Mar. 15, 2015 - Florida Winter Photos-1

Diana and I stayed on St. George Island, Florida, again this winter. It’s a barrier island about in the middle of the Florida panhandle. At the house where we stayed, we saw this Green Anole sunning itself on the deck. It is a native species found in the southeastern states. We were impressed by its really long tail. Green Anoles can be 5 to 8 inches long and the tail can be 60-70% of the total length.

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This close-up photo shows the very colorful head of the anole. It has the ability to change its skin color to brown in dark surroundings.

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One day, as I backed the car out of our driveway, I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and searched for several minutes before I spotted this Ghost Crab. It ran from the asphalt road onto the gravel driveway of the house across the street where it was so well hidden, it almost disappeared. When I was in Costa Rica, I was told that Ghost Crabs are significant predators of baby sea turtles.

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The Cape San Blas lighthouse was in danger of being toppled by beach erosion. So, on July 15, 2014, it and the three buildings in the foreground were moved to a park in Port St. Joe, Florida. As you might expect, it’s a big job to move a lighthouse. Further information and aerial photos about the move can be seen at http://www.capesanblaslight.org/ .

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Here’s a photo of a Wilson’s Snipe taken at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The bird measures about 10½ inches. Its long bill is used to probe in soft soil looking for earthworms.

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Diana and I were driving through Ochlockonee River Sate Park when we saw this deer with an unusual color pattern. Mammals with a variable white and dark spotted coat are called piebald. A pinto horse is a good example of this condition, which is caused by a genetic mutation. Piebald deer are quite rare; less than 1% of White-tailed Deer are piebald.

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