Spotted along the trail at Circle B Bar Reserve last week. Not wildlife but still a fun sighting. 💖
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Erin
Coddiwompling through life, guided by my love of nature and insatiable curiosity.Little Armored One
My last wildlife encounter at Circle B Bar Reserve occurred while I was hoofing it back to my car. This little tank barreled out of the underbrush and stomped right toward me. While they have a great sense of smell, their eyesight is notoriously terrible.
Good thing I’m not a predator. Though judging by the bloody scrape on it’s side it looks like this armadillo’s armor held up to the challenge.
For the Birds
In addition to the other creatures mentioned previously, my afternoon at Circle B Bar Reserve was full of feathered friends.
What I found interesting was that I took most of these images within 50 feet of each other. I couldn’t figure out the secret of that little bend in the creek but there must’ve been some magic there.
Top to bottom, left to right: Great Egret, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron (white juvenile maturing to blue), Black-crowned Night-Heron, Tricolored Heron, Pileated Woodpecker, Osprey, and four Ospreys in a tree (plus a number of smaller species that I couldn’t capture).
Enjoy the Red-winged Blackbird symphony (percussion courtesy of Pileated Woodpeckers):
Gatorville
Circle B Bar Reserve is famed for its robust population of alligators. Amazing to think that because of overhunting, the American Alligator was one of the first species listed with the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967 (which was replaced by the Endangered Species Act in 1973). Thankfully, the species rebounded so well they were removed from the ESA in 1987.
As I strolled the trails I kept my eyes peeled for gators, especially once I started down Alligator Alley. With the exception of one large (and putrid-smelling) carcass all I saw were juveniles. There was one thing that gave me pause (look closely at the photo below):
Did you see the wet duckweed that slid off the gator? The large tail drag in the center? The foot and claw scratches in the lower right?
I could only guess at the size of this animal as I never did find it in the thick foliage. To be honest, I didn’t hang out that long looking for it, knowing it was mobile and nearby made me a bit uneasy. Especially since it’s the middle of breeding season.
No Free Lunch
While at Circle B Bar Reserve last weekend I watched this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) struggle for ten minutes to swallow a decent-sized catfish. The slippery devil wasn’t ready to go down the hatch, it even kept flopping in the bird’s throat. That has to be incredibly uncomfortable!
Redbellies
I’m not sure the hatched cooter eggs belong to this specific species but there were definitely a lot of Florida Red-bellied Turtles (Pseudemys nelsoni) at Circle B Bar Reserve this past weekend.
Though they are a favorite snack of alligators, these brave terrapins are known for laying their eggs in alligator nest mounds. I’m sure the choice location offers protection from pillaging by raccoons (and others). As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Intentional or not, duckweed serves as excellent turtle camouflage. I was especially impressed with the one below who went the extra mile.
Does it remind anyone else of the Carol Burnett Went with the Wind curtain skit?
Like Highwayman Art
I stopped by Circle B Bar Reserve out in Lakeland this weekend. I arrived at the central Florida location a bit late in the day and the throng of early visitors had already cleared out, so I pretty much had the place to myself.
It was just me and the plentiful wildlife at the 1,200+ acre nature preserve (I’ll share more about some of them later this week) but first, the scenery. Tall, puffy clouds floated above Live Oaks laden with Spanish Moss while shades of greens were layered from the aquatic plants below to the towering Bald Cypresses above.
The views reminded me of the Florida landscapes painted by the talented, self-taught Highwaymen. They captured an idealized view of the natural beauty of the state, which sadly, is rapidly disappearing (much like the Highwaymen themselves). I’m so glad that areas like Circle B have been protected!
Why I Love Where I Live
I began the day at the southern tip of the Pinellas peninsula kayaking with friends. We were accompanied by a troop of Double-crested Cormorants who dined on the fish our boats startled. Though the gusty wind altered our route, we still had a lovely morning on the water.
I ended my day downtown at the St. Petersburg Pier practicing yoga. The event was a fundraiser for a local nonprofit and judging by the turnout, they raised a good amount of money tonight.
When I first visited here back in 2019, I not only fell in love with the gorgeous scenery but the heart of this community. So glad to call this place home!
La Luna
After the sun dipped below the horizon, the moon took over the job of lighting up the sky. I loved the towering clouds…
Scenic
I snapped this shot while taking shelter from the wind and rain last night. The gulf was a bit agitated but I still love that view!
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