Hiking the Florida trails in early summer!

 

We are definitely feeling the heat and summertime humidity but it's still really nice deep in the woods.

Between camping trips, I head to the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway and on this particular hike, I went down into the diggings.

It's cooler and extends my hike to closer to 2 hours but it has it's own rewards.

On this hike, I went to Josef's table. 

It's a table in the middle of the forest, dedicated to Josef who loved to hike.

I left a seashell from Canaveral National Seashore on the table the last time I visited and it was still there.

Something new was this beautiful little Chinese Zen planter.

It was on the large boulder next to the table.

The tiny plant was pretty too!

And behind the table someone had put together a ladder. It's a little big for the gnomes that live there so I'm not sure who uses it. Any guesses?

Always pretty wildflowers and this caterpillar was colorful!

I wanted to include photos of this duck that showed up in our flower bed this week too.

I think he stopped to take a break on the way to the neighborhood pond. 

I asked him, but he ignored me.

Now back to the hike deep in the forest to find the monsters!

You know I saw some! 

Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

Baby Birds, how we love them!

It's been fun to see so many babies lately. We've taken morning hikes at the Florida Trails and there have been lots of birds to see and photograph. This looks like a young one, all fuzzy on his head! (hike #67)

   Such a pretty woodpecker!

Downy Woodpecker

And 5 or 6 of these little ones greeted me on the Florida Trails another morning (hike #68). 

They were chattering like crazy in the bushes.

 But finally one of them flew into the tree to speak right to me! It looks like a Warbler but I'm not sure what kind! If you know, please let me know!

Update: thanks for your ideas on what he might be but when I looked at my Florida bird books and Sibley's, I still think it is a Warbler....a Pine Warbler. I heard him and he had more of a Warbler sound, he has faint yellow on his breast AND there are always lots of Pine Warblers and Palm Warblers on this section of the Florida Trails.  Maybe I'll get to see them again!

And on the days I don't hike, I usually walk down to the neighborhood pond. (this doesn't count as a hike! lol) 

 Imagine my surprise to see these precious little ones swimming together on the pond all bunched up!

Easy to see what they are when Mama Moorhen comes to collect them!

Wait up Mama....we're going as fast as we can!

 This duck walked right up to me while I was taking pics!

Do you have babies nesting near you? 

One of the nice things about Spring!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE 

 

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.