Summer Road-trip: South Dakota

With a long weekend ahead we packed up the car and hit to the road north to South Dakota. We traveled the winding hills of green prairie for 5 hours and then we were at camp.  At first light we drove the 5 minutes up to Mount Rushmore.  Surprisingly, we enjoyed the Presidents and the sculptor did a wonderful job of using the natural rock design in creating this one of a kind memorial.

After that we hit the road to explore the Black Hills.  Our only life bird of the trip came next after breakfast where we were given 2 beautiful Red Crossbills.  Then we kept on driving the scenic highways that flow in and out of Custer State Park.

Little Baba Ghanoush had her first experience swimming - the water was frightfully cold but she did well.

The Needles Highways proved to be everything it was hyped up to be.  We went through single lane tunnels, switchbacked by beautiful pinnacles, and enjoyed the scenery.

Some of the tunnels were exceptionally tight but that just added to the mystery.  After a fun day of hiking, driving, and sightseeing we went back to camp and enjoyed a relaxing evening by Grizzly Creek.

Notable birds of Grizzly Creek Campground: Black-headed Grosbeak, Pine Siskins, Violet-green Swallows, Western Tanager, Common Nighthawk, and an Empid flycatcher that gave me quite a show.  I believe it's a Western Wood-Pewee after inspection, please let me know in the comments if you think my little one may be of another variety. 

Middle School Trip to the Everglades

Back in December I took a few 8th graders camping in Everglades National Park.  These urban Miami kids often don't take advantage of the diverse ecosystem in their backyards.  We set out with 4 kids, their teacher, and me as the chauffeur of the mini-van and the naturalist.

First stop was Anhinga Trail where the vultures were everywhere.  Some may not be fans but I really enjoy vultures.  I find them a fascinating lot of birds and this is a great place to see them up-close.  Just watch out when they start their hissing.

We transversed the national park with stops along the way.  We played a few games, checked out some of the wildlife, and finally ended our journey at Flamingo campground to set up our homes for the night.  We were greeted by the resident Osprey.

The middle schoolers lost interest in being outdoors when the mosquitos came to play and I don't blame them because they were pretty intense.  Fortunately, a VERY friendly Red-shouldered Hawk came to visit the campsite and provided the group with some great hunting tips.  We watched the hawk catch lizards literally feet away.  It was a great experience for the students and one I enjoyed as well.

We may not have converted any Miami kids into nature lovers and yes, that photo is from our departure day where you would think they would be accustomed to wildlife, but we did provide some real South Florida experiences.  When I leave South Florida, I will miss Everglades National Park.  I love the birding, the camping opportunities, and the unknown.  Every time I visit this park something provides me with one of those awe moments.  I may not love South Florida with the traffic and urban sprawl but I love the Everglades, the birds, and the teaching opportunitites.

A Birders Wishlist

For this holiday season I thought I would share some of my favorite items that I use in my outdoor and birding pursuits.  I don't get any type of compensation in this endorsement, just thought I would share some of the best of the best (in my opinion) and maybe help inspire you with any last minutes gift purchases you may have for those adventurous souls.

The pStyle.  If you're an outdoorsy lady then you should have this item.  I bought one for my mom for mother's day this year and she has put it to good use.  Mine was a gift from last holiday season and it's one of my most treasured camping and birding companionments.

Looking for a book for that fellow birding pal.  Look no further because everyone should own a copy of The Crossley ID Guide.  It's a great coffee table book or one that you may use for further ID study.  I loved using it this year to pick up on small ID tidbits and the photos are stunning.

Swarovski Opitk has some killer binoculars and scopes.  I use the CL Companions and would highly recommend them to any traveler, birder, or avid wildlife enthusiast.  The small compact size allows you to carry them anywhere without creating a heavy load and the price is less than a pair of ELs.

This holiday season you should keep your feet dry and ready for the trails.  I love Merrell shoes and Chameleon Ventilator Goretex is one of my favorites.  I have had a couple of pairs but they will last the long-haul.  Try them next time you want a low hiking boot that is fit for rugged trails, urban parks, and tough terrain.  I especially like how they keep your feet feeling dry.

Now that you have the best shoes out there you should be wearing the best socks.  I have been a long-time fan of Smartwool and continue to wear them everyday.  Some of my Smartwools are almost 10 years old and they are still kicking it.  Pick up a pair at your local outdoor store or you sometimes can find them discounted online.

I love camping in my local parks and I've done more car camping recently since I've moved to Florida.  Maybe it's the perks of car camping that has caused this next item to be one of my favorite new camping accessories but I must say, I do enjoy the luxury of Coleman's Double-high Air Bed.  It's like sleeping on a pillow and there's not crawling around on the bottom of the tent with the tracked in dirt and dew on the ground.  If you're ready for hardcore car camping, get this item.  You will not regret it!

The American Birding Association is a great organization for birders to join.  I really find the magazines informative and the social media presence rivals any organization I've seen.  I love the open dialog online and the ABA blog.  You should consider joining today!

And of course, you should donate to your local park or nature center.  I already gave my yearly giving to the non-profit partner at my nature center, The Friends of Green Cay Nature Center, Inc.  They give scholarships to the local high school students, provide materials to operate and run the nature center, and also provide meaningful festivals and events for the South Florida region.  Donate to your local park or to mine! 

Everglades Birding/Camping

November is the month when cool weather finally reaches South Florida.  Andy, Rosana, Emily, Charlie, and I packed up and got ready for our first camping trip of the Fall.  We were prepared and stoked but maybe we didn't realize that even though the weather is nice, the mosquitoes would be out in full force.  Regardless we survived the first night and woke up the next morning to a nice relaxing temperature.  We first headed out to Lucky Hammock and the Annex.  The wind was blowing a little but not enough for the quiet hammocks.  It was strange how little bird activity we found.  Emily did see her lifer Eastern Phoebe and we saw a multitude of Kestrels. 

Next we headed to Anhinga trail.  I couldn't believe how high the water levels were but it resulted in little bird activity or alligators in sight.  We did see a few waders but missed on the Purple Gallinule.

A quick walk through the hammock trail only yielded us a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  It was a slow morning but it felt good to be outside and hiking around.

At the Gate 15 mound we had a flock of Blue-winged Teal, a young Bald Eagle, and more waders.  It was a beautiful bright blue day but low on birds.  By this time we were starving and headed back towards Long Pine Key.

Charlie, our every faithful mutt seemed very content in the car and taking short walks at our breaks.  I couldn't believe how well behaved she was while we were gone.  I am sure she took a few naps.

After lunch we headed towards Flamingo.  At Mrazik Pond we had some excitement with a Redhead and a Gadwall mixed in with the teal and coots.

Once at Flamingo we were exhausted so we took a nap near the marina and watched the thousands of Turkey Vultures stream out across the Florida Bay.  It was entertaining and a much needed rest.  Near the amphitheater we found a Western Kingbird on one of the camp grills. 

Down by the shoreline Emily had her lifer American Avocets.  These little dainty birds always delight me.  I love that upturned bill and slender features.  Mixed in were some Willet and a few peeps.

We ended our day with another night camping.  I can't say it was the most pleasant due to all the mosquito/ant bites but for the first camping trip of the season, I thought it was successful.  Many thanks to Andy and Rosana who outdid themselves and brought the BEST camping food EVAH.  Thanks guys!

Ginnie Springs Camping II

After my trip to Ginnie Springs, I was eager to go back for another float down the river.  When Emily was back from Colorado we decided to make a weekend trip and show a mountain girl how to camp in summertime Florida.  We selected the weekend that Hurricane Irene was supposed to make landfall on our coast but instead she steam plowed up the eastern seaboard and skipped Florida.  This was perfect for our weekend plans so we set out on a Friday and arrived to a mostly empyt campground. 

This was a drastically different experience than my last camping trip to Ginnie Springs. The campground was quiet and peaceful.  We even found a campsite right by the Santa Fe with NO ONE in eyesight.  It was amazing! 

Scores of animal life was around us this time around.  We saw a raccoon, a Gray Fox, Emily's lifer Prothonotary Warbler, and many other birds.  Each morning a Carolina Wren would fly around our campsite singing joined by Tufted Titmouse and a White-eyed Vireo.  Also by the fallen trees we found mushrooms and centipedes.  My favorite non-bird sighting of the weekend was a striking Luna Moth by the bathrooms.

As always, it was a lovely camping trip with Ms. Lark.  We spent our days lazily floating downstream and swimming in the springs.  The perfect weekend getaway.  I am in love a little with the springs of Florida.  If you haven't been, they are nice any time of year.  Refreshing to swim in during the summer and if you come to Florida in the winter they are the perfect refuge for Manatees.  You can't go wrong either way.

Michigan Camping

Our mini-Jekyll reunion took place near Ludington, Michigan this summer.  Katie, Melanie, Heather and I all met up near the lake for some camping and catching up.  We consumed some beverages, mostly beer.  We went to a few bars: The Mitten Bar being my favorite but The Rail treated us well too.  And we explored Ludington State Park.  The big lake was cold but invigorating and I enjoyed swimming with some of my favorite ladies in the big icey pool.  We also had some lounging times at another small lake but probably the best part of the trip was just hanging out at the campfire.  I loved our campsite and the weather was perfect for being outdoors.  I can't wait until the next reunion with these fine folks!

Best bird of the campsite: Least Flycatcher

Best beer of the campsite: New Holland Mad Hatter