Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

 Most of my hikes take place on the Greenway. 

It's close to my house and there are several trailheads where I can park to start a hike. I'm over 100 hikes for this year!

Pileated Woodpecker

I love these big noisy woodpeckers!

There are 3 trailheads less than 5 miles from me so it's quick and easy to drive over for a hike on the paved trail or on the many primitive trails in the forest. 

And some of the trails have birds and critters that the other sections don't have. (or I don't see!)

So I thought I would share some of the sights I've seen over the past couple of weeks of hiking the Greenway. 

The weather has improved and I'm back to hiking just about every other day. It sure feels great!

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker juvenile

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker (back)

Red headed Woodpecker juvenile

Warbler (pine warbler I think)

And last but not least, Rufous-sided Towhees.

Florida towhees have the pale eye!

I saw about 6 of these birds flitting around.

They were a family of Towhees!

I named this one Scruffy!

We found a lot of these trails by going on the internet and searching and a few we found using google maps. 

I hope you can find places close to your home to get out in nature. It's fun to do the research online!

 It's a great time of the year to get outside.

Is it good hiking weather where you live too?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

"Wildflowers and Woodpeckers"

 

I had planned a Wildflower post for April but when I looked at the photos I've taken this week, I decided to sneak the Woodpeckers in, too!

There has been terrible flooding in other parts of Florida but we haven't had any rain in our neck of the woods.

Passion flower

But the wildflowers are putting on a show in the forest!

The Passion flower is in full bloom at the hwy 484 trailhead.

And I also saw Red-headed Woodpeckers for the first time this Spring in that part of the Greenway. (Florida Trails West)

I was thrilled to see 2 of these beauties but they were quite a distance.

So I zoomed and cropped to get a better look at them.

Their heads look like velvet, don't they?

Pretty Pawpaws in the woods. 

Florida Pawpaw

They are showy and easy to spot!

And a regal Pileated Woodpecker on a pine tree. Hubby took the amazing photos of the Pileated!

It's a great time to be out in nature with so many wildflowers in bloom. And the wildflower attract butterflies.

Gulf Fritillary on Butterfly weed

There's so much beauty in the world around us and there's never been a better time to get out in nature!

Have you seen signs of Spring where you live? Our butterflies arrived before the wildflowers bloomed. They have been flitting around for a month already!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.  

  Mosaic Monday HERE and I like Thursdays HERE !  

I Spy Something Red!

 

It's not always possible to find answers to your questions when you view your photos from a hike.

But it sure is fun when you do!

So what happened to the red berry?

 

We saw the Red-bellied Woodpecker with a red berry in his beak in one of my photos.

And then we found it stashed away in a little crevice of the old snag of a tree when we looked at hubby's photos. Of course the most interesting part of the photo is the yummy snack the woodpecker has pulled out of the top of the tree. But do you see the red berry above?

It seems like we see Woodpeckers on every hike this summer.

This Pileated Woodpecker is right in the center of this photo.

But we managed to change our angle and get a few more.

He's so beautiful!

And we've seen a few Red Headed Woodpeckers. Not many. Just a few so far.

 Red headed Woodpecker

And I love seeing a young one (possibly a Red-bellied Woodpecker) that doesn't have much color at all.

The Flicker is a neat sighting too.

Do you see the red on the back of his head?

We started this post with a red berry. 

How about this beautiful red Cardinal flower to end it! We're getting out for more hikes lately! 

A few people asked if the Luna Moth I featured in a post HERE was still alive when we saw it. Yes, it was alive but struggling. It was flapping it's wings and flopping around on the ground, not flying away. I guess it was at the end of it's life. 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.   

Shorter Hikes, smaller birds

 

It doesn't always work out that way but we did see some pretty birds this past week on the Florida Trails.

Ovenbird

We were determined to go hiking even though the weather was in full 'summer mode'!

Red-headed Woodpeckers

The humidity was high and the breeze was low but it still felt good to get outside and explore!

Carolina Wren

We just go a little slower and keep the hikes short.

Waterthrush 

Thank you to Anni and David G. for help with the IDs! You came to my rescue AGAIN!!!

And then Autumn was announced and overnight our weather changed!

Tufted Titmouse

We are still in the 80s but there is a nice breeze and less humidity!

Northern Parula

I have so many trails on my list that we haven't been able to hike this summer. 

Kestrel in flight with the 'catch of the day'!

Does standing behind this post make me look thinner? lol

(that's a rhetorical question...don't you DARE answer it!!!)

Have you seen a change in the weather this week? 

Happy Fall from Florida!