They shift into a high gear and meet you head on!
This was one of the funniest encounters I've had with a Gopher Tortoise!
I was walking on the Florida Trails, on a wide trail that had recently been mowed.
So I could see him headed my way at a high speed (for a tortoise)!
And he did not waver! He could see me ahead but he would not yield.
So I stopped and moved over and I found out why.
I was standing right next to his path into the tall weeds that probably led to his home.
I saw lots of amazing birds at the Pruitt trailhead.
Loggerhead Shrike
It's always neat to see this beautiful bird and it perched close to the trail for a photo shoot.
The Black eyed Susans (or brown eyed) are in full bloom!
Do you have Fall wildflowers where you live?
51 comments:
Finally, a wild critter I could outrun if needed, ha ha. he/she is beautiful and i would love to have an encounter like this.. headed home, get out of my way... I love paths that are foot traffic only. its beautiful out there, but here the humidity came back and is smothering us. we had 3 days, woke up to high 60's but alas they left us. should be back on Monday
How nice to go on those walks and see nature and the tortoise. I hope you have a nice weekend Diane.
...wild is wonderful!
He's a very handsome turtle. I've had a soft spot for turtles ever since I was a kid and killed my pet turtle, thinking he was cold, so I put him container by the radiator at night and it dried up. So did he...
The tortoise made me smile.
What an interesting encounter with the turtle.
Love your encounter with the tortoise.
He looks like a good sized one.
Very enjoyable! Thank you aloha!
Hee Hee.. this was fun. Great photos of Mr. Tortoise.
Great photographs of the Gopher Tortoise.
We have wildflower meadows near us and they are still in bloom, lovely to see.
Enjoy your weekend.
All the best Jan
I love the turtle very much
That reminded me of the old tale about the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise won the race... guess you lost, too since you had to move out of the way. hehe.
We have lots of Gopher Tortoises (plural?) at Tenoroc, where I work. When they get on the roads, we try to shift their journey to keep them safe. Always fun to see! Thanks for taking us along on your hikes!!
I really like your tortoise story - Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I love that close encounter with the gopher tortoise! I do believe they have "tunnel vision" and can only see where they want to go and they don't really see anything else in the way. I love that he was smiling at you! I believe it! The Loggerhead Shrike is a stunning looking bird. They are also known as a "butcher bird" because of the way they catch and store their "food". Interesting creature. Thanks for sharing the fun and smiles with us today.
I love how you meet all critters - or nearly ALL - like they are old friends!
Our black-eyed Susans have withered up for the winter. I love your encounter with the gopher tortoise. I never knew they had a fast mode. Love all the photos of the tortoise!!
Great photos!
Love the Tortoise!
Yes, we are seeing a lot of yellow wildflowers beside the roads, and I have purple (or blue) asters blooming in my yard.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hello,
What a fun sighting of the Gopher Tortoise, it does look like it is smiling.
Great sighting of the Shrike. The flowers are beautiful. Wonderful post and photos. Thank you for your link and your comment and your visit.
Take care, have a great weekend.
You're right, dearest Diane, the Black eyed Susans are actually brown eyed. It's also great that you were able to look so close and directly into the eyes of the Gopher Tortoise - and it's lucky that he didn't "bulldoze" you (as targeted as he was) 😆... You were able to take wonderful portraits of the Loggerhead Shrike !
Hugs and have a nice weekend, Traude
🍁🌻🍂 🌻🍁
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2023/10/auf-dem-schneeberg-und-noch-ein-paar.html
Love the tortoise! Looking forward to discovering more of Florida this winter.
awesome captures of the tortoise and i enjoyed the story to go along with the pictures!!
2 great captures of the loggerhead shrike....
we have mums and aster in bloom right now, our "susans" are long gone. i still have some marigolds, zinnia, cosmos and sunflowers in the wildflower garden, but they are fading fast!!
have a great weekend!!
Great photos and encounter with the gopher tortoise and lovely nature shots too ~ thanks,
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Great photos of the gopher tortoise and lovely nature shots ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
What a wonderful tortoise. You can see so much of the design on his shell. They are amazing creatures, aren't they? I'm glad you noticed the path covered by the tall weeds. Looks like one could fall into it. What a sweet picture of the white and grey bird also. Pretty black eyed Susans too!
Have a pleasant weekend, Diane.
~Sheri
Hello Diane :=)
What a super experience to see the Gopher Tortoise focused on heading home without stopping, a great photographic opportunity, and the beautiful Loggerhead Strike was also a great sighting. They are called butcher birds because of their gruesome habit of impaling their victims on thorns and barbed wire, where they tear them apart.It just isn't strong enough like an eagle to hold down it's prey, so it learnt to impale them, quite clever really.
Enjoy your weekend
All the best
Sonjia-
Great wildlife sightings — the tortoise is especially fun to see.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I just visited your beautiful blog. It showcases the way I live my life and it is the BIGGEST BLESSING to find someone blogging online about it. Your photos are a real treat. Thank you thank you thank you. Please allow me to offer this observation based on your walking trails.... I have mine too here in West Virginia. It seems that on a regular basis there is a news item about an alligator tragedy somewhere in FL. often inside city limits. I beg you to be careful. I have family in St. Simons Island, GA who visit your area often . I get eye rolls when I tell them this. At least take a can of bear spray...anything to buy time to make a run for it. Please be safe.
How exciting to see a tortoise in the wild. I have never seen one out in nature. You seem to have great luck spotting creatures on your walks/hikes.
Have a good week.
Such a delightful encounter with the determined Gopher Tortoise! And the Loggerhead Shrike is a stunning bird; your photo captures it beautifully. The wildflowers are a lovely sign of the season.
Great encounter with the tortoise Diane. He wasn't about to give way was he? Do you think he was on a promise? LOL. Nice work with the skrike too. Have a super week.
There was a gopher tortoise slowly crossing near one of our intersections a few weeks ago. The cars had to just wait on him because it was a single lane with no shoulder for going around. Like your friend, this guy was definitely calling the shots!
As for flowers, I'll just say our Blue Daze are doing very well. I don't think they are classified as "wild" but it's gratifying to see how healthy they are in our landscape design.
The wild tortoise made me smile. Nothing was going to stop him not even a human. :) Have a great week.
How neat! Seeing the tortoise dashing away is fun to read about.
Fantastic to meet a Tortoise! Even a wild one.
/Irene
The turtles are very cute. Beautiful photos.
Have a nice week ahead!
Hugs, Marit
The tortoise has a smile for you!
Lovely captures!
That turtle cracks me up. Get out of my way he would say if he could.
Beautiful photos of the turtle.
The shrike is also very beautiful, a species that you hardly see here.
Greetings Irma
Hi Diane, Love the story of the turtle! 😊 Not much difference in attitude between turtles and humans when it’s about going home. 😊 Re Fall wildflowers … not so many here … wish we had more! Neat post, thank you, as always, for sharing. John
The story around the Gopher Tortoise give me a smile, dear Diane. By the way a good friend of family had turtles, she gave homeless pets a home and we conversed often about the animals and their fate.
There are many other interestings things here to see, to read. I enjoyed your post.
Thank you for sharing and being part at
MosaicMonday.
Have a wonderful week.
Hugs by Heidrun
Your collage is lovely. The turtle made me chuckle.
Another terrific series in the great Florida outdoors!
Love those tortoises. Hope this cold weather ends soon. (That was sarcasm, just in case.)
Have a wonderful week, Diane.
The tortoise is just precious, beautiful photos!
Fantastic seeing the tortoise. When I was still working at a state park here, we were always picking up turtles and putting them on the other side of the road they were crossing so they wouldn't get run over by cars. It's amazing how many people don't do that. What a beautiful landscape to hike through.
Very cool pictures, Diane! That tortoise was surely bound and determined to get where he was going! LOL. Love the pretty flowers too. What are your daytime temps now? I'm so relieved to go outside and not swelter. Fall is so nice. Hugs!
aww... the tortoise looks so sweet...
excellent captures
Has tenido preciosos avistamientos, me encantó ver la tortuga. Un abrazo.
The big tortoise looks like he/she been around awhile.
So wonderful to see.
Here, the Brown-eyed Susan and New England Aster and
Goldenrod are in bloom.
I always think it's good luck o see a healthy happy Gopher Tortoise. This one sure was determined not to let anything or anyone get in his way. Love the beautiful yellow Susans ... real spots of sunshine (not that you need a lot more where you are of course. ... Any little bright spot would be welcome here . (It's a rainy day in Oregon in case you hadn't picked up on that ;>).....
Hello and Happy Fall! I am enjoying these lovely sunny, Fall days with a bit cooler temperatures. I know you are too. Great weather for a nice hike!! The flowers are so pretty, and the birds are singing! Enjoy! Love, Aunt Helen
Post a Comment