"Attention to Details"

 

I like to think I'm observant but I am still surprised when I work on my photos how many 'hidden details' I've missed!

Hey, Mr. Flycatcher! 

Spit out that grasshopper and eat some of these pesky gnats and mosquitoes!

And it's going to take this Osprey a long time to build a nest at this rate!

But look how interesting those wispy feathers are along the legs of this Great Blue Heron.

And this seemed like an unusual place for a mushroom to grow.

I guess it likes more light and air!

I'm going to get a little creepy now.

I took this photo thinking I was looking at a pretty plant but when I bent down to look more closely, this Green Anole jumped. I jumped too. I don't know who jumped higher! Isn't he perfectly hidden?

This poor alligator!

He has no body!

And I wasn't even sure this was an alligator until I looked at my pics!

He's trying to look like a 'knot on a log'! 

How do you like this pretty little pond at Reed Bingham State Park?

Read the small sign at the bottom! 

These ponds are for the kids....oh and the alligators!!!

Halloween Pennant

And now to dedicate this next part of my post to my dear friend, John from John's Island HERE. 

He has written me another poem dedicated to my last post and I want to share it today.

"Beneath the pines where hoofbeats roam,

Heritage Farm feels just like home.

Log cabins stand with rustic grace,

As goats and sheep patrol the place.

The Martins dart through gnats with gless,

While trails invite both you and me.

The river calls, the forest hums

Where quite peace and beauty comes.

So here's to the cabins, hooves and leaves

To Autumn dreams and golden eves!''

This is one of the true blessings of having a blog...making blog friends along the way. I know we all feel like sharing our photos with other like minded bloggers enhances our lives. John has really surprised me with these gifts of poetry. Thank you John for your thoughtfulness.

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

What IS this strange critter? Updated at the end

 I looked ahead and spotted an animal in the trail ahead.

He was coming slowly towards us.

Stopping to look around...

and then hiding in the tall grass.

My husband kept walking and I wondered how he could keep going toward this wild critter.

So I caught up and he told me it was a cat! 

A feral cat! In the vicinity of the baby Bobwhites!

So that was a first for us. We've heard about feral cat sightings on the preserve but we had never encountered one. 

We also saw some beautiful deer on this hike at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve (Pruitt Trailhead).

We watched them run through the tall grasses and then they broke out and crossed the trail in front of us.

Aren't they beautiful!

Lots of bird sightings for the day too so I'll include one of them!

Great Crested Flycatcher

It's still hot but we are planning and plotting our hikes for later on when the weather breaks.

Enjoy your week! 

Enjoy nature....the strange and the beautiful!

I've had so many people comment with their concern for the feral cat that I need to clarify a few things. I jumped to the conclusion that this was a feral cat. But there are 2 farms to the West of the preserve so it could be a farm cat. It still was very likely hunting for birds but it may have a home. It did not look underfed and it did not act wild. I hiked again today and saw the Bobwhites and heard even more in the grasses along the trail. So I just wanted to add this postscript. 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

 I’d Rather B Birdin’, 

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

An afternoon drive to the Preserve!

 

We drove past Halpata Tastanaki Preserve while running an errand. 

When we finished and made the turn around, the Jeep drove right into the gate at the Preserve.

It was impossible to drive past it twice in one day without stopping!

Great Blue Heron at a distance

We didn't even get out of the vehicle but we saw so much.

Dove

I always encourage everyone that reads my blog to get out in nature and sometimes that means taking a drive to a park or preserve. And if you can't do that, maybe you can sit outside when the weather is nice or look out the window at bird feeders when it's not. Letting your mind relax and enjoy the outdoors is what's good for you!

Great Crested Flycatcher

American Kestrel (on the drive in)

All photos taken from inside the car!

Red Shouldered Hawk

He sees US now! 

And another Kestrel on the drive out!

Time to FLY! 

And guess what? Another year has flown by and it's my birthday this weekend!

And guess what my sweet hubby gave me for my birthday! 

A Victrola record player! 

I've been playing records and dancing and he's been singing! So don't peek in the windows and get skeeeered! We both still have a few of our old 45s! 

I'm sure I'll be out on one of the Florida trails enjoying nature or at least taking a ride some place interesting.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.   

A few "regulars" have shown up for the winter months!

 

A lot of birds live in Florida year round because of the mild weather.

But I'll share some that we are seeing more of this month!

American Kestrels

We have seen them on several of our hikes lately!

They really are eye catching!

  Flycatchers

We are seeing all kinds of flycatchers when we hike.

And they are busy catching the bugs right out of the air! YAY!

 

More birds, less bugs is a good thing!

The Sandhill Cranes are back at the Pruitt Trailhead of the Florida Trails. 

They are neat to see and pretty easy to spot under the trees!

Lots of bluebirds and warblers everywhere we go and a few wildflowers and butterflies around too! 

A few blog friends asked how I took this photo.

I pointed my camera down and zoomed a little into Johnson Pond and that's what I got. At first I was disappointed that it wasn't in sharp focus but then I fell in love with it! It's like a work of art. Nature IS a work of art! Thanks for all of your sweet comments!

 

It's a great time to take a hike in Florida. Temps are in the 70s all week long! 

Come on down!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 

The Halloween Pennant!

Isn't this dragonfly dainty?

And colorful...

and beautiful!

And easy to identify as a Halloween Pennant.

It was another beautiful hike at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve with NO ONE else there! 

Lots of beautiful wildflowers blooming now in Florida.

And neat looking grasses!

And we began the hike with 2 Great Crested Flycatchers.

And ended the hike with 2 Cattle Egrets!

Do you have lots of flowers blooming where you live right now?

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I'm linking with All Seasons at the Jesh Studio too!