Halpata Tastanaki and the Florida Scrub Jays

 It's still hot and humid here in Florida but one day this week I just HAD to get out!

I thought I would drive over to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve (SR 200) and look for the Florida Scrub Jays!

And I found them not too far from the trailhead.

The one I got the most photos of was very dull in color.

I've never seen one so dull.

This is a photo of one I took a couple of months ago and it shows the pretty blue.

Well, I thought....I can at least walk down and see if there are persimmons on the fruit trees.

And there were quite a few.

Oh, I feel so good, I think I'll just walk down to where the trail splits and see what I can see.

It has rained some evenings and the sandy trail was like walking on velvet.

Look at all the animal tracks!

Wild Hog track

I felt great.

And I saw so many neat things.

It was partly cloudy and humid but I kept moving.

And the next thing I knew, I had a regular hike in.

Do you know how I know? Well.....I was hiking for over an hour and felt fine until I got home. And then I crashed! I didn't realize how out of shape I was after a hot summer in the house.

But I survived and now I can't wait to get back out there.

And there are always interesting things when you get out on the Florida trails. I met the nicest man at the trailhead. He was all set up with his ham radio. Well, that was a first and I really enjoyed talking to him. 

Thanks Chris for taking the time to tell me about your ham radio experiences!

Happy Hiking everyone!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve - Plan B

 I've learned over the years not to worry if I get a late start or change my mind about my original plan. 

Iridescent Green Beetle

There may be a reason not to go in the direction I was headed.

On this particular day, I had planned to take a hike from the trailhead near my house, beginning on hwy 484. But when I came to the hwy, the traffic was at a standstill to my left. So I turned right and drove to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve.

It was a beautiful day and I saw lots of birds and wildlife.

I love this new sign on the fence post.

Gray Catbird

I found out when I got home and searched online that the traffic was stopped because of a bad wreck involving 2 cars and an ambulance. It had happened less than an hour before I left my house. So I was thankful for my late start that morning.

I watched 2 Florida Scrub Jays from a distance.

I see the most variety here on the HTP preserve and it's one of the first (it's actually the second) trail we ever hiked here in this part of Florida.

Three White-tailed Deer ran across the trail right in front of me! I was happy that ONE showed up in my photo!

Dove

Flycatcher

Monster (thanks for asking, Iris! I always wonder if anyone will question my 'monsters'. This is a broken trunk of a tree about 4 ft high. It looked like a huge 'monster' bird...just for fun!)

And how about this very cute animal track!

So it turns out that Plan B was the best plan. It's great to have so many trails close by so that I have choices. I have much to be thankful for!

Are you having good weather to enjoy time outdoors?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

 

I wanted to dedicate this post to the Greenway and share some of my favorite photos from my hikes there.

Of course I spent hours looking at 'favorite pics'!

I've been hiking the greenway for almost 10 years so I had trouble deciding which to share.

Please click on the link HERE to read the facebook page started by the Greenway Guardians. Duke Energy is proposing a project to build high voltage power lines THROUGH the Greenway! As you can imagine this would be disastrous to wildlife, birds, wildflowers and plants. Thanks go those fighting to preserve the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. 

And join me down memory lane as I share a few of my sightings.

White tailed Deer

Bald Eagle

One of my favorite sightings!

Fox Squirrel

These squirrels can be spotted all through the Greenway. My girlfriend saw one a couple of weeks ago and said it was the largest one she had ever seen! I'm still on the look out for that one!

Barred Owl

Florida Scrub Jay

The Greenway habitat is very important for this rare bird!

Red headed Woodpeckers up on the hill!

I've named this hill the Bluebird of Happiness Hill!

Eastern Bluebirds

Gopher Tortoise

Longspurred Mint

One of my favorite sightings was this Florida Bobcat. I'll include a link to the bobcat story HERE in case you missed it!

Florida Bobcat

What a treasure this Greenway is to our community and to our state of Florida.

49th Ave Trailhead 

I've met people from all over the country (and the world) that visit Florida and walk or ride bikes on the Greenway. It is a treasure worth preserving!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

Endemic to Florida

 It feels very special to come upon something endemic to Florida.

This week we saw THREE things endemic to Florida.

Endemic meaning - Native to or limited to a certain region

The Florida Scrub Jay is found in 2 locations that we hike. 

We can usually see some on a back loop of old Limerock Road from the 49th Ave Trailhead of the Florida Trails.

And we always see them when we hike Halpata Tastanaki Preserve from the SR 200 trailhead. 

Photos taken at HTP

This is a good website HERE but there are others featuring the Florida Scrub Jay if you do a search.

Which bring us to the Longspurred Mint.

Dicerandra Cornutissima

A good website with info HERE.

It is only found in Marion County, FL and possibly Sumter County.

There are only 15 known occurrences remaining. 

I found them blooming on the Florida Trails 49th Ave Trailhead. Photos taken of the plants on Bluebird of Happiness Hill near the hwy 484 trailhead.

They are just starting to bloom right now.

The Garberia is in full bloom all through the forest and it is endemic to Florida as well. 

More info HERE.

How privileged I am to see these amazing things in the beautiful state of Florida.

We are still praying for everyone devastated by Hurricane Ian and I am still limiting my time on the computer to get some things done. The weather is gorgeous now so I am hiking more too.

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.