Ross Prairie and the Gopher Tortoise

 

I had to gas up the Jeep last week so I took a little drive over to Ross Prairie and actually hiked for one hour! One hour for the months of Oct and Nov! I haven't worried about it though. I'll hike when I get a chance and right now I have other priorities.

It was neat to see a brand new sign up at the trailhead.

And of course I love these piney woods hikes. The pine straw on the trail softens the sound and it is quite an experience. There was only one other hiker on the trails, a nice lady with her Yellow Lab.

There were so many Gopher Tortoise homes in the woods so I went back and found some old photos I had taken on this trail a few years ago to share.

I had hoped to keep up with my blog while we are going through a really hard time. But I realize now I can't. I have too much to do and rarely get on my computer. I look at my IPAD and try to read blogs and a library book when I sit down to take a break. But I am struggling. My husband has cancer, as most of you know by now and he is not doing well at all. He had 6 hours of Chemo yesterday and everything is a struggle.

I hope you all have a blessed holiday season. I need to take a break now for a couple of weeks but I so appreciate your prayers and kind words of encouragement.

Sweet hugs to you all, Diane 💜

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and the traveling Tortoise

 

I set off to drive to the preserve in search of birds. 

Isn't the back leg kicked out cute? I think he was traveling faster than me! 

I told myself, I would just walk around and look.

But walking around turned into a nice long...hot hike!

And I did see a beautiful Red tailed Hawk.

His tail really glowed in the sun!

But the sighting of the day was this cute and very clean Gopher Tortoise.

This looks like a regular road but the gate is locked so you rarely see a work vehicle on the road.

But on this particular day, I looked up ahead and saw this tortoise on a mission.

You really need to stand still and let them pass so that they can get on their regular trail that leads to their burrow. If they feel threatened, they will get off and go through the weeds but that is not their easy path to their home.

So I stood still in the hot sun and took photos. 

And there he goes!

It's funny how the sun doesn't bother you as much when you are watching something interesting.

Now the road is overgrown with grass and that makes a soft surface to walk on.

The views out on the preserve are stunning.

And the wildflowers are abundant.

I love this morning glory.

And at the trailhead, I was joined by another Jeep!

Jeep parking only! Haha!

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

Have a beautiful weekend! 

Take a drive even it you can't hike!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

"Oddities" and time off for good behavior!

 I wanted to share photos of some of my sightings that didn't make it into a post this summer.

And as far as the 'good behavior'....it depends on who you ask! heehee!

This Utopia sign is at Ross Prairie State Forest, so we'll see what we've missed there!

I saw this Scarlett Tanager but it was deep in the dark woods so the photos aren't great.

But it sure was a good sighting!

I think this is a Painted Lady butterfly.

There were TWO of them!

I just wish it had stayed put for a longer photo shoot!

And this Gopher Tortoise was running as fast as his short legs would carry him when he saw me coming.

They really are surprisingly quick!

He was a beauty and close to our campsite at Ross Prairie.

Here's his home! 

The Cactus was in full bloom and I took these at the same time.

I am going to take a couple of weeks break from the computer to get some things done. We are busy with 'home improvements'. Nothing big, just cleaning out and tidying up! I finally removed the silk tree from my bedroom. 

I loved it but it was impossible to keep clean. The dust collected on it! 

Photos taken at different times of the year. I don't change much, just a throw pillow or two!

A view out my bedroom window. 

 Maybe we'll even do a few 'fun' things in the next couple of weeks. I hope so! 

See you later, gator! 🐊 Hugs, Diane 🐢

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !

When a Tortoise goes WILD!

 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.

He was on his way home and nothing would stop him....and he was smiling all the way!

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? 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

The Tortoise and the Hare

 

I've admitted to talking baby talk to the animals we meet in the forest. Now I'm naming them.

Meet Little Sooty

Isn't he tiny?

We drove over to the 49th Ave Trailhead of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway to check on the control burn/prescribed fire. They had burned a section just a few days before but it wasn't blowing smoke or even smelling bad, so we took a hike. 

Control burns are important in this part of Florida where we have forests. They reduce the risk of uncontrolled wildfires, and enhance the beauty of the land. They are also beneficial for the wildlife. I'll include the link HERE to learn more about them. 

The reason we called this little Gopher Tortoise, Sooty because he did have traces of soot on his underside.

He had clearly walked through the burned area.

Hubby picked him up and put him into the unburned side of the forest and away from big hiking boots and bikes riding by.

He didn't waste any time taking off in a tortoise RUN! 

RUN Sooty RUN! 

We also saw a big Cottontail Rabbit on the trail ahead of us.

 

He even had a snack while we waited!

We have time and plenty of film in the camera! lol

He watched us for awhile. 

Finally a bike came by and he scurried across.

On the side trail (limerock road) we saw this beautiful Brown Thrasher.

He made a series of calls that reminded us of a Mockingbird!

I'll show pics of the forest in a couple of weeks to show you how soon the forest recovers here in Florida. It will be green before we even get back over there!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the special mothers this weekend!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.