline facing the Gulf of Mexico than the Atlantic Ocean. With 580 miles along the Atlantic Ocean and 770 miles along the Gulf of Mexico the state of Florida has a total of 1,350 miles of coastline! Florida is a water wonderland with it's pristine rivers and lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean coastline, and it's mixtures of  brackish backwaters. As you may know, Florida has some of the best beaches in the world. No matter where you are in Florida, there is a beach just a short drive away. The waters from Fort Myers through Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor have to be one of the most diverse boating and fishing locations anywhere in the world. Pine Island Sound is bounded on the west by Sanibel , Captiva and North Captiva Islands. Hundreds of islands dot the Sound; redfish, snook, pompano and speckled trout delight the patient angler. To the east, Pine Island's mangrove sho...

The  Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge are located midway on Florida’s east coast between Daytona Beach and Melbourne. The history of Merritt Island extends from prehistoric times to the space age! Inhabited by Indians since about 7000 B.C., the island in recent years has rocketed to the site of Cape Canaveral, with which the refuge and seashore share a border. The National Park Service protects ten National Seashores in the United States. Canaveral National Seashore is a step into the past, protection for the present, and a doorway into the future. The 100 Timucuan Mounds that are within it's boundaries are evidence of past generations of people that lived here. Canaveral National Seashore covers 57,000 acres and  the 24 mile stretch of undeveloped beach  is the longest stretch  on Florida's east coast. Fourteen endangered species make their home within Canaveral's boundari...

Ospreys, also known as “fish hawks,” are expert anglers that like to hover above the water, locate their prey and then swoop down for the capture with talons extended. The undersides of the toes on each foot are covered with short spines, which help them grasp slippery fish. In Florida, ospreys commonly capture saltwater catfish, mullet, spotted trout, shad, crappie and sunfish from coastal habitats and freshwater lakes and rivers for their diet. Read more at  http://www.floridiannature.com/eagleandospreyraptors.htm

Blackwater River State Park is considered one of the purest sand-bottom rivers in the world, the Blackwater River is in its natural state for almost its entire length. Beginning 45 miles upstream in Alabama, it continues downstream for 13 miles before emptying into Blackwater Bay. The river's sand bottom, dark tannin waters and contrasting large, white sandbars have drawn worldwide attention and provide the perfect setting for this 590- acre park. The river attracts paddlers from far and wide and has been designated a Florida canoe trail. The last two miles of the trail are located within the park. Besides being  a favorite destination for canoeists and kayakers, Blackwater River offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation. The river is one of the purest sand-bottom rivers in the nation, making this park a popular place for swimming, fishing, camping, and paddling. Shaded campsites are just a short walk from the...

In honor of Memorial Day, we want to remind people of a great historical battle ground in Florida. Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Site is a Florida State Park in Leon County, Florida. It is located roughly between the city of Tallahassee and the town of St. Marks. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Natural Bridge was fought here on March 6, 1865. The site is named for a natural bridge over the St. Marks River. Natural Bridge is the site of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida and where the St. Marks River drops into a sinkhole and flows underground for one-quarter of a mile before reemerging. This site illustrates the crucial role the lay of the land can play in military strategy. In early March of 1865, Union General John Newton and naval Commander William Gibson mounted a two pronged advance toward Tallahassee. Newton landed his troops and headed north, but Gibson's gunboats ran aground in the St. M...

This week's pick is in honor of my son Sean who just started working as a writer for the Chiefland Citizen. Fanning Springs is a  Florida city in Gilchrist and Levy counties. The population was 737 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2004 population of 800. Fanning Springs Florida is famous for the springs and the Suwannee River . Located on the central, west coast of Florida on the Suwannee River.  Fanning Springs is breath taking at first sight.  It has a large basin with very clear water and excellent scenery all around.  Depths vary from 2 to 21 feet depending on the river height.  Water discharges from visible sand boils and small cracks in the rocks that surround the bottom.  Fanning Springs consists of two springs or pools, each with a run discharging to the Suwannee River. Fanning is about 200 ft wide and 350 ft long. Its vent, near the southeast wall, is about 30 feet in diameter. Pool depth is ...

With the warm climate, butterflies are often in flight year  round in Floridian Nature . From the Giant Swallowtail to the Little Metalmark, the state has a wealth of flittering, fluttering, flappers, and gliders brightening the landscape. There are more than 17,000s different species, or types, of butterflies. They come in many colors and live in very different types of climates. In Florida over 180 different butterflies have been recorded. Within that mix, some 40 are considered either unique to the state or occur mostly within its boundaries,  Who doesn't want to see beautiful butterflies visiting their Florida garden? Planning a butterfly garden in your yard helps attract a wide variety of butterflies found in Florida nature. Creating a butterfly garden means choosing plants that are high in nectar and plants in colors of red and purple that butterflies find irresistible. The Polydamus Swallowtail lacks the characteri...

The Rainbow River is located in the southwest corner of Marion County Florida. It is formed by a first magnitude spring that is ranked fourth in the state for volume of discharge. In addition to the springs located at the headwaters, there are many smaller springs that discharge from numerous caves, rock crevices, and sand boils the entire length of the river. The Rainbow River is a gently winding river that is 5.7 miles long and merges with the Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon Florida. The headwaters is the anchor for the Rainbow Springs State Park. This first magnitude spring is not one large vent but is numerous vents that issue 400 - 600 million gallons of crystalline water every day.    Rainbow Springs State Park is comprised of 1,459.07 upland acres (which includes around 100 acres of wetlands) and 12.83 submerged acres. The most significant natural feature is the first magnitude headspring basin which produ...

Everglades National Park , the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, boasts rare and endangered species. The largest body of water within the park is Florida Bay, which extends from the mangrove swamps of the mainland's southern tip to the Florida Keys. Over 800 square miles of marine ecosystem lies in this range. Coral, sponges, and seagrasses serve as shelter and food for crustaceans and mollusks, which in turn are the primary food source for larger marine animals. Sharks , stingrays, and barracudas also live in this ecosystem, as do larger species of fish that attract sport fishing. Pelicans , shorebirds , terns, and black skimmers   are among the birds frequenting park shorelines. Everglades National Park contains the southern 25 percent of the original Everglades marshland region of southwestern Florida. The park visited by one million people each year and has been declared...

Spring is in the air and it is the perfect time to explore Floridian Nature ! The island of Anclote Key houses both the Anclote Key State Preserve and the Anclote National Wildlife Refuge. Accessible only by private boat, this island park has a lighthouse and wildlife area that is a sanctuary for rare and endangered species. Blue-green Gulf waters lap gently along the preserve´s beautiful four-mile-long beach. About 1,000 years ago this island was pushed up from the Gulf floor to rest on a limestone platform. Its geologic growth hasn’t stopped. Recent research has documented a 30 percent increase in the size of Anclote since 1957. Much of the 180 acres encompassed by Anclote Key is very damp and marshy , which makes it hard to travel around unless you walk along the sand beaches. The color of the water resembles that of the Florida Keys because it is a turquoise-color. The island's intercoastal side, or eastern side...

Snakes are a big part of Floridian nature and while some of them are deadly most are not. The Red Rat Snake , often called the corn snake in Florida, live near pinelands, hardwood hammocks, swamps, agricultural fields, and residential areas. Corn snakes are one of the most colorful snakes in Florida. Adult Red rat Snakes are orangish-brown with black bordered orange, red, or brownish blotches. The belly usually is a black and white checkerboard pattern, though orange may also be present. The underside of the tail has 2 black stripes. Adult red rat snakes reach a length of  18-44 inches. Red rat Snakes are found throughout peninsular Florida. The species ranges west to Louisiana to north to southern New Jersey.  Our daughter-in-law has a pet rat snakes and we built her a custom snake home for Christmas.  it was a big hit and you can see that Ginger really enjoys her new home with plenty of room to stretch out!