General Coffee State Park, featuring the Yellow-crowned night heron

 

We made it to Georgia and back, traveling 500 miles to 4 State Parks!

I'll start close to the beginning of the trip with our stay at General Coffee State Park, website HERE.

It was quiet and peaceful and altogether delightful!

But let's get out on the trails and see what we can find.

On the second day (and second hike) I got off the trail and walked out to Seventeen mile River.

I stopped 'dead in my tracks' when I spotted a heron in a little ponded up area.

You can see him in the water in the center of the photo!

I zoomed in!

It was a Yellow-crowned night heron and the first one I had ever seen!

We see a lot of different herons here in Florida but this was a 'lifer' for me!

I wasn't sure at first.

But after some research, I positively IDed it!

I also was fortunate to meet a photographer that lives in Georgia and he said he had seen them there before. A few days later, he told me he had seen the one I saw too. That was special! I appreciated his knowledge and enthusiasm and hope to see him again.

The other neat sighting was the Yellow Flytrap pitcher plant. Info HERE.

We saw several plants but it was hard getting photos through the other tall plants.

This pitcher plant is listed as a conservation priority and is rare to see in the wild.

The blue irises were in bloom and they love the wet areas.

It was a beautiful campground and we loved almost everything about it. The only drawback, and that can be anywhere near the water, was the newly hatched gnats! They don't bite but they drive you crazy. They try to get in your eyes and ears and mouth if you dare to open it. But at least they don't bite! (oh I said that, I was close to crazy before, I may have crossed over! hahaha)

I have lots of photos to share! I hiked 13 hikes in 2 weeks so I took a 'few'!

It's HOT back in Florida! How's the weather where you live?

And have you ever seen a Yellow-crowned night heron?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

'Shades of Blue' at Blue Run Park

 Blue Run Park is always a great destination to see lots of birds and beautiful sights.

Wild Blue Iris (Blue Flag)

This Blue Iris grows along the river and swamp and can be seen from the trail. 

We enjoyed a beautiful walk along the Rainbow River and stopped at our favorite spots.

Wildflowers

It has greened up so much lately and the vegetation is so lush that we almost missed this little guy!

But when he raised his head, we recognized it as a Little Blue Heron.

And it was such a brilliant blue that I'm sure it was sporting breeding colors.

The water was a deep blue when we reached the Withlacoochee River too and hubby took a photo of this narrow motor boat. I love taking photos of the boats we see there but don't always include them in a post.

And when we looked down from the bridge we spotted three Alligators. There was one in the swamp along the way too. 

Lots of people go to Blue Run Park in hopes of seeing an alligator. It's really the only place we hike that we can spot a 'gator!

Spiderwort 

Are you starting to see signs of Spring where you live? Our temps are feeling more like summer this week!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’ 

 and Mosaic Monday HERE and I like Thursdays HERE !  

  

I'm including the link to Ocala's Good Life magazine again! I don't want you to miss it. 

     

Enjoy our article in Ocala's Good Life magazine HERE.

Hiking along a Swamp in Florida!

 

I know when I say 'swamp' images of a bog with stagnant water might come to mind. But swamps are living things with plants and birds galore! (and turtles and frogs!)

And always changing!

The water level does go up and down according to the rains and the weather.

So it is always interesting to see how different they can look even from one week to the next.

You can see by the photo of the trail that things have greened up overnight here in North Central Florida. It's our dry season but it has been very warm this week and trees and plants have fully leafed out. 

Most of the trees in this swamp are Bald Cypress which lose their leaves in winter. So the new leaves are a very bright green.

Even the green in the water is plants that are alive and well....just like this alligator.

We were in Blue Run Park for this hike and the Blue Irises are blooming all along the river!

Lots of pretty wildflowers!

The clam shells were empty

and someone got back to the car with only one shoe!

But for us, the hike was a success!

Look at the beauty in nature! It never disappoints!

 

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I'm linking with All Seasons at the Jesh Studio,

AND my Monday post HERE.

Let's take a neighborhood walk! Updated!

I love to walk over to the neighborhood pond on the days we don't hike. (with the time change it's easier to go before sunset)

I couldn't wait to see what ducks might be there and sure enough there was something unusual.

I thought it was a Scaup but Pamela said in her comment that it was a Ring-necked Duck. You know...that sounded very familiar! So I searched in my OWN blog and found a post HERE that I wrote exactly 3 years ago! And the funny thing was, I saw most of the very same ducks then at the very same location! Amazing!

If only I had a memory, it would help SO much! Thanks Pamela for helping me with this ID! 

 I tried to say this using 2 syllables like a true Southern is 'want to do' but it was driving my husband crazy so I looked up the pronunciation. It is ONE syllable and rhymes with stop or drop! (this was written when I thought it was a Scaup!)

Anyway it was fun to see a nice flock of them in the pond.

A Great White Egret was standing next to this Canada Goose

but when it flew it looked dark!

Bird ID can get tricky!

The Blue Irises were beautiful 

and there was another duck in the tall grasses.

The pond is gorgeous and lots of birds and critters use it!

But when I turned to leave, a coyote ran past! I expect to see wild critters in the woods but this was a surprise! It gave me a scare and I practically RAN all the way home! But when I did a search and read more about coyotes, they are not a threat to humans. The Humane Society says, "Coyote attacks on people are very rare. More people are killed by errant golf balls and flying champagne corks each year than are bitten by coyotes." The website is HERE. Oh and since we live on a golf course and I know we have a bottle of champagne in the fridge, we have even more things to worry about! hahahahaha!

So that was the exciting trip to the neighborhood pond! And it doesn't even count as a hike!

What's new in your corner of the world?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.