Birds of Manasota Key

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

All About Birds link - Ruddy Turnstone

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

All About Birds Link - Brown Pelican

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

All About Birds Link - Osprey

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)

All About Birds Link - Willet

Least Tern (Sterna antillarum)

All About Birds Link - Common Tern

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

All About Birds Link - Snowy Egret

Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

All About Birds Link - Red-bellied Woodpecker

Royal Terns (Sterna maxima)

All About Birds Link - Royal Tern

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)

All About Birds Link - Semipalmated Sandpiper

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

All About Birds - White Ibis

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

All About Birds Link - Great Blue Heron

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

All About Birds Link - Mourning Dove

Manasota Key is a long, narrow barrier island in Charlotte County, Florida.  The north end has many large and expensive shorefront vacation homes (including Stephen King's).  Mid-island is Englewood's public beach, and at the south end is pristine Stump Pass Beach State Park. 

Red Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

The Red Shouldered Hawk is a year-round resident here in Florida.  He still hunts from low perches, and as seen here has a taste for snakes.

Buteo lineatus

Pocket Park in Boca Grande

Boca Grande is a small tourist/fishing village located on Gasparilla Island.  The Gulf Coast, Florida barrier island is but eight miles long and less than a half mile wide and the town has a one-block downtown.  But, worth visiting is Sam Murphy Park....a tropical pocket park on a downtown property just about one tenth of an acre.  Restfull, serene and a compliment to the thoughtfull citizens of Boca Grande.

Tucker's Grade: Landscapes in Florida's Wet Prairie

Tucker's Grade is the remnant of a road used by early settlers in Southwest Florida.  The first part traverses through the Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area.  A "Grade" to early Floridians was simply a dirt road with drainages ditches on both sides, and Tucker's Grade is just that.....straight as an arrow through wet prairie which would otherwise by inaccessable during our wet summers.

The Story of Tuckers Grade

The Wet Prairies of Florida provide some of the state's most beautiful landscapes....and a glimpse of what the land looked like in the 19th century.

Wet Prairies

Wet Prairies are fresh water marshes with a large amount of diverse flora and fauna.

Fresh Water Marshes

More data on Wet Prairies

A nice monograph on Short Hydropattern prairies

Ecosystems of Southwest Florida

"The Palmetto"

Babcock-Webb WMA Management Plan

WGCU Stories of Early Settlers in SW Florida

SW Florida Museum of History

Video: Settlers and scenes of early SW Florida

History of Florida

Landscape photography tips from National Geographic

More tips from Digital Photography School

The beauty of the natural world continually amazes me.  Can't wait for my next photo adventure.