Road trip to St Augustine!

My daughter's visit continued.  We started out in Flagler beach and headed to Fort Matanzas. Since it's founding in 1565, the military outpost town of St Augustine had been the heart of Spain's coastal defenses  in Florida. After the big Fort Castillo de Marcos was competed in 1695, the town had only one weakness, the Matanzas Inlet. Beginning with Francis Drake's raid on St Augustine in 1586 England had repeatedly harassed the Spanish colony. so to prevent the British controlling the inlet Fort Matanzas was built in 1742, and it was maned by only 7 solders but their canons drove off 12 ships from England and no ship got passed the fort. but as part of the treaty of Paris ending the french and Indian war, Florida was transferred to Britain in 1763. after that the fort was not maintained.  when the United States took possession in 1821, the Fort was never occupied again. 

It was a very small fort and so surprising what a big part of history it had in Florida.

Our trip continued to the St Augustine Lighthouse. Notice the look on my daughter's face she is yelling hurry and take picture, my sunburn legs are burning. So our time at lighthouse was short and sweet. So we continued on to the Fort Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine.  Our time there was even shorter than the lighthouse so we decided to head home.

On our was home we were passing the Alligator Farm Zoological Park and my daughter said she really wanted to see the alligators so we stopped. And that is when the fun began.  Not only was there alligators but a great bird sanctuary and crocodiles.

I was most impressed with the birds. so many and so beautiful. so before we watch the feeding of the alligators we spent quite a bit of time watching the birds. In the mean time my daughter had to keep putting water on her legs for the sunburn.

 From the birds we went to watch the feeding of the gators and what a show that was. They were very active and it was a good show.  So after a long day and lots we saw we headed for home and another day in my daughter vacation here in Florida. i am so hoping she is enjoying her time here. She deserves a good time. And I am enjoying having her. I really miss my family and spending time with her has been great.

Visit from my daughter Theresa from Maine!

My deaf daughter from Bangor Maine, made a trip down here to Flagler Beach to visit her dear old mom. It was the first vacation she has had in years.

So we started it off with a trip to the beach where she got burnt to a crisp. So today we are taking a day off so she can heal. She has spent the most of the day with her soaking in vinegar baths. We did do alittle shopping for gifts for her to take home. Then alittle lunch. Tomorrow we head out sightseeing!

My favorite Hobby!

Taking pictures is something I have always loves. Whether it was of the family at get to togethers or traveling around the United States, or cruising in the tropics, or just walking the beach daily at sunrise.

But for the first time, I am getting more serious about it. I joined a group of artist on a site called Redbubble.com and I have submitted my work to be sold and I even entered in a couple of contest.

I would have never done this before but i am hooked and I keep striving to be better and I think I am improving every day.

I was never talented at much of anything, but I feel I have a eye for a good shot and now I am always looking for a shot that will be good enough to submit to Rebubble.

So wish me luck as I strive to be a better photographer.

Roseate Spoonbill rare sighting in our marsh Flagler B!each

 

The roseate spoonbill can be found on the coasts of Texas, Louisiana and southern Florida. It is also found in the tropics and in Central and South America
 
Well, I had a wonderful surprise this morning for my morning walk. In the Marsh instead of the usually birds there was a flock of Roseate Spoonbill. These birds are normally found in South Florida! Not this far north.

One of the most wonderful things I love living here in Florida are the wildlife especially the exotic birds. A walk on a warm Florida morning and you never know what you might see. Thanks be to God!


Habitat


The roseate spoonbill lives in mangrove swamps, tidal ponds, saltwater lagoons and other areas with brackish water. Diet

The roseate spoonbill spends a lot of its time in shallow water feeding. It sweeps its open bill from side to side in the water to sift up food like small fish, shrimp, mollusks, snails and insects. It has touch receptors in its bill that help it feel its prey. Like the flamingo, the roseate spoonbill's pink color comes from the food it eats. Some of the crustaceans it eats feed on algae that give the spoonbill's feathers their rosy pink color.



Life Cycle

The roseate spoonbill nests in colonies. Males and females pair off for the breeding season and build a nest together. They build large nests of sticks lined with grass and leaves. The nests are built in trees. The female spoonbill lays two to four eggs. Both the female and the male incubate the eggs. The chicks hatch in about three weeks and fledge in around 35 to 42 days. Both the male and female feed the chicks until they are about eight weeks old. Young roseate spoonbills have white feathers with a slight pink tinge on the wings. They don't reach maturity until they are three years old.



Behavior

Roseate spoonbills are very social. They live in large colonies with other spoonbills, ibises, storks, herons, egrets and cormorants. Roseate spoonbills fly in flocks in long diagonal lines with their legs and neck stretched out.



The roseate spoonbill population was once threatened by hunting. In the mid-to-late 1800s its feathers were used in ladies' hats and fans. The population was also threatened by loss of habitat due to drainage and pollution in its habitat. By the early 20th century, the population had shrunk to only a few dozen nesting pairs in the United States. Special protected areas were set aside for them and in the 1940s they were made a protected species. Over time the population recovered and today the roseate spoonbill is no longer a protected species.






Images are by Lee Page but info was from google facts.

Turtle Fest and Sea Turtle Release Flagler Beach Florida!

Well, I attended the 4th Annual Turtle Fest and turtle release today in Flagler Beach. Flagler always has sometime cool that goes on all year long, and this was one of the coolest.  The Fest had tons of entertainment, bands, belly dancers, Tortoise races, Games, face painting, and the most important thing. The release of a Sea Turtle that was rescued during the hard winter we had here in Florida.

This was the first turtle release I have ever seen and it felt wonderful to see the turtle being released given a second chance. I love how Flagler does all they can for the turtles and for all wild life.  I do love living in this small beach town.

I have loved the beach all my life, but how you live in this small beach town is wonderful. You know almost everyone and you get to enjoy the ocean without the huge crowds.  I do love Flagler Beach and the people here.