Giving Thanksgiving thanks for beautiful Floridian nature!

Everyone living in Florida should already know what a true blessing it is to live in such a beautiful state that abounds in nature. The word Florida  comes from  the Spanish Pascua Florida, meaning “feast of flowers” and it lives up to its name. Florida has some of the most beautiful and diverse plants in the country. Florida's plant life includes approximately 450 species of native trees and shrubs. From fall through spring Florida not only enjoys its best weather, this period also furnishes the year’s prime birding and wildlife viewing opportunities. 

As other states are trapped in November snowstorms, we are enjoying warm temperatures across the state.The climate has always been one of Florida's most important natural resources, which is reflected in its official nickname, the "Sunshine State." Florida is famous for it's generally warm climate. The climate of Florida is partially controlled by the fact that because it is a narrow peninsula, no part of the state is very far from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee, you will find a humid subtropical climate, while south of the lake it is a tropical climate. The seasons in Florida are determined more by precipitation than by temperature, with the hot, wet springs and summers making up the wet season, and mild to cool, and the relatively dry winters and autumns, making the dry season.

People aren't the only snowbirds that come to Florida in the winter.  Over 175 bird species are known to breed in Florida and almost three hundred birds migrate here in the fall spring or winter months.Florida bird habitats range from isolated islands of the Dry Tortugas to remote interior swamplands and our increasingly numerous suburban backyards. All of Florida's native birds are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and are also protected under state law, and may not be trapped or killed without federal permit. Endangered and threatened species are additionally protected.