SDP Meets SDP

Well, this is what happens when Sarasota Daily Photo (left) meets Sequim Daily Photo in Sequim, Washington.  Would you expect anything less?!  The entire SDP team was given a very warm welcome by Kay and her DH.  What a pleasure to meet both in person!  They were hospitable and gracious, welcoming us (chilled) Floridians with tasty homemade soup before we ventured out for a tour of the area (cameras in hand, of course).  Although it was overcast and drizzling on and off while we toured, the sheer natural beauty of the area was evident.  Almost immediately, we spotted bald eagles -- much to our delight.

This is an adult bald eagle with two juveniles.  (To me, the two juvies looked like vultures, so it was very helpful to have Kay and DH's discerning eyes.)  Then, a short distance away...

....we encountered this guy hanging out in a tree along the road.  He didn't mind us walking up quite close.  He appeared to be having a good stare over the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

This is the general area the eagle was watching over.  As one who adores lighthouses, this part of Sequim fascinated me.  This is the New Dungeness lighthouse.  You can get there by hiking five (5) miles across, what I believe Kay and DH said, is the longest natural spit in the U.S.  Wow!  Had time permitted, the SDP team would've happily taken on that challenge!

We visited several places that Kay has blogged about, like the Dungeness Recreation Area and Port Williams (shown here).  The bluffs, driftwood, flat stones (good for skipping!) and grey skies here  reminded me a lot of the Upper Peninsula in Michigan.

During our outing, Kay and DH gave us the inside skinny on what's going on in the community such as a proposal to possibly privatize John Wayne marina.  Sure hope it remains publicly owned at the very least.  It seems like a wonderful community asset.

I kept saying, 'Oh, yeah...I saw this posted on your blog!'   Case in point:  this lovely bucolic scene.  

Our time was limited, but we made the most of it, visiting many areas in Sequim and enjoying good conversation.  Before departing, the entire SDP team even was treated to a behind the scenes peek at the other SDP global headquarters.  Nice!  Thanks again for the hospitality -- very enjoyable!

On the Move

The SDP team has been on the move and is fresh back from an incredible visit to the Pacific Northwest, which included a wonderful meet-up with a fellow City Daily Photo blogger. More on that tomorrow! 

But, first, let's check in and confirm that all's well in Sarasota. With Easter in the rearview mirror, it seems many of our seasonal residents have returned up north (probably much to their chagrin based on the snowy conditions I'm seeing on the news) and the roads and beaches here are a bit easier to navigate.

I stopped by Lido Beach after work last Friday night and seeing the above scene, my curiosity was piqued (again): What is it with boys and seabirds?  It seems they can't resist chasing a flock of birds resting on the beach.  In this case, though, these were black skimmers which are protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Florida threatened species list. So, after watching this large flock of skimmers being startled into flight, swooping around, and landing only for the cycle to repeat itself several more times, I began contemplating whether I should explain to the boys that their playful exuberance was probably quite stressful for our feathered friends. Fortunately, another beach goer interceded.

 

The boys reacted good naturally, taking it all in stride, and leaving the birds to roost contentedly in the sand.  Hope everyone in the Blogosphere has been doing well.

Out on a Limb

Gosh...this handsome little fellow was tough to shoot!  Flitting from limb to limb, it barely sat still for two seconds. I could have spent hours chasing it!  Not 100 percent sure, but I believe it's a prairie warbler. Spotted at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary -- with all kinds of other songbirds zipping through the trees.  Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

Quintessential Florida

Alligator reposing on a small island at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.  This is quintessential old Florida at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

 

  Look at those long, sharp claws. And menacing teeth! 

Fun to observe gators in the wild...but always from a safe, healthy distance.

Strangler Fig

Back at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary! This photo has a very interesting backstory. The sanctuary was hit hard by Hurricane Irma and was closed for 3 months while crews cleared out downed trees. One of the downed trees was this cypress. When it was sawed for removal, it was revealed that a strangler fig was growing inside!  Amazing! Typically, you'll see a strangler fig growing like a thick vine around a tree. But, I've never heard -- or seen -- one growing inside a tree. A sanctuary volunteer theorized that a bird probably ate a strangler fig seed and left it behind in some scat, which made its way into a hole within the cypress trunk....and then, voila! Nature truly is amazing. More pics from the swamp to come!

Weekend Look Back

 

Big, blazing sunset on the Caloosahatchee River this past Saturday.

How was your weekend? 

Hope everyone is doing well in the Blogosphere!

Autumn in Winter

Believe it or not, this is what the cypress trees look like now at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Normally, this time of year, the trees are bare. But, look at those fall colors -- amazing! Apparently, Mother Nature is a bit mixed up since Hurricane Irma ripped through here in September, stripping away all the leaves.   They grew back -- like this -- and have stayed on the branches well past the time when they should have fallen.  New buds are supposed to start growing this month, so who knows what's going to happen! More on the affects of Irma here at Corkscrew...coming soon!