ARC Demo

Every year the Avian Reconditioning Center hosts a Spring Affaire. It is an event where history meets nature, as the SCA is invited to do flighting demos alongside the many lovely rescued birds. This was the first year I had been able to attend and I had a wonderful time. 

Gavin (Corey) with one of his resin bottle openers in the shape of a triskele.

Amelia, red shouldered hawk. 

Jega, short-tailed hawk.

Wedge, great horned owl.

Wedge and Max. 

Ruby, red-tailed hawk with her handler.

Moira, American kestrel.

Max, bald eagle with his handler.

Myself with Marcus (Max), and Tiger. 

Iohannis (Ian) and Marcus (Max) flighting while Nando looks on. 

Nando and Cormacc fighting while Marcus (Max) looks on.

Gem, peregrine falcon.

Iohannis (Ian), Lachlann (John), and Teric (Theo). 

Cormacc (top center) at his table with food, games, and friends.

Amennakhte (Sean) and Meadb (Christi).

The Perch

On a visit back home my mother and I decided to go for a walk on Indian Shores Beach. There used to be a long dock that stretched out into the Gulf, but after the hurricanes of 2024, only a few wooden pillars remain. A useful perch for the birds. 

Kayaking in Weeki Wachee Springs

Mother’s Day weekend ended with a lovely afternoon kayaking in Weeki Wachee Springs. 

Liz, Jon, and Jenny.

Mom.

Myself with mom and Liz.

Myself with Jon and Jenny.

 Myself with Jenny and mom.

Liz (with an egret).

A manatee coming up for air. 

Sacred Lands Preservation and Education

For Mother’s Day Weekend my sister Liz arranged for our family to take a tour at Sacred Lands Preservation and Education in St. Petersburg. It is a small, unassuming property that we’ve driven by a thousand times but never realized it was home to one of the best preserved American Indian Mounds in Florida as well as the historic landing place of the 1528 Narvaez Expedition.

One of the peacocks hanging out on the roof.

A string of Spanish trade beads dating from the mid 1500s. The Spanish would exchange the beads with Indigenous tribes.

This plant is called coontie palm or arrowroot. Our tour guide explained that it was toxic, however, the toxin was water soluble. The Indigenous tribes who cooked with it would have to go through a process of “eight washes” before it was safe to consume.

One of the peacocks on the dock.

A peahen resting in brush.

Our tour guide David with one of the peacocks in full display.

A peacock alongside a pile of shells that are over 500 years old.

Some of the Indigenous pottery found on the site.

David explaining the history of the shells and pottery fragments.

An example of the thick, plain pottery for every day use alongside a thinner, more decorative piece most likely made for ceremonial use.

The sturdy core of a conch shell, which the Indigenous tribes would use as a tool for scrapping and grinding.

A pair of young Lubber Grasshoppers basking on a leaf.

Our tour guide David did a tremendous amount of research and was a wealth of knowledge about the site as well as the surrounding area. I learned so many things about the history of my hometown from this amazing tour! For more information please visit: https://sacredlandspreservation.org/

Fort De Soto

An overcast afternoon spent at Fort De Soto Park. 

Abercrombie Park

A little bird huddled at the base of the bench between my feet.

Ducklings

Kestrel

Photo of a kestrel taken at the 2019 Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, captured mid screech.

Sunken Gardens