The Red-bellied woodpecker is the most common of Florida’s woodpeckers. You’ll find them in deep woods, city parks, and back yards; they adapt to almost any wooded environment that contains dead trees suitable for their nests. That said, if they can’t find a dead tree, they may use a wooden fence post, a wooden power pole, or the soffit of your house for a nesting site. They feed mostly on insects, but you may be able to attract them to suet feeders during the winter; so far, I haven’t been able to get one to come to my suet feeder.

Listen to Red-bellied woodpecker sounds

Both the male and the female Red-bellied woodpecker have black and white bars across their backs, which helps distinguish them from our other medium-sized woodpecker, the Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). This bird has a brilliant red head and striking black and white wings with a white chest and belly; it’s been called a “flying checkerboard” because of the black and white pattern.

This is a less common bird than the Red-bellied woodpecker and occupies a different ecological niche. These birds prefer open forests with less understory than we have in either our pine scrub or the oak hammock closer to the river; they’re more commonly found in pine plantations and river swamps. Unlike other woodpeckers, they catch insects on the wing and eat a lot of acorns and beech nuts; they often hide nuts in tree cavities to save them for future use. This bird is on the decline because of habitat loss.

Listen to Red-headed woodpecker sounds

Yesterday afternoon, I spotted another woodpecker in one of the oaks in front of our house. A Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) was drumming on a high branch. This is a much larger woodpecker than either the Red-bellied or Red-headed. When it’s perched on a tree it’s mostly black, with white stripes on its head and neck, and a red crest; males have a red cheek stripe. When a Pileated takes wing, you can see large white wing patches that are hidden when they’re sitting on a tree.

These guys like stands of mature forest, with a scattering of dead trees and logs to dig into. You’ll see them up in the trees and on logs on the ground, where they’re foraging for carpenter ants. They leave rectangular holes in the wood when they search for ants, which are a clear indication of their presence in the woods. Sometimes these holes are so big that they cause small trees to break at the point of the hole. The nest cavities that the Pileated excavates are used by other species as well, including owls, ducks, and bats. If you put up an appropriate nest box, you may attract a breeding pair. They also will come to suet feeders, so I’m going to try again this winter to bring in some woodpeckers to my feeders.

Listen to Pileated woodpecker sounds

Besides these three easily seen woodpeckers in our woods, Florida also is home to the Downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens), the Hairy woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) and the Red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis). We also have two winter visitors, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) and the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus). We will talk about those in a future edition of The Sunday Bluff Naturalist.

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Photo Essay: Harvesting Tobacco, Gadsden County, 1985

In November, 1985, just when we thought hurricane season was over, Hurricane Kate formed in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward the Florida panhandle. I had photographed Andrew Brown planting tobacco in June, and I was supposed to go photograph him when he was harvesting it, and that was the week Kate was scheduled to hit us. Kate’s impending landfall gave the harvest an urgency it hadn’t had until now. The day before the storm hit Andrew wasn’t putting up storm shutters; he and his entire extended family were in the fields, in the rain, doing everything they could to get the crop harvested before the storm arrived. These photos are from that day.

When I was a child and we picked tobacco, we handed three or four leaves at a time to the “stringer,” the person who hung them along a tomato stake for hanging in the curing barn. In these photos, the technology of curing tobacco had advanced, and they were using metal frames that they hung the tobacco on for curing.

Things To Do During June and July

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

Beach stewards are needed at important beach nesting sites all summer. Learn to become a Beach Steward at https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/become-bird-steward.

Join the Python Challenge from July 10 through July 19. Win a share of $25,000 in prizes while removing invasive Burmese Pythons from the Everglades ecosystem. FLPythonChallenge.org

June 25 – Have pancakes with a ranger at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Contact caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov or 386-324-5001.

June 26 – Join the Big Waters Land Trust for a volunteer event and picnic at Myakka Headwaters Preserve. https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/myakka-headwaters-preserve-volunteer-event-and-picnic/

June 26 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

June 27 – Take a nature walk and have a Lit Chat interview with environmental lawyer, educator and writer Clay Henderson at Blue Cypress Park and University Park Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-lit-chat-interview-with-clay-henderson/?blm_aid=1386554369

June 27-28 – Check out the 2026 University of Florida/IFAS Native Plant Nursery Plant Sale in Gainesville. https://ffgs.ifas.ufl.edu/native-plant-nursery/

June 27 – Learn about native medicinal plants at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 30 - Explore, discover, and identify butterflies during the Big Waters Land Trust butterfly count at Orange Hammock Wildlife Management Area near Sidell. https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/orange-hammock-summer-butterfly-count/

June 30 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

July 2 – Hike with a ranger at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/hike-ranger-31

July 3 – Join a park ranger for a shelling trip along the Lovers Key shoreline at Lovers Key State Park on Fort Myers Beach. Registration is required. https://loverskey.eventbrite.com/

July 3 – Take a clear-bottom kayak tour at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/clear-bottom-kayak-tours-5

July 4 – Calling all runners for the Firecracker 5K Run/Walk at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/33rd-annual-firecracker-5k-runwalk

July 5 – Celebrate our nation’s birthday at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell with old-fashioned games, music and food. Dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

July 7 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

July 11 – Find out about the birds that visit your yard during the summer at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

July 11 – Take a living historian-led guided walk through Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/living-historian-led-guided-walk-program-13

July 11 – Enjoy the Gamble Jam at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/gamble-jam-112

July 12 – Join Rising Tides for their monthly cleanup event at Blue Cypress Park in Jacksonville. https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=8ibmerakxwtbwr

July 12 – Bring your instrument or just your voice and some ice cream topping for a music jam session and cranking out homemade ice cream at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/ice-cream-music-jam-4

July 19 – Join the St. Johns Riverkeeper for their monthly cleanup at McCoys Creek in Jacksonville. https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=3heqxdsz07yrtm

July 25 – Hilary Flower presents “The Bird That Saved Itself: The Everglades Snail Kite Story” at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. https://outreach.myfwc.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2062458&group=

The Saw Palmetto produces a berry after it blooms that is harvested and used to produce the Saw Palmetto supplement. It’s a low-tech business at the harvesting end, where pickers strip berries from the fruit stalks by hand and take them to a local buying station to sell them. Thousands of tons of fruit are harvested each year to become supplements that are sold around the world.

The other side of this, though, is that those same berries are an important food source for wildlife, including bears, raccoons, deer, opossums, turkeys and songbirds. That raises a question in my mind as to how much the harvest of berries for supplements affects the wildlife that depends on them as a food source.

As I was working on this article, I went down our road to find some pictures of Saw Palmetto in bloom. What I found made me say “Hmmmm,” and we already know where that leads. The big clumps of plants have already finished blooming and many of them have green berries on the stalks. The smaller, individual plants are either are in some stage of about to bloom/in full bloom/just finished blooming. That made me wonder why they aren’t all on the same bloom schedule, so of course I looked it up.

It turns out that there isn’t just one species of low-growing palm in Florida; there are two, the Saw Palmetto and the Scrub Palmetto (Sabal etonia). They look so much alike that the casual observer can’t tell them apart. One fast and uncomplicated way to separate them is to run your hand along the leaf stalk. If the edge has tiny “teeth” on it (the “saw” part of Saw Palmetto), then that’s what it is. If it’s smooth and not jagged, it’s a Scrub Palmetto. The Saw Palmetto blooms earlier in the year than the Scrub Palmetto, which explains why I’m seeing berries on some and flowers on some.

Their distribution across the state differs, as well. The Saw Palmetto is found in every county in Florida. The Scrub Palmetto is found throughout the central Florida highlands and along the coast where there is scrub.

I walked along our road and checked all the plants with either berries or flowers I could reach without getting off into the woods. Don’t get me wrong, I like tramping around in the woods. But we have such a high population of ticks here that I would really prefer not to get off the road this time of year unless I’m in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with lots of tick repellant. And with midday highs in the mid-nineties, I think I’ll wait a while to do that.

What I found, though, is that everything with berries on it is Saw Palmetto, and everything with flowers on it is Scrub Palmetto. So, we do, indeed have two species out there, something I didn’t even suspect. Like everyone else who’s grown up calling them Saw Palmetto, I just assumed that’s what they all are. Instead, there’s a second species hidden in plain sight, providing another discovery in the story of Sunday Bluff.

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Gopher Tortoise Update

A couple weeks ago I wrote about the Gopher Tortoise. Since I wrote that, I have discovered that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has a page where you can submit sightings and photos of Gopher Tortoises you encounter. This helps the FWC help them, but keeping track of where Gopher Tortoise populations are located.

The page to report sightings—including deaths—is here:

Report Gopher Tortoise Sighting

My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration 24: Place-Language

Part of our Exploration this week is to name this month’s moon and add it to my list:

Monthly moon names:

January – Owl Moon; that’s when I hear a lot of owls calling

February – Wildfire Moon; we are very dry that time of year and there are a lot of wildfires

March - Plum Blossom Moon, since early March is when the wild plums begin to bloom

April - Pawpaw Moon, in keeping with this week’s article about pawpaws.

May - Milkweed Moon, since May is when the milkweeds really get growing.

June - Gopher Tortoise Moon, since I see at least one every time I go out.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey In Place

Things To Do During June & July

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

Beach stewards are needed at important beach nesting sites all summer. Learn to become a Beach Steward at https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/become-bird-steward.

Orange Audubon’s annual Online Auction is open from now until June 22. Bid today at https://new.biddingowl.com/OrangeAudubonSociety. All proceeds will benefit the Orange Audubon Nature Center at the Apopka Birding Park.

June 17 – Find out how our state agencies are managing invasive lizards at the 10^th Street Community Center in Stuart. Registration is required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protecting-floridas-resources-best-management-practices-2026-training-tickets-1985737398012?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 20 – Learn how to create a butterfly garden at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 21 – Enjoy a glass of wine or a beer and browse a large selection of native plants at the Little Red Wagon Native Nursery in Tampa. https://littleredwagonnativenursery.com/

June 21 – Take a 3-mile Solstice Hike at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee. Reservation required. Call 850-487-4556 to reserve your spot.

June 22 – Take an EcoWalk: Unique Preserves – Sleeping Turtles South with the Sarasota Cooperative Extension Service and a University of Florida/IFAS educator. Registration required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecowalk-unique-preserves-sleeping-turtles-south-registration-1908246339169

June 22-29 – Sign your child up for Tiny Giants Nature Camp at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery in Tampa. https://tampa-bay-butterfly-foundation.jumbula.com/2026SummerCamps/062226TinyGiants

June 24 – Learn about native medicinal plants at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 25 – Have pancakes with a ranger at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Contact caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov or 386-324-5001.

June 26 – Join the Big Waters Land Trust for a volunteer event and picnic at Myakka Headwaters Preserve. https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/myakka-headwaters-preserve-volunteer-event-and-picnic/

June 26 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

June 27 – Take a nature walk and have a Lit Chat interview with environmental lawyer, educator and writer Clay Henderson at Blue Cypress Park and University Park Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-lit-chat-interview-with-clay-henderson/?blm_aid=1386554369

June 27-28 – Check out the 2026 University of Florida/IFAS Native Plant Nursery Plant Sale in Gainesville. https://ffgs.ifas.ufl.edu/native-plant-nursery/

June 27 – Learn about native medicinal plants at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 30 - Explore, discover, and identify butterflies during the Big Waters Land Trust butterfly count at Orange Hammock Wildlife Management Area near Sidell. https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/orange-hammock-summer-butterfly-count/

June 30 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

July 3 – Join a park ranger for a shelling trip along the Lovers Key shoreline at Lovers Key State Park on Fort Myers Beach. Registration is required. https://loverskey.eventbrite.com/

July 5 – Celebrate our nation’s birthday at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell with old-fashioned games, music and food. Dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

July 7 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. 954-924-3859.

July 11 – Find out about the birds that visit your yard during the summer at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

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Depending on which expert you talk to, we have between forty-four and fifty native species of snakes in Florida. Of those, six are the venomous ones we discussed a couple of weeks ago. The rest of them are harmless, at least to humans. (Some of the creatures they prey on might not agree with that). This number doesn’t include introduced species such as the Burmese Python in the Everglades, or the Boa Constrictor and Northern African Python occasionally found roaming around southern Florida.

One significant group of nonvenomous snakes is the Watersnakes (genus Nerodia). These snakes inhabit the same riverine environment that Moccasins are found in, and some of them can easily be mistaken for their venomous look-alikes. Watersnakes are opportunists and will eat whatever they can catch, but the majority of their diet is smaller reptiles and amphibians, an occasional crayfish or aquatic insect, and now and then a small mammal or a bird. Larger snakes may catch and eat fish from time to time. Younger watersnakes in turn are preyed upon by herons, egrets, owls and raccoons.

One species we frequently see in Florida is the Black Racer (Coluber constrictor). True to its name, this snake can take off in a hurry. It’s an agile snake that can change direction almost instantaneously and climb trees quickly. He’s often gone before you’re really sure he’s there. Black racers eat anything they can catch, including frogs, lizards, turtles, other snakes, small mammals and birds, as well as insects and spiders.

Another fast-moving snake is the Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum). This is a long, slender snake that can reach five feet in length. Adults are usually dark in the front, with a black or brown head, and fade to a lighter tan or brown on their tails. They eat small mammals, birds and their eggs, frogs, lizards turtles and other snakes.

Another common group of snakes is the ratsnakes and cornsnakes. We have three species in Florida, the Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus), the Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) and the Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides). The Gray Ratsnake is only found in the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River; ratsnakes with a grey pattern found in other areas are variants or juveniles of the Eastern Ratsnake.

All three species are found in a wide variety of habitats, including suburban neighborhoods. They all climb readily, so you may have more of them in the trees over your head than you think. Ratsnakes and cornsnakes feed on lizards, frogs, small mammals, birds and their eggs. They are frequent visitors to the nest boxes of domestic chickens.

Some of the most amusing snakes in Florida (or anywhere) are the Hognose Snakes; we have both the Eastern Hognose (Heterodon platirhinos) and the Southern Hognose (Heterodon simus). These can legitimately be called “Drama noodles.” When disturbed, they flatten their heads so they look bigger than they really are, hiss, and may bluff by striking with their mouths closed. If that display isn’t enough to discourage whoever is bothering the snake, it will flip over onto its back and put on an amazing show of convulsions, then regurgitate whatever it has eaten recently, and expel foul-smelling musk from the glands on the underside of its tail. It will lie still on its back with its tongue hanging out, playing dead, for quite a while until it thinks its harasser is gone. Then it will roll over on its belly and crawl quickly away. The Southern Hognose feeds primarily on frogs and toads; the Eastern Hognose prefers toads.

No conversation about nonvenomous snakes in Florida is complete without mentioning the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi). This is a large, heavy-bodied snake that can reach eight feet in length. It’s a glossy black snake that may have iridescent highlights in the sun, with an orange throat and chin. Indigos are found throughout Florida in a variety of habitats and often take refuge in Gopher Tortoise burrows. This snake was listed as a threatened species by the State of Florida in 1975; in 1978 the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed them as threatened federally.

We have quite a few more nonvenomous snakes in the state; some of them are very small and rarely seen. I’ll explore some of these beauties in another column in the future.

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #23: With or Without Humans

Part of our exploration this week is a writing prompt: If humans left tomorrow…….

If humans left tomorrow, this place would return to the wild. We have seen so many wildfires this summer that I imagine fire would reshape this land very soon. Fire would sweep across the Big Scrub like it did in the days before fire suppression, wiping away all the sand pine in its path, just as it did for thousands of years before humans managed the land.

But that is not the end of the story. The fire would prepare the soil for a new generation of sand pines. Within a few weeks sand pine seeds, spread from cones opened by the heat of the fire, would germinate and begin to grow. Understory plants, suppressed by the lack of fire, would reach for the sun.

Where the longleaf pine has been managed with prescribed burns, the fire would sear away the understory, but it would begin to grow back in days. The longleaf forest loves a good fire and the rejuvenation it brings.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Things To Do During June

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

Beach stewards are needed at important beach nesting sites all summer. Learn to become a Beach Steward at https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/become-bird-steward.

June 10 – Enjoy an evening of community, conservation and connection at the “Protect Our Paradise” docuseries with Conservation Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, at Ruby Beach Brewing in Jacksonville. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-our-paradise-screening-florida-trivia-tickets-1989860174347?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 10 – Learn how to build a worm composting bin at the Shamrock Park & Nature Center in Venice. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-a-worm-bin-and-start-composting-registration-1988494599877

June 10-July 31 – Take part in a Sea Turtle Night Walk with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. Reservation required. https://sea-turtle-preservation-society6.mybigcommerce.com/2026-turtle-walks/june-2026-turtle-walks/?page=1

June 12 – Find out what pollinator plants are best for your garden at the Naranja Library in Miami. https://mdpls.org/event/15812476

June 12 – Plan and create your own rain garden at the Pinellas County Extension Office. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/florida-friendly-friday-rain-gardens-101-tickets-1988576557013?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 13 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-paddle-the-ocklawaha/

June 13 – Learn how to create a back yard that is a haven for wild birds at the Zephyrhills Public Library in Zephyrhills. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6-13-2026-attracting-birds-to-your-backyard-tickets-1983823294878?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

June 13 – Learn invasive plant ID and treatment at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 15 – Join the Save The Rain Summer Rain Barrel Class at the Duval County Extension Office in Jacksonville. Register at https://www.google.com/url?q=https://summerrain.eventbrite.com&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3u23Mfur26AKJq8OWzr6_J

June 16 – Find out about Florida-friendly landscaping at the St. Johns County Extension Office in Ponte Vedra Beach. RSVP to terraf@ufl.edu or 904-819-1275.

June 17 – Find out how our state agencies are managing invasive lizards at the 10^th Street Community Center in Stuart. Registration is required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protecting-floridas-resources-best-management-practices-2026-training-tickets-1985737398012?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 20 – Learn how to create a butterfly garden at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 21 – Enjoy a glass of wine or a beer and browse a large selection of native plants at the Little Red Wagon Native Nursery in Tampa. https://littleredwagonnativenursery.com/

June 24 – Learn about native medicinal plants at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

June 27 – Take a nature walk and have a Lit Chat interview with environmental lawyer, educator and writer Clay Henderson at Blue Cypress Park and University Park Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-lit-chat-interview-with-clay-henderson/?blm_aid=1386554369

June 27 – Learn about native medicinal plants at Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. https://www.nativenurseries.com/workshops

One thing that pleases me is the number of people who seem to really care about the tortoises. We’ve had drivers of other vehicles flag us down or stop their cars to block traffic so a tortoise can get across the road. Now and then we’ll see someone stopped and either the driver or a passenger gently shooing a tortoise off the road and into the grass on the shoulder.

Although the Gopher tortoise is the only native tortoise found east of the Mississippi River, there are four other tortoise species found in the central and western United States. The gopher tortoise is found in all sixty-seven counties in Florida, as well as in parts of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. They can live up to 60 years in the wild, although tortoises in captivity have lived for more than 90 years. Females don’t begin laying eggs until they are at least ten years old; some may not start laying until they are 20 to 21 years of age.

Gopher tortoises are special creatures. They dig burrows that average between seven and fifteen feet long, although a few have been found that reached forty feet in length. They are what’s known as a “keystone species,” because more then 350 species of animals and insects depend on their burrows in some way or other. These animals are referred to as “commensals,” which simply means that they depend on the tortoise to survive. Some of the most notable species of commensals include the indigo snake, burrowing owl, Florida mice, rabbits and gopher frogs.

Gopher tortoises are herbivores, meaning that they eat plants. They feed on whatever is around them that’s low growing so they can reach it. Some of their main foods are wiregrass, other grasses, gopher apple and other native wild plants. They usually are able to get adequate water from the plants they eat, but they may drink standing water after a rainstorm now and then.

Gopher tortoises are listed as threatened and are protected by Florida law. Their biggest threat is habitat loss, particularly from development and urbanization. If you’re going to build something where there are tortoise burrows, you’ll need to relocate any tortoises that are there, and you’ll need a state permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to do that.

You can find out more about gopher tortoises on the FWC website at https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/gopher-tortoise/.

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #22: Watershed

Part of our exploration this week is a writing prompt: “Write about an occasion when you felt deeply moved by contact with water - a stream, river, ocean, lake, pond, puddle, rain.

I can see the Ocklawaha River from our back porch. We don’t own the land right down to the edge of the river; the State of Florida owns a strip of land, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, right along the river. Without her, this river would no longer exist. We are only a couple of miles upstream from the Eureka Lock and Dam, and a few more miles upstream from Rodman Reservoir. If Marjorie and the rest of the Florida Defenders of the Environment had not mounted an enormous grass roots campaign to shut down the Florida Barge Canal project, this river would be a barge canal.

I think about that every time I look at the big oaks down near the river. I was on this stretch of the Ocklawaha just one time, during an excursion with the Florida Outdoor Writers Association during the 1980s. We must have pass right by Sunday Bluff; I don’t remember if I looked up and saw this house or not. If I did, I certainly had no thought that I would ever live here.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Photo Essay: Planting Tobacco, Quincy, 1985

Last week I shared a few photos of pole beans growing on what was left of some shade grown tobacco frames. Although the days of shade grown tobacco ended during the 1960s, tobacco was still a viable crop for some farmers in Gadsden County during the 1980s.

I took these photos of Andrew Brown and some of his employees planting tobacco during the spring of 1985.

Things To Do During June

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

South Florida high school students who love the natural world can foster “conservation through community” and earn service hours through the 3^rd annual Summer Edition of the Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/tropical-audubon-ambassador-bending-the-curve-2026 Register by June 5.

Beach stewards are needed at important beach nesting sites all summer. Learn to become a Beach Steward at https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/become-bird-steward.

June 4 – Attend the Prescribed Burning for Wildlife workshop at the Jackson County Extension Auditorium in Marianna. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/43eseqk/lp/6ff45011-69ff-4a42-9530-94a7714c602c

June 6 – Take a nature stroll at Moccasin Slough Park on Fleming Island. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-nature-stroll-at-moccasin-slough-park/

June 6 – Stock up on native plants at the Go-Native Plant Sale at the Galloway Farm Nursery on the grounds of the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. https://www.gallowayfarm.com/

June 6 – Learn about Florida-friendly landscape design at the Pinellas County Extension Service office in Largo. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/water-wise-workshop-florida-friendly-landscape-design-by-eco-system-tickets-1988574428647?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 7 – Take a Shorebird Stroll at Amelia Island State Park in Jacksonville. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shorebird-stroll-tickets-1989112879167?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true&utm_name=

June 9 – Find out about our native bees, and their role and purpose in our environment at the New River Library in Wesley Chapel. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/692026-native-bees-tickets-1983097682552?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

June 9 – Learn how harvesting rainwater during wet periods can help reduce pollution from stormwater runoff and provide a supply of free, non-chlorinated water for your garden at the Kendall Library in Miami. https://mdpls.org/event/15979771

June 10 – Enjoy an evening of community, conservation and connection at the “Protect Our Paradise” docuseries with Conservation Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, at Ruby Beach Brewing in Jacksonville. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-our-paradise-screening-florida-trivia-tickets-1989860174347?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 10 – Learn how to build a worm composting bin at the Shamrock Park & Nature Center in Venice. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-a-worm-bin-and-start-composting-registration-1988494599877

June 10-July 31 – Take part in a Sea Turtle Night Walk with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. Reservation required. https://sea-turtle-preservation-society6.mybigcommerce.com/2026-turtle-walks/june-2026-turtle-walks/?page=1

June 13 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-paddle-the-ocklawaha/

June 13 – Learn how to create a back yard that is a haven for wild birds at the Zephyrhills Public Library in Zephyrhills. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6-13-2026-attracting-birds-to-your-backyard-tickets-1983823294878?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

June 27 – Take a nature walk and have a Lit Chat interview with environmental lawyer, educator and writer Clay Henderson at Blue Cypress Park and University Park Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-lit-chat-interview-with-clay-henderson/?blm_aid=1386554369

According to the Florida Museum at the University of Florida, we have six species of snakes in the state:

Florida Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon conanti) – This bad boy can reach up to four feet in length. It’s a heavy-bodied snake that has a dark-and-light brown pattern as a young snake that darkens to black as it ages. The Cottonmouth is found everywhere in Florida around water. Cottonmouths eat a wide range of prey animals, including fish, frogs, insects, other snakes, lizards, turtles, baby alligators, birds and small mammals.

Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) – The Copperhead resembles a young Cottonmouth, and the two are often mistaken, but the Copperhead keeps a brown-on-brown coloration with an hourglass or “Hershey’s Kiss” pattern its entire life. Copperheads are found only in the western Panhandle of Florida, so if you see a snake patterned like a Copperhead anywhere else in the state, it’s likely a young Cottonmouth. These snakes can grow to three feet long. Adults eat mostly small mammals; young snakes eat mostly small reptiles and amphibians, as well as insects.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) – This is a very large snake that can reach up to six feet in length. The pattern on its back is unmistakable. Once you’ve seen one, you’ll always recognize them. The Diamondback is found everywhere in Florida, including most of our offshore islands. This is a dangerous snake, but fortunately it’s not aggressive. Most of the time they won’t bite unless you step on one or deliberately poke at it. Diamondbacks eat mostly mammals and birds.

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) – I grew up hearing this snake called a “Canebrake Rattlesnake.” Either way, it’s the only other big rattlesnake in Florida. The pattern on its back is similar to, but less striking than, the pattern on the Eastern Diamondback. They grow to about five feet in length. The Timber Rattler is less widespread than the Eastern Diamondback and is confirmed in only twelve counties in northern Florida but is possibly in several more. Like the Diamondback, the Timber Rattler eats mostly mammals and birds but also will eat other reptiles or amphibians from time to time.

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri) – Don’t hate me, but I think this is a pretty little snake. That said, I’d still rather not step on one. This is a small snake that rarely grows longer than two feet. They’re found throughout Florida. Although a bite from this snake is painful, it’s generally not life-threatening; that said, it’s still a medical emergency and should be treated as such. The Pygmy Rattlesnake eats a range of small prey animals, including small mammals, insects, and small reptiles and amphibians.

Harlequin Coralsnake (Micrurus fulvius) – This is a beautiful little snake that only reaches about thirty inches in length. Unlike our five other venomous snakes, this one is not a pit viper. The Coralsnake is found throughout Florida. Bites from this snake are very dangerous, but fortunately bites are rare. Coralsnakes eat lizards and other small snakes.

With all of that said, a bite from any venomous snake is a medical or veterinary emergency. I am definitely not an expert on snake bites, but I know where to find the experts. If you’re on Facebook, find the group “National Snakebite Support.” This group is run by a team of doctors, veterinarians, and other specialists involved in critical care and emergency medicine, including Dr. Cory Woliver, a clinical lecturer at the University of Florida. They have files with protocols for what to do in the case of a snakebite for both humans and pets.

Remember: snake bites are medical emergencies. There are no “home remedies” for snake bites. Call 911 and go to the nearest emergency room or veterinary hospital if you or your pet is bitten.

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Photo Essay: Beneath the Shade Frames

From the 1920s to the 1960s, Gadsden County was a center of shade-grown tobacco for cigar wrappers. Tobacco was grown under frames covered with cheesecloth shade, hence the term “shade grown.”

After tobacco declined as a crop there, the old frames were converted to other agricultural uses. One spring day sometime in the 1980s I happened upon a field where frames were being used to support green or pole beans that needed something to run on. I got these photos on that day.

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Things To Do During May & June

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

South Florida high school students who love the natural world can foster “conservation through community” and earn service hours through the 3^rd annual Summer Edition of the Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/tropical-audubon-ambassador-bending-the-curve-2026 Register by June 5.

May 28 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

May 29 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-paddle-the-ocklawaha

May 30 – Learn about “Living with Wildlife: Safeguarding Pets and Livestock” in a workshop by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Naples. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-with-wildlife-safeguarding-pets-livestock-tickets-1984876712679?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_name=

June 10-July 31 – Take part in a Sea Turtle Night Walk with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. Reservation required. https://sea-turtle-preservation-society6.mybigcommerce.com/2026-turtle-walks/june-2026-turtle-walks/?page=1

June 2 – Attend Life Lab: Save Our River Grasses at the Mandarin Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-life-lab-save-our-river-grasses-submerged-aquatic-vegetation/

June 2 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 2-3 – Learn how to plan and install a living shoreline at this workshop in Englewood. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-shoreline-training-southwest-coast-sarasota-county-registration-1988789719588

June 4 – Attend the Prescribed Burning for Wildlife workshop at the Jackson County Extension Auditorium in Marianna. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/43eseqk/lp/6ff45011-69ff-4a42-9530-94a7714c602c

June 6 – Take a nature stroll at Moccasin Slough Park on Fleming Island. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-nature-stroll-at-moccasin-slough-park/

June 6 – Stock up on native plants at the Go-Native Plant Sale at the Galloway Farm Nursery on the grounds of the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. https://www.gallowayfarm.com/

June 6 – Learn about Florida-friendly landscape design at the Pinellas County Extension Service office in Largo. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/water-wise-workshop-florida-friendly-landscape-design-by-eco-system-tickets-1988574428647?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 9 – Find out about our native bees, and their role and purpose in our environment at the New River Library in Wesley Chapel. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/692026-native-bees-tickets-1983097682552?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

June 9 – Learn how harvesting rainwater during wet periods can help reduce pollution from stormwater runoff and provide a supply of free, non-chlorinated water for your garden at the Kendall Library in Miami. https://mdpls.org/event/15979771

June 10 – Enjoy an evening of community, conservation and connection at the “Protect Our Paradise” docuseries with Conservation Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, at Ruby Beach Brewing in Jacksonville. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-our-paradise-screening-florida-trivia-tickets-1989860174347?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 10 – Learn how to build a worm composting bin at the Shamrock Park & Nature Center in Venice. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-a-worm-bin-and-start-composting-registration-1988494599877

June 13 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-paddle-the-ocklawaha/

June 13 – Learn how to create a back yard that is a haven for wild birds at the Zephyrhills Public Library in Zephyrhills. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6-13-2026-attracting-birds-to-your-backyard-tickets-1983823294878?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Sparkleberries prefer rocky woodlands, sandy soil, or cliffs as their habitat, and we certainly have the sandy soil. They’re also characteristic of fire prone habitats, so to find them here in the scrub isn’t surprising. They can grow to twenty feet tall under the right conditions; I’m not sure I’ve seen any that tall, but I’ve seen quite a few ten to fifteen feet tall along our road. The flowers are white and shaped like little bells; they hang in long swags on the plant called racemes. The flowers start blooming in late spring and go into the summer, so they’re about at the end of their blooming cycle now. Before long I’ll start to see small green berries that will turn dark purple or black by fall.

Unlike commercial blueberries, sparkleberries are mostly seed. Each small berry can hold up to ten seeds, every one of which can produce a new plant. They’re typically mealy and not very sweet; historically, people boiled them and strained the juice to use for jelly or preserves. Even though we might not find them desirable to eat ourselves, wildlife love them, particularly deer, birds, and small mammals. The plants are important for native landscapes in the Southeast, and their flowers are important sources of pollen and nectar for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

According to the Florida Plant Atlas, sparkleberry isn’t the only Vaccinium that’s native to the Florida landscape. Five other species of blueberries live in the state. The Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is found almost statewide and is the “wild” blueberry homesteaders most often pick. It’s been hybridized with Darrow’s blueberry (Vaccinium darrowii) to create cultivars for the production of blueberries in the state.

Elliott’s blueberry (Vaccinium elliottii) is found mostly in the upper tier of counties and is tart and somewhat bland to eat. It prefers more of a moist woodland than the scrub; I’m wondering if I might find a few down near the river. Shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) is found statewide in dry flatwoods, so that’s another one I may run across here. And Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) is also found statewide in dry uplands. It has larger berries than the others, but they tend to be bitter and mealy; they look appealing but they’re not very palatable.

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #20: Scent of Place

This week’s exploration has a couple of exercises. First, it’s time for me to name this month’s full moon and add that to my list:

Monthly moon names:

January – Owl Moon; that’s when I hear a lot of owls calling

February – Wildfire Moon; we are very dry that time of year and there are a lot of wildfires

March - Plum Blossom Moon, since early March is when the wild plums begin to bloom

April - Pawpaw Moon, in keeping with this week’s article about pawpaws.

May - Milkweed Moon, since May is when the milkweeds really get growing.

Writing prompt: This place smells like……

On hot mornings, I can smell the trees as the sun comes up and warms them. When the forest is dry and the wildfires are burning, the mornings smell blue gray and sharp. On cool days, the scents of grass and soil rise up around the house.

The deer bring their own odor to the yard. During the winter, when they are in rut, I can smell the dark brown of their tarsal glands if they get close enough to the house.

The American holly has been blooming, and the tiny flowers drop to the ground with the sweetness of spring. Near the door, the passion flowers are blooming and they bring their own sweet tang to the mornings.

When the rain falls, the aroma of green grass rises. If a west wind blows rain in on the porch, wet wood joins the fragrant symphony of this place.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Things To Do During May and June

The National Parks and Conservation Association’s 2026 Silent Auction is now open. Check out their items at https://pro.gofundme.com/live/auction/silent-auction-2026/4deff828-f470-4016-9fd2-8c35632f4fab. Auction closes on May 20^th at 7 PM.

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

South Florida high school students who love the natural world can foster “conservation through community” and earn service hours through the 3^rd annual Summer Edition of the Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/tropical-audubon-ambassador-bending-the-curve-2026 Register by June 5.

May 20 – Enjoy Rising Tides: Climate Chat Happy Hour at Eternal Roots Kava Lounge in Jacksonville. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-rising-tides-climate-chat-happy-hour/

May 20 – Join landowners, conservation leaders and community members committed to keeping the Florida Wildlife Corridor connected and protected at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala. https://corridorconnect.org/events/160647

May 20 – Enjoy Cones for Conservation: Jeni’s Ice Cream Fundraiser in Winter Park. Twenty-five percent of all proceeds go to Conservation Florida. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cones-for-conservation-ice-cream-fundraiser-tickets-1988495260854?aff=oddtdtcreator

May 22 - Learn about sea turtles at a Sea Turtle Talk at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 22-24 – Enjoy food, music, arts & crafts at the 74^th Annual Florida Folk Festival at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs. https://www.floridastateparks.org/FloridaFolkFestival

May 23 – Explore wetlands at Camp Chowenwaw Park in Green Cove Springs. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-wetlands-exploration-at-camp-chowenwaw-park/

May 24 – Enjoy Next Door Live! A walking music fest in the Audubon Park Gardens District of Orlando. 100% of all donations go to support Conservation Florida. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/next-door-live-music-fest-tickets-1988238972288?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

May 25 – Join Tampa Bay Watch on their first Sandbar Snorkeling Excursion of the season. https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/tbwdiscoverycenter-tampa/items/574321/calendar/2026/05/?flow=869977&full-items=yes

May 28 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

May 29 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-paddle-the-ocklawaha

May 30 – Learn about “Living with Wildlife: Safeguarding Pets and Livestock” in a workshop by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Naples. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-with-wildlife-safeguarding-pets-livestock-tickets-1984876712679?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_name=

June 10-July 31 – Take part in a Sea Turtle Night Walk with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. Reservation required. https://sea-turtle-preservation-society6.mybigcommerce.com/2026-turtle-walks/june-2026-turtle-walks/?page=1

June 2 – Attend Life Lab: Save Our River Grasses at the Mandarin Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-life-lab-save-our-river-grasses-submerged-aquatic-vegetation/

June 2 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 4 – Attend the Prescribed Burning for Wildlife workshop at the Jackson County Extension Auditorium in Marianna. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/43eseqk/lp/6ff45011-69ff-4a42-9530-94a7714c602c

June 6 – Take a nature stroll at Moccasin Slough Park on Fleming Island. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-nature-stroll-at-moccasin-slough-park/

June 6 – Stock up on native plants at the Go-Native Plant Sale at the Galloway Farm Nursery on the grounds of the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. https://www.gallowayfarm.com/

June 10 – Enjoy an evening of community, conservation and connection at the “Protect Our Paradise” docuseries with Conservation Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, at Ruby Beach Brewing in Jacksonville. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-our-paradise-screening-florida-trivia-tickets-1989860174347?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 13 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-paddle-the-ocklawaha/

But of course, that made me ask questions. How toxic is a scorpion’s sting? How many different kinds do we have in Florida? What role do they play in the ecosystem?

Depending on who you ask, we have either three or four species of scorpions in Florida. Older references usually say there are three, but newer references sometimes recognize an additional species or treat their classification differently. Rather than get bogged down in nomenclature, I’m going to go with “three, maybe a fourth one,” and talk about the three we can identify for certain.

The most commonly encountered species seems to be the Hentz striped scorpion, Centruroides hentzi. It’s found from one end of Florida to the other and is the one most often found indoors. The Hentz striped scorpion is only an inch to two inches long, light brown or yellowish, with two stripes running down its back.

The other two are the slender brown scorpion, Centruroides gracilis, and the Keys bark scorpion, Centruroides guanensis. The slender brown scorpion is more of a south Florida species and is usually found in coastal habitats and tropical hammocks. The Keys bark scorpion is a Caribbean species that just spills over a little into the Keys. All three species are similar in size and appearance, so field identification is tricky at best, and unreliable unless you’re an expert.

Unlike some of the western species, our Florida scorpions are not medically significant. They’re not particularly aggressive, but they will sting when threatened. The sting is said to be painful—like a wasp or a bee—and any redness, irritation or swelling will go away in a few hours to a few days. Since I haven’t been stung, however, I can’t provide any first-hand experience.

Scorpions are not insects, but are arachnids like spiders, ticks and mites. They have ten legs and a tail with a singer on the tip. They feed on insects, including pest insects we may not want in our houses; if you find one indoors, that probably means there’s something in your house that’s worth eating (pleasant thought, right?). Outdoors, they hide under stones, logs, boards or other debris. They hunt at night, so you’re not likely to encounter them during the day unless you’re digging around in their habitat.

Scorpions live a long time for such a small creature. Some may live as long as three to five years. The male does a wonderfully strange courtship dance for the female and then places a spermatophore on the ground for her to pick up. Young are born alive, and the babies climb on their mother’s back and stay there until they molt for the first time. This is not a particularly safe place to be, though, as scorpions are cannibalistic, and females often eat their own young.

A couple of fun facts about scorpions: first, researchers have studied their venom as a potential pain reliever and treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Current studies are looking at its potential to fight harmful bacteria.

Second, scorpions glow bright green under an ultraviolet light. So, if you go out in your yard at night with a strong UV light, you might see what look like little green aliens feeding on insects in your grass.

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #19: Mother of Mothers

Part of this week’s exploration is a writing prompt: In my birthplace…….

In my birthplace there were trees and a lush garden. My mother was a country girl transplanted to the suburbs, and she always wanted our yard to feel like the country. She spent many, many hours cultivating fruit trees and a vegetable garden, daylilies and rain lilies, and everything she could find to bring a tiny spot of country to our home.

Beyond that garden, though, was a jungle of streets and cars and city. I lived there, but I always yearned for a quiet place, away from the deadness of asphalt and concrete. I adapted to the city but I did not bond with it, nor did I love the place outside the garden.

When my mother left this earthly plain, it pained me to leave so much of the garden behind. My friend Beth and I dug up hundreds of rain lily bulbs for me to take, but thousands remained. I wonder what the new owners of that house and garden think of them. I haven’t started planting any of them here, yet, but I will soon, along with the crinum lilies that came from my mother’s mother’s garden.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Subscribe now

Things To Do During May & June

Apply for the Orion Environmental Writer’s Workshop June 14-19 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether your passion is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is a creative laboratory for anyone seeking to reflect their environment through their work. Full information and application information is at https://www.eomega.org/workshops/orion-environmental-writers-workshop. Applications are due May 15.

Submit project ideas for Florida’s Fourth Restoration Plan. The Florida Trustee Implementation Group is requesting project ideas for restoration in Florida. Projects should be in one of these categories: Nutrient Reduction, Water Quality, Sea Turtles, Birds. Project ideas will be accepted between April 15 and May 15. https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2026/04/submit-project-ideas-florida-s-fourth-restoration-plan.

Register your kids for nature camps at Little Red Wagon in Tampa. https://butterflytampa.com/camps/ Volunteer to help at some of the camp sessions. https://volunteersignup.org/AP8EJ

The National Parks and Conservation Association’s 2026 Silent Auction is now open. Check out their items at https://pro.gofundme.com/live/auction/silent-auction-2026/4deff828-f470-4016-9fd2-8c35632f4fab. Auction closes on May 20^th at 7 PM.

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

South Florida high school students who love the natural world can foster “conservation through community” and earn service hours through the 3^rd annual Summer Edition of the Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/tropical-audubon-ambassador-bending-the-curve-2026 Register by June 5.

May 15 – Learn how to make palm or palmetto frond crafts from experienced palm weavers at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Pre-registration is required. Contact 352-793-4781 or dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

May 15 – Find out why the Gopher Tortoise is the Superhero of the Scrub at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 16 – Take a Kayaking 101 class with the American Canoe Association at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. Contact callie.shaffer@myfwc.com.

May 16 & 17 – Experience living history at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West. Contact 305-292-6713.

May 16 – Step back into the 1900s at Koreshan State Park in Estero. Contact jennifer.grow@floridadep.gov or robert.g.hughes@floridadep.gov.

May 17 – Enjoy Sunset Yoga By The Sea at Lovers Key State Park on Ft. Myers Beach. Contact stephanie.kurtz@floridadep.gov.

May 18 – Learn how the desire to preserve a coral reef resulted in the creation of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. If you cannot attend in person, join virtually via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84127680116. Contact elena.muratori@floridadep.gov.

May 19 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. Call 954-924-3859 or contact john.frosbutter@floridadep.gov.

May 19 – Sit in on a Coyote Webinar with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Contact wildlifeassistanceprogram@myfwc.com

May 20 – Enjoy Rising Tides: Climate Chat Happy Hour at Eternal Roots Kava Lounge in Jacksonville. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-rising-tides-climate-chat-happy-hour/

May 20 – Join landowners, conservation leaders and community members committed to keeping the Florida Wildlife Corridor connected and protected at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala. https://corridorconnect.org/events/160647

May 22 - Learn about sea turtles at a Sea Turtle Talk at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 22-24 – Enjoy food, music, arts & crafts at the 74^th Annual Florida Folk Festival at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs. https://www.floridastateparks.org/FloridaFolkFestival

May 23 – Explore wetlands at Camp Chowenwaw Park in Green Cove Springs. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-wetlands-exploration-at-camp-chowenwaw-park/

May 28 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

May 29 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-paddle-the-ocklawaha

June 10-July 31 – Take part in a Sea Turtle Night Walk with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. Reservation required. https://sea-turtle-preservation-society6.mybigcommerce.com/2026-turtle-walks/june-2026-turtle-walks/?page=1

June 2 – Attend Life Lab: Save Our River Grasses at the Mandarin Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-life-lab-save-our-river-grasses-submerged-aquatic-vegetation/

June 2 – Attend the Landowner Opportunities & Resources workshop at the Mason City Community Center in Lake City. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landowner-opportunities-resources-tickets-1988352565047?aff=oddtdtcreator

June 4 – Attend the Prescribed Burning for Wildlife workshop at the Jackson County Extension Auditorium in Marianna. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/43eseqk/lp/6ff45011-69ff-4a42-9530-94a7714c602c

June 6 – Take a nature stroll at Moccasin Slough Park on Fleming Island. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-nature-stroll-at-moccasin-slough-park/

June 6 – Stock up on native plants at the Go-Native Plant Sale at the Galloway Farm Nursery on the grounds of the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. https://www.gallowayfarm.com/

June 13 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-06-paddle-the-ocklawaha/

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We have three species of fleabane (Erigeron) in central Florida. I was able to identify one species because I got a good closeup of it, but I can’t get closer than the genus on the other one.

I had wanted to photograph the orange-flowered shrub I saw blooming over the past couple weeks but I’d been tied up and didn’t get out to catch the peak bloom. As pretty as it is, it’s not native to Florida but to South America, and is invasive.

Small things are blooming down in the grass.

I didn’t see a lot of butterflies when I was out this time, but I did catch one small one. Can you find it in the pictures?

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is blooming. It’s a host plant for some of the tiny blue butterflies (spring azures) you may see nectaring on some of the small flowers in the grass.

If you pick elderberries to eat, please do so with care. Elderberries are considered toxic when green because they contain cyanogenic glycosides. Even the ripe fruits contain trace amounts of these toxins. Remove any green berries, then heat the black ripe ones and strain out the seeds before you use the juice for jelly or anything else.

Another beautiful native is Coral Bean, Erythrina herbacea. Treat this one with care. The seeds are very toxic. Coral Bean is a host plant for the Cloudless Sulphur and the Erythrina Borer Moth.

Over the winter, I purchased a Coral Honeysuckle because it’s native and I didn’t think we had any on Sunday Bluff. Now that plants are blooming I’m seeing it all over the place.

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From the Archives: Solo Camping on the Prairie

This is an essay I wrote in 1997 after a solo trip across Nebraska and the Dakotas.

Camping solo is a lonely business. But it is not an unpleasant loneliness; rather, it arouses a meditative adventurousness which is good for the soul.

I didn’t set out this fall to take a solo camping trip. Unlike many of my self-inflicted expeditions, this trip came about because I received an invitation to participate in an all-women pheasant hunt in South Dakota. Frank Stukel, one of three brothers who own and operate Stukel’s Birds and Bucks, called me in a state of mild panic last spring.

“I have sixteen women coming from the Dallas Safari Club to shoot pheasants this September,” he said. “I don’t know how to hunt them. How will I keep them entertained after the hunt is over?”

“You hunt them just like you do the men,” I assured him. “And you won’t need to entertain them. They’ll take care of that themselves. But don’t worry, I’ll come and be there in case you have any problems.”

In this world of outdoor writing which I inhabit, each trip is an opportunity for adventure, a chance to see a new part of the world and find in it what I can to write about.

After some pondering, I settled on an itinerary: I would begin by flying to Lincoln, Nebraska. Jayco, one of the companies which makes all sorts of campers and motorhomes, maintains a small fleet of vehicles for use by the working press on such trips; I would arrange for one to be waiting for me at the Lincoln Jayco dealership.

From there I would drive north to Yankton, South Dakota and spend the night. The next day I would fish on Lewis & Clark Lake and then wander west to Gregory, South Dakota, and the pheasant hunt. When the hunt was over, I would return the camper to Lincoln and fly home. From one end to the other the trip would absorb a week.

September 17: the flights from Tallahassee to Charlotte and from Charlotte to Kansas City are smooth; a good thing, since I am not a particularly happy passenger. From Kansas City to Lincoln, I take a Beechcraft 1900, a little bitty twin engine job which seats about fifteen people and doesn’t even have a bathroom. That flight’s bumpy but it doesn’t bother me. I much prefer a little plane to a jet, and little ones are *supposed* to bump. I sleep through most of the 40-minute flight.

After a $24 cab ride, during which the driver takes me on the scenic route through Lincoln, I arrive at the Jayco dealer. The camper, a small motor home, is ready. I pile my stuff in the back and take off.

Although I’ve driven a motor home before, the size of the thing intimidates me just a tad, at least until I get out of the parking lot. The Jayco is a dream to drive, and the visibility is terrific. All I have to do to stay out of trouble is watch the mirrors.

By now it’s almost 5 PM, and rush hour. No problem. I stop at the local Wally World and pick up some drinks and other staples, and at the local taco shop for supper. Then I start north on US Highway 77 toward Fremont.

I’ve driven across a good bit of the country before, often when I was on my way to or from somewhere to go hunting. On each trip I had some kind of a timetable: get there before such-and-such a day so I could hunt, get home as quickly as possible. I’ve made trips like that several times, either alone or with one other person. This time all I have to do is show up at the marina at 9 AM tomorrow.

So, I take my time as I drive, watching the setting sun spread its buttery glow across the rolling hills planted with corn and grain. At Fremont I pick up US Highway 275, which cuts north and west through valleys and then across more rolling hills. These are ancient landscapes; the hills are mostly glacial till which has been eroded over the eons. Once the sun sets, I can see little but the lights of an occasional farm until I reach the next town.

This area is quite different from central Nebraska, through which I drove with some friends last fall, also on my way to a pheasant hunt. On that trip we drove north from North Platte to Valentine, across some of the most godforsaken terrain I have seen in this country. We drove for hours without seeing any lights but our headlights and those of three or four cars we met.

I finally roll into the Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area about 11:30 PM. It has been a quiet and relaxing drive, even though I’m pushing exhaustion.

My next challenge is to get the camper backed into a space. This is the first (and ultimately, the only) time I wish I had someone with me; backing an unfamiliar vehicle, and one on which I cannot see the rear, is going to be a challenge. I move it about three feet at a time and then walk back to look; it greases into the spot as if it has a homing beacon. I take just a few minutes to put everything away, hide my suitcases in the bathroom, and walk over to the campground shower. Even though the motor home has full on-board facilities, it’s too much trouble to set them up right now.

September 18: Morning begins with birdsong. The weather is so mild that I opened all the windows and vents before I crashed last night, and at daybreak a serenade begins just over my bed. What a lovely way to wake up! I have just a few minutes to get dressed and eat, then I head for the marina and fishing.

After a morning of wind and smallmouth bass it’s time to start west again. This time I’m running crosswise to the wind, and I can feel it. The motor home shudders with each gust, and I keep my speed at 55 miles an hour. Crossing the Missouri River at Pickstown is especially rough; the wind channels down the valley and beats at the camper as I cross.

When I reach Stukel’s, the ladies from Dallas haven’t arrived yet. I find a room and start unloading what I need for the hunt. As I work, I wonder at the small marvel of solitude. For those who take the time to appreciate and enjoy it, even one night of solitude can restore the soul.

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Things To Do During May

Apply for the Orion Environmental Writer’s Workshop June 14-19 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether your passion is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is a creative laboratory for anyone seeking to reflect their environment through their work. Full information and application information is at https://www.eomega.org/workshops/orion-environmental-writers-workshop. Applications are due May 15.

Submit project ideas for Florida’s Fourth Restoration Plan. The Florida Trustee Implementation Group is requesting project ideas for restoration in Florida. Projects should be in one of these categories: Nutrient Reduction, Water Quality, Sea Turtles, Birds. Project ideas will be accepted between April 15 and May 15. https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2026/04/submit-project-ideas-florida-s-fourth-restoration-plan.

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

Submit your photos to the Florida Wildlife Federation from May 26 to July 30 for their 2026 photo contest. This year’s theme is Wild Florida’s Legacy. https://floridawildlifefederation.org/photo-contest-homepage/

May 6 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/history-and-animals-falling-waters-state-park-12

May 6 – Delve into dragonflies and damselflies at Chisegut Nature Center in Brooksville. For more information contact chinsegut@myfwc.com or register at https://outreach.myfwc.com/events/register.aspx?id=2054174&itemid=3ba9f145-6052-4b63-8580-96ff5c591fdb.

May 6 – Take a “State of the River” cruise on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-state-of-the-river-cruise-on-the-st-johns-river-taxi/

May 6 – Volunteer for the Fence Line Habitat Improvement workday at Tiger Creek Preserve in Babson Park. Contact melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com or 863-991-0198.

May 8 – Take a shore bird stroll at Lovers Key State Park on Ft. Myers Beach. Registration is required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shorebird-stroll-tickets-1986987280444?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

May 8 – Gather near the bat houses curing Nightfall at Chinsegut: Bats and Beyond. Registration is required. Contact chinsegut@myfwc.com.

May 9 – Connect with local environmental groups to learn about volunteer opportunities in the Wekiva River Basin during the Our River Volunteer Fair at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/our-river-volunteer-fair

May 9 – Attend the Gamble Jam, a musical tribute to Gamble Rogers at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area in Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 9 – Attend the 2026 Floridiana Festival at First Magnitude Brewing Company in Gainesville. https://www.facebook.com/events/1293515022623245/

May 10 – Learn about the secret lives of snakes at John D. Macarthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach. Contact arthur.carton@floridadep.gov.

May 15 – Learn how to make palm or palmetto frond crafts from experienced palm weavers at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Pre-registration is required. Contact 352-793-4781 or dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

May 15 – Find out why the Gopher Tortoise is the Superhero of the Scrub at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 16 – Take a Kayaking 101 class with the American Canoe Association at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. Contact callie.shaffer@myfwc.com.

May 16 & 17 – Experience living history at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West. Contact 305-292-6713.

May 16 – Step back into the 1900s at Koreshan State Park in Estero. Contact jennifer.grow@floridadep.gov or robert.g.hughes@floridadep.gov.

May 17 – Enjoy Sunset Yoga By The Sea at Lovers Key State Park on Ft. Myers Beach. Contact stephanie.kurtz@floridadep.gov.

May 18 – Learn how the desire to preserve a coral reef resulted in the creation of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. If you cannot attend in person, join virtually via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84127680116. Contact elena.muratori@floridadep.gov.

May 19 – Join the Night Sea Turtle Walk at Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park on Dania Beach. Registration is required. Call 954-924-3859 or contact john.frosbutter@floridadep.gov.

May 19 – Sit in on a Coyote Webinar with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Contact wildlifeassistanceprogram@myfwc.com

May 22 - Learn about sea turtles at a Sea Turtle Talk at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 29 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka.https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-paddle-the-ocklawaha

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It turns out that Pricklypear, spiny sticky stabby poky Pricklypear cactus, is a Florida native. We have somewhere in the neighborhood of four to six native species here, plus three that have been introduced. Of our natives, what they’re called and how many species there are changes depending on who you ask. Without getting too far into the weeds on nomenclature, I understand that the main species we have here was originally called Opuntia humifusa, but the Florida Plant Atlas has separated it into several species, including Opuntia austrina and Opuntia mesacantha, as well as a subspecies of mesacantha. The Florida Native Plant Society lumps all of them together and just calls them Opuntia spp. So, I’m going with that.

As much as I like to classify flora and fauna into their exact species (my OCD is showing), I’m not inclined to try to sort out this particular puzzle. Like the oaks I wrote about a few weeks ago, it’s enough to know they’re native and they belong here in the scrub. And the scrub isn’t the only place they’re found in Florida. Once species or another may appear in any of our dry habitats, including coastal sand dunes.

The Florida Native Plant Society, in a wildly understated note, calls the Pricklypear “an interesting wildflower.”I suppose so, if you want wildflowers you can’t get anywhere near for risk of getting stabbed.This is one I’m not going to bring into my garden but just admire from a distance.

If you really want to get up close and personal with Pricklypear, the pads and ripe fruit are considered edible once the thorns have been burned off over a fire. The flavor of the fruit has been compared to watermelon, strawberries and raspberries. We have some close to us, so I may see if I can pick some without getting stabbed. If you try them, please let me know how they are.

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Historical Photos: Sunday Bluff

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that I had learned about some historical photos of Sunday Bluff. I’ve tracked down two photos from the Florida Archives that were posted in a Facebook group, “Florida: A History in Pictures.” Here they are.

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Things To Do During May

Apply for the Orion Environmental Writer’s Workshop June 14-19 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether your passion is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is a creative laboratory for anyone seeking to reflect their environment through their work. Full information and application information is at https://www.eomega.org/workshops/orion-environmental-writers-workshop. Applications are due May 15.

Register your K-5 kids for summer camp at Little Red Wagon Nature Camp in Tampa. Each session features hands-on outdoor exploration, engaging activities and visits from animal ambassadors. Each camper will release their own butterfly by the end of the week. https://butterflytampa.com/camps/

Submit project ideas for Florida’s Fourth Restoration Plan. The Florida Trustee Implementation Group is requesting project ideas for restoration in Florida. Projects should be in one of these categories: Nutrient Reduction, Water Quality, Sea Turtles, Birds. Project ideas will be accepted between April 15 and May 15. https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2026/04/submit-project-ideas-florida-s-fourth-restoration-plan.

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

April 25-May 3 – Take part in Florida WildQuest, a statewide scavenger hunt experience. Learn more at https://floridawildquest.com/.

May 1 – Take a shell walk at Lovers Key State Park on Ft. Myers Beach. Registration is required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seashell-walk-tickets-1986987172120?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

May 2 – Take a tour of the Doc Thomas House at the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami, courtesy of Tropical Audubon Society. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/historic-doc-thomas-house-tours-may-2026.

May 2 – Celebrate the wildlife and ecosystems of Crystal River at the Crystal River Preserve State Park. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/crystal-river-spring-bioblitz

May 2 – Take a nature stroll with the Clay County Parks & Recreation Department at Moccasin Slough Park on Fleming Island. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-nature-stroll-at-moccasin-slough-park

May 3 – Take a guided bird walk at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/guided-bird-walk-142

May 6 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/history-and-animals-falling-waters-state-park-12

May 6 – Delve into dragonflies and damselflies at Chisegut Nature Center in Brooksville. For more information contact chinsegut@myfwc.com or register at https://outreach.myfwc.com/events/register.aspx?id=2054174&itemid=3ba9f145-6052-4b63-8580-96ff5c591fdb.

May 6 – Take a “State of the River” cruise on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-state-of-the-river-cruise-on-the-st-johns-river-taxi/

May 8 – Take a shore bird stroll at Lovers Key State Park on Ft. Myers Beach. Registration is required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shorebird-stroll-tickets-1986987280444?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

May 9 – Connect with local environmental groups to learn about volunteer opportunities in the Wekiva River Basin during the Our River Volunteer Fair at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/our-river-volunteer-fair

May 9 – Attend the Gamble Jam, a musical tribute to Gamble Rogers at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area in Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

May 10 – Learn about the secret lives of snakes at John D. Macarthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach. Contact arthur.carton@floridadep.gov.

May 15 – Learn how to make palm or palmetto frond crafts from experienced palm weavers at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Pre-registration is required. Contact 352-793-4781 or dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

May 16 – Take a Kayaking 101 class with the American Canoe Association at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. Contact callie.shaffer@myfwc.com.

May 19 – Sit in on a Coyote Webinar with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Contact wildlifeassistanceprogram@myfwc.com

May 29 – Paddle the Ocklawaha River with Adventure Outpost from Palatka. https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-05-paddle-the-ocklawaha

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Next up is Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), which begins blooming sometime in April and continues to bloom sporadically until August, although its peak is during May and June. This is the milkweed that most people associate with the Monarch butterfly, although caterpillars will feed on any of the Asclepias. Butterfly weed grows wild statewide, and the seeds are available from a number of seed companies.

Starting in May and continuing through the summer, other species become visible. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) blooms in damp areas over much of the state. Along the edges of wetlands, a second species also known as Swamp milkweed (Asclepias perennis) blooms. If you’re lucky, you might also see Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) in dryland habitats during May and June. As we move through the late summer into fall Butterfly weed continues to bloom here and there, and you may still see Swamp and Whorled milkweed lingering.

Although these are the most visible milkweeds, they are not the only native species we have in Florida. According to the Florida Plant Atlas, we actually have 21 species of native milkweed in the state. Some of them are quite showy and easy to spot if you look in the right habitat, but others are uncommon and hard to see.

We also have one nonnative milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), known as Scarlet or Tropical milkweed, that has become established here. This is the common milkweed that most big box home improvement stores sell all summer and that for many years gardeners have purchased as a host plant for the Monarch butterfly and the Queen butterfly.

Recent research says this has not been as beneficial as we could have hoped. Although Tropical milkweed in and of itself is not a bad host plant, its life history changes the rules for Monarchs. Unlike our native milkweeds, it doesn’t die back in winter, so Monarchs keep breeding instead of leaving to migrate. And because it doesn’t die back, spores of the parasite called OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) have time to build up. Caterpillars feeding on Tropical milkweed ingest high parasite loads, which leads to weak, deformed, and short-lived adults.

Fortunately, Butterfly milkweed is easy to cultivate and grow, and I’ve recently seen a couple other species in native nurseries. Right now, I’m watching a big patch of Pinewoods milkweed so when the seed pods start to split I can harvest the seeds. I’d love to see some of the other species of native milkweeds come into cultivation for gardeners who like to “go native.”

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #16: Biophilia and a Different Kind of Loneliness

This week’s exploration has a couple of exercises. One of them is to make a list of native wild plants in my place. I’ve included natives we have on Sunday Bluff itself, and those that I’ve seen nearby. If you would like to know more about any of these, drop me comment and I’ll schedule an article in the near future.

Live oak

Laurel oak

Pignut hickory

Eastern redbud

Sabal palmetto

Saw palmetto

American holly

Southern Magnolia

Eastern red cedar

Sand pine

Longleaf pine

American persimmon

Flatwoods plum or Chickasaw plum, I’m not sure which yet

Blackhaw

Pawpaws (at least 2 species)

Rusty staggerbush

American pokeweed

Ironweed

Blue-eyed grass

Florida violet

Bartram’s airplant

Eastern coral bean

Common yucca

Yellow passionflower

Milkpeas

Florida hedgenettle

Wild geranium

Shining sumac

Groundsel tree

Garberia

Vanillaleaf

Coastalplain chaffhead

Slender blazing-star

Narrowleaf sunflower

Muhly grass

Scrub goldenaster

Coastal plan honeycombhead

Feay’s prairie clover

Primrose-willows

Tropical sage

Carolina indigo

Maryland Senna

Coral honeysuckle

Sparkleberry

Prickly pear

Hammock snakeroot

Goldenrod (several species)

Spanish needles

American beautyberry

Coontie

Common vetch

Hastate-leaved dock

Canada toadflax

Lyreleaf sage

Pinewoods/Sandhill milkweed

Butterfly milkweed

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

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Things To Do During April and May

Apply for the Orion Environmental Writer’s Workshop June 14-19 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether your passion is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is a creative laboratory for anyone seeking to reflect their environment through their work. Full information and application information is at https://www.eomega.org/workshops/orion-environmental-writers-workshop. Applications are due May 1.

Register your K-5 kids for summer camp at Little Red Wagon Nature Camp in Tampa. Each session features hands-on outdoor exploration, engaging activities and visits from animal ambassadors. Each camper will release their own butterfly by the end of the week. https://butterflytampa.com/camps/

Submit project ideas for Florida’s Fourth Restoration Plan. The Florida Trustee Implementation Group is requesting project ideas for restoration in Florida. Projects should be in one of these categories: Nutrient Reduction, Water Quality, Sea Turtles, Birds. Project ideas will be accepted between April 15 and May 15. https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2026/04/submit-project-ideas-florida-s-fourth-restoration-plan.

Participate in the Florida Lionfish Challenge from May 22 to September 14. For more information about award categories and how to participate, visit https://reefrangers.myfwc.com/lionfish-challenge.

April 24 – Attend the Arbor Day celebration at Alligator Park in Lake City. For more information contact eric.deprez@fdacs.gov.

April 25 – Celebrate Earth Day at the Riverside Arts Market Jacksonville. Learn more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-earth-day-festival-at-ram/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 25 – Go on a birdwatching field trip to Crandon Park with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/crandon-park-birding-5.

April 25 – Attend Birdstock, a signature south Florida concert that closes out The Tropical Audubon Society’s 16^th Annual Conservation Concert season. Purchase tickets at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/birdstock2026.

April 25 – Attend the Land & Water, Issues & Solutions Forum at The Emerson Center in Vero Beach. Visit with many key environmental groups expected to be in attendance. More information at https://www.indianriverna.com/event-details/land-water-issues-and-solutions-forum.

April 25 – Take the Earth Week Founder’s Tour with Tampa Bay Watch founder Peter Clark. Purchase tickets at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/tbwdiscoverycenter-tampa/items/572814/availability/1910676540/book.

April 25-May 3 – Take part in Florida WildQuest, a statewide scavenger hunt experience. Learn more at https://floridawildquest.com/.

April 26 – Attend Tropical Audubon Society’s Member Migration event at the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. More information and tickets available at https://tropicalaudubon.org/members-migration-2026.

April 29 – Volunteer at Highlands Hammock State Park Invasives Removal Workday in Sebring. For more information contact melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

May 2 – Take a tour of the Doc Thomas House at the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami, courtesy of Tropical Audubon Society. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/historic-doc-thomas-house-tours-may-2026.

May 2 – Celebrate the wildlife and ecosystems of Crystal River at the Crystal River Preserve State Park. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/crystal-river-spring-bioblitz

May 3 – Take a guided bird walk at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/guided-bird-walk-142

May 6 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/history-and-animals-falling-waters-state-park-12

May 6 – Delve into dragonflies and damselflies at Chisegut Nature Center in Brooksville. For more information contact chinsegut@myfwc.com or register at https://outreach.myfwc.com/events/register.aspx?id=2054174&itemid=3ba9f145-6052-4b63-8580-96ff5c591fdb.

May 9 – Connect with local environmental groups to learn about volunteer opportunities in the Wekiva River Basin during the Our River Volunteer Fair at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/our-river-volunteer-fair

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A couple of weeks ago, I started seeing little nondescript shrubs—some of them only a foot or so tall—with pale yellow flowers on them. My iNaturalist app said they’re pawpaws, the host plant of the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. Then I remembered one summer when I was on my grandparents’ farm seeing a plant that my grandfather said was a pawpaw. That’s the only one I had ever seen until this spring.

Since then, I’ve been seeing quite a lot of them all along the roads and in the edges of the woods out here in the national forest. A look at the Florida Plant Atlas provided some context about what I’m seeing.

According to the Atlas, Florida is home to eleven species of pawpaws. Only one, the Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a tree; the rest are little shrubs between two and four feet tall. Although native to Florida, the Common Pawpaw is found only in a few Panhandle counties and Nassau County, unless it’s under cultivation. It bears an edible fruit that is said to taste a little like a banana when ripe, although you might have to wrestle your resident wildlife to get one.

The other ten native species are scattered throughout the state, from the Slim-Leaf Pawpaw (Asimina angustifolia) in north-central Florida to the Manasota Pawpaw (Asimina manasota) found only in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

One note about pawpaws is that they tend to be found in sand, scrub, and fire-prone environments. So once again I am asking “Was this originally a longleaf pine forest? Or has it always been sand pine scrub?” I suspect it will be several years before I get a good answer to those questions.

As soon as I started seeing pawpaws, I started telling my husband that I think we have more than one species here on Sunday Bluff. When I looked up pawpaws on the Florida Native Plant Atlas, I found that five species are native to Marion County:

Wooly Pawpaw (Asimina incana)

Bigflower Pawpaw (Asimina obovata)

Smallflower Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)

Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina pygmea)

Netted Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata)

All of the pawpaws are closely related, with very subtle differences; most of them look very much alike except for some of the flowers. Based on photos on the Atlas, I can rule out Smallflower Pawpaw and Dwarf Pawpaw as being the ones I’m seeing. That doesn’t mean they aren’t here; that just means the others are big and showy, so I’ve noticed them first. And by looking at the leaves, I’m pretty certain we have both Wooly Pawpaw and Bigflower Pawpaw here on Sunday Bluff.

And here’s an interesting factoid: pawpaws belong to the order Magnoliales, the same order of plants that magnolias belong to. And like magnolias, they’re pollinated by beetles and flies. So, while they’re not kissing cousins to the magnolias, they are related to them.

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #15: Place Names

This week’s exploration has a couple of exercises. First, it’s time for me to name this month’s full moon and add that to my list:

Monthly moon names:

January – Owl Moon; that’s when I hear a lot of owls calling

February – Wildfire Moon; we are very dry that time of year and there are a lot of wildfires

March - Plum Blossom Moon, since early March is when the wild plums begin to bloom

April - Pawpaw Moon, in keeping with this week’s article about pawpaws.

I’m curious about why this place is named Sunday Bluff, so I have been digging. This is what I’ve learned:

This place was a stopping point for river traffic for a long time, for at least a couple hundred years. It is well enough known that the Florida State Museum did excavations here during the late 1960s. The Museum published their findings in a 1969 publication by Ripley P. Bullen titled Excavations at Sunday Bluff, Florida.

Sunday Bluff is listed in an 1884 guidebook, Bloomfield’s illustrated historical guide, as being on the east side of the Ocklawaha River, 70 miles from the St. Johns River, and between the landings at Eureka and Palmetto.

While working on the river, a lay preacher named Reverend Porter would stop and preach here on Sundays. This was probably sometime in the 1860s or soon after. Although there is no documented connection, that’s almost certainly where the name “Sunday Bluff” originated.

Something I uncovered that is very intriguing: the Smithsonian Institution has in its collection a photo dated 1891 titled “Camp near Sunday Bluff, Ocklawaha River, Florida.” The Florida State Archives, in their Florida Memory section—an online digital archive—has a photo titled “Pullboat near Sunday Bluff on the Oklawaha River.”

Now I want to know more. I want to see those photos, and I want to find the Bullen publication.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Things To Do During April and May

Hummingbirds are arriving! Put out your hummingbird feeders.

Apply for the Orion Environmental Writer’s Workshop June 14-19 at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether your passion is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is a creative laboratory for anyone seeking to reflect their environment through their work. Full information and application information is at https://www.eomega.org/workshops/orion-environmental-writers-workshop. Applications are due May 1.

April 14 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-14Apr2026.

April 15 – Learn about climate change at St. Johns Cathedral in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-breaking-the-silence-talking-climate-change-in-jacksonville/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 15 – Join park naturalists to learn more about fishing in southwest Florida at Lovers Key State Park in Ft. Myers Beach. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/fishing-clinic-36

April 16 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-16Apr2026.

April 16 – Join artist Trish Vevera for a hands-on painting adventure as you capture local landscape en plein air (French for “in the open air). https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/plein-air-landscape-painting-workshop-6

April 18 – Have fun at the Jacksonville Science Festival at Friendship Fountain Park in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-jacksonville-science-festival/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 18 – Ladies, attend the Ladyfish Luncheon at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. For more information contact 813-922-7961 or suncoast@myfwc.com.

April 18 – Learn about agricultural research being done in north central Florida at the Community Day at the Farm at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center in Live Oak. Learn more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-day-at-the-farm-tickets-1979888205921.

April 18 – Go on a birdwatching field trip at Plantation Preserve with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/plantation-preserve-birding-3.

April 19 - Celebrate the beauty and importance of Florida Native Plants at Tampa Bay Watch’s Botanical Bash. Learn more at https://www.tampabaywatch.org/botanicalbash2026.

April 19 – Go on a birdwatching field trip at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/fairchild-tropical-botanic-garden-birding-7.

April 22 – Gather for the St. Johns Riverkeepers’ first State of the Watershed event at WJCT studios in Jacksonville. Go to https://secure.qgiv.com/for/stjohnsriverkeeperinc/event/stateofthewatershed for more information and to purchase tickets.

April 25 – Celebrate Earth Day at the Riverside Arts Market Jacksonville. Learn more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-earth-day-festival-at-ram/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 25 – Go on a birdwatching field trip to Crandon Park with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/crandon-park-birding-5.

April 25 – Attend Birdstock, a signature south Florida concert that closes out The Tropical Audubon Society’s 16^th Annual Conservation Concert season. Purchase tickets at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/birdstock2026.

April 25 – Attend the Land & Water, Issues & Solutions Forum at The Emerson Center in Vero Beach. Visit with many key environmental groups expected to be in attendance. More information at https://www.indianriverna.com/event-details/land-water-issues-and-solutions-forum.

April 25-May 3 – Take part in Florida WildQuest, a statewide scavenger hunt experience. Learn more at https://floridawildquest.com/.

April 26 – Attend Tropical Audubon Society’s Member Migration event at the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. More information and tickets available at https://tropicalaudubon.org/members-migration-2026.

May 2 – Take a tour of the Doc Thomas House at the Steinberg Nature Center in Miami, courtesy of Tropical Audubon Society. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/historic-doc-thomas-house-tours-may-2026.

May 2 – Celebrate the wildlife and ecosystems of Crystal River at the Crystal River Preserve State Park. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/crystal-river-spring-bioblitz

May 3 – Take a guided bird walk at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/guided-bird-walk-142

May 6 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/history-and-animals-falling-waters-state-park-12

May 9 – Connect with local environmental groups to learn about volunteer opportunities in the Wekiva River Basin during the Our River Volunteer Fair at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/our-river-volunteer-fair

The Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a southern landscape tradition. The tree is part of the visual imagery of Gone With the Wind and evokes the unique history of the South.

What’s interesting about its association with the South, however, is that the Magnolia is not, strictly speaking, a southern species. Although it’s native to the southern states, it grows from the Oregon coast south through California, most of Arizona,, southern New Mexico, almost all of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, southern Tennessee, and up through Virginia into Delaware. That’s about a third of the continental United States.

Magnolia flowers are pollinated primarily by beetles, not bees. The genus Magnolia is quite ancient, and according to the University of Illinois is considered one of the oldest groups of flowering plants on the planet. They evolved before bees, butterflies and moths were the primary pollinators of flowering plants, so they had to develop a different pollination strategy. Their flower structures are arranged so that a beetle looking for nectar will just run into the pollen and carry it with them as they move from flower to flower.

Once a flower is pollinated, its central structure develops into a hard, multi-chambered fruit that opens and falls to the ground when the seeds are ripe. A number of species of songbirds as well as turkeys feed on the seeds. I can tell you from personal experience that the fruit hurt when you step on them with bare feet!

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My Journey in Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #14: How Does Your Place Sound?

This week’s Journey in Place exploration is about sound. If you think about it, everywhere you go there is a certain collection of sounds associated with it. Whether it’s the clatter of dishes and silverware in a restaurant, or the wind in the trees, each place has a unique sound signature.

My five-minute writing prompt for this week is: My place sounds like…….

My place sounds like my childhood. We would go to the farm in the summer, the farm where my mother and her brothers grew up. The house was a very old Cracker house under a massive magnolia tree, with no air conditioning, open to anything and everything outdoors. At night I would lie in bed, hoping for a cool breeze to come through the window, and listen to the wind in the trees. It’s the same wind that blows here through the live oaks, its soft susurration that grounds me. The Chuck-will’s-widows have arrived, and I can hear them every night just after dark. Sometimes the Barred owls answer them, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” sounding from close and from far away.

Once in a while we hear a boat on the river. The motor is never intrusive, just loud enough for us to know someone is passing by.

We have a pair of Red-bellied woodpeckers who call from the trees in the early morning and late afternoon. They flit from tree to tree in search of spiders and insects.

If we sit on the back porch for a few minutes, we can hear the whirr of hummingbird wings. One of the males buzzes noisily when he passes by the feeder chasing the others away. We call him “Buzzy” because he is so loud. Now and then two of them get into a squabble and chitter angrily at each other before resuming their mad dash across the yard and into the trees.

These are the sounds of my childhood, and the sounds of my place.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

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From the Archives: Early Morning Eland

In 1993, while I was on a trip to gather information for stories about hunting and fishing in post-Apartheid South Africa, I had the opportunity to ride along on a game capture. To provide a little context to this story, the pilot of the helicopter was killed 6 weeks later doing the same maneuver he did with me in the cockpit.

The hot, dusty smell of the bush promised a warm day. Once the sun cleared the mountains the land would heat up fast, but now the early morning slid cool fingers under my jacket.

I walked quietly along the stony road, listening to the sounds of the bush. The hippos should be back in the river already, but if they weren’t I wanted to hear them before they saw me. A hippo may look slow and docile, but to get between it and the water is to flirt with disaster. Those short teeth have edges like razors and one bite can rend a human being.

But no hippos were abroad this morning, and I reached the helipad without incident. The helicopter pilot, a wizened gnome of a man named Dave Boyce, motioned me into the right-hand seat. I looked at the lap belt on the seat and then at the open, doorless cockpit. There would be only one strap between me and the sky.

Dave climbed into the pilot’s seat, pulled a flight harness over his shoulders, and put on a helmet. I looked once more at the lap belt, shrugged, and climbed in. Lap belt or flight harness, neither one would make much difference if we clipped a treetop.

The tiny helicopter lifted off, and South Africa’s Songimvelo Game Reserve spread out beneath us. Dave turned the craft toward the east, staying in the shade of the mountains.

Though a few clouds clung to the mountain tops, sunlight found its way through the land’s creases and flowed onto the valley floor. A small herd of giraffes watched us clatter by overhead; a dozen zebra stood in white and black relief against the dun-colored ground. Dave pointed ahead of us and to the right, where an adult white rhino stood in magnificent stillness.

Beyond the rhino, a herd of eland grazed on the plain. This herd was our target; we were to drive the animals into a canvas boma, or corral, where they would be loaded onto a truck and taken to another park to rebuild its herd.

We circled high above the eland. They turned and headed southwest toward the boma, invisible behind a low hill.

At the same time, a yellow light on the control panel blinked on and off and on again. Dave frowned at it and tapped it, but it winked on and off persistently.

He continued working the eland toward the southwest, alternately scowling at the light and tapping it with his right index finger. Finally, he turned the helicopter in a big circle away from the animals and landed behind the next hill beside a tarpaulin-covered 55-gallon drum. Someone appeared from the direction of the boma, pulled off the tarp, and used a hand pump to fuel the helicopter.

As we waited, I asked Dave about the blinking light.

“That’s the low fuel light,” he said with a grin. “We were almost out of gas.”

Back in the air, we returned to the eland. We flew lower now, and the eland ran restlessly, nervously, resisting Dave’s efforts to move them toward the boma. Working in a narrowing circle, he twice cut off a few lead animals from the rest of the herd and let them escape.

After fifteen minutes, the herd bunched up and refused to move. We had worked the animals until only one hill separated them from the boma; they had either smelled it or seen it and wanted to bolt away.

Dave turned ever-lowering circles over them. He swung the helicopter from side to side so we took turns dangling from our seats. After the first time, I checked the buckle of my lap belt; if it let go I would pitch down among the eland, and I had no illusions about surviving the drop.

At last, we were just over the thorn trees, only yards from the ground. The eland turned and streamed over the hill, with us flying fast and low behind them. They crossed under the suspended wire that marked the perimeter of the boma. Ground personnel rushed out of hiding to draw the canvas curtains that would complete the enclosure.

The eland milled about in wild confusion, trying to go back the way they had come. Dave tilted the helicopter’s nose straight down, scant yards above the ground. The minimum fuel flow warning buzzer sounded, loud and shrill over the chatter of the engine. We hung there, suspended, until the boma was closed and the eland confined. Now I understood why a few helicopters go down each year on this type of operation.

Then Dave pulled up the nose and we dropped almost into the boma. After several low passes to drive the animals into the waiting truck, we lifted away from the boma and set down behind the hill.

I climbed to the top of the truck and looked in at the eland, quiet now in the semi-darkness of the transport. There were thirty-two of them, pretty pale-yellow beasts. Somewhere past poaching and poor habitat management had wiped out a herd of eland; now these animals would form the nucleus of a new one.

“Ready to go?” Dave called up to me. I climbed off the truck and ran to join him on the helicopter. We lifted off into glorious golden sunlight. Below us, a rhino cow and her calf trotted away, leaving puffs of ocher dust in their wake.

We left the rhino to their dust bath and the eland to their journey and went back to the reserve headquarters for breakfast.

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Things To Do During April

Hummingbirds are arriving! Put out your hummingbird feeders.

April 10 – Take part in the Sunshine State Soiree at the Cypress Grove Estate House in Orlando, benefitting Conservation Florida. For more information go to https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/2a1c8a9c-bca5-45d6-bcde-798dad27ea72/events/vevt:6835d63b-4b14-4070-9831-70eb3e9102e9/home/story.

April 10 – Take a Gopher Tortoise Walk at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. For more information contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com.

April 11 – Attend the Dunns Creek Fire Fest for a public burn demonstration and education about the importance of planned burns. For more information go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dunns-creek-fire-fest-tickets-1984804048338.

April 11 – Enjoy the rivers and springs in Alachua County at the 3^rd Annual Santa Fe Springs Celebration at Poe Springs Park in High Springs. Find more information at https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/santa-fe-springs-celebration.

April 11 – Help removed invasive plants at Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve in Lake Alfred. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

April 11 – Go on a birding field trip to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/bill-baggs-cape-florida-state-park-birding.

April 12 – Kayak Tampa Bay with Tampa Bay Watch. Sign up at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/tbwdiscoverycenter-tampa/items/608611/availability/1991461412/book/.

April 14 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-14Apr2026.

April 15 – Learn about climate change at St. Johns Cathedral in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-breaking-the-silence-talking-climate-change-in-jacksonville/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 16 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-16Apr2026.

April 18 – Have fun at the Jacksonville Science Festival at Friendship Fountain Park in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-jacksonville-science-festival/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 18 – Ladies, attend the Ladyfish Luncheon at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. For more information contact 813-922-7961 or suncoast@myfwc.com.

April 18 – Learn about agricultural research being done in north central Florida at the Community Day at the Farm at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center in Live Oak. Learn more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-day-at-the-farm-tickets-1979888205921.

April 18 – Go on a birdwatching field trip at Plantation Preserve with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/plantation-preserve-birding-3.

April 19 - Celebrate the beauty and importance of Florida Native Plants at Tampa Bay Watch’s Botanical Bash. Learn more at https://www.tampabaywatch.org/botanicalbash2026.

April 19 – Go on a birdwatching field trip at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/fairchild-tropical-botanic-garden-birding-7.

April 22 – Gather for the St. Johns Riverkeepers’ first State of the Watershed event at WJCT studios in Jacksonville. Go to https://secure.qgiv.com/for/stjohnsriverkeeperinc/event/stateofthewatershed for more information and to purchase tickets.

April 25 – Celebrate Earth Day at the Riverside Arts Market Jacksonville. Learn more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-earth-day-festival-at-ram/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 25 – Go on a birdwatching field trip to Crandon Park with Tropical Audubon Society. Register at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/crandon-park-birding-5.

April 25-May 3 – Take part in Florida WildQuest, a statewide scavenger hunt experience. Learn more at https://floridawildquest.com/.

These are some nasty little buggers. And of course, now I’m wondering what they’re good for. They must do something beneficial or we wouldn’t have them. Would we?

As if one species of tick weren’t enough, in Florida we have five. The one that gets on humans most often in the Lone Star Tick, recognizable by the white dot on the female’s back. It carries two diseases, Ehrlichiosis and STARI, which is short for Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, which resembles a mild form of Lyme disease. Maps from the Centers for Disease Control show that Ehrlichiosis is present in central and north Florida, but not as prevalent in the southern part of the state. STARI is an emerging disease that is not as well understood as some of the other tick-borne diseases.

Then there’s the Brown Dog Tick. This one is common on dogs and can live indoors and infest homes and kennels. Lovely, right? The Brown Dog Tick can transmit Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Doctors consider Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever the worst of the tick-borne diseases in Florida.

Third is the American Dog Tick. This tick is common on dogs and wildlife, and carries Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

The Black-Legged Tick, also called the Deer Tick, is our fourth one. It’s common in wooded and shaded areas and is associated with Lyme Disease. It also carries Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis. It’s less common here in Florida than it is in the North. Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis are unusual in Florida; according to CDC maps, Babesiosis has been reported from only Palm Beach and Hernando counties, and then only rarely.

Last is the Gulf Coast Tick, which is often found on livestock and dogs. It carries the bacterium Rickettsia parkeri, which causes an illness that’s similar to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

So what good are ticks anyway? They actually have a job in the ecosystem, although that doesn’t mean we have to like it. They serve as food for a number of small creatures, including ground-feeding birds such as turkeys and quail, and some reptiles and amphibians.

And although this is a harsh way to look at it, they can have an effect on overabundant populations of wildlife species. When a species of wildlife undergoes a population surge (for which the scientific word is “irruption”) something is going to cause that population to return to a more stable level. That may be predation, migration, starvation due to the population being too large for the food source, or disease. A population boom such as this can also lead to an increase in ticks, and ticks can help spread diseases that reduce populations. It’s not pretty, but it’s nature.

Ticks are highly specialized parasites, sometimes tied to specific hosts, which increase biodiversity in a functioning ecosystem. Long term, they also may drive evolutionary changes in their hosts, such as grooming behaviors and immune responses.

Would the ecosystem collapse without them? No. But removing them would also remove a piece of the ecosystem that we don’t fully understand.

I still don’t like them, and I don’t want them on me or on my dogs. But they have their place here, however grudgingly I have to admit that.

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Photo Essay: Old Shade Tobacco Curing Barns, Quincy, Florida

At one time, growing tobacco was a big industry in Gadsden County, Florida. When I lived there, some of the old shade tobacco curing barns were still standing. Some had been dismantled and the “barn wood” had been recycled for decorative paneling or other uses.

The four barns in the first photo were along US 90 between Quincy and Greensboro. I took this photo in January 1985; in November of that year, Hurricane Kate roared through Gadsden County and demolished all four of these barns.

Things To Do During April

Hummingbirds are arriving! Put out your hummingbird feeders.

April 1 – Help improve fenceline habitat at Tiger Creek Preserve in Babson Park. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

April 2 – Take part in an invasives removal workday at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

April 4 – Take a free Doc Thomas House History Tour at Tropical Audubon’s Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. There is no fee to attend, although donations are appreciated. Go to https://tropicalaudubon.org/doc-thomas-house-tours for more information.

April 4 – Take your kids to the 31^st Annual Teneroc Youth Fishing Derby in Lakeland. Contact 727-235-3171 or clara.zubrick@myfwc.com for more information.

April 4 – Take part in an Art and Nature walk at Blue Cypress Preserve Park in Jacksonville. More information is available at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-art-and-nature-walk-blue-cypress-park/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 4-5 – Go fishing on this license-free freshwater fishing weekend. Learn more at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/do-i-need-one/free-fishing.

April 7 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-07Apr2026.

April 10 – Take part in the Sunshine State Soiree at the Cypress Grove Estate House in Orlando, benefitting Conservation Florida. For more information go to https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/2a1c8a9c-bca5-45d6-bcde-798dad27ea72/events/vevt:6835d63b-4b14-4070-9831-70eb3e9102e9/home/story.

April 10 – Take a Gopher Tortoise Walk at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. For more information contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com.

April 11 – Attend the Dunns Creek Fire Fest for a public burn demonstration and education about the importance of planned burns. For more information go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dunns-creek-fire-fest-tickets-1984804048338.

April 11 – Enjoy the rivers and springs in Alachua County at the 3^rd Annual Santa Fe Springs Celebration at Poe Springs Park in High Springs. Find more information at https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/santa-fe-springs-celebration.

April 11 – Help removed invasive plants at Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve in Lake Alfred. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

April 14 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-14Apr2026.

April 15 – Learn about climate change at St. Johns Cathedral in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-breaking-the-silence-talking-climate-change-in-jacksonville/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 16 – Help Tampa Bay Watch build ORBS (Oyster Reef Balls) to provide habitat for fish and oysters. Learn more at https://41207a.blackbaudhosting.com/41207a/Oyster-Reef-Ball-Construction-16Apr2026.

April 18 – Have fun at the Jacksonville Science Festival at Friendship Fountain Park in Jacksonville. Find out more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-jacksonville-science-festival/?blm_aid=1386554369.

April 18 – Ladies, attend the Ladyfish Luncheon at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. For more information contact 813-922-7961 or suncoast@myfwc.com.

April 19 - Celebrate the beauty and importance of Florida Native Plants at Tampa Bay Watch’s Botanical Bash. Learn more at https://www.tampabaywatch.org/botanicalbash2026.

April 22 – Gather for the St. Johns Riverkeepers’ first State of the Watershed event at WJCT studios in Jacksonville. Go to https://secure.qgiv.com/for/stjohnsriverkeeperinc/event/stateofthewatershed for more information and to purchase tickets.

April 25 – Celebrate Earth Day at the Riverside Arts Market Jacksonville. Learn more at https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-04-earth-day-festival-at-ram/?blm_aid=1386554369.

I set out to photograph two species: whatever is making a carpet of blue along the sides of Highway 40 between the Baseline and the Ocklawaha River, and the phlox I’ve seen on the roadsides in central Florida since I was a child.

Traffic was heavy this afternoon, and I couldn’t find a safe place along Highway 40 to pull off and get out of the car, so I went down the little side road that goes to Ray Wayside Park. Within five minutes after I stopped, a very pleasant young law enforcement officer stopped to check on me and be certain I was all right. I gave him my business card, so I hope he reads this and knows how much I appreciate him looking in on me.

Across the street from the park, I found a small stand of blue flowers. It’s blue-eyed grass, which belongs to the genus Sisyrinchium. There are three species in Marion County; what I found may be one, two, or a mixture of all three. I’m OK with not sorting out which one(s) I photographed if you are, since they’re very much alike and all lovely.

Once I was sitting down and photographing the blue-eyed grass, I found something light purple mixed in with it. (This is often the case when I set out to photograph a particular species; I find a lot of other things I couldn’t see until I got down to the level of the flowers.)

This one appears to be Florida hedgenettle, Stachys floridana. I’ve submitted it to iNaturalist for confirmation; I’ll let you know if it comes back as anything else.

In the middle of the hedgenettle were several dozen tiny grasshoppers. They’re the babies of the big Eastern lubber grasshoppers (Romalea microptera) found about everywhere in Florida in the summer. These must have just hatched because they hadn’t dispersed yet.

A few feet away from the hedgenettle was a stand of white clover, Trifolium repens. It’s not a Florida native; it’s originally from Europe. But it’s become functionally important in the Southeast for a variety of reasons. First, in association with a soil bacterium called Rhizobium, it’s a nitrogen fixer. That means it pulls nitrogen out of the air and converts it into a form that’s usable by plants around it. It’s also a good nectar source for honeybees and native bees. In pastures, it’s an important forage for cattle, horses and deer. So, although it’s not part of our original flora, it’s still a valuable resource for a number of species.

Mixed in with the clover were two plants with tiny flowers that I would never have seen if I hadn’t sat still for a while and studied what was on the ground. First is a tiny pinkish-purple legume. I submitted it to iNaturalist, but the proposed identification doesn’t make any sense. Let’s see if someone can figure out what it is.

Last was a tiny white flower, again something I don’t know. iNaturalist thinks it’s a wild geranium. Anyone recognize it?

Later in the afternoon, I drove around to the DG Market in Eureka on Highway 316 and parked so I could walk across the street to a field of flowers that I was pretty certain were phlox. I was just walking into the field when a gentleman and his young daughter drove up and asked me if I needed help. We chatted a bit and I gave him a card. I hope he finds this and reads it, because I found out that the story I told him, that I’ve heard for many years as accurate, simply isn’t true.

From the time I was small, I’ve heard the story of John Bartram and his son William traveling around the Southeast, including Florida, collecting plant specimens and seeds and sending them back to England. One of the species they collected, as the story goes, is the common roadside phlox (properly named annual phlox, or Phlox drummondii). When I did a search on the Bartrams and tried to tie them to Phlox drummondii, I found out there really isn’t any connection. The Bartrams did, indeed, travel around Florida and send a lot of specimens back to England, but there’s no documentation that they sent any of the native Florida Phlox species back. Phlox drummondii is actually native to Texas became naturalized over time as the seeds were sold in wildflower mixes and planted in roadside beautification projects. Since it was a popular garden annual in the 1800s, it’s been here at least that long. So even though they’re here, and the butterflies and bees love them, they aren’t native to Florida.

Now, however, I’m going to be looking for some of our native phlox, which are mostly woodland species that aren’t very showy.

Has spring arrived where you live? What flower species are you seeing on roadsides?

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My Journey In Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #12: Sense of Place - Natural History

This week’s exploration has a couple of exercises. First, it’s time for me to name this month’s full moon and add that to my list:

Monthly moon names:

January – Owl Moon; that’s when I hear a lot of owls calling

February – Wildfire Moon; we are very dry that time of year and there are a lot of wildfires

March - Plum Blossom Moon, since early March is when the wild plums begin to bloom

One of our exercises this week is a choice of several 5-minute writing prompts. I chose “I’m curious about…..”

I’m curious about the natural history stories we’ve been told that may not be true. The story about the phlox is one. I’ve been told for years that the Bartrams sent seed from our native phlox back to England and brought it into cultivation, but now I know that isn’t true at all.

What other stories have been passed down that aren’t as we’ve been told? My great-grandfather is said to have cut the trees (old growth longleaf!) to build his first house and craft a wardrobe that I still have. But did he really?

Did one of my other ancestors own slaves? Family lore says he did. I hope that story’s wrong. (Not exactly natural history, but still……)

What about this place? I think I know some of the stories about what happened here in the past. But do I really? There is more to learn and uncover as I continue my Journey in Place.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey In Place

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Things To Do During March & April

Registration for Tampa Bay Watch summer camp is open. Estuary Quest Summer Camp is all about diving into the amazing world of Tampa Bay in a fun, hands-on way. Each week has its own animal theme, plus snorkeling, science experiments, games, boat rides, eco-friendly art and lots of exciting activities. For more information visit https://www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org/summer-camp.

Watch the National Audubon Society’s live Crane Camera at Rowe Sanctuary. More than a quarter million Sandhill Cranes gather at Rowe Sanctuary in early spring to rest before continuing north. Watch them live at https://explore.org/livecams/national-audubon-society/crane-camera.

Hummingbirds are arriving! Put out your hummingbird feeders.

March 27 – Join the Hernando Audubon Society for a morning of learning to identify birds and honing your existing birding skills at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com.

March 27 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist station staff with pulling weeds from an area with a high concentration of rare and imperiled species. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

March 27 – Attend the River Reflection event at Alpine Groves Park in St. Johns County. See artwork that celebrates the connection between our waterways and our community. For more information visit https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-03-river-reflection/?blm_aid=1386554369.

March 28 – Enjoy a fun-filled day on the shore of Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey. Twenty-five not-for-profits and community organizations will be onsite with nature-based activities the whole family will enjoy. Visit https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/wild-about-nature-festival/ for more information.

March 29 – Join Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center for an Art & Sunset nature cruise on Tampa Bay. Go to https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/tbwdiscoverycenter-tampa/items/573433/calendar/2026/03/?full-items=yes for more information.

April 2 – Take part in an invasives removal workday at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

April 4 – Take a free Doc Thomas House History Tour at Tropical Audubon’s Steinberg Nature Center in Miami. There is no fee to attend, although donations are appreciated. Go to https://tropicalaudubon.org/doc-thomas-house-tours for more information.

April 4 – Take your kids to the 31^st Annual Teneroc Youth Fishing Derby in Lakeland. Contact 727-235-3171 or clara.zubrick@myfwc.com for more information.

April 10 – Take part in the Sunshine State Soiree at the Cypress Grove Estate House in Orlando, benefitting Conservation Florida. For more information go to https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/2a1c8a9c-bca5-45d6-bcde-798dad27ea72/events/vevt:6835d63b-4b14-4070-9831-70eb3e9102e9/home/story.

April 11 – Attend the Dunns Creek Fire Fest for a public burn demonstration and education about the importance of planned burns. For more information go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dunns-creek-fire-fest-tickets-1984804048338.

April 22 – Gather for the St. Johns Riverkeepers’ first State of the Watershed event at WJCT studios in Jacksonville. Go to https://secure.qgiv.com/for/stjohnsriverkeeperinc/event/stateofthewatershed for more information and to purchase tickets.

We’ve also been covered up with drifts of oak leaves that have fallen in the last few weeks. That made me wonder which species drop their leaves in the spring, and that led me to question how many species of oaks we have in Florida. The answer to that question took me down a rabbit hole of species, hybrids and species complexes that I never had any idea existed.

I started out by making a list of the oaks I know and came up with five:

Live oak

Laurel oak

Turkey oak

Water oak

Runner oak

OK, I’m sure I don’t know all of them. But there can’t be that many, right?

Wrong. The Florida Plant Atlas lists a total of twenty-six species of oaks in Florida. Beyond those twenty-six species, however, it also lists fifteen hybrids that are common enough that they have been given their own names. And that’s just the start. Some of the hybrids backcross into the parent species, so you end up with hybrids of hybrids and species that blend into one another. Because they hybridize so readily, botanists often disagree about where one species ends and the next one begins. Among tree species in the Southeast, oaks are probably the most taxonomically unruly group we have.

The two main groups of oaks are white oaks and red oaks. White oaks are often referred to as “annual oaks,” because they form acorns and drop them all in one year. Their leaves tend to be rounder at the tips and the lobes than red oaks, and their acorns are more palatable for both people and wildlife because they don’t have a lot of tannins that make them bitter. Red oaks make acorns one year and drop them the next, so they are often called “biennial oaks.” Their leaves are pointed or have fine hairs. Wildlife will eat their acorns but they tend to prefer white oak acorns over red.

Florida’s white oaks are:

Southern live oak (the classic southern oak)

Overcup oak

White oak

Bluff oak

Chapman oak

Sand live oak

Sand post oak

Swamp chestnut oak

Dwarf live oak

Chestnut oak

Chinkapin oak

Myrtle oak

Post oak

And our red oaks are:

Arkansas oak

Scarlet oak

Southern red oak

Georgia oak

Darlington oak

Bluejack oak

Turkey oak

Laurel oak

Water oak

Cherrybark oak

Runner or Runner oak

Shumard oak

Black oak

With all of that said, I’m back to my original question: which oaks are producing so much pollen right now? And which ones are dropping their leaves now, in the spring, instead of in the fall?

The primary contributor to all that pollen is the Southern live oak. Right behind it are the Water oak, Laurel oak and Turkey oak. And the ones that are dropping their leaves now instead of in the fall are the Southern live oak, Laurel oak, Darlington oak and the Sand live oak. All of those keep their leaves through the winter but then shed them in the spring just as new leaves emerge.

Knowing all that, one of the things I’m going to do this year is try to sort out which species we have here on Sunday Bluff. I can already identify Southern live oak and Laurel oak. I know we have several other species along the road coming in here but I haven’t sorted them out yet. It will be interesting to see what species are actually here and how they fit into the river forest and sandhill ecosystems in this part of the Ocala National Forest.

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News: Historic Beadel House Burned

Tall Timbers Research Station, located north of Tallahassee on the shore of Lake Iamonia, is widely considered to be the birthplace of modern management of longleaf pine/wiregrass communities. The founders of Tall Timbers were the first to study the role of fire in maintaining quail populations in the Southeast, which in turn led to preserving old growth longleaf pine tracts in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Tall Timbers is also recognized as one of the nation’s leading land trusts.

One of the original buildings on Tall Timbers, the Beadel House, dated from the 1890s. The second floor housed the station’s administrative offices, and the first floor was essentially a museum that housed original artifacts and furnishings that belonged to the Beadel family.

Early this morning, the Beadel House burned to the ground. Tallahassee Fire Department officials said they believed the fire was started by a lightning strike. According to Tall Timbers president Bill Palmer, most of the artifacts in the house were able to be saved.

You can find out more about Tall Timbers at https://talltimbers.org/about-us/.

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Other Conservation News

SB1066 fails to reach the floor. SB1066/HB981—the Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs and Community Investment Act—failed the reach the full Florida Senate floor this week. HB981 passed the Florida House 107-3 with bipartisan support, and SB1066/HB981 advanced successfully through six committees with only one legislator voting against it and public comments from a broad array of local stakeholders in support. Despite overwhelming support, Senate President Ben Albritton did not allow a floor vote, effectively killing the bill.

FWC stocked yellow perch in Dead Lakes. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists stocked 800 yellow perch to restore the population in Dead Lakes near Wewahitchka. This lesser-known species is native to the Apalachicola River. The need for this restoration project arose in 2018 after Hurricane Michael severely impacted the yellow perch population, resulting in fish kills. Biologists will evaluate the fish stocking later this year to assess how hatchery fish have contributed to restoring the yellow perch population.

FWC also stocked nearly 300,000 Florida bass in Lake George, part of the St. Johns River system. The stockings took place in February and March. Lake George and the St. Johns River system have historically supported submerged aquatic vegetation, such as eelgrass, which provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Hurricanes and other environmental factors reduced vegetation coverage in recent years. To help restore this important habitat, FWC biologists are working to reestablish eelgrass and other submerged plants through ongoing habitat restoration efforts designed to rebuild vegetation.

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Things To Do During March & April

Registration for Tampa Bay Watch summer camp is open. Estuary Quest Summer Camp is all about diving into the amazing world of Tampa Bay in a fun, hands-on way. Each week has its own animal theme, plus snorkeling, science experiments, games, boat rides, eco-friendly art and lots of exciting activities. For more information visit https://www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org/summer-camp.

Watch the National Audubon Society’s live Crane Camera at Rowe Sanctuary. More than a quarter million Sandhill Cranes gather at Rowe Sanctuary in early spring to rest before continuing north. Watch them live at https://explore.org/livecams/national-audubon-society/crane-camera.

March 17 – Join the FWC’s coyote webinar for the latest information about coyotes in Florida. Contact wildlifeassistanceprogram@myfwc.com for more information.

March 19 – Attend Butterflies and Native Plants: Making the Connection at Leu Gardens in Orlando. Hosted by the Orange Audubon Society. More information is available here: https://www.facebook.com/events/741028708335295

March 19 – Go on a dog-friendly hike at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. Dogs must be on 6-foot or shorter leash. Contact emily.campbell@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 20-21 – Head to Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville for a two-day celebration of spring songbird migration. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 21 – Attend the Sea Turtle Preservation Society’s 40^th Anniversary Fundraiser at the American Muscle Care Museum in Melbourne. For more information visit https://seaturtlespacecoast.org/sea-turtle-preservation-societys-40th-anniversary/.

March 21 – Join the St. Johns Riverkeepers for a cleanup day on McCoys Creek in Jacksonville. For more information go to https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-03-mccoys-creek-cleanup/?blm_aid=1386554369.

March 21 – Take part in the Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve cleanup day in Lake Alfred. Contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com for more information.

March 27 – Join the Hernando Audubon Society for a morning of learning to identify birds and honing your existing birding skills at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com.

March 27 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist station staff with pulling weeds from an area with a high concentration of rare and imperiled species. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

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The person sitting next to me commented about Lovebugs, but it’s too early in the year and these were solid black flies, instead of the black and orange of Lovebugs. But that doesn’t mean she was totally wrong; in fact, she has a really good eye to recognize that the small black flies we were seeing are the same type of fly as Lovebugs and fly in the same way.

So, first, some quick background on what Lovebugs are, and aren’t. There actually are two species of Lovebugs in Florida, Plecia nearctica and Plecia americana. They look very much alike; the casual observer won’t be able to tell them apart. Suffice to say that the larger species, P. nearctica, is the one you see all over roadsides in the spring and fall. The smaller one, P. americana, is more an insect of woodlands and doesn’t seem to be a problem on highways. They congregate in numbers only in the spring, with no evidence of a fall population surge like P. nearctica has.

Lovebugs aren’t native to Florida. Originally they were found in parts of Central America, and Texas and Louisiana in the US, but have spread from there into the entire Southeast. Their movement may have been facilitated by prevailing winds, vehicular traffic, transportation of sod, and expansion of pastures and grasslands along highways.

So why do Lovebugs congregate in such numbers on highways? It turns out that female Lovebugs are attracted to attracted to a number of things, such as dead leaves, grass clippings, cow manure and other decomposing organic material. They also are attracted to a group of chemicals, called aldehydes, that have been irradiated by UV rays, which also happen to be a component of vehicle exhaust fumes. The females may confuse these aldehydes with chemicals that are produced by the decaying organic matter where they lay their eggs.

Now, back to those black flies we saw during the field training day on Sunday. That was most likely a related fly, Dilophus sayi, which looks very much like a Lovebug except that it’s smaller and all black instead of having a red or orange thorax (middle of the body). They’re found in grasslands—such as the pasture we were sitting in—and are not usually considered a pest. You may see them around during much of the year, not just for short periods during the spring and fall like Lovebugs.

Thank you, Beth Brock, for suggesting this topic for this week!

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My Journey In Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #10: Stories

One of the exercises for this week is a writing prompt: What happened here? What are the events that should not be forgotten?

I have been thinking a lot about things that happened before we came here. Every time I walk across the field to the shop, I wonder who walked here before me. The artifacts we have found make clear that Native people lived here before us. I wonder who they were and what their lives were like. I wish I could research more detail about who they were and what their stories were.

I know there was a logging camp here at one time. I wonder about the trees they cut down, what species they were and how big they were. Did they plant anything before they left? Or just let it regrow however it grew?

There was a hunting camp here also, not that long ago. Maybe as late as the 1960s. I would like to research that, and I can. I just haven’t yet.

The family we purchased this place from has told us a little about what this house was like before they bought it. Apparently it was pretty dingy and dark. They did a lot to improve it. I wonder about the stories of the man who owned it before them. I know the family we bought it from had a lot of happy times here, and they let other people use it who enjoyed it. These stories I know a little more about.

The age of this land humbles me. It has existed for many, many years before me, and it will still be here a century from now when I am just dust. I wonder if any of my stories will remain?

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Photo Essay: Abandoned Farmhouse

When I lived in Quincy, I liked to get out and photograph old buildings. I always wondered who lived there. Why did they abandon the house? What were their stories? Did they still live somewhere near or were they just….gone?

These photos are of one of those houses.

Things To Do During March

Order milkweed seeds and small plants for spring. Monarch butterfly overwintering counts hit all-time lows in recent years. These important insects need our help. By planting milkweeds (the host plants for monarch caterpillars) and nectar plants for adult monarchs and pollinators, you can help maintain the Monarch migration and sustain the insects whose pollination services maintain our ecosystems. Go to https://shop.milkweedmarket.org/ to order seeds from Monarch Watch.

Apply to the Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. The dates of the workshop are June 14-19, and it will take place at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Workshops will be offered in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Early bird registration runs until March 15. Registration closes May 1. For more information go to https://orionmagazine.org/omega/

Registration for Tampa Bay Watch summer camp is open. Estuary Quest Summer Camp is all about diving into the amazing world of Tampa Bay in a fun, hands-on way. Each week has its own animal theme, plus snorkeling, science experiments, games, boat rides, eco-friendly art and lots of exciting activities. For more information visit https://www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org/summer-camp.

March 11 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida. Contact ricky.sandusky@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 13 – Learn nature journaling at the Fairchild Oaka in Bulow Creek State Park in Ormond Beach. Contact mark.d.adams@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 13 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist with shrub removal to restore herbaceous groundcover, which is food for gopher tortoises. For more information call 863-991-0198 or contact jonathan.foligno@myfwc.com.

March 14 – Go on a Time Machine Tour at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Reservations recommended. Contact caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 14 – Participate in a VOG Creation Workshop at the Jacksonville University Marine Science Research Institute Building. Vertical Oyster Gardens create habitat for new oysters as well as many other species of marine life. For more information go to https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-03-vog-creation-workshop/.

March 19 – Attend Butterflies and Native Plants: Making the Connection at Leu Gardens in Orlando. Hosted by the Orange Audubon Society. More information is available here: https://www.facebook.com/events/741028708335295

March 20-21 – Head to Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville for a two-day celebration of spring songbird migration. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 21 – Attend the Sea Turtle Preservation Society’s 40^th Anniversary Fundraiser at the American Muscle Care Museum in Melbourne. For more information visit https://seaturtlespacecoast.org/sea-turtle-preservation-societys-40th-anniversary/.

March 27 – Join the Hernando Audubon Society for a morning of learning to identify birds and honing your existing birding skills at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com.

March 27 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist station staff with pulling weeds from an area with a high concentration of rare and imperiled species. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

March 27 – Attend the River Reflection event at Alpine Groves Park in St. Johns County. See artwork that celebrates the connection between our waterways and our community. For more information visit https://stjohnsriverkeeper.org/event/2026-03-river-reflection/?blm_aid=1386554369.

March 28 – Enjoy a fun-filled day on the shore of Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey. Twenty-five not-for-profits and community organizations will be onsite with nature-based activities the whole family will enjoy. Visit https://bigwaterslandtrust.org/event/wild-about-nature-festival/ for more information.

For two and a half months, not a single bird visited them; the seed was untouched. In the middle of January, I decided to do something different: I moved the feeders away from the woods into an open patch of ground halfway between the woods and the house, maybe thirty feet from the tree line. I scattered birdseed on the ground, and since we were in a drought (that’s not over yet), I also placed a pan of water on the ground.

The next morning, four catbirds were splashing in the water. They stayed for quite a while, and for the rest of the day I could see them flitting in the trees at the edge of the woods. That was the first time I’ve ever seen catbirds, and I haven’t seen them since.

A few days later, doves found the seed. Within a couple of weeks, I had a sizable number of doves coming daily, both Common Ground Doves and Mourning Doves. Every day there would be a few more, until I could look out and see 25 or 30 at a time no matter when I looked. They weren’t bothered by much of anything, including the hawks that hunt between the house and the river, or the dogs in their run thirty feet from the bird feeders.

Then the turkeys showed up. Several days over the past couple of weeks I looked out and saw hen turkeys feeding on the birdseed on the ground under the feeders.

With all that action, you’d think the songbirds would have found the feeders. But I haven’t seen a single bird on the feeders, and the seed there is not disturbed. One day last week I saw a pair of Cardinals on the ground with the doves for a little while, but they didn’t find the feeders right over their heads.

This past weekend I attended a dog training seminar 90+ minutes away, and was gone all day Saturday until after dark, and most of the day Sunday. I scattered birdseed on the ground on Sunday evening just at dark, expecting that the birds would be here today.

I haven’t seen a bird. Not one. I’ve checked a dozen times and there hasn’t been a bird out there. eBird, managed by Cornell University, says I should have more doves of both species during March than I had during February. So where have they gone? And why have other species of birds—which I see at the edge of the woods—not found the feeders?

I confess that I’m pretty baffled. The birds in Loxahatchee ate this same seed, from feeders next to the house with no cover, so fast that I couldn’t keep the feeders full. The seed was in the freezer so it’s still fresh, and the doves have been eating it as fast as I’ve put it out. Until today.

I have no idea what’s different or why the doves have disappeared, or why no other birds have come. This has been one of the mysteries of this winter. If anyone has any ideas, I’d like to hear them.

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Photo Of The Week

When I was living in Quincy, Florida, I purchased a number of items from the Quincy Feed Mill on a regular basis. One summer day during 1985 I was in town and stopped at the feed mill for something or other. A truck was there picking up a load of feed and an old cowboy was sitting up on the back of the truck. I started taking pictures and he turned and looked down at me.

We did not speak, and I never knew his name or saw him again. We intersected for just a few seconds, just long enough for me to snap this picture. I have often wondered where he came from and what his story was.

Things To Do During March

Report Monarch Butterfly sightings. MOVERS, a partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations are asking citizen scientists to report sightings of Monarchs to help determine if they can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern US. Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to protecting Monarchs. For more information, go to https://georgiawildlife.com/winter-watch-project-seeks-monarch-sightings-southeast-1

Order milkweed seeds and small plants for spring. Monarch butterfly overwintering counts hit all-time lows in recent years. These important insects need our help. By planting milkweeds (the host plants for monarch caterpillars) and nectar plants for adult monarchs and pollinators, you can help maintain the Monarch migration and sustain the insects whose pollination services maintain our ecosystems. Go to https://shop.milkweedmarket.org/ to order seeds from Monarch Watch.

Apply to the Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. The dates of the workshop are June 14-19, and it will take place at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Workshops will be offered in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Early bird registration runs until March 15. Registration closes May 1. For more information go to https://orionmagazine.org/omega/

March 4 – Help improve the firebreaks around the Saddle Blanket Scrub Preserve in Fort Meade. For more information contact melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com or call 863-991-0198.

March 5 – Become a citizen scientist from watcher. Attend FrogWatch USA Training at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 6 – Take a beach and estuary walk at Lovers Key State Park in Ft. Myers Beach. Plan to get wet. Registration is required. Go to https://loverskey.eventbrite.com/ to register or contact stephanie.kurtz@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 6 – Gather around the campfire at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell for a music jam. Bring your own instrument (optional) a chair and a flashlight for a musical evening. Contact dadeprograms@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 7 – Attend a Beginning Beekeepers Workshop at Volusia County Extension Office in Deland. Go to Beginning Beekeeper Workshop, Volusia County for more information.

March 7 – Chop down sand pines at the Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area in Lake Placid. This work will help create better habitat for many native Florida plant/animal species, including the Florida Scrub Jay. For more information call 863-991-0198 or contact melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

March 7 – Collect black, red and white mangroves at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. The mangroves you collect will be planted along estuary shorelines to prevent erosion, create habitat for wildlife, and improve water quality. RSVP is required. For more information call 727-509-7999 or contact alexis.kemp@myfwc.com.

March 8 – Go to a Full Moon party at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. Enjoy drinks, food, music, tours and art installations. General admission tickets are $200. Contact heather.l.smith@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 8 – Go on an Interpretive Pine Flatwoods Hike with a master naturalist at Savannas Preserve State Park in Jensen Beach. Contact melaina.mcdow@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 11 – Learn about the history and animals of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida. Contact ricky.sandusky@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 13 – Learn nature journaling at the Fairchild Oaka in Bulow Creek State Park in Ormond Beach. Contact mark.d.adams@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 13 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist with shrub removal to restore herbaceous groundcover, which is food for gopher tortoises. For more information call 863-991-0198 or contact jonathan.foligno@myfwc.com.

March 14 – Go on a Time Machine Tour at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Reservations recommended. Contact caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 19 – Attend Butterflies and Native Plants: Making the Connection at Leu Gardens in Orlando. Hosted by the Orange Audubon Society. More information is available here: https://www.facebook.com/events/741028708335295

March 20-21 – Head to Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville for a two-day celebration of spring songbird migration. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 27 – Join the Hernando Audubon Society for a morning of learning to identify birds and honing your existing birding skills at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com.

March 27 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist station staff with pulling weeds from an area with a high concentration of rare and imperiled species. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

The first thing I saw were bright pink flowers, showing before the leaves on several trees close to the house. According to iNaturalist, they’re Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis. I recall my aunt, who lives in Gainesville, talking about redbuds in the spring but I’d never seen any until now.

Next were violets underfoot. I hadn’t noticed any last fall, and I hadn’t even thought about having them here. INaturalist identified them as Florida Violet, Viola floridana. Some of them are bluish-purple, and some are almost white.

Last week I started seeing small trees covered with white blossoms in the woods along the highways. Every time I saw one where I could have stopped, another vehicle was right behind me, so I hadn’t been able to take a photo. Then I happened to look over by our outdoor kitchen; there’s a good-sized tree thirty feet from the house. It’s either a Chickasaw plum, Prunus angustifolia, or a Flatwoods plum, Prunus umbellata. Both of them make small, edible fruit. I lean toward thinking it’s a Flatwoods plum because it’s a single tree maybe twenty feet tall. Chickasaw plums tend to be more of a cluster of small shrubs. Either way, I think I see a batch of plum wine in the summer.

I’m seeing at least two other white flowering species along the roadsides. I was able to stop and photograph one of them, and it appears to be Blackhaw, Viburnum prunifolium. I’m going to try to get out later this week and do some more extensive roadside photography and see what else I can find.

What signs of spring do you see? Do you have any native flowering plants around your house? What roadside species can you identify?

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My Journey In Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #8: Loneliness and Place

This week’s exploration has a couple of exercises. First, it’s time for me to name this month’s full moon and add that to my list:

Monthly moon names:

January – Owl Moon; that’s when I hear a lot of owls calling

February – Wildfire Moon; we are very dry that time of year and there are a lot of wildfires

Five-minute writing prompt: I find company in…….

I find company in the solitude of the woods that surround me. Here, I know who I am. I am less lonely here than in a city where I do not know anyone. I know the trees and they know me.

The turkeys and the deer are my companions. They are skittish of humans, but if I stand still and am silent, they go about their business of feeding and chasing one another as they slip through the woods around the house.

I share that solitude with my husband. It’s good to know he is nearby. His relationship with the woods is different from mine, but he, too, welcomes the quietness and separateness of this place.

From the doves that feed on the ground behind the house to the Eastern Phoebe that perches on the fence outside my office window, I am learning the ways of the new friends that surround me. I have longed for this company, this solitude, for years.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

Photo Essay: Abandoned Farm near Mandan, North Dakota, 1993

In 1993, I was invited to go on a prairie dog shoot outside Mandan, North Dakota with another writer who was a friend, and two women from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The location was an old farm/homestead quite a bit from town, so four of us had campers and spent couple of days camped out on the prairie.

At one time this had obviously been a thriving, working farm, but time had eroded the buildings so that they were collapsing into heaps of rubble. This made me very sad. I wondered who the people were who had lived here, what their dreams were, and why they had left this place. I took a lot of photos that I still find very poignant. I never did learn anything about the people whose home and livelihood this had been.

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Things To Do During February and March

Report Monarch Butterfly sightings. MOVERS, a partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations are asking citizen scientists to report sightings of Monarchs to help determine if they can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern US. Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to protecting Monarchs. For more information, go to https://georgiawildlife.com/winter-watch-project-seeks-monarch-sightings-southeast-1

Plant winter vegetables. Depending on where you are in Florida, think about planting vegetables such as carrots, radishes, lettuce, greens, English peas and potatoes.

Order milkweed seeds and small plants for spring. Monarch butterfly overwintering counts hit all-time lows in recent years. These important insects need our help. By planting milkweeds (the host plants for monarch caterpillars) and nectar plants for adult monarchs and pollinators, you can help maintain the Monarch migration and sustain the insects whose pollination services maintain our ecosystems. Go to https://shop.milkweedmarket.org/ to order seeds from Monarch Watch.

Apply to the Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. The dates of the workshop are June 14-19, and it will take place at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Workshops will be offered in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The deadline for scholarship consideration is March 1. Early bird registration runs until March 15. Registration closes May 1. For more information go to https://orionmagazine.org/omega/

February 25 – Join Terran McGinnis to learn about one of the planet’s most endangered giants—the North Atlantic Right Whale—at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area in Flagler Beach. Contact stephanie.york@floridadep.gov for more information.

February 26 – Have early-morning pancakes, coffee and juice with a ranger at Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Contact 386-324-5001 or caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov for more information.

February 26 – Attend a meeting on the future management of Lake Miccosukee at the Jefferson County Court House in Monticello. The meeting will be at 6:00 PM.

February 27 – Participate in a habitat improvement workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 28 – Enjoy Springs Awareness Month Kickoff at Indian Lake State Forest from 4 to 8 PM. For more information contact amelia.mcknight@fdacs.gov.

March 2 – Take a bird walk to see the spring migrants that are starting to arrive at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Contact dadeprograms@floridadep.com for more information.

March 5 – Become a citizen scientist from watcher. Attend FrogWatch USA Training at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 6 – Take a beach and estuary walk at Lovers Key State Park in Ft. Myers Beach. Plan to get wet. Registration is required. Go to https://loverskey.eventbrite.com/ to register or contact stephanie.kurtz@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 6 – Gather around the campfire at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell for a music jam. Bring your own instrument (optional) a chair and a flashlight for a musical evening. Contact dadeprograms@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 7 – Attend a Beginning Beekeepers Workshop at Volusia County Extension Office in Deland. Go to Beginning Beekeeper Workshop, Volusia County for more information.

March 7 – Chop down sand pines at the Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area in Lake Placid. This work will help create better habitat for many native Florida plant/animal species, including the Florida Scrub Jay. For more information call 863-991-0198 or contact melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

March 7 – Collect black, red and white mangroves at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach. The mangroves you collect will be planted along estuary shorelines to prevent erosion, create habitat for wildlife, and improve water quality. RSVP is required. For more information call 727-509-7999 or contact alexis.kemp@myfwc.com.

March 8 – Go to a Full Moon party at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. Enjoy drinks, food, music, tours and art installations. General admission tickets are $200. Contact heather.l.smith@floridadep.gov for more information.

March 13 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist with shrub removal to restore herbaceous groundcover, which is food for gopher tortoises. For more information call 863-991-0198 or contact jonathan.foligno@myfwc.com.

March 20-21 – Head to Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville for a two-day celebration of spring songbird migration. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 27 – Join the Hernando Audubon Society for a morning of learning to identify birds and honing your existing birding skills at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com.

March 27 – Habitat Improvement Workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. Assist station staff with pulling weeds from an area with a high concentration of rare and imperiled species. For more information contact 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

During the summer and fall here, I saw the same pattern of birds. The chicks were pretty big by the time we moved here in June, but other than that it was the same size family group in the fall: three or four birds together.

Then a couple of weeks ago I saw thirty or so sandhills foraging in a big open field. It was the first time I’d seen that many in one place so I figured there must be something really good to eat there that had attracted eight or ten family groups.

A week or so after that, I started seeing big groups of cranes—thirty or forty at a time—flying over, headed in the general direction of Paynes Prairie. If you’ve been reading The Sunday Bluff Naturalist for a while, you won’t be surprised that seeing all those birds together made me curious.

I did a little digging and learned that we have not one, but two subspecies of sandhill cranes here. The small family groups are the Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis, if you care about scientific nomenclature). They live here all year, from far south Florida up into the northern tier of counties east of the Aucilla River and into southern Georgia. We have somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 Florida sandhills in the region; that number has been consistent over quite a few years.

Florida sandhill cranes don’t migrate. They nest in freshwater marshes and ponds, where they build nests of grass, moss and sticks. The female lays two eggs, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs for 32 days. Within a day of hatching, the young leave the nest and feed with the parents. Cranes eat about anything, including seeds, grain, berries, insects, mice, earthworms, small snakes and birds, frogs, lizards and crayfish. The young birds separate from their parents at about 10 months old and form pairs at about age two.

Those big flocks I’ve seen flying are a different subspecies of sandhill crane, the Greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida). About 25,000 of them arrive in November and December and stay until March or April. I never saw them before because they don’t venture into the Tampa Bay area or into south Florida; the farthest south the go is the north side of Lake Okeechobee. They spend the summer in the north, from the Great Lakes up through Canada and into Alaska.

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Photo Essay: Growing Corn in North Florida

These photos are from some of the corn plots at the North Florida Research and Education Center at Quincy, Florida, from the early 1980s.

My Journey In Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #7: Scenery

This week’s Exploration is in several parts. First, we are to make a list of places with lovely scenery that we like to show guests when they come to visit. Since we haven’t lived here long, we don’t know that many scenic places yet. So I altered the list a little.

The first part of my list is places I like to show guests:

1. Our river down the hill

2. The part of the river where the fishing pier is

3. Paynes Prairie

Then I added a second list. These are places I would like to explore this year:

1. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.

2. Silver Springs State Park

3. Lake Wauburg

4. Rainbow Springs State Park

5. Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area

6. Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center

7. Devil’s Milhopper

Lastly, I have written a little about what I love about the scenery at our place:

I love being able to see the river. Even up here on the bluff, we can see how changeable the river is. Sometimes it’s grey-green and other times it’s dark. Sometimes we can see the lily pads on the other side of the river. Every now and then, a Great Egret will fly up the river and we can see the white flash of its wings through the trees. Wildlife often crosses the path that goes down to the river. We see deer, bears and turkeys there, as well as a big red-tailed hawk that hunts there regularly. The path to the river is a little bit of heaven.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey in Place

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Things To Do During February and March

Report Monarch Butterfly sightings. MOVERS, a partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations are asking citizen scientists to report sightings of Monarchs to help determine if they can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern US. Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to protecting Monarchs. For more information, go to https://georgiawildlife.com/winter-watch-project-seeks-monarch-sightings-southeast-1

Plant winter vegetables. Depending on where you are in Florida, think about planting vegetables such as carrots, radishes, lettuce, greens, English peas and potatoes.

Order milkweed seeds and small plants for spring. Monarch butterfly overwintering counts hit all-time lows in recent years. These important insects need our help. By planting milkweeds (the host plants for monarch caterpillars) and nectar plants for adult monarchs and pollinators, you can help maintain the Monarch migration and sustain the insects whose pollination services maintain our ecosystems. Go to https://shop.milkweedmarket.org/ to order seeds and plants from Monarch Watch.

February 18 – Sit around a campfire at Big Lagoon State Park for a discussion of Pensacola area history. For more information contact emily.price@floridadep.gov.

February 20 – Experience the sights, smells and sounds of cooking on a wood-burning stove in the kitchen where Cross Creek Cookery was developed at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek. For more information contact daniel.r.cook@floridadep.gov.

February 21 – Attend the 2026 North Florida Outdoor Expo at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center in Micanopy. This family-friendly event will include natural resource education, guided nature walks and lots of activities for youth and adults. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-north-florida-outdoor-expo-tickets-1484619229079

February 21 – Sarasota Audubon presents Fly Wild, a day of birds, nature and exploration at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. https://www.sarasotaaudubon.org/fly-wild-2026/

February 22 – Take a guided bird walk at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. Contact michelle.schenck@floridadep.gov for more information.

February 26 – Attend a meeting on the future management of Lake Miccosukee at the Jefferson County Court House in Monticello. The meeting will be at 6:00 PM.

February 27 – Participate in a habitat improvement workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 28 – Enjoy Springs Awareness Month Kickoff at Indian Lake State Forest from 4 to 8 PM. For more information contact amelia.mcknight@fdacs.gov.

March 2 – Take a bird walk to see the spring migrants that are starting to arrive at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Contact dadeprograms@floridadep.com for more information.

March 5 – Become a citizen scientist from watcher. Attend FrogWatch USA Training at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

March 7 – Attend a Beginning Beekeepers Workshop at Volusia County Extension Office in Deland. Go to Beginning Beekeeper Workshop, Volusia County for more information.

March 20-21 – Head to Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville for a two-day celebration of spring songbird migration. Contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com for more information.

To start this conversation, whitetails have a different coat color depending on the time of year. Starting in the spring, they grow a thin summer coat that’s reddish in color. This thinner coat allows them to cool themselves more effectively during the hot part of the year.

Sometime in the late summer—August to September in most places, but it may be later here in Florida—they start to shed their summer coat and grow brownish-grey coat. The hairs in their winter coat are longer, and the coat is thicker and deeper than the summer coat. These hairs are of two lengths; longer guard hairs are over shorter, thick underhair. The two together insulate the deer’s body so well that snow can stay on a deer’s back without melting (which is not a problem here in Florida, of course).

So why is my friend seeing different colors of deer together in the middle of winter? There could be several answers to that.

First, not all deer are on the same biological timetable. Their coat color changes take in response to changes in day length (photoperiod), and not all deer respond to changes in photoperiod at the same time. They may be at slightly different stages in the growth of their winter coat. So, in the middle of winter, you might see deer that are completely brownish-grey, some that still have a little red tint to their coats, and some that are patchy.

Age and gender make a difference. Young of the year may stay reddish longer into the winter. Does may shed their coats earlier than bucks do. And genetics plays a part in this. Some deer are just naturally a little redder or darker than others, while some are a little greyer.

That said, deer aren’t always the kind of tawny or reddish brown we’re accustomed to seeing. Sometimes Nature produces some very oddball color combinations among whitetail deer.

Albino: True albino deer have all white hair, pink eyes, a pink nose, pink or white hooves, pink inside their ears and their antler velvet is white or pink. It’s rare to see a true albino deer; only about one in every 30,000 deer is albino.

White or Leucistic: White deer that are not albino also have all white hair, but they have dark eyes, dark-colored noses and dark hooves. Biologists say that while rare, white deer are not as rare as albinos.

Piebald: Piebald deer have a pattern of white spots on their bodies, while the rest of their hair is a normal color. They usually have dark eyes, noses and hooves. Each animal has its own pattern of color that is unique, like a fingerprint. Piebald deer often have other physical defects, such as short legs or other skeletal deformities. Biologists estimate that about 1 in 1,000 deer may be piebald.

Black or Melanistic: This is believed to be the rarest of color mutations in deer; only about one in 500,000 deer are melanistic. These deer are very deep brown or black with black eyes, noses, antler velvet and hooves. A melanistic deer has never been reported in Florida.

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Enter the Audubon Photography Awards Before March 4

The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards are now open for photography and video submissions until Wednesday, March 4 at 12 p.m. (noon) U.S. Eastern Time. This year, in addition to $5,000, the Grand Prize winners will each receive a voyage to Antarctica with HX Expeditions to combine birding, conservation, and exploration on a one-of-a-kind trip.

Other prizes will award the best visuals featuring migratory birds, landscapes and native plants that birds rely upon, female birds, and conservation challenges that birds face. Youth entrants can also win a special prize: A trip to Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine for an unforgettable summer experience.

Now in its 17th year, the awards showcase stunning photos and videos that celebrate the joy of birds and highlight how they connect us all across geographies and ecosystems. Winning photos and videos will be published in the Fall 2026 issue of Audubon magazine and on audubon.org.

From the Archives: A Roof of Stars

I wrote this essay in 1993, shortly after I returned from my first hunting camp. Since then I have divorced, and remarried a wonderful man who not only indulges my desire for adventure but encourages it, shares adventures with me, and goes on adventures of his own.

At the end of my life, when I look back at all the rich and varied years I will have experienced, I likely will find that my first hunting camp was no more a watershed than were many other single events. But now, at this short distance, those five days stand out as the dividing line between my first thirty-nine years and the rest of my life.

Perhaps I felt, once I put a wedding ring on my finger, that I no longer could come and go as I chose. Or perhaps it is just the way society conditions young girls. But for most of my adult life, as I cooked meals and washed laundry, helped my husband fulfill his dream of building a house himself, and, yes, followed my own interests of hunting and writing, I felt the grand adventures of life slipping through my fingers as the years rolled on.

Then a chance comment by a woman friend prompted me to ask another friend to take us both elk hunting. After explaining all the reasons he swore never to have a woman in his hunting camp, he talked himself into taking us.

We arrived at the campsite in the middle of a still, cold night, five people and two trucks loaded with tents, cooking gear, sleeping bags, and everything else we could pour into any crevice. We set up three tents under stars so bright that looking at them made my eyes water.

I awoke three hours later. The mountains, hidden in the dark the night before, rose to the north and west of us, tier after tier of mystery beckoning. I laced my boots and climbed above the camp, where I could sit on a rock and wait for the others to wake.

The cedar and sage around me were alive with small rustlings. A Steller’s jay landed in a tree nearby and inspected me; then it flew with a loud, harsh call. Another, farther away, answered.

I looked down at the sleeping camp below and wondered how it is that we lose our dreams. For most of my growing-up years I had said that someday I would travel and write about it; instead, I had spent thirty-nine years living in and writing about a single state. It wasn’t a bad living, but it wasn’t what I had dreamed about.

With the arrival of another guide and two German army officers, our camp was complete. We spent the afternoon spread out along miles of green meadows, watching for mule deer and elk. That evening we sat around a warm stove, talking about other hunts, other camps, other experiences shared.

As I listened, I realized how limited my life had been. I was sharing a meal with people my own age who had, among them, traveled all over the world. They had hunted in places I’d never heard of, been to war, and walked across countries whose names I could barely pronounce. Yet they accepted me with the same genial camaraderie with which they accepted one another, and gave me a glimpse of a larger world beyond my own.

By the third day in camp, though I didn’t have a deer, more of us did have, than didn’t. While the rest of the camp drowsed in early-afternoon Indian-summer somnolence, I wandered up the road that led into the mountains. Down the slope, a river ran beside the highway, blue and gray counterpoint to green meadows. An occasional truck growled up the highway, reminding me that life still existed beyond the mountains.

The night before, one guide and the two Germans and I had walked up the mountain in the dark to set up an overnight cold camp. For the first time in my life, I slept under a roof made only of stars and the night. After sunrise, a long and unsuccessful stalk and a hot breakfast, the guide dropped the two officers and me several miles from camp and let us walk back.

We had walked straight on until noon. As we walked, we worked together as a team, climbing up and down mountains, looking for deer, finally finding the camp again. I had been unprepared for the melding of different personalities, all striving for a goal, depending on one another to find an animal and to find the way back to camp.

As I wandered up the road that afternoon, I realized that my life was changed forever. That dream of my childhood--to travel the world and write about it--was not impossible. If I could take time for myself for ten days to hunt in the mountains, I could do other things. I could not go back and fill in the experiences I missed while I was busy being a young wife and running a farm. But I could go forward, to find adventures wherever I could, and tell their stories.

My deer finally came during the last ten minutes of the last day of the season. On a green meadow we spotted a half-dozen deer feeding. A long stalk later, I had my first mule deer.

In the years since then, I have hunted geese in Texas and pronghorn in Colorado and Wyoming, celebrated my fortieth birthday on the African Transvaal, fished for sailfish off the coast of Mozambique. I have learned that adventures come wherever you find them, and that some of them are in my own back yard.

Life is a series of choices, moments of do-I-or-don’t-I strung on the chain of the years. Most of us take the safe route, make the secure decision, and turn away from the grand adventures that lie outside our everyday lives. Yet those adventures are there waiting, ours to grasp if we will.

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My Journey In Place at Sunday Bluff

Exploration #6: A Sense of Place

In this week’s Exploration, one of the exercises is to imagine this place choosing me and use that as a writing prompt. Here is what I have written:

Of all people my place chose me because it knew I needed to be here. I have needed the land beneath my feet and in my heart since I left my other farm in 1998. Leaving the land was like losing a sense, not my hearing or my sight, but my insight. I was immediately cut off from a whole part of my life that is only now returning.

My place made sure I knew it was here. We found it first on Realtor.com and we didn’t look at it because it was not quite right. The second time it appeared because our criteria changed just a little, and the listing changed just a little to match our criteria. It was waiting for me.

My Journey in Place on Sunday Bluff is based on a lovely book, Journey in Place, written by my friend Janisse Ray. It’s a guidebook on how to learn about our place and how to love it and be loved by it. The book contains 52 “explorations,” one for each week of the year. Each exploration has a series of short exercises designed to bring readers closer in touch with their place in the world.

For more information about Journey in Place, or to order a copy of the book, go here:

Journey In Place

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Things To Do During February

Report Monarch Butterfly sightings. MOVERS, a partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations are asking citizen scientists to report sightings of Monarchs to help determine if they can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern US. Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to protecting Monarchs. For more information, go to https://georgiawildlife.com/winter-watch-project-seeks-monarch-sightings-southeast-1

Plant winter vegetables. Depending on where you are in Florida, think about planting vegetables such as carrots, radishes, lettuce, greens, English peas and potatoes.

Through February 15 – Participate in Climate Watch and help tally bird species across North America. For more information, visit the National Audubon Society website at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/climate-watch.

February 10 – Learn traditional pine needle basketry at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Pre-registration is required by calling 352-793-4781 or emailing dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

February 11 – Learn about the history of Falling Waters State Park in Chipley and the animals that live there. For more information contact ricky.sandusky@floridadep.gov.

February 11 – Participate in a habitat improvement workday at Tiger Creek Preserve in Babson Park. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 12 – Learn how to imprint designs from recycled silk ties onto while silk scarves at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. Contact 352-793-4781 or dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

February 12 – Take a Gyotaku Fish Printing Workshop at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation area at Flagler Beach. Pre-registration is required. Contact 386-517-2086 or stephanie.york@floridadep.gov.

February 13 – Participate in a habitat improvement workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 13-15 – Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park in Sanderson will commemorate the 162^nd anniversary of the Civil War and host the 49^th Annual Reenactment of the Battle of Olustee. For more information go to http://battleofolustee.org/.

February 13-16 – Join the Global Bird Count. For more information go to https://www.birdcount.org/.

February 14 – Valentine’s Day Archery Shoot (adults only) at Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville. For more information contact 352-754-6722 or chinsegut@myfwc.com.

February 14 – Take part on a cleanup day on Shell Key, a rarely accessed mangrove island in Lignumvitae Key Botanical Park at Islamorada. Pre-registration required. Contact robert.herald@floridadep.gov for more information.

February 16 – Take part in the Audubon Backyard Bird Count on the FWC Royce Unit in Lake Placid. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 18 – Sit around a campfire at Big Lagoon State Park for a discussion of Pensacola area history. For more information contact emily.price@floridadep.gov.

February 20 – Experience the sights, smells and sounds of cooking on a wood-burning stove in the kitchen where Cross Creek Cookery was developed at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek. For more information contact daniel.r.cook@floridadep.gov.

February 21 – Attend the 2026 North Florida Outdoor Expo at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center in Micanopy. This family-friendly event will include natural resource education, guided nature walks and lots of activities for youth and adults. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-north-florida-outdoor-expo-tickets-1484619229079

February 21 – Sarasota Audubon presents Fly Wild, a day of birds, nature and exploration at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. https://www.sarasotaaudubon.org/fly-wild-2026/

February 22 – Take a guided bird walk at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. Contact michelle.schenck@floridadep.gov for more information.

February 27 – Participate in a habitat improvement workday at Archbold Biological Station in Venus. For more information contact Melissa Hoffman at 863-991-0198 or melissa.hoffman@myfwc.com.

February 28 – Enjoy Springs Awareness Month Kickoff at Indian Lake State Forest from 4 to 8 PM. For more information contact amelia.mcknight@fdacs.gov.