Saturday, June 25, 2022

Hiking in June in North Central Florida


 Well, there's not as much hiking going on right now. Our June has felt more like July or August. But if the temps are in the 70s and there is any breeze at all when I get up, I just might hit the trails. The humidity is the killer for us right now. But even though I love living here, I can still complain about the weather? Right?


We drove over to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve one morning and were delighted to see the Florida Scrub jay.


They are endemic to Florida and rare so we are always excited to see them.


This one was chattering away and I hope it had a nest nearby.


There are so many wildflowers blooming right now that I can't keep up with doing IDs.


Manyflower Beardtongue, thanks Pamela for help with the ID!

Every time we go out something else is in bloom.


Primrose


Meadow Beauty


Meadow Beauty


Mourning Dove


Have you ever seen a Velvet Ant before? They are actually wasps. More info HERE


Velvet Ant (he left cute little footprints in the sand!)


Brown Thrasher


One more of this beauty!


This is how you feel if you stay out too long!


What have you seen this week? 


Is it hot at your house? Do you complain? lol

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.  

50 comments:

Tom said...

...it's been too damn hot here too!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Love your Scrub Jay and the Brown Thrasher, great photos. The wildflowers are beautiful. We have cooler weather today, hot weather is coming back tomorrow.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

Vee said...

Today should be warm (nearly 90°), but it will only last the weekend. Of course, you can comment on the weather in your own corner. Who else will? I have never seen a red velvet ant/wasp with the cute footprints.

Jeanie said...

Those scrub jays are lovely! This is a most productive walk!

Lea said...

Great photos!
Love the Brown Thrasher!
Of course, we complain about the weather! Here in Northeast Mississippi at 8:15am it is already 77F with 72% humidity! The forecast today is for temps in the high 90s.
So thankful for Air Conditioning!

ann said...

No. A the moment there is a cool breeze, just before 8 AM. Yesterday was 90+ with more heat today, but thunderstorms a possibility by late afternoon. I don't mind the heat so much as I would the humidity. We have more than that what we used to, but basically a very dry climate. Great bird photos and beautiful flowers. So worth a walk in the woods when you can see such beauty.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

You see some amazing wildlife on your hikes. I am getting out and walking on the beach about 8:30 in the morning. There is always a sea breeze and the temps are usually in the mid 80's at that time of the day.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Yes, it has truly been too hot for hiking this week. Thankfully the rain last night cooled it down slightly, but it is very humid. I'm glad you persevered and saw such lovely things...I love the Scrub Jay and am always overjoyed when I can see one, and especially when I can get a photo. It's been a while since where we live now we are a bit too far out of the scrub for them. I love Brown Thrashers too, and love to watch them. You are seeing some wonderful wildflowers. I do think the little white one, however, is not skullcap, but is "Manyflower beardtongue", which is also a part of the foxglove family, or part of the digitalis family. I see a lot that when we go walking. I love their delicate flowers. You might compare pictures of that to see if you agree. It's always hard to tell for sure from one picture. I just love how God plants so many beautiful wildflowers throughout the year for us to enjoy! Every season brings out new ones! Thank you for sharing the beauty with us. I love this.

carol l mckenna said...

That Scrub Jay is so pretty ~ and lovely photos of your hike ~ Xo

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

MadSnapper said...

I am huddled inside until November, only trips for needs. i walk beau at 6:30 and that is it, if we do yard stuff it is done before 8.. I can't breathe when it is this humid. love the shade of aqua blue the jay is and have only seen them on blogs.

SImple and Serene Living said...

I feel like we skipped right over June and landed in the dog days of August here in Georgia. Too hot for me to walk outside, but I am loving the photos of all your wildflowers. xo Laura

Jenn Jilks said...

I love the thrashers! The name, alone!
It is way too hot for June. sigh.

Yvonne said...

That downed post with the hiker sign, and your annotation still has me laughing. It is nice to have a place to hike, and you have so many beautiful photos of birds and flowers and that awesome looking velvet ant. I haven't seen one of those wasps in years.

BeachGypsy said...

Mercy it's HOT HERE too! I think those scrubjays are beautiful! Yall have more pretty wildflowers there than I've ever seen anywhere . Have a nice weekend my friend

Craig said...

Wonderful pictures. That Florida scrub Jay is very similar to the California Scrub Blue Jay. We're on acreage and have had the scrub Jay at our bird feeders. Ours are HUGE. So tall and loud. I read they eat smaller birds like humming birds. So sad. They are beautiful but, when a scrub joy comes around, all the other birds fly. Guess they know the scrub jay is not their friend. Patty McDonald southern Ca.

Cloudia said...

Love the scrub Jay! Fun being with you

RedPat said...

Those thrasher shots are super. It is hot here too but nothing like you are probably having.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

We have Brown Thrashers here and I've managed a photo or two over the years. Great shots of the elusive Scrub Jay. What a thrill!
Yes it is hot here, 35C and a bit muggy too. Too hot out for the dogs. Summer is truly here.

Barbara said...

Since I live close to you (relatively speaking), I always find your hikes interesting and informational. Like you, I've used Pam's expertise to name flowers. You've posted some great flowers, birds, and insects in this post.

Bill said...

Great photos of the birds. flowers and the velvet ant. I've never heard of the velvet ant. I'm glad we don't have humidity issues here but I do remember those kinds of days. Stay cool and have a great weekend.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

The scrub Jay has an lovely feather arrangement, like wearing a shawl.
Hot here, stuffy hot. It is nice to be outdoors when it is not peak heat.

Terri D said...

Yep... hot here just like there! Great bird photos!! Good for you getting out even for a little while. Too hot for me!! Stay cool! xo

Susie said...

I felt like spring took longer to arrive and then went into summer heat quickly. Yikes. It's exhausting . By the time I mow my lawn , I am wore out girl. But I am thankful it only takes me an hour. I have heard of velvet ants before, they are dangerous , beware. I always love seeing the flowers and birds. Blessings, xoxo,love you, Susie

happyone said...

Love the scrub jay - an unusual looking bird.
No, not hot here, just nice sunny spring like days.

Marcia said...

Heat wave got here today and we have no AC. Thankfully the nights cool done considerably. Tomorrow will be even hotter. we will head to the lake to swim with the granddaughters who are spending the weekend.

Linda said...

Sweet flowers! I like that scrub jay.

magiceye said...

Beautiful captures of lovely birds insects and flowers!

Irma said...

I love you Scrub Jay and the Brown Thrasher.
I also love the flowers.
Here in the Netherlands it is also warm, but the Dutch climate is very strange, it can make a difference of more than 10 degrees Celsius per day.
First it's 30 degrees Celsius and then the next day it's 18 degrees Celsius and you just need a coat again.
Humidity is also sometimes more than other days.
Greetings Irma

Mae Travels said...

Nice photo of the ant with its tracks in the sand!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Marit said...

The Scrub Jay was very beautiful. It gave been very hot here too in the past two days. 27 Celcius/80 Farenheit is very hot here where I live in Norway :)
Your header is so beautiful. It looks like zinnia?

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Shiju Sugunan said...

Beautiful shots! Florida Scrub jay is a pretty bird. I liked the wild flowers and Brown Thrasher pics.

Ann said...

I don't blame you for staying in when the humidity is high. That's what always gets me. I never really complain about the heat though. I hate being cold so I would much rather have hot than cold

It's me said...

Here it s also hot in Holland…lovely pictures beautiful…nature is beautiful…love it 🍀🙏🍀

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It was thirty degrees here yesterday and I led a full day bird walk. By consensus, we called it a day around 3:00 pm. Bring on winter. Cold we can deal with, oppressive heat and humidity is impossible to escape.

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

We are snowbirds- we in South Florida until June 1 and then we fly the coop before the real humidity and heat set in. We do live on the beach so that is a plus especially for the month of May. You got some great shots. I especially like the shot of the mourning dove in the bare tree and the wasp ant is large and interesting. It's 91 and humid today in Philadelphia too. I'll skip my morning walk.

Debbie said...

hehehehe...you are too funny!! first, you did well this week, sharing lots of fabulous images!! that was a great sighting of the scrub jay, i did not know it was rare to see them in florida!!

i always think of florida in this way: you have hot summers where a lot of days you must stay indoors. we have very cold winters where we must stay indoors. it's equal, kind of!! i think you still have more outdoor days than we do, perhaps a better quality of life. plus you can get out for an hour in the morning or evening!!

i adore your header picture, i can't remember if it's new!!

Debbie said...

oooooh and i never complain!!! hehehehe

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

I agree...June has been more like July or August here too. I go out early and water and feed the birds and refresh the bird bath and then it is back in to the AC! I learn so much from your photos and identifications. Thank you! One thing this year so far is we have breezes which seem to keep the humidity down or else I'm just not out there long enough to feel it.

Tanza Erlambang said...

our temperature above 90*F during summer and high humid during summer in Louisiana, almost the same with Florida.....

Love your photos of birds and flowers..... excellent shots.

Bob Bushell said...

Very excellent, my favourite is a Brown Thrasher, fabulous.

italiafinlandia said...

It is really hot in Italy in this moment. In Finland te degrees less. Unusually hot, anyway.
Love the flowers you posted. 🌷☘🌸🌼

NatureFootstep said...

hi, it is hot in Sweden too right now. Today was the first day I did not even go outdoors. :(

Love the sweet Jay. Not sure I have seen this before. And the Velvet Ant? Never seen any like it. And it is a wasp?? Quite beautiful. But I did not get any idea of it´s size. Interesting!

Lowcarb team member said...

I enjoyed seeing all of your photographs.
It is the humidity that is the worst isn't it ...

We have had a very pleasant Sunday here in our part of the UK some sunshine with a nice breeze, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll.

Hope the week ahead will be a good one for you.

All the best Jan

Nancy Chan said...

Not complaining much about the weather because we are having a mixture of sun and rain. Thank you for the lovely photos of birds, pretty flowers and the Velvet Ant. Hope you will get cooler weather soon.

Janey and Co. said...

Good morning,

I haven’t seen any critters or birds, only a few squirrels scamping around on our very early morning walks. We did have what they are calling a cold front that came in overnight. So it’s going to be 90 instead of 100 Ha!

Soma @ InkTorrents.com said...

Since I can't go out during summer, I am living vicariously through your photos. Gorgeous wildflowers and beautiful birds. Wishing you milder weather for wonderful outdoor walks.

-Soma

Kim@Snug Harbor said...

Thanks for the beautiful photos! Halpata Tastanaki Preserve is on my list of places I'd like to visit one day.

Have a nice day my friend!!

Red Rose Alley said...

Oh, I like that little Scrub Jay. We call them blue jays here, and they visit my front yard sometimes. The wildflowers are dainty and pretty. I especially like the Meadow Beauty. That would be a nice Header for you. The color is perfect. That velvet ant is interesting and exotic looking. And it's great that you can see your Jeep from a distance, in case you ever need to get to be quickly. : )

~Sheri

Teresa said...

Esta semana he visto bastantes aves. La temperatura está muy bien, de momento no hace demasiado calor, aunque ya están subiendo estos días. Me gusto mucho tu publicación. Besos.

Jeannie said...

Yes, it is hot at my house and I complain about the weather to anybody who will listen!
The mourning dove is my favorite picture.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry