north florida - wild florida
06:55, 46F, clear. calm. waning gibbous moon setting through the oaks in the donkey woodlot. yellow dogs at back door. pups out. roosters very vocal. crows calling. sheep under the oaks, gleaning acorns.
11:00, very low rising tide at CK. borrom vegetation exposed. only a few birds out. 61F, NW wind, 5-10 knts. eagles back in the abandoned osprey nest in the pine by the lab.
still working on the nets. a general meeting.
15:05, high tide at #3 bridge. blue sky. 66F, NW wind, 10-12 knts. took truck to andy's for some $50 part that might fix its stalling and hooting.
16:10, high tide at #4 bridge. a great blue heron in the spartina.
17:40, 62F at the farm. slight north breeze. sunny. a golden fall afternoon. fed sheep early.
19:30, 59F, an orange sunset. a mist.
21:05, 57F, some faint stars.
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Updated: 1:06 AM GMT on November 01, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
07:10, 44F, calm. roosters up. yellow dogs at back door. crows carrying on. pups outside.
praying for my friends and relatives that live up in the ground zero area of hurricane sandy. terrible the devestation, especially for folks that are not used to storms. by any ruler that you use, this one was an awful cyclone!
full moon setting through the donkey woodlot. chilly out. everyone of the canine persuation gets extra breakfast this a.m.
10:40, medium low tide at CK. 55F. cormorants on sandspit. mixed shorebirds on a distant oyster bar. NW winds, 15-20. choppy waters with white caps. brisk. packed the 4th trawl. worked on the 600 ft. seine which is under an overhang on the west side of the building. sunny but pretty windy out there today, so net was moved into the workshop which is cold and dank but not windy.
15:50, 61F, NW winds, 15-20. medium high tide at #4 bridge with mixed shorebirds packed on exposed spits. truck is stalling out so dropped by the mechanic who is ordering a part.
16:40, 62F at the farm. dogs stretching their legs. a north breeze with gusts hard enoough to close the front gate while I was pulling in. brats and potatos for supper.
19:30, 55F, a mist in the cactus/dog fennel field. a suffused light. no stars yet.
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Updated: 1:27 AM GMT on October 31, 2012
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north florida - chilly florida
06:30, 46F, calm. full moon setting over treeline to the west. caught it from the kitchen windows. venus and jupiter bright in the sky. orion faded away. chilly out. all dogs by back door waiting for vittles. roosters up. crows calling.
07:50, 48F, north breeze, sunny. doe and yearling bedded down under oaks bordering the cactus field. guard dog alerts farm of their presence . they fade into the dog fennel.
10:30, low rising tide with strange ducks at #4 bridge. band of cormorants on a sand bank. 51F, NW winds, 10-15 knts. waters choppy with whitecaps. clam guys said the water temps were in the low 50's. and they're working tomorrow out there in their lease in wet suits..
washed last trawl, got new and old bait seines changed out, working on the 600 ft. seine. cold in the shade with a chill wind in the boat yard. so everyone tried to work out in the sun.
16:05, tide coming in at #4 bridge. flock of seagulls floating in the tide behind a spartina bank. NW wind, 10-15 knts.
16:30, 62F at the farm. sunny. friends visit and cleaned the palmetto trash from the roof. there were fig cuttings.
19:00, 56F, moon rise while feeding donkeys. beautiful orange hunter's moon rising in the east.
21:40, 54F. high clouds. ring around the full moon. owl crosses my path.
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Updated: 1:55 AM GMT on October 30, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:30, 57F, clear. hurricane sandy's far enough north in the atlantic to relieve us of the blustery winds and the overcast sky. stars out. venus brilliant. orion high in the SW. yellow dogs at back door. pups out playing. heard a barred owl last night.
08:30, 62F, sunny. deer in cactus field. 10 point buck at the fence of that game farm on 345. windy.
cloud bank to the west - the approaching cold front.
09:00, low rising tide at CK. NW winds 10-15 knts., low 60's, chilly. a congregation on a mud bank of ibis, egrets, and wood storks, poking in the tide pools. group of cormorants resting on a sand bank. church was good. light chop at the sand spit.
10:50, slow low rising tide at #4 bridge. shore birds still at it. maybe some fish caught in a pool.. NW winds, 10-15 knts. holding back the tide.
11:30, low 70's, sunny and breezy at the farm. the funnies were good today! let sheep in the yard. dogs are moping in the pen and the mud porch. sheep are chowing down on acorns and potato vine and spanish needles.. go sheep.
planted winter garden - carrots, spinach, swiss chard, brocoli, mustard greens, lettuce, and lavender. covered it all with sheep manure.
17:30, 60F, overcast. chill breeze. sheep back in the fold. got firewood by front door. still looking for a small piece of lighter instead of the big knots. yellow dogs out of the pen. time for chores.
19:05, 60F. no sunset just gray clouds. the chickens are eating too much and not giving any eggs. they won't start laying again until the days start getting longer, not shorter like now.
20:05, 58F, cold north breeze. no moon, no stars.
considering a fire in the fireplace. maybe.
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Updated: 12:17 AM GMT on October 29, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:30, 65F, north breeze, mostly cloudy. stars faint, venus a bright smudge to the east. roosters up. yellow dogs at back door. pup out with guardian. quiet out.
at the barn, an old ewe, who'd been puny these past few days, died in her sleep. sky burial.
09:45, 70F, overcast, north wind. headed to williston to meet son and wife and view field trials in duck retrieving on a beautiful ranch. mostly cloudy, some sun. north wind, 8-10 knts. with gusts. totally enjoyed watching the dogs, labs and goldens, work. and was happy that one of the ducks escaped.
16:30, back at the farm unloading feed. let dogs out.
17:40, 72F, wind abating. walk with dogs.
19:50, 69F. waxing just about full moon veiled in mist and clouds with a halo and a large ring.
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Updated: 1:22 AM GMT on October 28, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:50, 70F, overcast, misty. breezy. roosters up. birds singing. guard dog moving old sheep around in the barn. a big NO = guard dog in yard with pup. 17 yr. old jack russell pissed on the floor again, while I was looking for her leash.. damn dogs.
10:50, high tide at CK. 74F, north wind, 10-15 knts, water choppy at #4 bridge, white-caps with gusts. not many birds. mended the washed trawl and boxed it for next month. partly cloudy, partly sunny. breezy. the mockingbird appeared. plotted next month's sites on the map.
16:20, 80F, north winds 15-20 knts. rough with white-caps. heading for the scrub to visit friends.
17:40, pleasant in the scrub, pine scents and breezy. getting late at the farm. 78F. north wind. leaves falling - small branches litter the lawn. let dogs out, started chores.
19:00, 75F, partly cloudy, north wind blowing rafts of clouds across the farm. waxing gibbous moon with a ring around it. a mist.
22:10, 73F, guard dog "barked and barked and barked.." so I went out. dogs from the trailer-hood barking at the moon. misty practically full moon with flying clouds. good night.
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Updated: 3:11 AM GMT on October 27, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:50, 69F, overcast. not a star or planet to be seen. yellow dogs at back door. roosters been crowing for hours. an owl, hooing, early this morning, around 4. young dogs out playing and growling.. fried fish for breakfast. despite the damp, a wash was hung out to dry.
10:10, overcast and drizzly. 3rd year bald eagle on some road kill with 2 buzzards circling..
10:30, high slack tide at CK. 75F, NE wind, 10, knts. great egrets out fishing in the spartina.
finished mending trawl. washed and laid out to dry the trawl that was tore up on tuesday at econfina.. tomorrow mending might happen. continued work on the 600' seine with help from one of the crew.
16:05, low tide at #4 bridge with ibis and snowy egrets poking around on the mud flats. 82F, NE wind 15 knts. with gusts to 18. not much water to be choppy. flock of turkeys in a pasture. some cows lying down..
17:40, clouding up at the farm. breezy on and off. dry laundry got taken in. dog walks.
19:30, 75F, mostly cloudy, east wind moving clouds around. waxing gibbous almost full moon high in the east.
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Updated: 1:21 AM GMT on October 26, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:30, 65F, clear. venus, jupiter, and orion keeping watch. roosters up. dixie at back door. pup out with guard dog. barking..
11:30, 79F, clouding up. me and the dogs made 2 trips to the hay guy's to load up on the new hay he just put in his barn. got 24 good smelling bales. will probably go back again tomorrow. 2 deer, a doe and her yearling, in the cactus field in the dog fennel.
fried up some fish for lunch. most likely too late to go to work, considering the price of gas and it's a 45 mi. round trip.
14:50, 83F, mostly cloudy, some sun, a little breeze. finished weeding the garden patch. got covered with those little black stickers. now for the manure, then I can plant! aiming for this week-end. 3 deer in the donkey woodlot, a doe and 2 yearlings. might have been the same doe..
17:50, 75F, partly cloudy, a haze. waxing gibbous moon over the pecan trees. stars faint in the hazey moonlight. good night world.
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Updated: 12:57 AM GMT on October 25, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:40, 61F, clear. venus, jupiter bright in the morning sky. orion fading away in the SW. no meteors. missed them this year. all dogs out squabbling by the back door. roosters crowing. heard a crow. wolf light. sheep trudging out into the wood lot.
10:40, high falling tide at CK. a blue heron and a night heron on a peat bank. 70F, NE wind, 8 knts.
almost done mending the trawl. the mockinbird was back. it looks like a pair of eagles are taking over the vacant osprey nest in the big pine across the street from the lab and right in front of my office window. they were in and out of the nest all day.
15:30, 78F, east wind, 12 knts. low tide a #4 bridge. a pelican fishing. egrets and ibis poking around.
16:10, 84F, sunny. dogs out. refilled chicken food containers. hay guy says tomorrow. he's sick, but he's out hunting.. have half bale left.
19:30, 73F, partly cloudy. tame sunset. waxing gibbous moon. stars coming out. sheep guardian barking out in the pasture. good dog..
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Updated: 1:13 AM GMT on October 24, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:40, 58F, clear. wolf light. venus, jupiter, and orion showing. let young dog out to join other dogs. sheep out in woodlot looking for acorns.
07:55, 59F, sun's up - a peach sunrise. roosters crowing. crows cawing. yellow dogs at back door. young dogs inside eating breakfast..
10:50, high falling tide at CK. 73F, ENE winds, 10 knts. pelicans on the point of a black mangrove island.
worked on mending the tore-up trawl. the more rips I mended, the more I found. 2 wood storks circled the lab. eagles visit the abandoned osprey nest daily. the great horned owl that used that tree, died - found dead in the road with a crushed eye.
16:05, 75F, low tide at #4 bridge. ibis out on a mud bank. herons fishing.
17:00, sunny at the farm. NE breeze. dogs out. house is chilly. amazing, a few cool days and the house is chilly. bought 1 bale of hay at the feedstore last week and the stock don't like it. ? need to go see the hay guy again. they usually like his hay.
19:50, 71F, a mist. waxing gibbous moon high above. stars very faint. guard dog with sheep. sheep having to eat the feedstore hay since there is nothing else..
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Updated: 1:32 AM GMT on October 23, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - seafood festival
06:40, 52F, clear. jupiter, venus, and orion bright in the sky. yellow dogs at back door. guard dog wanted to sleep inside last night.. both her and the pup got a blanket to lie on which they took full advantage of. all dogs out.
working at the fwc touch tank at the seafood festival in CK.
09:05, 63F, NE wind, 7 knts. high tide with egrets at CK. church was good. worked at touch tank for 4 hours. ate clam fritters and fried oysters. tasty!
14:30, low tide at #4 bridge, 75F, NE wind 10 knts. ibis perusing the mud flats. herons fishing in the tide. a dozen or more wild turkeys hunting through a pasture on 345.
15:05, 78F, sunny at the farm. slight north breeze. let dogs out. got 0 eggs. thinking of moving the chickens. but not today.. cardinals, chickadees, yellow-throat warbler, carolina wrens, and a catbird visiting the bird feeder.
19:30, a lovely mellow sunset followed by pinks and salmons morphing into deep purple.. sat out in the sheep pasture after chores with dog and admired the western skies. waxing half moon up high.
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Updated: 12:36 AM GMT on October 22, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
07:30, 55F, clear. sun's up, bright and shiny. roosters crowing. all dogs by back door. they must be smelling the bacon cooking ...
10:40, 75F, clear, sunny, north breeze. mowed the sandspurs down by the front gate before lunch.. began clearing weeds from vegetable garden after lunch. trimmed the small cabbage palms that were shading the area. uncovered the garlic chives!
15:20, low 80's, quick trip to cow town for feed and fuel. peanuts harvested. some folks still cutting hay. pastures look decent.
19:40, 63F, pink sunset, a mist. waxing horned moon in the SW. fuzzy stars. a good start for the first day of the rest of my life.
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Updated: 2:07 AM GMT on October 21, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:50, 69F, overcast. damp out, looks like a rain shower passed over. not a star or planet or constellation showing. roosters crowing. dogs outside.
10:30, low tide at CK with egrets and herons. 71F, SW wind, 5 knts. overcast. mended the bait seine and the guys put it away. washed the damaged trawl. and the sun came out! worked on the 600 ft. seine with a friend. a whole series of holes above the leadline got mended.. trawl dried and got put away for mending next week.
16:10, high tide at #4 bridge. 75F, west wind, 3 knts. egret flying above its mirror image in the quiet waters. leaving the early seafood festival crowd behind.
20:10, 70F, overcast. tangerine skies at sunset with deer crossing the woodlot. waxing crescent moon misty and high in the SW. faintest of stars showing.
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Updated: 2:13 AM GMT on October 20, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:50, 68F, fog. venus high in the east. jupiter high in the west.. roosters up. crows crowing. dixie at back door. guard dog and pup out in the bushes.. was supposed to go out today but trip got called because of wind and tides.
11:00, low tide at CK. all the bars exposed. ibis poking around a peat bank. brown pelicans and cormorants resting on an oyster bar. white pelicans flying. SW wind, 5 knts. 78F, partly cloudy, partly sunny. washed 2nd bait seine. a lot of mud in it. continued mending the 600' seine. hit a spot with a lot of small holes right at the turning area. mockingbird singing beautifully in the red bay tree.
15:40, high tide at #4 bridge. great blue heron flying. 79F, west wind, 5 knts.
17:40, 77F at the back door. dogs out playing. no eggs. ham and rice for supper with some really good strawberries.
19:15, 71F, a haze. waxing crescent moon in the SW. stars dim. guard dog on duty. yellow dogs under the corn crib.
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Updated: 1:32 AM GMT on October 19, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:40, 63F, mostly cloudy. rain out in the gulf. roosters up, yellow dogs at back door. going out to bring young dogs in for breakfast. ham and egg.. but not for them. they get kibble.
11:00, very low tide at CK, everything exposed. a few egrets. 68F, NE wind, 5 knts. not enough to discourage the no-see-ums. rain out in the gulf moved south. overcast. stored washed, dried, mended old bait sein. worked on the 600' seine. lots of mullet escape holes. got up to the turn..
15:40, high tide at #4 bridge with flying cormorants. the tide came in fast.
17:30, 75F at back door. deer browsing in the cactus field. dog fennel's blooming. sez, 'frost before thanksgiving..'
20:00, 70F, overcast. stars faintly showing. moon obscured. a mist.
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Updated: 1:20 AM GMT on October 18, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
07:30, 65F, clear. sun's up but since it has moved off to the south the morning rays no longer shine straight through the house but enter the east windows obliquely. the evening sun has such a mellow amber tone now. definitely my favorite time of the year. it's got me singing advent hymns when I do the chores.. all dogs in the yard but not for long. time to get cracking and get to work. roosters are crowing. crows calling. acorns are falling.. and the pecans are loosing their leaves. the squirrels have made off with most of the nuts by now.
10:30, low tide at CK with all the bars showing. 72F, NE wind, 10 knts. usual shorebirds working over the flats. washed and mended the bait seine and began mending the 600 ft. seine. mockingbird serenaded me out in the boat yard..
15:20, high tide at #4 bridge with 1 grt. blue heron. 76F, NE wind, 5 knts.
17:40, 73F, north breeze, sunny. got no eggs. got 0.3" rain yesterday. nice walk with most of the dogs down the lane.
19:30, 68F, jack-o-lantern-eyes-orange sunset. a mist rising. dog out with sheep.
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Updated: 1:48 AM GMT on October 17, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
07:30, 69F, overcast, foggy. sun's up in a watery sky. roosters crowing. dixie and bruiser at back door. guard dog and young pup out playing. fried fish for breakfast. shared with the 17 year-old jack russell who loves fish, raw or fried..
10:30. trip to hog town for supplies. 80's, partly cloudy/partly sunny. wildlife was scarce on SR 24 both ways. 1 immature eagle near ellzy.
17:15, 79F at back door. a shower before I drove in. puddles, steaming road..
19:30, 74F, fog forming. guard dog with sheep.
21:00, 70F, hazy stars, fog.
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Updated: 1:37 AM GMT on October 16, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:20, 67F, fog. venus bright in the east. orion overhead. stars bright above the fog. roosters up. sheep out under the oaks in the wolf light looking for acorns. guard dog and pup in the yard with dixie.
08:10, 70F, fog/mist. pretty road with the trees and the pastures and the cows and the wild flowers.
08:50, low tide with egrets and herons at CK. 74F, south wind, 10 knts. mostly sunny. church was good. "sang." (they need more than 3..) very light chop at the sand-spit.
11:10, still low tide but it's coming in at #4 bridge. seagulls and shorebirds crowding a bar. brief scrub visit - pleasant in the shade. a breeze that made the windchimes sing..
15:20, 90F at the back door. tried to do some mowing but mower got temperamental. maybe it will feel better later..
18:20, got lawn mower going. mowed back and west yards. a rosy sunset and chores done late..
19:10, overcast. a drizzle.
20:40, 74F, a steady rain. hoping guard dog ducks into the sheep barn.. overcast. dark out there..
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Updated: 1:21 AM GMT on October 15, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:50, 63F, clear. waning crescent moon following bright venus in the rosy dawn. orion fading in the SW. pups out. roosters crowing.
18:00, 79F, NE breeze. partly cloudy, mostly sunny. got 2 loads of clothes dry. sheep in the yard most of the day with dogs in the pen. mopped kitchen, hall, pantry, and wash room floors. beautiful out. sat outside in my favorite chair and watched the butterflies in the glory bower (Clerodendrum paniculatum) while the floors dried. sheep ate weeds and acorns.
20:05, 73F. a mist. stars out. balmy.
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Updated: 12:23 AM GMT on October 14, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - suwannee river
05:40, 60F, clear with ground fog. waning crescent moon and venus brilliant in the east. orion straight up. roosters awake. guard dog and pup outside.. tea water's on.
07:40, 60F, a red sunrise. fog on the pasture. sheep out in it.
09:10, medium tide going out on the suwannee, mid-60's that warmed to mid-70's. supposed to get windy.. NE wind, 5-12 knts. water temps, 23.5C, 75F in the river. a lovely day.
lots of small catfish in the trawl and some large and small stingrays, Dasyatis sabina. one juvenile large mouth bass, 2 mangrove snapper, and several sun fish in the bait seine. a snag tore a huge hole in the bait seine during the next to the last set. it was repaired enough to finish the last set by using all the cable ties on the boat. it will be retired - getting rotten. bald eagle in a bald cypress watched us snag and tear holes in the trawl in east pass.. pumpkin ash turning purple. white and purple astors blooming. red tupelos. getting colorful on the river.
14:00, 102F in the sun at the back door. a slight north breeze. dogs baking in the grass. cool in the shade. the scarlet glory bower bloom spikes are loaded with several different types of butterflies. chickadee visiting the bird feeder. a spectacular day. fell asleep in my favorite lawn chair.
17:40, 79F.
18:30, 75F. no eggs. filled goat tank. pup and I perused the south boundary of the cactus field which parallels the lane. counted about a dozen pine seedlings coming along. cypress seedlings doing o.k.
19:40, 73F, misty. stars are pale fuzzy lights.
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Updated: 2:00 AM GMT on October 13, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - derrick key*
05:40, 60F, clear. waning crescent moon to the east over the house. venus far below tagging along. roosters quiet. brought guard dog in for breakfast. fog. oatmeal..
07:45, low tide coming in at #4 bridge. 66F, NE wind, 6 knts. a flock of spoonbills perusing the mud flats.
08:30, 68F, light chop. heading to northern-most set offshore deer key. catches were typical CK catches - a shark, stingrays, sheepsheads, juvenile trout, flounder, redfish, mackeral, only a few ladyfish, a pompano, large and small black drum, some jacks and a few juvenile lane snapper, plus the usual baitfish, spread out through 4 pulls with the big seine. all identified, measured, counted and returned to the water.
lots of shorebirds and 2 eagles mating over deer key. as the tide came in the birds congregated on the bars - oystercatchers, willets, brown and white pelicans, cormorants. the pelicans and cormorants were particularly abundant on derrick key, which is slowly washing away. it is one of the outer islands and takes the brunt of the west winds and surf. water temps - 25.5-26.4C, 77-78F, with less than a meter visibility. a sunny day with enough wind to keep the bugs away.
18:10, 75F at the farm, sunny. no eggs. slight north breeze.
20:00, 69F, hazy. stars fuzzy. a fog. 5 degrees cooler and I might have built a fire in the fireplace.
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Updated: 12:26 AM GMT on October 12, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - suwannee delta
05:30, 67F, overcast, foggy. shrouded waning crescent moon over the house to the east made an appearance for a few minutes. roosters asleep. guard dog inside, pup yapping to go out. dark out.
09:10, high tide on the verge of turning at the suwannee river. 66F, NE wind 5 knts. fog. dwindling catches in the bait seine. large catches in the big seine. redfish, trout, sheepshead and gray snapper predominated, along with the usual suspects. the fish of the day was captured in the bait seine. it was a YOY snook, 8" long, looked just like a miniature snook. water temps dropped to 25.5C, 77F. overcast and foggy all morning. sun appeared in early afternoon. wind dropped in the back creeks and the no-see-ums came out. saw 1 gator and a bald eagle. spartina is blooming in the salt marsh. climbing purple astors blooming in cascades along the river banks.
15:10, 100F at the back door in the sun. everyone got out and rolled in the grass in the sun except the cat and me. made chili.
19:30, 70F, almost dark, a mist. chili was good.
20:05, stars showing fuzzy. thought I saw a satellite cross the western skies but maybe not.
dog out with sheep.
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Updated: 12:08 AM GMT on October 11, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:20, 70F, fog. overcast, no moon or stars. roosters up. guard dog, dixie, and pup outside. doing a wash. will hang it out and hope for the best.
11:00, medium high tide at CK going out. 71F, wind NE, 5 knts. overcast, a haze. great egret and night heron fishing off a spartina bank.
13:00, finished mending the big rip in the trawl. now to mend the sleeve and go to the boat yard to check and mend the last trawl.
14:50, 75F, a slight breeze. mockingbird singing up a storm in one of the red bay trees. brown anole hunting over the nets. bald eagle checking out the osprey nest in the big pine across the way. done with all the trawls.
16:20, low tide at #4 bridge. egrets out on the mud banks.
18:10, overcast. pulled weeds for the chickens. no eggs. wash dry! dogs having a good time playing in the yard and the hay barn.
19:30, 72F, overcast, a haze. 3 deer in cow pasture to south. a bat hunting over the cactus field. stars faintly showing. guard dog with sheep.
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Updated: 12:19 AM GMT on October 10, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - dog island
05:30, 70F, foggy. misty waning half moon over the house with jupiter barely visible. dark and damp out. dixie at back door. woke rooster up. guard dog in yard with pup. oatmeal for breakfast.
07:55, high tide at CK, south wind 10 knts. 70's. going out sampling between dog island and cedar point with a side trip to snake key. interesting catches in the big seine - catfish, both hardhead and gaff topsail, stingrays, a bonnet-head shark, ladyfish, sheepshead, a few speckled trout, flounder, a bunch of young-of-the-year permit and black drum, mullet.. right now we're getting adults as well as juveniles. all identified, measured, counted, and thrown back. culled shark (for life history/mercury studies) snapping at my boots while I was recording data. a big flock of white pelicans was hanging out on a sand spit. oyster catchers, cormorants, willets.. one flock of ducks! choppy, water temp - 27.5C, 80F. the water was warmer than the air. wind moderated around noon. nice out there!
14:00, medium tide going out at #4 bridge. storms coming in off the gulf. dark sky to the west.
16:00, 76F, cool gusts from the north. overcast, thunder in the distance. drizzle. dogs grumbling in the mud porch.
19:50, 73F. golden sunset. pretty. sat out in the sheep pasture with the dog and watched the colors fade out. partly cloudy. high clouds slowly moving from west. lightning. hazy. a few stars.
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Updated: 11:59 PM GMT on October 08, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:20, 69F, clear above, fog below. waning gibbous moon, jupiter, and orion straight up in a starry sky. brilliant venus in the east. woke the roosters up going out for the guard dog with the terrier pup. a lot of yelling.. dixie trying to help. finally got everyone back inside for breakfast. bacon.
08:15, misty. sunny. wild turkeys in pasture off 345. llama hanging with a bunch of cows.
08:40, high tide at CK. mid 70's, east wind, 3-5 knts. hardly a ripple at the sandspit. church was good. Annie's is open again.
10:40, tide going out. oyster bars emerging. herons. the swamp maple are purple-red. sandspurs are popping up on all the roadsides. and in my pasture down by the mailbox, too. I got to mow them next week.
13:30, 89F, partly cloudy, sunny. today's doonesbury spoke to me.. (I always buy the sunday paper. love the funnies.)
19:50, 73F, slight drizzle, partly cloudy. another spectacular flourescent pink and navy sunset! whew, knock your sox off! good view from the sheep pasture with the dog keeping me company.
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Updated: 12:28 AM GMT on October 08, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - rocky hammock
06:40, 72F, misty/foggy. waning gibbous moon and jupiter above the house. venus in the east. guard dog inside. dixie at back door. roosters crowing.
07:40, 73F, thick ground fog hides the sun. clear above. parrot whistling.
10:00, 77F, foggy. very humid. dogs and I cleared several large limbs from the lane going down to the cow pen. this past summer has been ferocious with falling limbs. need to get someone here with a chain saw so I can add them to the firewood.
16:15, clouding up, east breeze. thunder. sprinkles. already got yesterday's clothes in dry except for my overalls. house work.
18:30, 79F, partly cloudy, mostly sunny. thunder to the west. no eggs. chikadees at bird feeder. cool breeze from the east.
19:30, 78F, spectacular pink and gray cloud mass to the west. partly cloudy. fog forming. guard dog out with sheep. slight east breeze.
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Updated: 12:57 AM GMT on October 07, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
05:50, 72F, overcast. waning gibbous moon lighting the clouds in the high SW. venus blazing briefly in the eastern sky. dixie at back door. woke roosters up. damp guard dog back in the house. 07:50, heavy fog this morning.
took a chance and hung out a wash.
12:30, 79F, east wind, 6 knts. low tide slowly coming in at CK. herons out there. small flock of white pelicans just flew over the lab. the spoonbills are getting scarce and the winter birds are slowly drifting into the area.
15:30, high tide at #4 bridge. wind clocked to west, 3 knts. 82F. flock of white birds in the distance out by cedar point. pelicans? egrets? looks like it rained on my wash..
19:30,76F, overcast, bland sunset. didn't check for eggs. 4 old ewes elected to stay in the barn after it rained instead of going out again with the flock. this summer's been hard on the older animals. I gave them some hay and later they all came out of the barn for the grain. wash not dry. decisions, decisions..
20:30, 74F, overcast. slight north breeze. misty. no stars. guard dog on duty. yellow dogs under corn crib. the fleas are bad again. a never ending battle during the warm months.
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Updated: 1:06 AM GMT on October 06, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - suwannee sound
05:30, 74F, overcast. roosters asleep. everyone's asleep but me and the 17 year old jack russell who just pissed on the kitchen floor.. grrr.
wild turkeys on the way to suwannee.
09:00, 78F, overcast. low tide going out on the suwannee river. trawls and offshore sets today. catches were low. 1st trawl pulled in a florida gar and several pigfish. 2nd trawl pulled in 10 sting rays ranging in size from 1 ft. to 3 ft.(1 female D. say, 801 mm wide with a 4" spine). otherwise it was the usual flatfish, sea robins, pig fish, star fish, and hermit crabs in coral or sponge or grass/algae or shell. everything identified, measured, counted, and returned to the water. we did the offshore sets on suwannee and half moon reefs. water temp. 27C, 80F. winds in the morning, east 10 knts. water choppy. overcast. afternoon, wind died down - less than 5 knts. a lot of brown pelicans and 2 modest-size flocks of DUCKS! dolphins hunting, splashing, spouting north of mcgriff channel. wore foul weather jacket most of the day except when working in the water. lots of changing cloud scapes, and ducks flying in.. now fall begins. climbing purple astor blooming on the edge of the swamps.
17:50, 81F, overcast. 2.2" rain in the last few days including the shower that followed me home. got no eggs. 2 deer in grape thicket behind workshop.
20:00, 78F, overcast. guard dog out with sheep. no stars. a variable breeze. lightning to the east. distant thunder.
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Updated: 10:48 AM GMT on October 05, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:40, 74F, overcast, drizzling. roosters carrying on. got no water. ran out to pump and the pipe between well and tank was cracked and spewing water while pump was grinding away. ran inside and shut the pump off. glad I sold those lambs otherwise I would have to give the pump guy one for the bill. his wife has goats.. oh well (no pun intended) it's just a pipe. hoping the pump is o.k. (sigh.)
15:30, 78F, raining on and off all day. seems the water tank shifted and cracked the seal on the pipe going into it. pump guy had to leave his hunting camp and come out here to work in the rain.. but it's fixed. did chores in between showers. no eggs. put hay in the sheep barn since they prefer staying dry to grazing in the rain.
17:30, 78F, overcast, muggy. did chores early.
19:50, 76F, overcast. a mizzle. last dog walk until tomorrow. no stars at all.
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Updated: 9:45 AM GMT on October 04, 2012
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north florida - wild florida - sea horse key
05:30, 76F, mostly cloudy. drizzling. a gust that shut the door woke me up. distant thunder. jupiter showing. moon obscured. roosters sleeping. yellow dogs under the house.
07:30, raining. cows and goats lying down along the way into CK. gusts.
08:00, 79F, medium low tide going out at CK. rushing to make the most of the tide and get the offshore sets done. medium sized catches in the bait seines. fish species changed with the substrates. always got pin and pigfish, young of the year hardhead catfish, and anchovies, though. temps rose to low 80's. wind SW to west, 7-12 knts. choppy. chilly and overcast and drizzly in the early part of the morning. lots of juvenile silver mullet in the big seine and some huge striped mullet plus one large mackerel. also pulled in snapper, ladyfish, stingrays, horseshoe crabs, sheepshead, and a few jack and permit.
no redfish. oystercatchers, brown pelicans, and willets on the oyster bars. dolphin playing in the tide. rain moved inland. mostly cloudy. water temp, 27C, 80F. comfortable.
most of today's sampling concentrated around sea horse key, which has a lighthouse and has figured historically in the history of the cedar keys since the 2nd seminole wars. frigate birds trying to snag our by-catch..
15:15, medium low tide coming in at #4 bridge. herons fishing on the edge of the spartina banks. cows lying down in the pastures along 345.
15:40, misty at the farm and damp. let dogs out. chili for supper. got no eggs.
20:20, 76F, overcast. no stars. dark out there. guard dog wanted to come in tonight. toads croaking.
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Updated: 1:32 AM GMT on October 03, 2012
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north florida - wild florida
06:20, 72F, misty. waning harvest moon setting over the sheep barn. venus brilliant in the east with regulus right below it. roosters crowing. brought guard dog in for breakfast.
10:00, eagle back on that road-kill hog by rosewood. low moon tide at CK. all bars, oyster, sand, and mud, showing. egrets busy. south wind, 15 knts. waters choppy. low 80's. tide coming in.
continued mending the tore-up trawl. about 2/3rds done. it's a tricky mend. this is the 3rd time this trawl's been rebuilt. and it's not my mends that are ripping. wavelets at the sand spit.
15:30, high moon tide at #4 bridge all the backwater salt flats filling in. the tide came in fast with the full moon and a brisk SSW wind helping. a few herons fishing the spartina. kingfisher on the wires.
16:00, hot at the farm but a SW breeze. sunny. dogs all out. chili for supper. got no eggs. sheep settling in. there were no complaints from the mothers.
19:30, a florida sunset. clouds to the west and east. mostly clear above .
20:30, 78F, calm. a fog. stars out in a haze. dog on guard.
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Updated: 12:42 AM GMT on October 02, 2012
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