Early in 2022 I decided to begin a survey of snakes in the Pensacola Bay area. The purpose was to find out which species were encountered and how often. Based on Snakes of the Southeastern United States by Dr. Whit Gibbons and Dr. Mike Dorcas ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
The land of the wet and muddy – that’s what lot of folks call the salt marsh. If you have ever experienced walking through one you know why they call it that. Salt marshes are wetlands that are dominated by grasses and are partially ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
For some the forest is a scary place; for some it is a magical one; and for others it is spiritual. For wildlife it is a popular place. There are many places to shelter and plenty of food. Though the forest of our barrier islands is not ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Well, the TCU Horned Frogs didn’t make much of a splash during the college football championship earlier this week. Despite the outcome of the game, their unusual mascot is one of the more intriguing among universities. After noticing ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
It’s peaceful out there. At the end of the boardwalk, you can look over one of the few completely undisturbed shorelines in the Perdido Key area. Almost every time I’ve visited, an osprey or bald eagle has flown past, hunting for its ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
I am always on the lookout for easily accessible places to get out into nature. Much of my job entails leading other people outdoors and teaching them more about what they're seeing. I've found in my years with Extension that if someone ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
About a year ago, one of my regular blog readers asked if magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora) had any particularly redeeming qualities. The one in her yard was constantly dropping leaves and seedpods, and she was tired of it. Little did ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Florida has a love-hate relationship with this animal. Some find them cute and adorable, others find them a pest and a nuisance, either way there is no ignoring this guy. They are everywhere and yes – they can make a mess of your lawn ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Florida is known for its kitschy plastic lawn flamingos—a throwback to the 1950’s era of aspirational, semitropical suburban bliss. But if you head a little farther south, you get a lot more of the real thing. These elegant neon pink ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Pilgrimages have taken place for millennia, all over the world. The purpose may be a spiritual quest or a desire to reconnect with some historic location, but the draw to special places is an ancient one for the human species. So also, ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife