Nature

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Take a leisurely paddle on Peach Creek in South Walton County

Four-mile paddle offers views of native flora and fauna Located in the historic Point Washington area of Walton County, Peach Creek offers a pleasant paddle exploring nature. The enjoyable, four-mile journey takes you along a wetland forest shoreline of TiTi, red maple, and slash pine trees along with highbush blueberries and saw palmetto. Coastal water birds such as pelicans, gulls, cormorants and seagulls are abundant along with raptors such as osprey and swallow-tailed kites. You might also discover an alligator...

Beach mouse research volunteers needed Mar. 26 and 27

Learn about the beach mouse as you assist in research Margo Stoddard a University of Florida researcher needs lots of volunteers to help out this Mar. 26 and 27 with her beach mouse project.  The project will consist of planting vegetation (broomsedge) in different spatial configurations.  The objective of this study is to examine the influence of vegetation patch size on beach mouse activity (movement and foraging), and/or installing foraging trays in the field; foraging trays for this study are clear plastic...

Nature lovers flock to Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival

A day of exploring wildlife enjoyed by young and old The St. Joe Company hosted a day of exploring wildlife Mar. 19, 2011 at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek in Panama City Beach. Highlights of the annual Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival included excursions and wildlife exhibitions. One of the excursions was a journey into the Wetappo Creek Conservation area. This 1,600 acre-area contains the largest stand of old-growth long leaf pine timber in Gulf County. Participants enjoyed viewing endangered...

Watch for the super full moon March 19

Perigee moon biggest in almost 20 years On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It’s a super “perigee moon”- the biggest in almost 20 years. “The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993,” says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC. “I’d say it’s worth a look.” Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the...

Osprey at work on Lake Powell

Raptor takes flight with fresh catch An osprey takes flight over Lake Powell with a freshly caught mullet. This photo was taken by master naturalist and avid photographer Emily Ellis. Emily is active in the Lake Powell Community Alliance.  The alliance is a community initiative dedicated to preserving the water quality and biodiversity of the globally rare and imperiled Lake Powell ecosystem through education, habitat restoration, watershed-based planning and community partnerships. The Lake Powell Community Alliance is part of LAKEWATCH....