What has been your most interesting run-in with nature (wildlife) (Tampa: 2014, school)

[kmarc]

Yes, and I'm wondering if those cane toads are also known as bufo toads. Back in Ft. Lauderdale, we had a neighbor whose Jack Russell terrier died as a result of an encounter with bufo.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Yes, and I'm wondering if those cane toads are also known as bufo toads. Back in Ft. Lauderdale, we had a neighbor whose Jack Russell terrier died as a result of an encounter with bufo.

Yep, just looked it up, the bufo and cane toad are one and the same.

Anyway, we live near one of the small lakes (or large ponds) that is part of a chain of little lakes in our community. There used to be a big old heron that would go back and forth between our lake and the one across the street. He'd just stand on the shore and watch for fish. But if I came outside and stood in the back yard, he'd turn and look at me and then start walking toward me. Freaked me out, because he was almost as tall as me and had a major beak, so I got back inside in a hurry. And he just stood at the back door for a while. This happened a few times, it sort of got to be a game. I think the woman who lived in the house before us probably used to feed him.

Haven't seen him around for a year, so he must have moved on to greener pastures.

And don't get me started on the cranes, we have like four or five that hang around and they make an awful racket, really loud. So loud that when I was out on the patio talking on the phone to a friend, she could hear it and asked me what the heck was going on.

[OptimusPrime69]

I've seen aligators, snakes, coconuts, sting-rays, dolphins, armadillos, flamingos,

[valicky]

Saw a bunch of deer by the side of the road one night coming back from Naples to Miami via Tamiami Trail. Never knew there were so many out there. I was scared we'd hit one so now I make sure the trek is finished before dark.

My most favorite animal encounter was with a huge spotted eagle ray. That thing was huge and beautiful. It swam right up to me on a day when the water wasn't too clear so I didn't see it until it was almost right up to me. He didn't see me either I guess, because when he did, he made a shocked face (maybe that's how they look ) and turned around and took off. I didn't even have time to point him out to anyone. I was really startled, but looking back it was amazing and I'll probably never see one again.

[LCL111]

Black snake on my windshield - popped his head up and looked straight at me when I turned on the car!
Stepped over a shiny brown snake while mowing the yard - didn't know it until I turned around.
Another black snake on my grill when I lifted the lid!
A hawk carrying a snake flew right over my head - I was afraid it was going to drop it on me!

Roaming peacocks in my neighborhood.
Herons in the yard. Saw an all blue one- most beautiful bird. Red headed woodpeckers - they may be common - just never had seen one before. Parrots in a tree in St. Pete

The biggest spider I have ever seen living on my fascia board between my house and back porch.

Rays swimming in the waves at Ft. DeSoto. Amazing.
Dolphin in the bay while jogging down Bayshore. That was incredible.


I almost hit a moose while riding my bike in Alaska. That was really scary!

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by valicky

Saw a bunch of deer by the side of the road one night coming back from Naples to Miami via Tamiami Trail. Never knew there were so many out there. I was scared we'd hit one so now I make sure the trek is finished before dark.

My most favorite animal encounter was with a huge spotted eagle ray. That thing was huge and beautiful. It swam right up to me on a day when the water wasn't too clear so I didn't see it until it was almost right up to me. He didn't see me either I guess, because when he did, he made a shocked face (maybe that's how they look ) and turned around and took off. I didn't even have time to point him out to anyone. I was really startled, but looking back it was amazing and I'll probably never see one again.

I had a face to to face encounter with a large Stingray while I was snorkeling once. The water was kinda murky so we were pretty close when we noticed each other. I could almost hear it say "AHHHHHHH"
as it turned around and swam away fast but gracefully. Very few, if any, wild animals want to or enjoy
encounters with humans. Except of course for those who have positive experiences with humans like being given food. Dolphins are an exception. They seem to enjoy "visiting" humans. Then there are those who really dont care, i.e. Manatees.

Have seen deer (small) at the edge of woods along roads, peacocks (talk about noisy!),
Eagles in nests, fish while swimming, crabs walking along the sand while snorkeling.

The shocked face description has me smiling.

[valicky]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

I had a face to to face encounter with a large Stingray while I was snorkeling once. The water was kinda murky so we were pretty close when we noticed each other. I could almost hear it say "AHHHHHHH"
as it turned around and swam away fast but gracefully. Very few, if any, wild animals want to or enjoy
encounters with humans. Except of course for those who have positive experiences with humans like being given food. Dolphins are an exception. They seem to enjoy "visiting" humans. Then there are those who really dont care, i.e. Manatees.

Have seen deer (small) at the edge of woods along roads, peacocks (talk about noisy!),
Eagles in nests, fish while swimming, crabs walking along the sand while snorkeling.

The shocked face description has me smiling.

I swear his eyes and mouth did this --> then he stopped dead and did a 180 and flew away. I was snorkeling out in Biscayne Bay. I would imagine that the ray saw my face looking exactly like that. I was unnerved, but now I wish it could happen again because it was just so cool!

I forgot that I also had a hawk or falcon of some sort sitting on my fence one day eating something. Was pretty gross. I've also had an owl in a coconut tree. Saw it because the blue jays were making such a fuss that they finally got the owl to leave! And we also saw a bald eagle in the field across the street. These encounters might not seem exciting, but I live in a very developed area of Miami. I love seeing any wildlife because, in my heart, I'm a rural girl even though I'm stuck in the concrete jungle.

[Jo48]

Toss up between the black snake on my lanai and the 3 foot iguana crawling up my lanai screen.

[housingcrashsurvivor]

I've lived in the Caribbean and on the water and on boats and in south Florida and now Tampa so I've had a life of enjoying nature. We've had manatee in our canal. I've seen sea horses and played with a baby octopus, so cute, been just a few feet away from a whale. I've swam with sea turtles and dolphin and where we used to hang quite a bit was a resident 6 plus-foot barracuda. He would just come over and spend some time with ya. Never bothered anyone.

In south Florida I once saw an otter and tons of gators as I often biked the everglades trails. Canoeing on the Loxahatchee and exploring a tributary through some low hanging greenery, I once paddled us alongside a gator the size of the canoe. Super cool. He was like 3 ft away up on the bank. We woke him up. Ooops. He looked really well fed so I wasn't worried. I was just in aw of this thing. But then I looked back and my friend was white as a ghost so I slowly back paddled us out of there. When we returned the boat we were told it was a known 16 footer in the area. Gorgeous.

I love the birds here. I once had a rare sighting of a snowy owl flying right alongside my car for like a long time. They don't usually visit Florida. Just last week I had a wild turkey in the garden. They're beautiful birds. The first time I saw one, a group of them, was while biking through Flatwoods up by Temple Terrace/New Tampa. I'd never seen one before but knew what it was as soon as I saw them. Also I've seen wild boar. One of whom I've noticed posting here every so often. I've a visiting indigo snake who's been coming by since he was a baby. I don't harass him but I've let him crawl over my arm. He's beautiful. They have a huge range. I noticed another poster mentioned one on their car. Very odd. But please be sure to be gentle with them, even if you encounter a large one. They won't hurt you and they eat poisonous snakes. So they're the good guys.

Also here I've a family of hawks and a super big owl. I don't know what the owl is. I've only seen him at night flying right overhead, huge wingspan, but I don't even know what color it is. The hawks are amazing, red shouldered. Beautiful. Once one was in the garden on the ground who hadn't noticed me nor I him. So while walking in his direction suddenly he took off so close that I actually felt the wind from his wings brush me. I love nature. It's one of the wonderful things about Tampa, there's so much of it here.

[Spring Hillian]

I swear the one I saw had the same face. As to say "OH CHIT"
We both froze for a split second and it turned and got out of town. I surfaced laughing my butt off.
Mine was in the Gulf. Off Howard Park. Ive seen lots of rays in the water before, but never face to face, at least not until we went to Grand Cayman and swam with the wild sting rays.

I agree, it was a cool experience and I would love for it to happen again.

Never saw an owl in the wild. Did and do see Eagles down by Pine Island here. They have a couple of nests up in trees. I too love seeing wildlife in the wild. Heck, I like seeing them in preserves and nature parks too.

Let me see if I can upload the sting ray pics from Grand Cayman.....

Originally Posted by valicky

I swear his eyes and mouth did this --> then he stopped dead and did a 180 and flew away. I was snorkeling out in Biscayne Bay. I would imagine that the ray saw my face looking exactly like that. I was unnerved, but now I wish it could happen again because it was just so cool!

I forgot that I also had a hawk or falcon of some sort sitting on my fence one day eating something. Was pretty gross. I've also had an owl in a coconut tree. Saw it because the blue jays were making such a fuss that they finally got the owl to leave! And we also saw a bald eagle in the field across the street. These encounters might not seem exciting, but I live in a very developed area of Miami. I love seeing any wildlife because, in my heart, I'm a rural girl even though I'm stuck in the concrete jungle.