Wildlife on the Beach in January
During 2022 I plan to make weekly hikes on Pensacola Beach to see what sort of wildlife, or other natural phenomena, I encounter each month. For the first January trip I did a short hike at Ft. Pickens on the west end of Santa Rosa Island. Ft. Pickens is more...
It’s Coyote Season Again
Over the years I have received many calls from beach residents with concerns about coyotes. Encounters with this animal can be unnerving for many and the most common time of year for them is winter. A friend of mine who lives in the central part of Escambia County,...
Celebrate Florida Arbor Day
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is Arbor Day. Florida recognizes the event on the third Friday in January, but planting any time before spring will establish a tree quickly. Arbor Day is an annual observance that celebrates the...
Needlefish of the Florida Panhandle
I remember first seeing a needlefish as a young boy on Pensacola Beach. We were either playing or snorkeling in Santa Rosa Sound and one of these long, sleek, “barracuda” looking fish swam by cruising the surface of the water. Your first reaction is danger. They...
Searching for Terrapins in the Florida Panhandle
2021 Panhandle Terrapin Project Survey Report Rick O’Connor, Florida Sea Grant, University of Florida / IFAS Extension, Escambia County SITUATION The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is the only resident brackish water turtle in the...
Christmas Trees for Fishponds
There is something special about the traditions of a live Christmas tree. For many families the tradition of cutting and decorating the tree is the prefect start to the holidays. But after you are done decking the halls and hanging the tinsel most of the 13 million...
Searching for Elusive Wildlife in Pensacola Bay
Recently I watched a documentary on TV entitled The Loneliest Whale; the search for 52. The title grabbed my attention and so, I checked it out. Seems a decade or so ago the U.S. Navy was doing SONAR work in the Pacific between Washington and Alaska and...
Six Rivers EDRR Invasive Species of the Month – Argentine Black and White Tegu
EDRR Invasive Species Black and White Argentine Tegu (Salvator merianae) Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following – Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental Causing either an...
Batfish of the Florida Panhandle
This is another one of those fish in this series that is not often seen but when you do see one you will ask “what is that?” – So, we will answer the question by including it here. Like the frogfish we have already written about, batfish are described by Hoese...
The Coachwhip Snake
By Dr. Steve A. Johnson, Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida As I was pondered writing about snakes for Panhandle Outdoors, an email notification appeared on my computer screen: “Snake in Pensacola Bay”. As a State Extension...