Nature Appreciation

[John Roberts]

We had a bit of cold here in Florida, I had a Mourning Dove walking around the birdbath trying to get a drink of water, the half inch of ice would not budge(obviously a local..no hard freezes since 1988)......I went out and dumped the ice and filled it with warm water for him/her.

 

[John Roberts]

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

I have been going to MINWR lately on the north end of my county here in Florida, if anyone is visiting during the winter I highly reccomend checking it out if you love birds and wildlife.....Numerous mudflats, saltwater marshes, lagoons, hammocks(tree island), and scrub provide a wide range of habitat.
Bring your binoculars and if you have one a birding scope or telescope.

Seen over the past few weeks

Bald Eagle
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
American Kestrel
Sora
Clapper Rail
Roseate Spoonbill
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback Duck
American Wigeon
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Mottled Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
American Coot
Common Moorhen
Brown Pelican
American White Pelican
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Ruddyturnstones
Short-billed Dowitcher
Willet
American Avocet
Red Knot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Snipe
Sanderling
Lesser Sandpiper
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black-Skimmer
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Tri-colored Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Reddish Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
American Bittern
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Woodstork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Robin
Blue Jay
Florida Scrub Jay
Eastern Bluebird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Blue-headed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Towhee
Common Ground Dove
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Fish Crow
Eastern Meadowlark
Tree Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Wren

Armidillos
Many Alligators


To summarize........Wow!

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Just a bump to show the updated list of birds......great stuff seeing all this!

I have been going to MINWR lately on the north end of my county here in Florida, if anyone is visiting during the winter I highly reccomend checking it out if you love birds and wildlife.....Numerous mudflats, saltwater marshes, lagoons, hammocks(tree island), and scrub provide a wide range of habitat.
Bring your binoculars and if you have one a birding scope or telescope.

Seen over the past few weeks

Bald Eagle
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
American Kestrel
Sora
Clapper Rail
Roseate Spoonbill
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback Duck
American Wigeon
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Mottled Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
American Coot
Common Moorhen
Brown Pelican
American White Pelican
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Ruddyturnstones
Short-billed Dowitcher
Willet
American Avocet
Red Knot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Snipe
Sanderling
Lesser Sandpiper
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black-Skimmer
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Tri-colored Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Reddish Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
American Bittern
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Woodstork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Robin
Blue Jay
Florida Scrub Jay
Eastern Bluebird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Blue-headed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Towhee
Common Ground Dove
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Fish Crow
Eastern Meadowlark
Tree Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Wren

Armidillos
Many Alligators


To summarize........Wow!

 

[John Roberts]

It is wonderful to look out of my parents backwindow and see dolphin playing in the Indian River Lagoon

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

More birds to add today......and some nice meditation in the woods, deep breathing and the wind in the trees

I have been going to MINWR lately on the north end of my county here in Florida, if anyone is visiting during the winter I highly reccomend checking it out if you love birds and wildlife.....Numerous mudflats, saltwater marshes, lagoons, hammocks(tree island), and scrub provide a wide range of habitat.
Bring your binoculars and if you have one a birding scope or telescope.

Seen over the past few weeks

Bald Eagle
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
American Kestrel
Sora
Clapper Rail
Roseate Spoonbill
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback Duck
American Wigeon
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Mottled Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
American Coot
Common Moorhen
Brown Pelican
American White Pelican
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Common Loon
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Ruddyturnstones
Short-billed Dowitcher
Willet
American Avocet
Red Knot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Snipe
Sanderling
Lesser Sandpiper
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black-Skimmer
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Tri-colored Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Reddish Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
American Bittern
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Woodstork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Hermit Thrush
Blue Jay
Florida Scrub Jay
Eastern Bluebird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Blue-headed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Towhee
Common Ground Dove
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Fish Crow
Eastern Meadowlark
Tree Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Wren

Armidillos
Many Alligators


To summarize........Wow!

 

[John Roberts]

Todays nature experience was the Three Forks Marsh out on the St Johns River floodplain......very quiet out there....nothing but the wind....no background noise........very nice!

 

[John Roberts]

Just a reminder, this thread is about anything related to the natural world........whether it is the wind in your face or watching the water flow in a brook...in my case right now I am obsessed with birds.....

I love walking out in the woods and being able to know each sound that I hear, it makes it a much more intimate experience and heightens my awarness.

 

[shescurious]

When I was younger I never appreciated the beauty of the world around me. Then all of a sudden one day it hit me like a ton a bricks how many wondrous things I am blessed to be surrounded by.

The ocean gives me the most pleasure. I could sit on the beach and listen to the waves and the birds, feeling the wind blow around me for hours. Or better yet being out on the ocean on a boat slicing through the water, feeling the motion of the ocean beneath you all the while hoping for that glimpse of a whale or dolphin.

The irony in this is I live no where near the ocean...lol. But I have fond memories I can visit whenever I want.

 

[John Roberts]

Ahh! The Butterflies were flying around me this morning, a Giant Swallow tail, a Gulf Fritillary, a Monarch and a Orange Barred Sulphur.......all at the same time....I love it.........
Gardening has consumed me....my once brown thumb has greened and beauty surrounds me......

A potted plant worth owning........Plectranthus "Mona Lavender"

Look for it you will not be disappointed this plant is astoundingly beautiful especially if you pot up two or three together in a large pott.....Knock your eyes out.

It is not a butterfly plant but get it anyway!

 

[John Roberts]

When I was younger I never appreciated the beauty of the world around me. Then all of a sudden one day it hit me like a ton a bricks how many wondrous things I am blessed to be surrounded by.

The ocean gives me the most pleasure. I could sit on the beach and listen to the waves and the birds, feeling the wind blow around me for hours. Or better yet being out on the ocean on a boat slicing through the water, feeling the motion of the ocean beneath you all the while hoping for that glimpse of a whale or dolphin.

The irony in this is I live no where near the ocean...lol. But I have fond memories I can visit whenever I want.

My parents used to take me sailing in the Bahamas, We did it every year for years......Your posting reminds me of this.....crossing the Gulf Stream with the Mahimahi chasing flying fish and the deep Navy blue of deep water. The waves splashing over bow, spray in my face.....the wind slapping the canvas.....Fresh spiny Lobster.....

 

[John Roberts]

Dusting off another one.

Spending time on the Indian River Lagoon is always a wonder to me,
I went down on the dock to cast a few lines with the hope of catching some fresh fish for dinner. One young atlantic bottlenosed dolphin decided he liked me and kept me company for a while, everytime I brought in a fish and tossed it back he would race in to the dock roll on his side and look at me. He did not want the fish but he certainly did seem to like the sound of the fish being released.......we played this game for about 40 minutes....sometimes he would sit there rolling around in the water as if he was listening to my welcoming words. When another young dolphin came by he went off to play but came by one last time as if to say goodbye.
I had two manatees go by as I fished. One enthusiastic Royal Tern grabbed my fishing lure off of the surface of the water when I was being inattentive distracted by my fine company no doubt, fortunately the tern did not get hooked so there was no dramatic battle to free it as I had with a Brown pelican many years ago, unpleasant for him and me......Do you know pelicans throw up under stress? I sure found out as I struggled with him to extract the hook he had snatched up. He beat me with his wings until I could trap them under my arms, I was bound and determined not to be one of those fishermen that just cut the line and left the birds to die tangled with line and hook.....The pelican was released free of his bane......I was nauseated from the smell of oily pelican and pelican vomit......Yech!.Out.Out..damn spot! I could not get the smell off of me, I washed my hands repeatedly, many washings later and a few showers I finally could feel untainted. I paid for my crime, the pelican gods are smiling for they know another fisherman is never going to catch another pelican.

 

[Joey3308]

http://budgetstockphoto.com/samples/pics/skyclounds.jpg

 

[John Roberts]

http://budgetstockphoto.com/samples/pics/skyclounds.jpg

very nice....Thanks Joey3308

 

[John Roberts]

Okay so I am an ogre sometimes, the fresh fish I caught today were a delicious lunch as fish sandwhiches........or is that sandwiches......gad...where is my dictionary? Mis-spellings and typos stalk me, pouncing at every turn its a jungle out there!
Or is it I become an ogre when I eat hobbit sandwiches?
I'll have a Frodo on rye.....easy on the mayo.

 

[~*sunkyssed_kym*~]

J.R.; Thaks for giving me the medium to talk about the sights Sir Dave has shown me in the UK. I could talk about the stillness of the 2000 year old Celtic site in the peace of the woods, the grandness of a castle that has sustained time for over 800 years, a stone circle near dusk as the birds soar overhead for the last time that day. But I think that one of my most powerful memories is of the Stipperstones as the sun sets over the valley and a hush falls on the land. Powerful indeed and a most soul awakening experience.

Funny, but I had always thought that I had felt that here in Florida with the ocean and wood, but never have I felt as I have there.

Thank you my dear for allowing me to remember.

-kym- longing for that feeling again

 

[done_got_old]

I was vacationing in the Poconos a couple of years ago. My SO was sitting in the living room and I was preparing breakfast. Neither of us was fully dressed! I looked up and saw 'someone' on the deck. "Steve, (not his real name) there's someone on the deck!"

"Oh it's probably just someone picking up the trash." I went to the door and there was a bear. Not 12 inches from me. I ran to get my camera, opened the door to get a picture. The bear heard the noise and ran into the woods. At that point common sense returned.

How stupid could I be?

 

[John Roberts]

J.R.; Thaks for giving me the medium to talk about the sights Sir Dave has shown me in the UK. I could talk about the stillness of the 2000 year old Celtic site in the peace of the woods, the grandness of a castle that has sustained time for over 800 years, a stone circle near dusk as the birds soar overhead for the last time that day. But I think that one of my most powerful memories is of the Stipperstones as the sun sets over the valley and a hush falls on the land. Powerful indeed and a most soul awakening experience.

Funny, but I had always thought that I had felt that here in Florida with the ocean and wood, but never have I felt as I have there.

Thank you my dear for allowing me to remember.

-kym- longing for that feeling again

You are most welcome Kym,
since the natives did not build here in North america we do not have much to remind us of antiquity......only a few buried pottery shards and some bone.
I really would love to immerse myself into such rich old culture, one day I will make it over the big pond. That is one reason I love the old trees, a local pet store here actually as an alligator snapping turtle estimated to be 240 years old......alive in the revolution can you believe it.

 

[John Roberts]

I was vacationing in the Poconos a couple of years ago. My SO was sitting in the living room and I was preparing breakfast. Neither of us was fully dressed! I looked up and saw 'someone' on the deck. "Steve, (not his real name) there's someone on the deck!"

"Oh it's probably just someone picking up the trash." I went to the door and there was a bear. Not 12 inches from me. I ran to get my camera, opened the door to get a picture. The bear heard the noise and ran into the woods. At that point common sense returned.

How stupid could I be?

Hello done_got_old,
Cut yourself some slack.....Lucky bear got an eye full

 

[~*sunkyssed_kym*~]

<snip>a local pet store here actually as an alligator snapping turtle estimated to be 240 years old......alive in the revolution can you believe it. </snip>

YIKES!!!! 240 years old!
Tho I must confess J.R.; I think I've seen some folks down here that qualify for that title. i.e..............Alligator snappers who are 240 years old. Both in their appearence and demeanor.

-kym- revolutionary vision

 

[whisperingwords]

This is a lovely thread, John Roberts. The responses are beautiful as well.

I'd like to share something that still has me smiling even after all of the years gone by.

When I was a little girl, about 6 years old, something magical happened - a beautiful little fawn came right up to me while its mom was standing guard and began licking my hand that I had outstretched to pet it.

My older sister became scared and walked away quickly but I stood there in awe and enjoyed the sensations as well as the moment. I can still see it clearly in my mind just as if it happened yesterday.

When we walked back to the cabin where my family was, no one believed us at first - thinking it was the imaginations of two children at play. It wasn't until a neighbor, who had been walking along the dirt road up a ways, came to see my grandfather later that day and told him what he witnessed...he even snapped a picture of it.

Now that brought a smile to my face this morning. I hope you and everyone who visits this thread today have a grand day.

Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday, John Roberts!

 

[~*sunkyssed_kym*~]

Happy B'day to a Natural Man

Whisperingwords, Please allow me add my to wishes to yours for a very Happy B'day to John Roberts.
Darlin, I wish all of the best for you and yours, and that THIS year is your year to enjoy all of those things you long for.
Many es J.R. and 12 long stemmed cyber s too!

Have a great day!

-kym- toasting J.R. on his day

 

[John Roberts]

Thank you so much for the birthday greetings Whisperingwords and Kym,

I get scared when I count the years, I do not feel that old.

That Alligator snapping turtle has only been in captivity fo 15 to 20 of his 240 years......it is hard to imagine something that old. I wonder if he still dreams of the wild. They keep Oscars in his tank for food, they are all on to him and are not enticed into his mouth by his beckoning worm like tongue......I think to feed him they have to put a naive fish who does not know him into the tank.
Sounds like a horror story..........the stranger coming into town to be fed upon
by the local monster, the villagers do not warn him for to sate the monster means one of them is spared. "Go ahead, the worms in that cave are very delicious!"

Whisperingwords, that sounds like a wonderful memory.......some of my earlier memories are of catching minnows in a hand net, playing by the Indian River Lagoon....... I have some bear memories from our trips to the Smoky Mountains when I was a child..........of the ducks covering the water with their numbers on the Indian River Lagoon in winter.

 

[whisperingwords]

This is another memory I've kept with me over the years. It, too, takes place in the mountains where my grandfather lived.

We used to feed peanuts to the chipmunks and the squirrels. Since we were children, we were never afraid...and our parents had taught us what NOT to do while we were feeding them. Our little hands would be opened with the nuts located in the very center of our palms...very cautiously the little critters would make their way to us and then quickly dart to retrieve their food. We would keep very still and very quiet so as not to scare them away.

What I really loved so much was the first time I ever saw a squirrel glide in the air from one tree to another. I have no clue what kind of a squirrel it was but I remember watching in awe as I saw its limbs spread and move like a kite. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Although that house has been sold for many years following my grandfather's death...the memory lives on.

I hope everyone is having a delightful day. Enjoy the weekend.

 

[John Roberts]

This is another memory I've kept with me over the years. It, too, takes place in the mountains where my grandfather lived.

We used to feed peanuts to the chipmunks and the squirrels. Since we were children, we were never afraid...and our parents had taught us what NOT to do while we were feeding them. Our little hands would be opened with the nuts located in the very center of our palms...very cautiously the little critters would make their way to us and then quickly dart to retrieve their food. We would keep very still and very quiet so as not to scare them away.

What I really loved so much was the first time I ever saw a squirrel glide in the air from one tree to another. I have no clue what kind of a squirrel it was but I remember watching in awe as I saw its limbs spread and move like a kite. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Although that house has been sold for many years following my grandfather's death...the memory lives on.

I hope everyone is having a delightful day. Enjoy the weekend.

Wow....I forgot about those things......I have not seen a flying squirrel in years......we do not have them in my county.

 

[John Roberts]

My intent was to catch a fish for dinner.....that is all I wanted.....a young Brown Pelican saw it differently.....he wanted my fishing lure, having caught a pelican once before I really did not care for giving this young pelican a lesson in how to avoid fishing tackle.....heck he was actively pursueing it....turn my back he is standing on the dock right behind me saying "Well?" in his posture. Hopeing to instill fear of man and hence possibly his redemption I swat at him.....to his programmed response it was...."he is throwing me a fish" and he would open his mouth and glare at me.....finally when I loomed over him in a menacing fashion his resolve melted and he left.....10 feet away glaring at me as he floated on the water........trying to sneak close to where I was casting my lure....."la..te...do...la...te...dum..." as he causally closed the distance hoping to catch me off guard.......I would switch sides of the dock when he got too close.....then he changed tactics.......he would swim under the dock hoping to get that lure......to him of course it was a little tasty morsel.........Okay....turn my back......there he is right behind me.....I went through the routine again....hovering over him making monster noises and uttering obsenities for I realized he was not going to leave and I was not going to get fish for dinner. he hopped in the water again, glaring at me....finally I gave up.....and sat down to watch the Lagoon......as I sat there
with my young pelican friend I watched 12 manatees swim by....I was
feeling sad because unless he is lucky he will probably die hooked by some fisherman or tangled in some fishing line......all because some kind person thought it was cute to feed him......I know some people do not think about the consequences of feeding wild animals but usually it does not end well.

So folks.....from my standing on my box......

DON'T FEED the ANIMALS!.......of course your dog or cat or hamster.....by all means.....