Almost immediate upon stepping onto the Brooker Creek Friends Trail (the one that is not permanently submerged) in early May, a family of river otters ducked under the tree roots along the stream bank. We waited for a few moments, but they were more patient than us, so no pictures.

At the viewing platform we watched several deer in the trees, and then heard a gobble nearby. A tom turkey wandered towards us, loitered around a while, and then strutted elsewhere. I had no idea how beautiful the males’ feathers were. Later, near the end of the loop, we saw a few females run into the underbrush.

This Florida box turtle was hanging out on the path and only pulled in a little as we walked by.

Mini epiphyte forest

katydid on pipewort

This cicada blundered into Mike and then saw no need to go elsewhere. They can make a huge ruckus in the trees in summer.