janson jones
Iguana iguana, the Green iguana; Miami-Dade county, Florida (01 January 2010). A fairly robust male Green iguana throwing out some communicative action in Miami-Dade county. Large males can actually turn fairly orange during the breeding season. This is to impress both females and competing… Continue Reading “Iguana iguana, 01 January 2010”
Anolis cristatellus, the Puerto Rican crested anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (02 September 2011). I have great love for the Puerto Rican crested anole’s dewlap. Such a brilliant splash of tropicalia.
Protambulyx strigilis, the Streaked sphinx; Miami-Dade county, Florida (20 January 2017). The Streaked sphinx ranges throughout peninsular Florida as well as much of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Sphinx moths are always quite dramatic in form, and the Streaked sphinx is no… Continue Reading “Protambulyx strigilis, 20 January 2017”
Anolis equestris, the Cuban knight anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (11 June 2016). Behold! A mighty Cuban knight anole beefing up beautifully on the side of a tree! I really do have a lot of adoration for this particular non-native species. They’re such beefy tanks.… Continue Reading “Anolis equestris, 11 June 2016”
Anolis garmani, the Jamaican giant anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (11 June 2016). I’ll never get tired of my previous-few Jamaican giant anole photos. If memory serves, I’ve seen three of these in south Florida to date. I would like to see more, but this… Continue Reading “Anolis garmani, 11 June 2016”
Pantherophis alleghaniensis, the Eastern (“Everglades”) rat snake; Miami-Dade county, Florida (10 November 2018). When you dip south to the Everglades, our “yellow” rat snakes gradually become the “Everglades” rat snakes. Rather than sporting a yellow base tone, its shifts to a more orange base… Continue Reading “Pantherophis alleghaniensis, 10 November 2018”
Roystonea regia, the Florida royal palm; Miami-Dade county, Florida (21 March 2015). Thes is one of my favorite trees, but it doesn’t quite range to my part of the state. They’re mostly limited in southern Florida, the Caribbean, and much of Central America. Whenever… Continue Reading “Roystonea regia, 21 March 2015”
Nerodia clarkii comperssicauda, the Mangrove salt marsh snake; Miami-Dade county, Florida (07 March 2008). Ah, yes, here’s a ball of Mangrove salt marsh snakes. I was fortunate enough to come across a small swarm of eager males desperately trying to mate with a female.… Continue Reading “Nerodia clarkii compressicauda, 07 March 2008”
Anolis cristatellus, the Puerto Rican crested anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (11 June 2016). A shot of James Stroud gently holding a double-tailed Puerto Rican crested anole in south Florida. This is a non-native species fairly abundant throughout stretches of southern Florida. As for the… Continue Reading “Anolis cristatellus, 11 June 2016”
Celithemis eponina, the Halloween pennant; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Alas, we come to our final shot for the Spring Break 2023 bioblitz roadtrip. After failing miserably at photographing a number of Halloween pennants earlier that day, I was overjoyed… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Celithemis eponina”
Agkistrodon conanti, the Florida cottonmouth; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 While the previous Florida cottonmouth didn’t give me much time or opportunity to snag a shot, this one most certainly did. Found near the edge of Main Park Road in… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Agkistrodon conanti”
Thamnophis saurita sackenii, the Peninsula ribbon snake; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Though this particular night proved to be modest on its snake offerings, I did come across couple of beauties. Featured here is a lovely Peninsula ribbon snake, a… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Thamnophis saurita sackenii”
Agkistrodon conanti, the Florida cottonmouth; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 This is certainly not my best shot of the day, but it is what it is. Featured here is a fairly young Florida cottonmouth getting the hell out of dodge.… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Agkistrodon conanti”
Sunset at Everglades National Park; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 The last hint of sun as it sets over the western portion of the River of Grass at Everglades National Park.
Dusk at Everglades National Park; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Alas, the sun begins to set far to the west of Everglades National Park. I love do love dusk in this region. There’s something deeply warming about the sun sinking through… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Dusk at Everglades National Park”
Tillandsia fasciculata, the Cardinal airplant; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Here’s another shot of yet another fantastic and magnificent Cardinal airplant. What an amazingly beautiful airplant. If I were a lizard, I’d totally live on a Cardinal airplant.
Coluber constrictor paludicola, the Everglades racer; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Typically, racers are very shy and reactive to human presence. This Everglades racer most certainly was not. I suppose it was used to people ambling by on the paved… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Coluber constrictor paludicola”
Ardea herodias, the Great blue heron; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 I always wonder how internally jacked and wound up Great blue herons must be to share the same habitat with American alligators. While this Great blue heron was watching… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Ardea herodias”
Alligator mississippiensis, the American alligator; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 In Everglades National Park, some of the gators really aren’t phased by passersby. This hefty chunk of crocodilia was snoozing comfortably adjacent to the pedestrian trail at Royal Palm. I’d… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Alligator mississippiensis”
Anhinga Trail at Taylor Slough; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 With the sun starting to dip low and the day coming close to its end, I made my way to the Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm in Everglades National Park.… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anhinga Trail at Taylor Slough”
Ardea alba, the Great egret; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I snagged a quick snapshot of this Great egret perched adjacent to a large group of Wood storks. The Great egret is likely one of the most observed species in the… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Ardea alba”
Pseudemys nelsoni, the Florida redbelly turtle; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 This is certainly not a good photograph, but I adore Florida redbelly turtles and don’t want to skip representing them on the Spring Break 2023 feed!
Mycteria americana, the Wood stork; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I’m no stranger to Wood storks. Though considered Threatened in the United States at large, you wouldn’t know it in peninsular Florida; they can be quite abundant down here! Whether you’re… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Mycteria americana”
Chrysobalanus icaco, the Cocoplum; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 The Cocoplum is a bushy tree found along sandy habitats along the coastline. In Florida, they primarily range along the southern coastline of the peninsula, but the species also populates coastal… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Chrysobalanus icaco”
Pa-hay-okee Trail; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 My next stop for the day was Pa-hay-okee Trail, a short but scenic boardwalk trail along the northern stretch of Main Park Road in Everglades National Park. It’s not a very long trail (super… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pa-hay-okee Trail”
Typha domingensis, the Southern cattail; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Lining the edge of Sweet Bay Pond was a lovely mesh of Southern cattail. This shoreline plant is no stranger to Floridians and others in the American Southeast — at least… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Typha domingensis”
Sweet Bay Pond; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 This is Sweet Bay Pond, a borrow pit just east of Main Park Road. Though I haven’t read the background history directly, I suspect Sweet Bay Pond came to being through the… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Sweet Bay Pond”
Near Sweet Bay Pond; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Here’s a shot taken near Sweet Bay Pond in the middle stretch of Main Park Road in the Florida Everglades. This is the typical view of this part of the Everglades —… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Near Sweet Bay Pond”
Plestiodon inexpectatus, the Southeastern five-lined skink; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Pictured here is a lovely Southeastern five-lined skink bagging some morning rays. Our native skink species can be fairly reactive and shy, so I was pleased this one continued to… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Plestiodon inexpectatus”
Coryphaeschna ingens, the Regal darner; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I came across this Regal darner quietly passing the day by upon the side of a tree, waiting for night to come back around. Regal darners are fairly large dragonflies ranging… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Coryphaeschna ingens”
Anolis sagrei, the Cuban brown anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I’d be remiss if I didn’t give credit to the Cuban brown anole in the Everglades portion of this photo stream. A non-native species, the Cuban brown anole has spread… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anolis sagrei”
Vittaria lineata, the Shoestring fern; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 An epiphytic species, the Shoestring fern benignly grows (and dangles) from larger host plant life. It draws its nutrients and water directly from the air and can provide extra habitat coverage… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Vittaria lineata”
Mahogany Hammock Trail; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Mahogany Hammock Trail is a short boardwalk trail looping through a hardwood hammock “island” in Everglades National Park. Whereas much of the area surrounding it open, wet prairie, Mahogany Hammock is densely populated… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Mahogany Hammock Trail”
Acoelorraphe wrightii, the Paurotis palm; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 One of my favorite plant species in Florida is the Paurotis palm, featured here. Though not as abundant as our Sabal palms and Saw palmettos, in south Florida they Paurotis palm… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Acoelorraphe wrightii”
Eutrombicula sp., chigger mites, on Coluber constrictor paludicola, the Everglades racer; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Zooming in a bit on the Everglades racer, we can see it’s infested by mites. More specifically, I believe these are chigger mites of Genus… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Eutrombicula on Coluber constrictor paludicola”
Coluber constrictor paludicola, the Everglades racer; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Next up (again on the road) was an Everglades racer snake. Though I remain fairly dubious and skeptical of the subspecies designation, Everglades racers are virtually identical to our Southern… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Coluber constrictor paludicola”
Terrapene carolina bauri, the Florida box turtle; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Before I could really get into the thick of Everglades National Park, I came across this well-weathered Florida box turtle crossing the road. This old box turtle has clearly… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Terrapene carolina bauri”
Everglades National Park region; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 For my last full day in South Florida, I bolted east and south towards Everglades National Park. Along with Big Cypress National Preserve, I find Everglades NP to be utterly enchanting, but… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: To Everglades National Park”
Leiocephalus carinatus, the Northern curly-tailed lizard; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I wrapped up my South Miami / Coral Gables afternoon jaunt with another Northern curly-tailed lizard encounter. I came across a group of these invasive lizards populating the limestone rocks… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Leiocephalus carinatus”
Trachemys scripta elegans, the Red-eared slider; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 The Red-eared slider, as common as they may be nowadays, is an invasive species to the Florida peninsula. Native to the central portions of the United States, this popular pet… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Trachemys scripta elegans”
Setophaga palmarum, the Palm warbler; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 This is very, very far from being a good photograph, but I really love Palm warblers. I’m not a mega-fan of all-things-birds (if I’m to be honest), but I find Palm… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Setophaga palmarum”
Agama picticauda, the African redhead agama; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I came across a few more African redhead agamas in Coral Gables. Featured here is a male proudly trying to hold territory adjacent to the parking lot by Fairchild Tropical… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Agama picticauda”
Iguana iguana, the Green iguana; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Not too far from the high-rise Cuban knight anole, I found another slice of green peering down at me from above, this time a young Green iguana. Green iguanas are excellent… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Iguana iguana”
Anolis equestris, the Cuban knight anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I was hoping to get my hands on a Cuban knight anole during this trip, but I only found one — and it was well positioned out of my grasp.… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anolis equestris”
Basiliscus vittatus, the Brown basilisk; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Sliding back eastward a bit to the Coral Gables area, I quickly found a lovely, young Brown basilisk slinking about the edge of a mangrove. This non-native species is ridiculously fast.… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Basiliscus vittatus”
Pavo cristatus, the Indian peafowl; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Though I’m typically on the lookout for lizards when I’m in South Miami and Coral Gables, it’s hard not to pause when the big peacocks amble by. Yeah, they’ve got random… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pavo cristatus”
Iguana iguana, the Green iguana; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Check out this heavyweight champion of the block. I came across this large male Green iguana (sporting some not-so-green coloring) dominating a residential street corner. He was likely on the lookout… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Iguana iguana”
Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina green anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Here’s another native Carolina green anole, a male, from my day trip through Coral Gables and South Miami. This individual had taken a bit of damage somewhere back in its… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anolis carolinensis”
Leiocephalus carinatus, the Northern curly-tailed lizard; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I came across this beefy Northern curly-tailed lizard in the South Miami interior. Similar to the agamas, I’m used to seeing plenty of them in Coral Gables, and this was… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Leiocephalus carinatus”
Anolis cristatellus, the Puerto Rican crested anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (13 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 The Puerto Rican crested anole was the most-dominant of the anole species I saw on this particular day trip. They were more active and visible than even the Cuban… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anolis cristatellus”