Nature

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Local naturalist achieves success with bluebird breeding program

2008 season brings 317 bluebird fledglings Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay in Freeport, has been running a bluebird breeding program to increase the numbers of these beautiful indigenous birds. The success has been quite good. In 2008, the program recorded 317 bluebird fledglings, which resulted in a success rate of 77.78%. The program also resulted in 10 Carolina Chickadee fledglings, and 3 Brown-headed Nuthatch fledglings. Joe is looking for Hammock Bay resident volunteers to help with the 2009 program....

Watch for Great Florida Birding Trail signs in the Panhandle

New signs installed in the Panhandle area of trails The 2,000-mile Great Florida Birding Trail reaches another milestone with the installation of the Panhandle section road signs this month. Signs will mark each of the designated sites along the trail. The Great Florida Birding Trail is a conservation program initiated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in response to the rapidly expanding sport of bird watching.  More than 485 exceptional sites throughout Florida have been chosen based...

Eden lights up for the holidays

The historic Wesley House decorated through the holidays One of the most beautiful parks in Walton County sits along Tucker Bayou in Point Washington in Southern Walton County. Large moss covered live oaks, gardens, walking trails and panoramic views of the bayou provide a visual delight for the visitor to this dynamic and historic State Park. The focal point of the park is a newly repainted mansion – the two-story Wesley house with large white columns and wrap-around porch. Originally...

Florida Trail hike at Nokuse

Hike the new Nokuse trail just north of Bruce Take a hike on the newly opened Nokuse section of the Florida Trail on Lafayette Creek  Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. Join the Florida Trail Association for a hike on the Nokuse section.  Choose either 3 miles or 9.9 miles.  For more information: (850) 682-6098 or http://choctaw.floridatrail.org...

Venture Walton: Wildlife finds new habitat in Freeport

Sharp-shinned hawk and flying squirrels released at Hammock Bay Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay in Freeport shared a recent morning with me to witness the release of a rehabilitated sharp-shinned hawk and four juvenile flying squirrels. Lisa Miller of Wildlife Rehabilitators in Niceville recently rehabilitated the animals. When the animals were healed, Lisa handed them off to Joe for release back into the wild. The sharp-shinned hawk was discovered with a cut between her wings. The cause of the...

Journey to the Shoal Sanctuary

The Shoal Sanctuary in Mossy Head is an unusual and peaceful place in north Walton County. Owned by Robert and Chris Larson, the sanctuary is a place of refuge from a busy life. In 2000 the couple acquired land adjacent to their 16-acres and began reforestation and creating trails. Long-leaf pine, ash magnolia, Torreya pine and other native trees have been planted to restore the land. There is much to experience around the grounds and along the trails of the...

Florida National Scenic Trail at Nokuse celebrated

New Florida Trail open from Choctawhatchee River to Eglin A.F.B. Trail lovers from around the area celebrated the opening of the new 20 mile stretch of the Florida National Scenic Trail’s Nokuse Plantation and the Lafayette Creek tract on Oct. 25. Completion of this section of hiking trail closes a significant gap in the 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail that winds along a wilderness corridor the length of Florida. Hikers can explore natural Florida and learn about the area’s biodiversity...