The Outdoorsman (Fish, Feathers & Fur)

The hermit crab is a decapod, which is an order of crustaceans within the class that includes such as crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns, and shrimp. However, they are not related to true crabs. Hermit crabs are often found in tidal pools or in the intertidal zone. Hermit crabs are invertebrates, animals without a backbone.

The largest tree squirrel native to North America is the Fox Squirrel, also known as the Eastern Fox Squirrel, Bryant’s Fox Squirrel, and the Delmarva Fox Squirrel. They are also referred to as the raccoon squirrel, monkey-faced squirrel and the stump-eared squirrel.

The American red squirrel is one of two species of tree squirrels are also known as pine squirrels, North American red squirrels, and Chickarees. They should not be confused by the Eurasian red squirrels. Since the ranges of The American Red Squirrel and the Eurasian Red Squirrel are unique, they are both commonly referred to as red squirrels where they bare native.

The Grey Squirrel, also known in other regions as the Eastern Grey Squirrel is another tree squirrel. It is native to the eastern and Midwestern United States, south to eastern Texas and Florida as well as to the provinces in the southern part of eastern Canada, New Brunswick to Manitoba.

Among the beautiful extic birds of nature is the Roseate Spoonbill. In a little while, I'll tell you about a local one, byt in gweneral, the Roseate Spoonbill is characterized by long legs, a long neck, and a long, spatula-like bill.

Have you noticed? Haven’t you seen it? Surely you must have had a hint that a blush of green has started to replace the browns and grays of winter. Unquestionably spring is on its way. Every day should get greener by the hour. Buds will be breaking open and the prettiest time of the year will be here in full splendor before you know it. Welcome to the world of the Meleagris gallopavo osceola, more commonly reffered to as the Osceola Wild Turkey.

The Florida mink is one of several furry, dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals and actually are related to the members of the weasel family that includes ferrets, otters, martens and badgers. Minks are generally found throughout Canada and North America in lakes, rivers and marshes. The population of these animals has decreased in number over the past five decades, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Florida Rabbits and Hares Rabbits are jumping mammals with relatively large hind legs, long ears, and short tails. Like many rodents, rabbits have a pair of long, chisel-like upper incisors. They also have a second pair of incisors behind the first set.

Rabbits eat food plants including elms, grapes, hawthorns, blue phlox, and ash. There are three different types of rabbits in Florida: 1. The black tailed jackrabbit;  2. The eastern cottontail;  3. The marsh rabbit.

Courtesy photos/Wikipedia. Far left, a red tail hawk carries a snake up to a place for a forthcoming meal. At near left, a red tail hawk looks for rodents.

Each day, as I drive the rural roads on the way home, I usually see one or more red-tailed hawks on any given day.

Photo by William L. Newton/Darling NWR. This adult osprey is about to feast on fish.

Almost everyone being by the water has witnessed a brown bird with white markings on its belly hovering over the water, then swooping down to the water and then fly upwards again with a fish in its talons.