Turkey Creek Video!

We had an awesome walk out at Turkey Creek today. I was joined by HFC David, and Suzy and Bob from Space Coast Audubon. Here's a video of some of the incredible stuff we saw out there today!

September Update!

Been a long time since I updated here. I've still been walking but haven't led any official events in a while. I had a rough time over the summer, but things are looking up now, and I'm planning lots of cool trips for the fall, including looking for falcons in St. Augustine in October.

I am also starting to devise a long range plan, and it's a big one: I'm planning to hike (part of) the continental divide trail. I've already been warned that I not only have to be in be in good enough shape to cover 10 miles per day, but I also have to learn how to poop in the woods. 10 miles a day I am confident I can handle. Pooping in the woods, not so much!

I am still working on my 1000 miles. I am so proud that Aunt Kathy was the first to hit the 1000 mile mark. David is in the 900's, the rest of us are sorely lagging behind. I calculated it today that I need to do 4.3 miles/day from now till the end of the year to hit my 1000 miles. I have been getting a lot in in the gym with bike riding, rowing and the treadmill, but need to step up my game. I'll die of shame if I'm the only one who doesn't hit 1000 miles!

And speaking of walking, we (me, HFC David, and my partner in crime, Heather) had our first official walk in a while on Labor day. If you didn't GOYB and join us, here's what you missed! (Click to enlarge pictures.)

 The day was blisteringly hot, but it was a great day for butterflies. Here's a common buckeye.

 It was also a great day for spiders! Here is a beautiful golden orb weaver with either her boyfriend or her kid, wasn't sure which. At any rate, she is the much larger one. Golden orbs rock!

 Did I mention it was a great day for spiders? We saw hundreds making webs on the telephone wires.

 It was also a great day for bananas.

Lots and lots and lots of bananas.

This was wicked cool, wish I had my video camera out - hundreds of fish all jumped out of the water at the same time, most likely disturbed by a predator.

Heather found this - as we were coming back to the parking lot, right over our heads in a tree - was a golden orb weaver giving her buddy Mr. Dragonfly a big old friendly hug!

Now where else, but out in nature can you see a golden orb weaver snuggling her buddy? Remember, you can see stuff like this on the internet or TV, but you can't experience it, you can't hear the dragonfly giggling with delight at the warm fuzzy snuggles - unless you GOYB and come walking with us!

Be sure to join us soon!

The Oatmeal on Running

I love this cartoon, it made me cry. With the exception of the fact that I walk not run I know what he means, the blergh monsters that follow me around, quieting the mind, all so beautiful. I love the oatmeal so very much.

 http://t.co/YmvFwOdAty

Stormwater Park III

I am still walking 2 days a week out at stormwater park if anyone wants to join me. For those of you who aren't up for getting up and wet at 7:00 am, here's what you missed:

Lollygagging at Sebastian Stormwater Park II

I've been trying to walk at the Stormwater Park a few times a week on my non-weight training days at the gym. Here is a compilation video from my last few walks. Sorry it's so shaky, I need to start hauling my tripod with me. If you haven't GOYB to join me on my morning walks, you have missed bunnies, duckies, baby woodpeckers, and tons of other cool stuff. Watch here, and join me for a future walk!

Trip to Sebastian Stormwater Park

Hot as blazes out there today but we had a nice breeze that made it a lot more tolerable.  I was joined by HFC David today. If you didn't GOYB, here is what you missed, for the first time ever, on video! (I still learning the video camera, I apologize for any weirdness in the video.)

Awesome Weekend Outside

Had an awesome weekend outside, joined by HFC David. I was trying out a new video camera, so we hit Goodwin, Joe Overstreet, and Vierra. Click here to see the video of the roseate spoonbills. Keep scrolling down to see what you missed if you didn't GOYB and join us. Click on the photos to enlarge:

Roseates dancing. It's amazing seeing the shape of the
dinosaur in this picure.

If I was this color I would show off like this
all the time.

This is a young one, he was so fluffy. 

Maybe they aren't descended from
dinosaurs, maybe they come from a
long line of cotton candy.

This guy in front looked like a ring leader.

There was something weird about this
guy's face.

This picture made me laugh, the one in
front looks like he is leading an
aerobics class.

Mmmm cotton candy....

Posing.

Another poser.

This is one of my favorite pictures I've taken ever. I
love his eye, I love that he's standing on a
spider web.

Despite their nick-name, "The Butcher Bird"
I still love these guys and think they are
soooo pretty.

This picture makes me laugh. There is some strange story
waiting to be told here. For some reason I was
imagining the movie the Body Guard with the cow in the
Whitney Houston role and the cattle egret as Kevin
Costner.

A long shot of the Vierra Wetlands.

An anhinga looking pretty.

Red-wing black birds are common
and I'm sure most people think they
aren't anything special, but I love
their little army stripes and think
they are beautiful.

Two baby great blue herons. 

A whole herd of young anhingas hanging out.

An adult anhinga who really really really wanted his
picture taken.

He was a total poser!

This was a second anhinga, trying to out-pose the
other one. Maybe they were working the runway
together.

Another baby anhinga at the Click ponds.

A final shot of the poser anhinga.

Make sure you keep checking back here, we have a few road trips coming up including Orlando, Paynes Prairie, St. Augustine, and more. I am thinking of adding a Brevard Zoo trip too, drop me an email or reply here if you would like to join that, or any trip! Hope to see you out there. Remember, you can look at pictures, but you can only really experience this stuff if you GOYB!