Last Days at St. Mark's

 Every day it's a unique sunrise and a new adventure at St Mark's National Wildlife Refuge.

As our visit here draws to a close we leave behind fond memories.  We have also met many birders from all over the country that we have been able to help find the specialties.

Brown Thrasher at Otter Lake

Tulip Shell occupied by Hermit Crab

A very fast Virginia Rail

Northern Harrier rodent hunting

Laughing Gull in breeding plumage finds a snack

Sora Rail tempting fate

Pipevine Swallowtail

Violet Wood Sorrel

Thousands of Fiddler Crabs at low tide cover the beach

Large Fiddler Crab sporting it's one large claw

Willet also combing the beach for the crabs

Yellow Thistle

All of the Florida Yellow Thistles have lavender blossoms

6 inch long Rosy Wolf (Cannibal) Snail eats slugs and small snails

Water Snake crosses the pond

Great Horned Owl still active after sunrise

Wild Field Pansy

Aerial battle ensues between adult and juvenile Bald Eagles

American White Water Lily

Adult female Blue Dasher

Green Tree Frog

Red-bellied Woodpecker, you can actually see the red belly

Yellow-throated Warbler, many singing

God's garbage crew (Turkey Vulture) cleaning up road hit gray squirrel

Tiger Swallowtail

Red-shouldered Hawk

New arrival - Northern Waterthrush

Wild Turkeys, strutting their stuff

Round Leaf Sundew, sticky hairs trap insects

Pileated Woodpecker, heard and seen daily

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Willet males battle for love and territory

Carpenter Bee full of pollen from Yellow Thistle

"Our" Flamingo is flushed by a low flying Bald Eagle

Ty was elated to finally get flight shots

Flamingo flies over Double-crested Cormorant

This beautiful bird circled and quickly returned

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann

More of St. Mark's Fauna & Flora

 

Spring Flowers are blooming and the birds are sounding off with their Spring calls.  What an amazing time to see God's creation unfold.

This is an Atamsco Lily, springing up everywhere along the roadways.

This wild Lily reminds us of the Easter Lily

The Masked Bandit caught out in the open

Ohio Spiderwort

Black Swallowtail on Spiderwort 

Glass Lizard - legless reptile sunning on a dike

Amazing facial pattern

We are usually the first visitors on the refuge each day, seeing many sunrises

Long-billed Dowitcher and reflection

Swamp/ Yellow Jessamine

Yellow-throated Warblers are singing high in the pines

Northern Parulas have just arrived 

Common Yellowthroat sings on territory

Red-cockcaded Woodpecker active at dawn

Eagle searches for Osprey's dropped fish

Green Heron stalking fish

Rain Lily

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher male

Blue-headed Vireo

Waning Moon

Dwarf Blueberry blossoms 

Red-tailed Hawk, pale borealis subspecies

Florida Gray Squirrel feasting on Red Maple seeds

Pileated Woodpeckers are seen and heard daily

The secretive Nelson's Sparrow

Green Anole - native U.S. species

Refuge Fire Management

Two weeks left on the refuge and we are looking forward

to bird migration from South & Central America.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann