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Author Archives: Teri J Pieper

From Winter to Fire Season

Before we left on vacation, there was still a foot and a half of snow in our yard. Our road went from slush to ice to mud depending on the temperature each day. Walking was difficult because the snow was soft and wet.

When we returned on Sunday the snow was all gone and wildflowers were starting to bloom. We were grateful for spring.

Yesterday, all that changed. Someone’s burning brush pile got away and fire raced up the hillside pushed by high afternoon winds. As I drove home from town I could see the flames on the hillside above our house and I could see that our neighbor’s place was threatened. I wondered if there would be a road block and worried about the dog that was still in the house. In my driveway I found a person in a phone company truck who had been knocking on doors to warn people. When he realized no one was home and there was a barking dog inside, he stayed in case he needed to get her out of the house. There were many fire trucks and firefighters already in place and a bulldozer too. Their response and hard work kept the fire from spreading more. Our neighbor’s place was spared because he has a good sized expanse of gravel around it.

Hopefully the bitterbrush and wildflowers will come back and we won’t see an invasion of noxious weeds.

 

The scene from here on March 27

 

It was a hot fire that luckily, was contained by hard work and lots of water.

 

At the neighbor’s place. The burning pile in the background used to be five cords of firewood.

 

The fire burned all around his place

 

Our house is down the hill from this point 

 

 

Here is a link to a video of the fire and firefighting efforts.

 

Exploring the Cypress Swamps

We spent a day visiting Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Six Mile Cypress Preserve. Both places were full of wildlife and exotic (to us) plants and trees. They also feature boardwalks for safe and dry walking conditions. Also lots of good interpretive material to teach us about this exotic place. Much of Florida is developed for human habitation so these preserves represent small islands of what Florida used to be.

 A Red-shouldered Hawk, related to, but smaller than Red-tailed Hawk

We saw lots of kinds of turtles. I think these two are cooters

Watch out for this guy

Lunch?

Somehow the turtle escaped!

I think he was giving the wildlife watchers the evil eye because most of us were rooting for the turtle.

I need to find out the name of this snake. We saw several black racers but this one has a pattern on its face so it must be some other species.

Butterflies are so hard to photograph

I loved seeing the air plants and bromeliads in their native habitats!

Wood Stork

Green Heron

There were lots of kinds of fish. Some are introduced species, dumped out of people’s aquariums.

Another kind of turtle whose name escapes me. Ken will remember.

I think this one is a painted turtle like the ones that live here.

Lizards were always rustling in the brush. Also hard to photograph.

 

Little Blue Heron

Common Moorhen, similar to an American Coot

Yellow-crowned Nightheron

Small alligator, less than three feet long.

The egret in front was chased all over this pond by the other egret and a heron. We couldn’t figure out why its presence was not appreciated.

Glossy Ibis, very similar to White-faced Ibis

Coming in for a landing

Anhinga

The Anhinga uses its tail as a rudder underwater

White Ibis

Anhinga and turtle in the late afternoon sun

White Bird Pond

After two and a half weeks on the road, we are back at home in the Methow Valley. Here, a warm day is sixty degrees and wildflowers are beginning to bloom and the snow is gone. The trip to the southeast was quite an adventure taking us, mostly me, to new places and climates; seeing new birds and other wildlife.

All of these images came from one small pond at the Six Mile Cypress Preserve near Fort Meyers. It has been a dry winter and spring in Florida so birds are concentrated in some locations. This pond was maybe fifty yards across and when we arrived there were at least 70 white birds and one Great Blue Heron. The white birds were White Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Wood Storks.

 

Lots of end of the day grooming

 

 

 

Spanish moss makes for an especially pretty stick. It might even attract a mate.

 

 

I wonder if she will like me if I bring her a stick?

 

Yup, still gorgeous.

 

Every feather in its place

 

 

This one took grooming lessons from a dog I think.

 

 

 

These Wood Storks in the trees above us were very restless, constantly moving about. The two are engaged in active noisy bill clacking at each other. I don’t know if that means they like each other or they don’t like each other.

 

 

 

 

Beach Life

It agreed with us

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We have arrived

After ten days of travel we have arrived at our destination – Sanibel Island. What a place to be! We are feeling very grateful for this gift.

We stayed last night at Crystal River so Ken could experience swimming with manatees and then drove the remaining 230 miles of our 1400 mile road trip.

After unpacking we walked to the beach on a trail that crossed a slough. There, I was hoping to maybe see a new bird. The first thing I noticed was big and gray. With barnacles on its back. A manatee! We shared the sighting with others walking by. And I did see a new bird there – a Green Heron. This, along with Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons that I saw this morning and the White-rumped Sandpiper at the rest area by the cool bridge AND the Wood Stork along the freeway made for a good bird day.

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The cool bridge across Tampa Bay

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I know you can’t see it but there is a manatee on the far shore

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And on this image there is an Osprey. I am impressed by their numbers and that they are not bothered by human activity in this part of the world

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To the beach

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Gulf waters on my feet. So warm. I have never before felt warm ocean water.

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My first Sanibel shell

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White Ibises

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Thank you Paul and Corly