The Florida Scrub Jay is endemic to Florida. than means it is found within the confines of Florida and no where else. Since there is only one Florida endemic bird, technically we saw all of the endemic birds of Florida in one day! Right after the launch we drove over to Buck Lake and after a bit of searching we found the Florida Scrub Jay. Huzzah! There are very pretty birds and not shy in any way. They even followed us for the next 15 minutes as we started to loop back to the car. We then went to the other side of the preserve where I saw some bobwhites and a white eyed vireo.
The sun is still not up
A long stretch before the protected habitat
White Tailed Deer
Road #1
A red shouldered hawk
The golden sunrise
ahabitat for the Scrub Jay
Big pine cones
Eastern Towhee
Scrub Jay a lifebird
This was one of a group of four that followed us for 15 minutes
Scrubby Jay
Even up in the pine tree
A Northern Parula peeking out from behind the trunk
These trees were blooming
Looks like a kind of magnolia
The primitive camping site is very primitive indeed
Common ground dove
Hibiscis flowers
Miore flowers
What tracks are these? Bears, bobcat or maybe a panther
Glorious butterfly
Fly dragonfly, fly
A very odd dark colored anthill
This small mocking bird has commandeered an osprey nest
A great perch to sing out to the world
More butterflies
In the center of the picture is the best picture of the bobwhite that I was able to get. Lifebird #2
An entire field of hibiscus flowers
A blue dragonfly
Here is the elusive white eyed vireo. Life bird #3 for the day
This area was set aside because the water here starts the St. Johns River
Hop grasshopper, hop
An observation tower
Apparently these boaters were able to access this lake
Two different kayaks
Their truck was somehow able to access the road
The buzards are circling...
Still a long hot stretch to get back to the car
Follow the Converse tracks
