Lake Wales Ridge - Royce Unit - Lake Placid, FL - Ridge Rangers Photo Blitz

Julie and I joined the Ridge Rangers on a Photo Blitz adventure. We arrived in time for a7:00 a.m. sunrise over the marsh. Beautiful (we drove for about 39 minutes from Sebring to Royce Road in Lake Placid). Witnessed the color changes. Saw three Snail Kites so it was registered as a breeding ground! Also saw a family of sand cranes flying in and landing in the marsh. Julie recorded her observations by close up photographs of the flowers she found. After an hour we followed the group into the hardwood hammock and found: Shell Ginger, Florida Jasmine, Air Pine, and pea plants, etc. We then boarded the trucks and traveled down the road to the Savannah. This is open prairie with sedge, grasses, and wildflowers. Tall pines in the distance with morning mist rising. Saw two sand cranes, hawks, and insects. Also Lady Tresses orchid. We then boarded the truck for the uphill ride to the top of the Lake Wales Ridge to the sugar sand scrub area. The area had been burned about three years ago. We observed and tried to photograph the scrub jays. We took photographs of: saw palmettos, pawpaws, prickly pears, oaks, rosemary, etc. We also helped monitor and record data on restoration area oak saplings. After a rest we continued back to the Center, stopping to see Gopher Turtle burrows, Blue Lupines, and other flowers and trees. It was a long and full day for us.

Posted on May 13, 2017 05:15 PM by nancyjmorrissey