I met this Florida Soft Shell Turtle (Apalone ferox ) while touring the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive over the weekend. This is the largest of our three soft shell species, so called because they lack hard shells and scutes.

Based on the massive size of this one I believe it was a female (males tend to be noticeably smaller). Since it is the height of egg-laying season I presume that’s why she was out of the water. It was a treat to get to see her up close, look at that snout, it looks like a snorkel.

I joined the Treasure Island cleanup this past Saturday. As you’ve probably gathered by now, I take any chance to hit the beach. And as you may also know, I’m constantly picking up litter (have been since I could walk). So, spending a morning strolling the sand is not a hardship for me.

I definitely benefitted from the outing; filled two bags full of trash, savored the scenery, and scored some fun finds (an unopened bottle of water, a pair of sunglasses, and some cool beach toys).

Spotted along the trail at Circle B Bar Reserve last week. Not wildlife but still a fun sighting. 💖

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.

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):

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.

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!