Floridiana Gloriana

'I'm so hungry I can eat a tree' by Ralph Orona | Miami | Used by Permission

"Num, num, num.....What?"

This little cutie has his little black claws wrapped around that nice, juicy leaf.   Isn't he so ferocious with his tiger stripes and his fierce black horns?  This is one of my favorites of all the wildlife photographs I've posted so far. 

The photographer took this adorable portrait at Miami's Fairchild Gardens. 

'I'm so hungry I can eat a tree' by Ralph Orona | To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | Website:  Ralph Orona Photography | To see the largest version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

This photograph is used with the express written permission of its owner.  Please do not save or download it without first obtaining his permission.  You can write to him here.

'Blue Heron' by Judy Malley | Tampa | Creative Commons

I've posted several photographs of Blue Herons---my favorite Florida bird since a couple of them adopted my family back when I lived in Kissimmee---but this one by Judy Malley shows in perfect detail the beautiful silvery blue of its plumage and the no-nonsense tint of its navy racing stripe.  Is he not precious?   

"Blue Heron" originally uploaded by Judy Malley | To see her other Flickr photographs, click here |  | To see the largest version of this photograph on Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the license.  The  link to the applicable license is shown here. 

 

'Florida Scrub Jay = Yoda' by Daniel Godwin | Lake Wales | Creative Commons

This photograph was sent to the photographer by his brother and posted at Flickr under a CC license (yay!)  The photographer's brother explained why this little nestling is be-robed for the photo:

I banded the first brood of Florida Scrub-Jay nestlings at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest (southeastern Polk County) this past Wednesday. One of the nestlings didn't want to come out of the weighing bag (aka a trimmed panty hose), so I had to "peel" the bag away from it. Suddenly the jay looked very much like a well-known, very wise ("Wars not make one great"), and much loved old ... bird (?) [links added fyi by me]

Don't his little claws look like little taloned hands?  This photo has won a certain amount of well-deserved acclaim on Flickr....  This species is under threat due to habitat loss, by the way.   Let's hope we don't lose yet another species of animal people.  I would hate to lose little Yoda.  No wonder he looks a bit annoyed.  Or maybe he just had to deal with an unpromising trainee.

"You worthless at learning Jedi techniques are!  I fed up to the beak with you am!" 
Heh. 

'Florida Scrub Jay = Yoda' by Daniel Godwin | To see his Flickr photostream, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here | I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  A link to the license is shown here.

'An Eye' by Etrusia UK | Tampa | Creative Commons

I was mesmerized by the golden eye of this snowy egret set against the blue-green background.  Look at the luminousness and delicacy of its feathers, and the streaks of paler blue against the slate-colored bill.  Taken in Tampa, it's just an awesome capture and has deservedly won all sorts of Flickr awards and honors.  Gorgeous.

'An Eye' by Etrusia UK  | To see his Flickr photostream, click here |  Website:  WhyDon'tYou; also Etrusia--British History  To see the largest version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  The license can be viewed here.

'Nature Walk Crab' by Kevin 'Elvis' King | Pensacola | Creative Commons

Check out this little gal.  Could she be more adorable?  "Catch a Falling Star," I imagine she's humming.  Kevin 'Elvis' Smith takes amazing nature photographs and this is just one of them.  LOVE it. 

'Pensacola Fun' by Kevin 'Elvis' King |  Website | To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license.  Before saving or using it, consult the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

'Black Birds' by Miz Shoes | Miami |Creative Commons

Photograph by Miz Shoes | click here to see her other photos | website: Girly Shoes.  | Click here to go to Flickr for the larger version

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license. The license is here.
__________

One of my favorite Florida photographers has this perfect shot of blackbirds in a tree.  As soon as I saw it, I thought of the beautiful poem by Wallace Stevens----one of my favorite poems in life----"Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."  Stanza V is my favorite:

I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

Then I thought of a favorite song from The White Album:  Paul McCartney's  "Blackbird."

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise

Both of which are reasons why I find this image---starkly beautiful in and of itself----so moving. 

The photographer herself writes:  "At dusk, when I get off the train, there is a dead tree that is a favorite place for these black birds."

'Great Blue Heron' by George Thomas | Sanford | Creative Commons

Look at this creature.  Is he not magnificent?  This is a Great Blue Heron. 

When I lived in Central Florida years ago, my stepdaughter gave one of the herons that used to hang around our apartment complex (it was on a pond) a piece of her tuna sandwich.  After that, the heron and his mate used to come to our door every afternoon and bang on the door with their beaks.  Their squawks sound approximately like a pile of china plates falling down and breaking on a stone floor..  My neighbors weren't best pleased. 

This was taken in the Central Florida town of Sanford.

'Great Blue Heron at Sanford, Florida' by George Thomas (hz536n) | To see his other photos (Flickr photostream), click here | To see the full-sized version of this photo at Flickr, click here 

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or use it without first consulting the terms of the license. The license is shown here.

'Beautiful Ibis on the shore of Lake Dora' by Allen Whitson | Used by Permission

Allen Whitson saw---and captured for us here---this magnificent ibis just hanging about beside Lake Dora in the adorable Central Florida town of Mount Dora. Sometimes it's easy to forget the good fortune of living in a state where you see magnificent wildlife just hanging about the lakes, ponds, and wetlands you pass every day.  One reason I started this blog was to remind myself not to forget how much love we ought to be giving to Florida's animal people. 

Have you ever seen a more lavish red than the red of this magnificent creature's giant bill?  It's a rhetorical question.  You know you haven't.

 

Photograph  by Allen Whitson  | click here to see his other photos | Click here to go to Flickr to see the full-sized version

I do not own the rights to this photograph but am using it with the express permission of its owner.  Please do not save or use it without first getting permission from the owner.  Flickr users may contact the owner through his Flickr mail.
 

Bird Watching in North Florida by Clark Wheeler | North Florida | Used by Permission

You will see some of the most amazing photographs of birds, insects, and other wildlife you ever in your life imagined at this photographer's site---all visitors to his backyard.   I could have chosen any of them.  I chose these for the beautiful and varied pattern of color they create.

All of the following are ALL RIGHTS RESERVED and are used here by permission only, so look and enjoy, but don't save or download these photographs without first obtaining his permission!

"Courtship" by Clark Wheeler (photo page here). He explains that this is a male great egret displaying to entice a mate to the nesting site.

This photograph is used by PERMISSION only and all rights are reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or download for any use without first obtaining his written permission.

"Female cardinal" by Clark Wheeler (photo page here)

This photograph is used by PERMISSION only and all rights are reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or download for any use without first obtaining his written permission.

"Pileated Woodpecker" by Clark Wheeler (photo page here).

This photograph is used by PERMISSION only and all rights are reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or download for any use without first obtaining his written permission.


"Chickadee, Carolina" by Clark Wheeler (photo page here).

 

This photograph is used by PERMISSION only and all rights are reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or download for any use without first obtaining his written permission.

"Blue Grosbeak 2" by Clark Wheeler (photo page here).

This photograph is used by PERMISSION only and all rights are reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or download for any use without first obtaining his written permission.

Some "Manatee Springs" of Western Florida (Creative Commons)

Because of the enthralling Nature Coast wildlife and the beautiful springs, Homosassa Springs and Manatee Springs are popular places for snorkeling and kayaking.  Here are some lovely photographs.  I have a few of my own, but they really don't do justice to the place.

While canoeing at Manatee Springs, I did see a manatee.  It swam right up alongside the boat (but the photograph just shows a sort of shiny wet lump).  They are very gentle, curious creatures, it seems, which is why there are so many restrictions on boating along that coast.    

Systems Librarian has the best photographs of  various Florida springs I've seen anywhere on the net----and Florida has hundreds of beautiful springs.  As well as the many beautiful photos at Flickr, see:  Florida Springs.

Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County, Florida) by SystemsLibrarian | Florida Springs | To see more photographs by Systems Librarian, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here 

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

 

Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County, Florida) by SystemsLibrarian | To see more photographs by Systems Librarian, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

"Homosassa Springs, Florida, December 27, 2007" by Rebecca  | website:  MeanLouise.com |  "About a dozen manatees swam in for the afternoon," she writes | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

This beautiful manatee was photographed in Crystal River by biologist Steven Erat, on a snorkeling trip at Crystal River.  Manatees have some of the nicest faces of any animal.   

 

"Manatee at Crystal River" by Steven Erat | website:  Talking Tree | To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

 

"Manatee at Crystal River" by Steven Erat | website:  Talking Tree | To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).

 

"West Indian Manatee and Nursing Calf, Crystal River" by  Allen BS |  To see more of his photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license (shown here).