Tag Archive | Lake Tsala Apopka
Boat-tailed Grackles Evoke Nostalgia
One of my fondest memories is being greeted by the calls of boat-tailed grackles at the Florida welcome center after driving nearly a thousand miles from New York. The calls along with the warm Florida sunshine signified an escape from the cold wintry weather of the north and the start of our family vacation. Boat-tailed […]
The Bird That Swims With Its Feet
During a recent kayak trip on Lake Tsala Apopka, Florida, I heard the cackling call of the common gallinule coming from a freshwater wetland bordering the pond. As I glided towards the marshland I saw two adults with two nearly fledged chicks swimming amongst water lilies and reeds. To a novice, the common gallinule may […]
Creature From Down Under
During a recent walk near Lake Tsala Apoka, Anne spots a strange creäture clinging to the edge of the sidewalk. I look down to see an insect with large eyes and claw-like legs. This weird-looking bug is a cicada nymph that just crawled out of the ground. Cicadas are those insects you hear buzzing from […]
The Beautiful Spider Lily
Crayon green linear leaves sprout from underground bulbs amid the knees of a cypress tree growing in the shallow water at the edge of Lake Tsala Apopka. Amid this attractive foliage, snow white flowers bloom on the end of long green stalks in the Florida sunshine. The blooming of the spider lily is a welcome […]
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