Signs of Spring at St. Mark's NWR

 

Birds are starting their Spring calls, the plants are blooming, the ducks, (all 4,000+) have left for the northern climes.

New birds are starting to arrive from South Ameria, and the bad part, the gnats and mosquitoes are smarming and looking for blood!

Salt Marsh at St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge

Black &White Warbler

Blue-headed Vireo

One of five active Eagle nests on the refuge road

Heavy dew trapped in spider web

Doily or Bowl spider web

Thousands of Doily webs on Spartina Marsh

Column Stinkhorn mushroom

Polypore Fungus

Many colored Polypore

Hermit Thrush

 

Low tide attracts large numbers of Snowy and Great Egrets

Reflections at the Boat Ramp

Resurrection Ferns turn green with the Spring rains

Northern Cardinal

American Coots scolding interlopers

Smiling Gator

Young gators on Mom's tail

Gray Catbird 

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drilling many holes

Wilson's Snipe

I'm hiding, you really can't see me, can you?

Northern Mockingbirds singing on territory about every 100 yards along the road.

Numbers of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are increasing with management.

A Merlin flushed the hundreds of sandpipers on Tower Pond

On of the many Springs that form the St. Mark's River

A "White Ibis" tree

Swamp Sparrow hiding

The warmer weather is bringing out more reptiles - Cooters

Eastern Bluebird

Red Maple Seeds

Henslow's Sparrows winter in the short grasses

Henslow's Sparrow,  Oh no, I've been spotted!

Red-shouldered Hawk, a common sight

Cooper's Hawk

Full "Snow" moon makes a rainbow in the fog

Fog lifts revealing the bright Snow Moon

Lighthouse at the End of the Road

May God light your path wherever it takes you.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann

Daily trips into St. Mark's NWR

 

We are enjoying Northern Florida, but the temperatures are not even close to Southern Florida.  We had frost in the mornings and in the 50's most days.  Although not perfect, it's better than the snow, cold, and ice we see in the north.

Enjoy the warmth, wildlife and looks of paradise with us.

Spider webs in the fog and rain

Webs reflect many colors

The webs are like prisms

We are observing at least 5 active Eagle nests

Tricolored Heron chasing fish in the Gulf

Smiling at the sun

One of the 12 footers basking

Joining the wildlife basking in the sun

Over 1,700 shorebirds in the Tower Pond, 

Best shorebird area in the refuge

Tower by Tower Pond, Anhinga in the foreground

We took a trip back to Wakulla Springs for lunch at the Lodge 

Enjoyed seeing the tour boats and Manatees again

Low tide bait ball attracts both species of Pelicans

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Anhinga

Gadwalls on the Lighthouse Pond

Bobcat hunting on the dike by Tower Pond

Ty pishing interupts the hunt

Are you still here?  I have lunch to find.

This is the boat ramp, low tide

No boats going anywhere until the tide comes back in.  Herons and egrets catching trapped fish.

Full (Wolf) moon at sunrise causes extreme tide levels

 

Black-necked Stilt

Royal Tern

White-eyed Vireo starting their Spring calls

Great Blue Heron tackles very large Gar fish

Heron kneels down to subdue and swallow thrashing Gar

Eastern Towhee

Carolina Wren

Look who's back?  Pinkie!

The Flamigo usually hangs out way back in the middle of large pool

Glossy Ibis

Redhead, every day less and less numbers as they start to head north.

This photo could be a pointing, amazing variety together

We are halfway through our stay here and look forward to the beginning of migration.

Always enjoying what God puts in our path.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann