Since I don’t have any nests to chase I figured the safest bet was just to head back to the Circle B. It is relatively close and almost always something worth seeing. It started off slow but ended up being one of my better days. When I am not finding much in terms of larger animals I will pay a little more attention to the smaller ones. This paid off today with two cool insects.

The morning started off with a lackluster sunrise, but I did catch this Great Blue Heron with some breakfast.

Then I noticed this little Raccoon walking my way so I just stopped and let him walk towards me until he noticed.

This Snowy Egret was fishing and I loved the patterns in the gentle waves around him.

No gators here. Just these plants swimming right by me.

This is a Little Blue Heron. When immature they are completely white. In adult stage they are complete blue. This is an in between stage sometimes called calico as it transitions to its adult colors.

Larger Florida Mantis-I haven’t seen preying mantises very often. Such cool little guys.

Larger Florida Mantis

Orsilochides guttata a species of shield bug (left) and Common Thread-waisted Wasp (right)

Cuban Bird Grasshopper (left) and Yellow Garden Spider (right)

Black Swallowtail caterpillar on Water Hemlock (left) and Red Admiral (right)

Little gator sunbathing.

Green Heron crossing the path.

I heard a juvenile Barred Owl calling and was looking around but could not see it through the foliage. After walking about 20 feet down the path I found its sibling (above) sitting on a moss covered branch less than 10 feet from me. This one is 2-3 months old.

I’m pretty sure I can see myself in the reflection in his eyes.

After watching us for a few minutes he flew back into an oak tree to eat what he had caught. I’m not positive but I think it is either a siren or amphiuma which are both aquatic salamanders.

I stopped to watch some baby gators. There were about 15 of them. Mom was of course nearby. Mom did not take kindly to this turtle coming through the area with her babies. (story continued after next pic)

Luckily for this turtle I don’t think mom was hungry, but just didn’t want the turtle around. After being lifted into the air twice the turtle was able to escape.

Some of the baby gators that were nearby.

Brown Wasp Mantidfly-Adults are often found resting on vegetation or flowers where they ambush prey or feed on nectar. As a result, the species may act as an incidental pollinator. When disturbed, adults display defensive behaviors that enhance their resemblance to stinging wasps. These include curling the abdomen beneath the body and raising it vertically while swaying, reinforcing their mimicry. Only my second time seeing one of these.

Red-shouldered Hawk chowing down on a grasshopper I think.

Black Racer-This behavior is called periscoping. This one was right next to the trail just watching what was going on.