This one was a quickie evening trip - more just a chance to stretch my legs than anything. Split Oak Forest Mitigation Park, located near Orlando, is named for - what else? - a split oak. Years ago the oak was split in two but managed to survive. The tree itself is located along the north loop of the trail. That is the loop I followed this time... but not for long.
Daylight was already starting to fade when I arrived, so there's not much to say here. Right off the bat I spotted a red-bellied woodpecker, and some sandhill cranes passing by overhead. A few northern mockingbirds flitted around the entrance, and a tufted titmouse a ways down the path. There were a few red-shouldered hawks, including one juvenile that posed for awhile. And there were black-and-yellow garden spiders everywhere. They have a very distinctive web with a heavy, zig-xag thread down the middle.
Daylight was already starting to fade when I arrived, so there's not much to say here. Right off the bat I spotted a red-bellied woodpecker, and some sandhill cranes passing by overhead. A few northern mockingbirds flitted around the entrance, and a tufted titmouse a ways down the path. There were a few red-shouldered hawks, including one juvenile that posed for awhile. And there were black-and-yellow garden spiders everywhere. They have a very distinctive web with a heavy, zig-xag thread down the middle.
The best find, though, was on my way out. I decided to continue down the road a bit to see what was along there. Lo and behold, a white-tailed deer popped out in front of me! I missed a beautiful shot of a doe jumping the fence by mere moments. She did, however, stay in the field for some photos. A little ways down the road... there was another! I took a few photos of her before I spotted pay dirt - a fawn, its spots just starting to fade, slowly crossing the road. It watched me carefully as I approached, but I had plenty of time to get some great shots before it crawled under the fences and into fields. But it still hung around there for a bit, allowing me to get some nice closeups. If only the light wasn't so dark! In any case, that made for a nice ending to a slow evening.
Species List
Insects/Spiders
- Black-And-Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)
- Red-Shouldered Hawk (2 Adult, 1 Juvy)
- Tufted Titmouse (1)
- Northern Mockingbird (5)
- Sandhill Crane (12)
- Red-Bellied Woodpecker (2)
- White-Tailed Deer (3 does, 1 fawn)
Trip Photos Here
