“Halpata Tastanaki Preserve”
It’s one of the first trails we hiked here in Florida and still my favorite.
Because it’s WILD!
You walk some of it on an old limestone road, closed to traffic.
It’s well maintained and there are a lot of side trails to explore. When I hike by myself I ‘try’ to stay on the main trail though. After I got chased and bitten by horse flies earlier this summer, I think I’ve learned my lesson.
It’s a wonderful place to see birds.
These are young Florida Scrub-Jays.
They are not common so they are fun to see.
It’s a perfect habitat for them.
But remember! This is a preserve and wild animals live here!
And I saw one on this hike. I looked up ahead and saw an animal go across the trail in front of me. He was the color of a deer but he was moving slow. I was trying to talk myself into thinking it was a deer and not a bobcat. I didn’t get a photo of the first encounter.
But I didn’t have to wonder later on in my hike. I saw him ahead.
He crossed in front of me again. It was a coyote and this time he looked at me.
(this is the original pic and you can tell how far away I was)
I had turned around so now he was between me and my car. I had a hike of about 30 minutes to get back to my car. SO….I called my hubby to tell him about it, turned off my camera, walked over to the pine trees near the trail and picked up a big stick. And hiked out!
(I cropped the above photo)
(one more crop, he’s in the center)
I had seen a wild turkey cross in front of me, walking as fast as his long legs could carry him so I wonder if that’s what the coyote was after. It scared me….but not enough to give up hiking at HTP!
I wondered that afternoon why I was SO tired after a 1 hour hike but hubby said it was the adrenaline rush. I also walked quite a bit faster on that second half of the trail. I was scared, I have to admit it. But I still say there are a lot of every day things we do that are more dangerous than hiking in the woods. Hike #49 is one I won’t forget!
I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE
and I’d Rather B Birdin’.
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