Selby/iNaturalist is doing a bioblitz competition with Orlando, and I heard the Bobolinks were coming through at Celery fields -- the trip was worth it! Here are the IDs... … [Read more...]
Activities
- All Weather/Horse Trail Loop (MRSP)
- Alligator Point (MRSP)
- Avian Research and Conservation Institute
- Bee Island & Back (MRSP)
- BioBlitz at Celery Fields
- Bok Tower (Lake Wales, FL)
- Brooker Creek Preserve (Tarpon Springs, FL)
- Clay Gully/Mossy Hammock (MRSP)
- Climate Wise Landscaping
- Deep Hole (MRSP)
- Florida Scrub Life: Archbold Biological Station & Lake Wales Ridge
- Fox’s High & Low (MRSP)
- Hickey Creek Mitigation Park (Alva, FL)
- Highlands Hammock State Park (Sebring FL)
- Joan M Durante Community Park (Longboat Key, FL)
- Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area (Lake Wales, FL)
- Leffis Key (Sarasota, FL)
- Lemur Foundation (Myakka City, FL)
- Lido Key (Sarasota, FL)
- My Life as a Turkey
- Myakka Hardwood Hammock (Sarasota, FL)
- Myakka Pinelands (Sarasota, FL)
- Myakka River State Park (Sarasota, FL)
- North Lido Beach (Sarasota, FL)
- North Lido Key (LK)
- One dozen things FNPS members need to know about cabbage palms with Jono Miller
- Oscar Sherer State Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Oscar Sherer Yellow Trail (OSSP)
- Pinecraft Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Power Line/Ranch House Loop (MRSP)
- Raymond Road Loop (CF)
- Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
- Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
- Red Bug Slough Slough Loop (RBS)
- Ringling Grounds (Sarasota, FL)
- Rothenbach Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Rothenbach Park Loop (RP)
- Spanish Point (Sarasota, FL)
- The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding
- Three Sisters Springs (Crystal River, FL)
- Urfer Family Park (Sarasota, FL)
Ringling Grounds (Sarasota, FL)
The Ringling Museums/Mansion grounds are one of the best things about the place, and the cheapest to see at $5 a pop. If you go, make sure to look for the softshell turtles in the pond between the gift shop and museum. There were many turtles on my visit, and my guess is that people have been feeding them, because they seem to follow you. … [Read more...]
Spanish Point (Sarasota, FL)
Make sure to check out the butterfly tent when you go. I have gone to Spanish Point a few times since it became part of Selby Gardens, and it is definitely fun to visit. Very different from Selby downtown, and I would say that I prefer it. … [Read more...]
Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
I am always surprised by the diversity of species in Red Bug Slough, perhaps because it is a suburban/urban park, where my expectations are generally low, but there are many species of plant and animal, both native and exotic. Perhaps most interesting on this visit was that the hammock has been largely cleared of air potato. IDs at iNat This 72-acre preserve, Red Bug Slough is a remnant piece … [Read more...]
Pinecraft Park (Sarasota, FL)
Pinecraft Park is in the heart of Amish country, and the park has a playground that is typically filled with plain-clothed types speaking Pennsylvania Dutch and playing some game that I don't understand. But they say what happens in Pinecraft stays in Pinecraft, at least that's what I'm told by my Anabaptist connections. Anyway, the park also includes a mesic hammock (which is a wettish wooded … [Read more...]
Highlands Hammock State Park (Sebring FL)
Highland Hammock Park is about an hour and a half from Sarasota, and it has a variety of interesting and accessible ecosystems. Probably the most distinct is the cypress swamp, which we really don't see much of in SRQ. More info on Highlands Hammock... … [Read more...]
Avian Research and Conservation Institute
Sarasota Audubon presents Kenneth D. Meyer, PhD, Avian Research and Conservation Institute. Discover the ways in which data drives habitat management & conservation for imperiled Florida birds like Snail Kites and Reddish Egrets. ARCI focuses on applied ecological studies of rare and imperiled birds in the United States and Latin America; they gather the scientific data that makes conservation … [Read more...]
Urfer Family Park (Sarasota, FL)
Urfer Family Park, at the corner of Bee Ridge and Honore is surprisingly diverse in plant life, and on a Friday afternoon, is very quiet. I was excited to spot a Gopher Tortoise, as well as a Zebra Swallowtail, which made me look forward to future trips. Urfer Family Park provides playgrounds for toddlers through teens; a fitness trail; and a 1-mile nature trail, winding through pine flatwoods, … [Read more...]
Hickey Creek Mitigation Park (Alva, FL)
Hickey Creek Mitigation Park is co-managed by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It consists of a variety of habitats including palmetto-oak scrub, pine flatwoods, and seasonal wetlands. Views of scenic Hickey Creek can be enjoyed from the trail and overlook areas. The ecosystem presently supports the threatened Florida … [Read more...]
Brooker Creek Preserve (Tarpon Springs, FL)
Brooker Creek Preserve is approximately 8,700 acres, and the largest natural area in Pinellas County. It consists primarily of forested wetlands and pine flatwoods. Bordered by dense urban development, the Preserve provides both a unique refuge for native flora and fauna, as well as an opportunity for citizens to explore the natural beauty of wild Florida. The Preserve also serves to protect … [Read more...]
Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area (Lake Wales, FL)
I went to Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area is in the center of Florida, far away from the ocean, but but it felt like the waves were a breath away. Walking through the area is very interesting... there's a lot of plant life that I'm not familiar with living on the west coast of Florida. But one thing that was the same was fetterbush. The Palmetto looked similar to saw … [Read more...]