If you grew up in the South, chances are you spent part of your childhood crouched over a small, funnel-shaped pit in the sand, softly calling to a creature you couldn’t see. I certainly did. On long summer days, I would lean in close, letting my hair fall toward the ground, and chant the familiar
In the backyard of a friend who lives in Clay County, a Barred Owl makes regular visits. I came to call the owl Sagacious. Sagacious usually arrives at dusk—sometimes silent as a shadow, other times announcing his presence with a deep, rhythmic hoot. To human ears, that call sounds remarkably like words: “Who cooks for
Why are spiders so feared? Perhaps it’s a learned childhood behavior, with adults warning kids to steer clear of spiders because they bite, even when no one they know has been bitten. Movies like Arachnophobia and Eight-Legged Freaks reinforce these fears by portraying spiders as creepy and dangerous. Add Halloween’s spider-filled decorations, and the fear
Growing up in the South, I have always called an opossum a possum. I thought it was a nickname, like Sandy for Sandra. But my assumption was wrong. Opossums have existed for millions of years. They are a type of mammal native to the Americas. The species’ long existence is due to its ability to
Believe It or Not: Eagle Edition The bald eagle isn’t bald—the name derives from “balde,” an Old English word meaning white, not hairless. It takes 4–7 years to develop the iconic white plumage and reach full maturity. • Florida ranks No. 3 in the U.S. for bald eagle nesting, behind Alaska and Minnesota. • She’s
Stranded in Green Cove: Moving ‘Big Orange’ Proved Too Expensive This huge relic of the NASA space program has become an unofficial tourist attraction at Reynolds Park Industrial Center. Have you ever driven past the Clay County Port/Reynolds Industrial Park and wondered about the huge orange tank parked there? It is not just a tank;
The Watchful Crow Here in Clay County, where the woods meet open fields and expanding neighborhoods, crows have adapted easily, studying our routines, remembering our faces, and thriving alongside us. They hold grudges. They bring gifts. They mourn their dead. Meet the clever birds perched on power lines, watching us with quiet calculation. A
