northwest florida

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Kayaker shares his fondness for the Panhandle’s Yellow River

Old Yeller This writing is indeed a confession to my great affinity for one of America’s most unsung wilderness rivers – the mighty Yellow – which pulses through Northwest Florida from the Alabama line down to the Gulf of Mexico. For five years I lived within a hundred yards of her banks, and quite often found myself compelled to stride down to the edge and peer into her ever-passing currents, mesmerized by the hour.  This wide (sometimes deep enough to...

American bittern spotted on Lake Powell

Is this an American Bittern or a Green Heron? This beauty, was spotted perched on a dock along Lake Powell Sept. 6. American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) Sun-gazer, the American bittern is called, as well as Stake Driver, Thunder Pump and Mire Drum. The names refer to the bittern’s call, a deep resonant oonk-a-lunk, which has been likened to the bellowing of a bull or a hydraulic machine. It’s odd that a bird this secretive makes such a racket. Since the...

Paddle a tributary of the Choctawhatchee River in Ebro

Enjoy an early morning excursion along the Chain of Lakes If you are looking for an extraordinary paddle to explore the Choctawhatchee River’s tributaries without the powerful current of the river, there is a little known place of incredible beauty near Ebro called the “Chain of Lakes.” This pristine paddle offers a dreamy experience through a canopied corridor of wetland forest. Pileated woodpeckers hammer on the old growth cypress trees which tower above the waterways in grandiose beauty. To explore...

Wildlife abounds along the Chipola River

A peek at Section 1 of the Chipola River Paddling Trail Part of Florida’s Greenways and Trails, the 51-mile Chipola Paddling Trail is the largest tributary of the Apalachicola, and boasts 63 fresh water springs, the largest number of any river shed in Northwest Florida. The trail runs from just south of the Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna in Jackson County, south to just east and south of Clarksville in Calhoun County, Florida. Diverse in flora and fauna, the...

Searching for Diamondback Terrapin turtles in the Florida Panhandle

Local educator studies terrapin population in Northwest Florida As the sun rises on a gulf coast salt marsh there is barely a breeze.  The placid water is slick as glass and resembles a sheet of gray ice.  The only movement is the occasional swirls of mullet and redfish that are awaken as our canoe slides over their evening resting spots.  Osprey whistle and dive searching for a morning breakfast to take back to their nest of chicks that sits on...

Ugh… the dog flies have arrived in the Florida Panhandle

Dog flies a nuisance to both humans and pets from August to November When fall comes to our area, those refreshing weather fronts will move through from the north bringing lower humidity, lower temperatures and the infamous dog fly. The stable fly, known as the dog fly in Northwest Florida, is a blood feeding fly that is a nuisance to man, pets, and livestock. From August through November the dog fly congregates on the Florida Panhandle beaches. This fly originates...

Exhibit hall at E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center nears completion

Designers work on finishing touches at E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center The 28,500 sq. ft. E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is near completion as the designers put the finishing touches to the exhibition hall. Other features of the Center include multi-purpose classrooms, science labs, dioramas, and a 160-seat theater. In addition, visitors to the Center will have an opportunity to learn about the natural environment both indoors and out, along an extensive trail system .9-mile long, with a 610 ft. boardwalk that...