The Lazy Naturalist

The Re-Enchantment of Nature - Sarasota, Florida

Lazy Blog Posts

Turken at Echo Farm

Despite its name and bizarre appearance, the “Turken”—often dubbed the Transylvanian Naked Neck—is not a hybrid cross between a turkey and a chicken. Biological barriers between the two distinct genera (Gallus gallus and Meleagris gallopavo) render viable offspring virtually impossible. Instead, the Turken is a pure chicken possessing a striking, naturally occurring genetic mutation. The […]

Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is one of Sarasota County’s most vital ecological engineers. Native to the dry, upland pine flatwoods, scrub, and coastal dunes of Southwest Florida, this ancient land tortoise is recognized as a keystone species.Its presence fundamentally shapes and sustains the local native ecosystem. Using shovel-like forelimbs, an adult gopher tortoise excavates […]

The Lawn Crew – White Ibises in Sarasota

Our yards feed an itinerant white ibis flock, and the birds are now grazing assiduously at the Katz’s next door. Although common in southwest Florida, ibises appear exotic to visitors more familiar with ancient history. They may remember ibis mummies offered to the ibis-headed Thoth, and how each cadaver was sarcophagus-packed before being stacked in […]

Cattle at Smith Farm, Sarasota

The Smith Farm (held by the Cindy L. Smith Revocable Living Trust) is a 51.5-acre agricultural property located along Raymond Road in east Sarasota County, positioned directly across from the South Cell and Raymond Road boardwalk of the Celery Fields Click to open side panel for more information The property has been at the center […]

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Mexico in July? Well, we went to see the whale shark migration, which we did, and the weather was great. But, again, the people of Mexico are terrific, and that made a fun getaway. Here’s a list of people from the trip:

Four Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii (Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai) is great… in addition to being ten degrees cooler that Florida at the right time, it is a beautiful combination of sea and mountains. Though I had been there 30+ years ago, I really didn’t have much of a sense of the place. We were there for two weeks in […]

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