Saturday, November 24, 2007

Wacissa Saturday

I took off for the river in the middle of the afternoon today. The leaves are changing and falling and it is easier to look for the ivory bill woodpecker with the trees dropping leaves. I have been looking down river from Blue Spring. I practiced my bird calls. I have added limpkins, turkeys, ducks, pileated woodpecker calls, and what I thinks sounds like herons to my repertoire.



I saw the reeds moving in this area and sure enough, otters were feeding. They were curious today and leaped onto this log to have a better look at me. In the distance I heard baying dogs. I thought I might see something else if I hung around.


Experience has taught me that baying hounds means something may be jumping into the river any moment. I heard the dogs and waited and this deer with a damaged ear leaped into the river near where I saw the otters. It was pandemonium as the dog began to bite the deer.
This is the hound that attacked the deer first. I left out the attack photo...The deer kicked the dog repeatedly to make him stop his attack.
He swam into deeper water which kept the hound from attacking and she went for the far shore. Another dog joined the first one. But they floundered in the deep water.
The deer kept going for the west shore. The dogs swam about but didn't attack him anymore. He got to the other shore but didn't leave the water. He watched me and then swam up the shoreline waiting for the dogs to go away. They swam about and eventually he got away.
On the way back through Blue Spring I came across Bob The Tame Limpkin. He was serene, as usual as I paddled up for a closeup. Near the end of my paddle I spotted two raccoon siblings mushing the water along the shore looking for goodies. This day was filled with excitement and anticipation. I feel like I will see an ivory bill this winter. And, the young buck escaped his pursuers, so it was a good day.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Kayaking Alexander River (with men!)









The weekend after tie dye Mark passed away I went south to visit the Osceola forest pond where he passed away and to visit my parents and then to visit Larry and Bill in Astor Park on the return trip. Larry was close to Mark. Mark spent a month this past summer visiting him while he outfitted his diesel truck with a step in camper. We wanted to have a memorial to him and to take a kayak trip on the Alexander River. This river is in the Ocala Forest, a forest Mark loved and spent much time in. The river is fed by Alexander Spring. It is shallow, cool, and fast flowing and has much of the same wildlife as other spring fed rivers in the land of flowers. Here are a few photos. The fellas are actually quite civilized (for men) despite their hairiness. They even go at my pace while kayaking. I had fun with my friends.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Good Day on The Wacissa

I consider it a good day when I get an eagle photo.


I paddled all the way to the lower boat ramp and on the way upstream these deer leaped into the river and swam across in front of me to escape a baying dog.

Good Day on The Wacissa

This is the Wacissa River in November on a brilliant although
chilly day as I begin my paddle about 10:30am this morning. It seems like a long long time since I have been on the river.
This fluffed up hawk was holding court at Cassidy Spring.
This fella was one of the few fisherman I saw today.

The Great Blue Herons were numerous but somewhat more skittish than usual.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Florida Folk Festival 2007

Liliane Nerette Louis
Jerry Carris
Veronika Jackson and Gar Boling
Linda Fackeldey and Dale Webber

Florida Folk Festival 2007


Family and Friends of Steve Blackwell in tribute to Steve
Stetson Kennedy, Dale Crider and Frank Thomas look on
Maggie Flagg and Buck Snelson
Birthday girl Laurel

Julie, Colleen, Julia, the little poppett, Doug Gauss and Rebecca

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Changing of The Watch:The Commodores

That fella in the red tie is not an FBI agent. That's my dad's great freind Don !
My dad is second from the left next to his other great friend Freddy.
Here's Fred smiling as he receives a gift!
And here's the parental units, still going strong at 83 and 84!