3rin's View…

Met a friend for a bird walk yesterday. We started with a wander around Felts Audubon Preserve. It’s a nicely rehabbed property that was once part of a cattle ranch but is now surrounded by housing developments. A Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) kept an eye on us as we admired the recent habitat improvements. The preserve hosts both Indigo and Painted Buntings during the winter but alas, I was unable to capture decent photos of them.

After parting ways, I drove over to nearby Perico Preserve, that overlooks Perico Bayou. A bold Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) came out to greet me but the dryland scrub was otherwise quiet. The action was all in the water. I caught a short-lived mating attempt by two Spider Crabs (Libinia emarginata) and was amused by the hunting antics of a Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) but the stars of the show were the two foraging Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja).

I knew that an Opossum frequented my yard since I’d caught glimpses of it at night, disappearing under my Plumbago bush. Oddly, until recently the animal had eluded the camera in my front yard.

Not sure how because it isn’t tiny! For reference, the shell-lined drainage trench measures 14″ across, so I’m estimating this one is a good 2′ long (including tail).

Since opossums typically dine on insects and rodents, I’m happy to have it visit!

I had a long list of chores scheduled for today but when Katie and Peggy asked if I wanted to paddle, I immediately said yes! The water was a few degrees warmer than the air temperature of 64° but since the sun was shining and the breeze was minimal we didn’t mind.

Even though we didn’t see any dolphins we still had lovely afternoon paddling around Bear Creek and Boca Ciega Bay. What a wonderful way to start the New Year!

As we step into a new year full of possibility, may our paths be lined with love, our journeys guided by hope, and our lives filled with joy.

Even though it was chillier than I would’ve preferred, I wasn’t going to miss the last sunset of the year. It didn’t go out with a bang, and personally, after the year I’ve had, I think that’s just as well.

Yesterday was my first visit to the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Knowing it would be busy because of the holidays, I arrived right when it opened. I was one of the first 10 people in the small park and while it was chilly (a mere 42°) it was worth it!

The park encompasses Homosassa Spring, a first magnitude spring that is the head of the short, 7.7 mile, river of the same name. The area first became popular with tourists in the early 1900s as a railside attraction.

Passengers marveled at the fish and manatees amassed there. The constant 74° temperature of the water is the main draw, especially during the cooler months when the Gulf water drops into the low 60s.

In the 1940s, the area officially opened as a roadside attraction, expanding again in the 1960s to include native and exotic animals, many of them trained to perform. By the time the state purchased the property in 1991, that mindset was outdated. Today the emphasis is on the protection and conservation of native wildlife.

The park now provides refuge for injured or habituated animals that are native to the state. Residents include manatees, bobcats, Florida Panthers, Red Wolves, and foxes, as well as numerous bird species.

However, since the river runs through the center of the park, it is also visited by numerous wild animals that take advantage of the safe haven. Other than the charismatic flamingoes, all the animals in my photos above were “visitors”.

Speaking of flamingoes, while admiring them I overheard a Florida girl earnestly ask her dad, “Why is it so cold?” I commiserated with her, even though I was wearing my down parka and gloves. Yes, I’ve lived here for 6, going on 7, years now but I still keep a pair of them in my car (after all, that’s why it’s called a glovebox)!

In case you were wondering, the name Homosassa came from the Seminole and Creek languages and purportedly translates as “place where wild pepper grows”. The pepper in question is the native Firecracker Pepper (Capsicum annum). I didn’t notice any peppers but I did spot a scraggly wild orange tree growing in the mesic forest along the Pepper Creek Trail.

Overall, it was a lovely way to spend one of the last days of the year!

In case your holidays have been a bit hectic, Westley is giving you a gift – a demonstration of purr-fect relaxation! Wishing everyone some peace and quiet!

They may not be wrapped under the tree but I’m wishing you the best gifts of the season – love, peace, and joy!

We may not have snow and Santa’s method of transit may be a bit different down here but the season is still celebrated in festive style. Hoping your festivities are filled with joy!