tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47950684985991166692024-03-13T07:18:27.626-04:00Tarpon TailsWelcome to my world of fishing, photography, cooking and just exploring in and around Apalachicola.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-56103202300276727382012-12-24T16:08:00.001-05:002012-12-24T16:11:14.535-05:00Merry Christmas!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Boomer... and me too!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-23626397869104641702012-12-06T17:05:00.001-05:002012-12-07T08:47:36.310-05:00Shrimp boats make for a good breakfast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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As I was driving around at the crack of dawn, I noticed a lot of bird activity on one shrimp boat in particular. It was apparent that it had shrimped the previous night and the nets still contained some small fish and shrimp. Various birds were climbing about the boat looking for breakfast.<br />
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Immature black crowned night heron<br />
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Mature black crowned night heron,<br />
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Night heron finds a a small fish.<br />
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Night heron with a small flounder.<br />
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Great blue heron with a shrimp.</div>
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Great blue spears a flounder. </div>
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Sometimes you have to take a break after all that eating.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-75103972160941590312012-12-03T16:18:00.000-05:002012-12-03T19:57:01.306-05:00Wandering around the BluffLast week a friend called and said he had seen a bear or two, at the same time and place, on two afternoons. The next afternoon I was staked out across the street, fifteen minutes ahead of time, to see what would transpire. Sure enough after twenty minutes a head was peering out of the ditch.<br />
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It grazed along the ditch for a few minutes, oblivious to traffic.<br />
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Then it sauntered off through a locked gate to check for acorns.<br />
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This is one of our typical juvenile bears. In these pictures, the bea'rs head and ears appear large in comparison to it's body. As a bear matures the head will be proportionally smaller.<br />
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I've been back twice more and it's been there one of those times, 2 out of 3 is fine. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-42955599348567152002012-11-24T12:16:00.002-05:002012-11-24T16:05:24.659-05:00Return of the Whooping Cranes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday morning I arrived in St. Marks at 0715 to witness the arrival of 5 of this years hatchling cranes. They had followed an ultra-lite
plane for 54 days and over 1100 miles, from Wisconsin to St. Marks NWR. Prior to the
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The birds have imprinted on the ulta-lite, treating it as another crane and if you look closely at the pilot he is dressed in an all white "costume". All the people that interact with the cranes dress in "costume" and do not speak, so that the young birds won't imprint on them.<br />
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Here is a handler in "costume" with the crane head used in training. They act as surrogate parents and teach the young birds what to eat and how to behave.<br />
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Off toward the refuge where they'll spend the next few months before returning, on their own. to Wisconsin, Hopefully, around this time next year, they will return to St Marks NWR with prior years classes.<br />
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The whooping crane has come a long way in my lifetime, As a child the total number of birds was around 40, today it is over 600. A big step, but was still a long way to go. If you would like to contribute or just gain more information, here is the group that brought the cranes to St. Marks.<br />
<a href="http://operationmigration.org/" target="_blank">Operation Migration</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-55795559274077316042012-11-08T11:31:00.000-05:002012-11-08T11:31:52.745-05:00Teenagers in the neighborhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time of the year when the yearling bears are chased away their mothers. This is part of the bear's breeding cycle. One of the results is the young bears come into town and start attacking dumpsters, trash cans, pet foods, etc. They remind me of teenage kids...gangly, awkward, and hungry all the time. This little guy was about to hit a neighbor's trash can, when I interrupted him.<br />
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If you look closely under his right eye (click on picture to enlarge) you'll see that he has a fresh wound, probably a territorial dispute. <br />
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He finally tired of posing for me and loped back into the woods.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-53169337476871685622012-07-04T09:45:00.000-04:002012-07-04T09:45:32.812-04:00Have a great 4th of July!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few shots of Apalachicola's fireworks show last night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-13599224932315126142012-04-13T11:58:00.055-04:002012-04-13T13:16:39.373-04:00Spring Across the PanhandleAfter a non-existent winter, we're now blessed with a prolonged spring. Low humidity, cool nights and mildly warm days. You can't ask for much more! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQcKsnb6NBU/T4hPUAE2EnI/AAAAAAAAAt4/AygUDVVBI_I/s1600/s-8550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQcKsnb6NBU/T4hPUAE2EnI/AAAAAAAAAt4/AygUDVVBI_I/s400/s-8550.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At the end of February my master naturalist class visited the St. Joe Buffer Preserve which is a classical mix of wet lands and upland habitat. The Buffer is home to a number of rare and/or endangered species of plants. The Chapman rhododendron is only found in 3 places in Florida. <br />
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An unusual characteristic of the Chapman is they grow in pine flatwoods instead of the shaded hillsides and ravines that many of it's cousins prefer.<br />
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In March I was invited to visit Spring Canyon. A private oasis in the steephead and ravine country of North Florida, featuring a number of rare species of plants.<br />
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The head of an active steephead with spring eroding a ravine.<br />
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Mountain laurel<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zxBNiXH-p3E/T4hdLCFCbxI/AAAAAAAAAwY/62U4VKUrEb4/s1600/s-9345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zxBNiXH-p3E/T4hdLCFCbxI/AAAAAAAAAwY/62U4VKUrEb4/s400/s-9345.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Flame azalea<br />
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If these sights and habitat interests you, Torreya State Park is nearby and offers similar habitat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-36779469606524795642012-02-23T20:01:00.000-05:002012-12-07T08:40:39.274-05:00Coyotes on the beachAs I was leaving St. George Island I saw two mature eagles diving in an aggressive manner. I thought I might be able to get some decent pictures even though it was foggy and cloudy. When I got the window down and my camera out of the truck I saw what they were harassing.<br />
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Here's what I saw through a 400MM lens. <br />
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At this range and low light level, I couldn't be certain if the was coyote or coydog. After some serious cropping and brightening, here's what the eagles were chasing.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WBViaupv2iw/T0bei6xl5zI/AAAAAAAAAtM/la2YbHvq64w/s1600/s-8438-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WBViaupv2iw/T0bei6xl5zI/AAAAAAAAAtM/la2YbHvq64w/s400/s-8438-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's a fine, obviously well fed, black coyote! I don't know if it walked across the bridge (6 miles) or swam over, but it appears to have adapted well.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-68634685065832037532012-02-19T14:30:00.000-05:002012-02-19T14:30:13.434-05:00Trout lilies and trilliums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OuOt6mdxIN0/T0FFnxf3dCI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/1XZetNlT70o/s1600/s-8261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OuOt6mdxIN0/T0FFnxf3dCI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/1XZetNlT70o/s400/s-8261.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I first heard about <a href="http://www.wolfcreektroutlilypreserve.org/wolfcreek/Wolf_Creek.html" target="_blank">Wolf Creek</a> last year. It's an oasis that harbors a myriad of flowering lilies far from their "native habitat". It consists of 140 acres of rolling hardwoods that has an area of 15-20 acres that is blanketed by dimpled trout lilies, with spotted trillium interspersed among them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted trillium</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Hillside covered in dimpled trout lilies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhKYy262Hgc/T0FFgUiAPBI/AAAAAAAAAr4/oJok5eARHdY/s1600/s-8243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhKYy262Hgc/T0FFgUiAPBI/AAAAAAAAAr4/oJok5eARHdY/s400/s-8243.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fbohZPcHIpI/T0FFkphdtGI/AAAAAAAAAsI/k10Rlkmq9m0/s1600/s-8256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fbohZPcHIpI/T0FFkphdtGI/AAAAAAAAAsI/k10Rlkmq9m0/s400/s-8256.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wM6PxgEyqkU/T0FFiveg5wI/AAAAAAAAAsA/0Eecd0yQZjw/s1600/s-8250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wM6PxgEyqkU/T0FFiveg5wI/AAAAAAAAAsA/0Eecd0yQZjw/s400/s-8250.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is a beautiful area that is unique for this part of the country. For additional information go to their <a href="http://www.wolfcreektroutlilypreserve.org/wolfcreek/Wolf_Creek_files/WolfCreek_brochure_combined3.pdf" target="_blank">brochure</a> or their <a href="http://www.wolfcreektroutlilypreserve.org/wolfcreek/Wolf_Creek.html" target="_blank">web site</a> . The trout lilies have probably peaked, but it is still a worth while trip to see what conservation of our natural resources is all about.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-23521702616788517992011-12-31T16:16:00.000-05:002011-12-31T16:16:56.836-05:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOh4z-jPfoM/Tv97VPSVAWI/AAAAAAAAArk/OYCZuOD_owc/s1600/s-6452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOh4z-jPfoM/Tv97VPSVAWI/AAAAAAAAArk/OYCZuOD_owc/s400/s-6452.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Hope to see all of you next year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-8085165409219372352011-12-22T21:11:00.000-05:002012-12-07T08:41:29.255-05:00Solstice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first day of winter awoke to a balmy 66 degrees. While we've had a few nights in the 30's most days are "shorts" weather. While the fronts typically bring high winds and cool temperatures, they also bring in migrant birds, some of which are not common to our area.</div>
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I've had a couple of rufous hummingbirds hanging around for the past month. They are the first ones that I've seen. They are very aggressive and will get in your face! Good thing they're not any bigger.<br />
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The cold fronts push many water fowl into the bays. These hooded mergansers also been infiltrated by an alien horned grebe.</div>
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A pair of northern shovlers.<br />
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A young red shouldered hawk has also been hanging around this week. That's only a small sample of the migrants that we're seeing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-22314585177199139842011-11-15T20:38:00.001-05:002012-12-07T08:45:18.179-05:00November in the Panhandle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One the things that is that you can count on in November is bears. They come around because of the acorns that are prevalent in the fall. The sow in the photo above has two cubs and has been hanging around for a couple of weeks. Her cubs were frolicking across the street last week.<br />
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They are very entertaining to watch and aren't a problem unless they get into you garbage are destroy your bird feeder.<br />
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Our weather is great this time of the year and so is the fishing! Trout and reds are fattening up on the shrimp migrating to the gulf.<br />
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I took an interesting picture (to me anyway) the other day.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJqeLh17qXQ/TsMNYk8m3FI/AAAAAAAAAoU/yypIxVCSfz4/s1600/s-5185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJqeLh17qXQ/TsMNYk8m3FI/AAAAAAAAAoU/yypIxVCSfz4/s400/s-5185.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Nothing exceptional you say...just a handsome young man man holding a nice red, until you look at the reflection in his sun glasses.<br />
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You can see what Mike is seeing, while I'm taking his picture.<br />
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While I was out on the dock, my neighbor came out to net some mullet for supper. The evening sun added a nice cast of color.</div>
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Then there's Jessie. He lives in the creek that borders our property. He certainly enjoys the sunny afternoons after our chilly fall nights.</div>
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I'm very fortunate to live in such a rich, natural environment, and for all of you that we don't have a change of season............We do!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-77590942100705673042011-10-09T13:16:00.000-04:002012-12-07T08:42:03.967-05:00October in Apalachicola<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've already had nights in the high 40-low 50 degree range. These changes trigger the movements of birds and fish, such as the increase in the number of wood storks in the last couple of weeks. I see very few during the summer, but now we are seeing them daily.<br />
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Our local herons and egrets are also more active, due to all the pogies and shrimp that are moving with the cooling waters. <br />
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The tarpon are also following the schools of pogies . It's not uncommon to see large schools of tarpon crashing into the migrating pogies.<br />
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The cooler weather also brings the southbound butterflies. The gulf fritillaries are coming through by the 1,000's and will soon be joined by large flights monarchs.<br />
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If you've never visited the Panhandle in the fall, you're missing a wonderful experience. Fishing, photography or just sight seeing, now is the time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-91619174085609368442011-09-13T14:04:00.001-04:002012-12-07T08:42:29.541-05:00Fall must be nearThe mornings have gotten cooler and the humidity is much lower, but those aren't the main indicators of the approach of fall. Nope it's the critters.The sulfur and gulf fritillary butter flies begin streaming through the area heading south.<br />
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Then the humming birds start swarming around the feeders and flowers. This is the one that claims my side porch.<br />
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And last but not least, the eagles have begun returning to reclaim their nests. This is the downtown Apalach eagle that returned last week.<br />
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This a pretty nice time of the year around here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-8866423492040446492011-08-03T19:28:00.003-04:002012-12-07T08:42:47.883-05:00Storm over Wewa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had heard the rumble of an afternoon thunderstorm as I was working on an update for my new blog, which is another story that I'll explain in a minute. Anyway I decided it was time for an afternoon libation, just to get the creative juices flowing, and walked out on the front porch and saw this thunderstorm to my west over Wewahitchka/ Dead Lakes. Unfortunately I had carried my camera inside to down load pictures that I had taken earlier today and a cool camera and warm humid air create instant fogging. The pictures aren't as sharp as I would like, but I think the refracted colors caused by winds across the top of the storm are evident.</div>
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Thanks for the e-mails and calls checking on my health...ok, I was way behind on an update. Other than the fact that that this is my busy time of the year tarpon fishing, I've just completed a course through the University of Florida(IFSA) to become a Florida Master Naturalist. It covered plants, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and the ecology of the coastal systems. Plants have long been a weakness of mine and I was fortunate to have neighbor who is also a Master Gardner; she took the course with me and has been of tremendous help in identifying native plants. Our class project was a blog that is dedicated to the rivers of East Bay and primarily the East River. My intent is to keep that blog focused on the flora and fauna of the East River, and the photographic opportunities that avail themselves through the year.</div>
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I invite all of you to visit us at <a href="http://eastriverfl.blogspot.com/">East River Florida</a>. It's a work in progress and we'd appreciate your pictures of East River and any comments or observations. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Eastpoint, FL, USA29.740532381109379 -84.92157019921876329.571607381109377 -85.118594699218761 29.90945738110938 -84.724545699218766tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-82387469862461820662011-06-28T11:32:00.002-04:002012-12-07T08:43:15.314-05:00The dangers of Apalachicola BayAnyone that has fished Apalachicola Bay knows that it is a very shallow estuary and even the most experienced captains are going to make contact with the bottom. As someone that runs the creeks, mouths and bars on regular basis, I'm very aware of the probability of running aground. Yesterday evening I was photographing some black skimmers feeding on a shoal and I discovered that I wasn't alone.<br />
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In the 5th photograph, the skimmer nearly comes to a screeching halt and almost flips (6th photo), but recovers and continues on his way. Made me appreciate the fact that I'm not the only that "polishes their skeg" occasionally.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-76112971483310783632011-06-07T17:28:00.001-04:002012-12-07T08:43:38.822-05:00Tarpon time in the rivers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've had a strong invasion of tarpon in the last 3 weeks and fishing will only improve since the cool fronts are most likely history. There are a lot of fish on the beaches and in some of the rivers. If you haven't booked your days yet, give me a call or email me so we can get your days on the books.<br />
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I spend a lot of time looking for tarpon, when I'm not fishing for them. One of the nice things about cruising rivers and creeks are all the great flowers we see!<br />
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Spider lilies</div>
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String lilies</div>
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Dog roses</div>
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Water lilies </div>
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Button bush</div>
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Obedient plant</div>
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And of course the magnolias!!</div>
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This is a great time of the year to be in the Panhandle. If you want to catch a tarpon or take pictures of our plentiful wild life, we can accommodate you. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-84693673298409363802011-05-29T19:45:00.001-04:002011-08-16T17:45:43.540-04:00A Salute<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-69w6Yd3mK1E/TeLZ5K9gFuI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/Fhb4m4beK5Q/s1600/IMG_7335psccs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-69w6Yd3mK1E/TeLZ5K9gFuI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/Fhb4m4beK5Q/s400/IMG_7335psccs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
To all the service men and women, past and present, who have given so much!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-12382897798527499752011-05-22T12:03:00.000-04:002011-05-22T12:03:19.448-04:00Just killin' time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other morning I was scouting an area to see if any tarpon had moved in on the last moon. As I drifted with the current, I was reminded of all the shy animals that inhabit the marshes. Many of these are never seen, unless you make a point of looking for them. One of the first birds that I noticed was a red winged black bird. While not the shyest in the marsh, they always seem to be back in the reeds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6D9N7fLMvg/Tdkqh_2Uj6I/AAAAAAAAAfw/OaRCdxwGRyI/s1600/IMG_0212pscs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6D9N7fLMvg/Tdkqh_2Uj6I/AAAAAAAAAfw/OaRCdxwGRyI/s400/IMG_0212pscs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>As I drifted a little further along the alligators began to show themselves. They tend to sink out of sight until things settle down, then will go about their routines.<br />
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I began to hear the call of least bitterns, but couldn't see them. These smallest of the heron clan are very shy and stay perfectly still when alarmed. I finally found a couple of them and managed to get a few pictures of a couple of males in breeding plumage.<br />
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I didn't find any females in this area, but did find one a few hundred yards away.<br />
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The female's coloration is very similar to that of an American bittern, but they are much smaller in size. While I looking at her, I saw something dark moving through the reeds. I eased around the corner and spotted a common moorhen moving through the reeds.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a parting shot, a group of snowy egrets flew over. Here's my rendition.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh yea, the tarpon that I was looking for ...well you'll just have to come down!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-49193340877753705682011-05-09T16:41:00.001-04:002011-08-16T17:43:26.111-04:00Old BobHere in North Florida the loquat trees (Japanese plum) have been loaded with fruit for several weeks and it is beginning to ripen. My neighbor has a large tree that is covering the ground with ripe fruit.<br />
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Every year the grey foxes start making the rounds to all the loquats and eating the fruits that have dropped. This gives one a good cause to fix a cocktail and sit on the porch as twilight approaches. Those of you that play with cameras know that low light is less than idea for photographers. These pictures were taken at an ISO of 3200 & 6400, so they are a little noiser than I would like.<br />
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There are at least 3 foxes coming through and my favorite is "Old Bob". Now Old Bob is the last one to show up and is the most skittish of them all. (These pictures were taken at 2040 EDT.) After you see him you can understandwhy he might be cautious...<br />
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As you can see Old Bob is missing his tail, not to mention all the battle scars on his face and chest. Looking at the his grizzled muzzle it's a safe guess that he's been around awhile. He appears to be in good health and able to take care of himself. He's the "Rocky" of the neighborhood! Here are couple of the youngsters.<br />
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The great blue heron chicks are really growing. Here's picture from last week.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFQBr0Sq6vg/TchLkXByPwI/AAAAAAAAAfs/RlyCnGcB2HQ/s1600/IMG_9818acs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFQBr0Sq6vg/TchLkXByPwI/AAAAAAAAAfs/RlyCnGcB2HQ/s400/IMG_9818acs.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-65214945084158753332011-04-28T12:35:00.000-04:002011-04-28T12:35:08.192-04:00Eagles, owls, herons and tarpon.I pulled into the Old Ferry Dock Landing earlier this week and looked up and saw a crow in hot pursuit of a mature eagle. Fortunately my camera was next me because they were closing very fast.<br />
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I got another shot as the eagle went into a dive to pick up speed and get the crow off his tail.<br />
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This was a successful maneuver and the eagle cut into the trees, unfortunately blocking any additional pictures.<br />
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The great horned owlets that I've been following have apparently left the nest, as I haven't seen them in the past week. Here are a few of the last pictures that I took.<br />
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</div>The St. George Island great blue heron's eggs have hatched and the nest has two very active hatchlings.<br />
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Fishing has been excellent for both trout and reds, plus tarpon are beginning to show up. I've had a couple of inquiries about doing photo trips or a split photo/fishing trip and may be putting together something along those lines. Let me know if you're interested. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-9953426159936248402011-04-17T19:08:00.001-04:002011-04-17T19:32:36.736-04:00Carnivores in the bogs, savannas and trees.The upland savannas and bogs are very colorful with the emerging pitcher plants.<br />
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These plants reside in damp soils too poor to support most plant life. They supplement their nutrient intake by absorbing insects that they trap in their "pitchers".While the pitcher plants are probably the most prevalent carnivores across Franklin and Liberty counties, the sharp eyed travelers may also spot butterworts (<i>Pinguicula</i> spp.), sundews (<i>Drosera</i> spp.), bladderworts (<i>Utricularia</i> spp.), and Venus fly trap (<i>Dionaea</i> <i>muscipula</i>) - this last species is native to the Carolinas and has become naturalized in north Florida in limited locations. <br />
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The great horned owl nest has generated a great deal of interest, but now they have become "branchlings"-actual word-they are more difficult to photograph because they tend get up into branches with more needles. There is also a significant difference in size, possibly indicating an age difference of several days. <br />
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The smaller bird spends more time in and around the nest, while the larger sibling is all over the tree.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The ospreys have gotten very active on their nests and probably have eggs by now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The herons have started to stand in their nests more, so we should be seeing some nestlings very soon.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-76908937425984914912011-04-12T21:01:00.002-04:002011-04-13T07:32:50.917-04:00Spring has sprung and things are getting busy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYozBp-aeg/TaTsL8ye6xI/AAAAAAAAAdE/EeOn61jiQP0/s1600/IMG_8297psc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="318" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYozBp-aeg/TaTsL8ye6xI/AAAAAAAAAdE/EeOn61jiQP0/s400/IMG_8297psc.jpg" /></a></div><br />
All the citrus trees are loaded with fruit, as this orange shows with last year's fruit and the start of this year's crop.<br />
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Click on the picture and watch the little owl's eyes on the snake! (These pictures were shot at 8 frames per second, so this happened in about a half of a second) <br />
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I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to get one the mature great horned owls bringing a tasty snake offering to the the two nestling owls. Actually at this stage they are now "branchlings". The term used to denote that the young owls are venturing out on the surrounding tree branches, but are not flying yet(fledglings).<br />
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Here's a shot of each of them on their branches today.<br />
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Still have ospreys and herons on nests, but it's fishing time so I can't check them as regularly as I'd like. Between the trout, which have really turned on in the past 10 days, spanish mackerel which are all over the bay and the bream which are destroying fly rod poppers...it time to go to work. If you haven't booked your tarpon days get with me. It looks like they may start early!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-10124570003236564002011-03-23T11:07:00.001-04:002011-03-23T11:08:31.883-04:00You've got to love Franklin CountyThis was a local news release, concerning a recent military operation held in the state & national forests north of here.<br />
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<blockquote><b>Operation Emerald Warrior a little louder and closer than expected </b><br />
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A military training operation held in Franklin County this month was not as quiet as it was expected to be.<br />
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Operation Emerald Warrior provided training to nearly 2000 troops in locations around north Florida including Franklin and Wakulla County. <br />
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The operation was supposed to be relatively quiet and much of a bother to residents but county commissioner Cheryl Sanders said that was not how it happened.<br />
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She said there were people were jumping out of helicopters and throwing hand grenades near at least one neighborhood – keeping people awake and on edge.<br />
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Miss Sanders said she supports the military program and wants them to come back next year, but with 205 thousand acres in Tate’s Hell State Forest and thousands more in the Apalachicola National forest she feels the military could move further away from homes.<br />
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<i><b>And she pointed out that it might also be safer for the soldiers, because in this area there’s always the chance that residents could get scared and return fire.</b><br />
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</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795068498599116669.post-16859805874740731132011-03-22T13:14:00.001-04:002011-03-22T13:22:51.232-04:00Mom's Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCp9lLJsxog/TYjYDiweLEI/AAAAAAAAAc0/cuZe5WGRZxs/s1600/IMG_7752acs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="311" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCp9lLJsxog/TYjYDiweLEI/AAAAAAAAAc0/cuZe5WGRZxs/s400/IMG_7752acs.JPG" /></a></div><br />
When I stopped by at lunch today, so had she!<br />
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