Had an unexpected day off work today so went back to attempt to find a bear again. Although I was successful finding one, the picture is not up to my standards so I’ll have to keep working on it. Also got some more nice Florida Scrub Jay photos. The highlight for me again was finding a rattlesnake, this time an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. Of course it was laying right across the middle of the road and was not happy when I suggested it would be safer off to the side of the road.
It’s a Florida Black Bear. Looks like a younger one. That’s as close as I’ve gotten so far.
There were a ton of bear prints.
Red-headed Woodpecker-Far less common than the Red-bellied woodpecker which also confusingly has a red head. These guys prefer the scrub habitat that is very common in Ocala National Forest.
Another bird that loves the scrub habitat, the Florida Scrub Jay. If you look closely he has 2 acorns in his mouth.
An Eastern Kingbird
Anyone who doesn’t like snakes should close the page now.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake sunbathing on the road
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake safely off the road.
Flat-headed Baldcypress Sapwood Beetle
A bear, a scrub Jay, a beetle and an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. That is quite a collection. If the rattlesnake is rattling, you are too close to him. It is a great collection, but it makes me nervous that you are so close to a rattlesnake and you know what a master of camouflage they are.