Nature and Animals

GLORIOSA LILY IS A NON-NATIVE, VIGOROUS VINE THAT GROWS FROM A CORM. Mina Edison loved lilies – European Madonna lilies in the Moonlight Garden, waterlilies in her specially constructed lily pond adjacent to the Caloosahatchee River, a host of crinums outside her winter home, to lilies-of-the-valley and trout lilies scattered throughout her Glenmont gardens. Despite […]

LESSER YELLOWLEGS Lesser Yellowlegs are elegant, medium-sized shorebirds with slender bodies, long necks, and bright yellow legs that stay vivid year-round. Males and females look nearly identical, though females have slightly longer wings on average. In breeding plumage, they show bold mottling of gray-brown, white, and black above, with white underparts heavily streaked in brown […]

THE BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER The Black-and-White Warbler is a small songbird about 4 to 5 inches long and weighing about one-half ounce, with a wingspan of up to ten inches. It is boldly patterned in black and white with a striped crown, white eyebrow, black wings with two white wing bars, and a white […]

APRIL ON THE WATER  April may be our top month fishing in the coastal waters of southwest Florida. As we transition into spring, our waters are warming, baitfish have moved in, and fish are hungry. The weather is stable for the month with light winds and mild sunny days, plus not much threat of daily thunderstorms. Also, […]

COTTONMOUTH Cottonmouth (water moccasin) bites can be very dangerous to people and pets due to their potent venom, which often causes severe pain, swelling, and tissue damage. If bitten, seek immediate medical care at a hospital experienced in treating snakebites: Call 911 right away, stay calm, keep the bitten area at heart level, and avoid […]

Nearly a thousand miles east of the coast of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean, sits an archipelago of islands collectively known as the Mascarene Islands. Their isolated nature and lack of humans until about 1507, allowed these volcanic islands to enjoy a vast biodiversity of flora and fauna. Since either the arrival of the Arabs […]

MARCH ON THE WATER With record cold weather over the past couple months behind us we can look forward to warmer days. With luck, March will kick the pattern as we exit winter and move into spring. Spring fishing is looked upon as some of the best of the year with a wide variety of […]

BROWN PELICANS Brown pelicans are large, stocky seabirds with slender necks and extremely long bills. A flexible throat pouch allows them to catch fish. Their wings are long and broad, often appearing bowed as they glide. Adults are gray-brown with yellow heads and white necks. During breeding season, the neck becomes a deep reddish-brown. Immature […]

FEBRUARY ON THE WATER The transition from winter season often changes early in Southwest Florida. Spring will not officially arrive until mid-March, however on the water we are generally appreciating the change of seasons by early to mid-February. Lack of rain through the winter months plus cool water temperatures give us the clearest water of […]

JANUARY ON THE WATER January is our coolest month with water temperature the lowest of the year around Southwest Florida. Just how cold often determines how and where to fish. Over cold and windy days fish head for protected areas like canals, creeks, and deep water on the leeward side of islands. Fishing these areas […]