Full Moon Rising

One of the great things about living on the east coast of the United States is the monthly opportunity to watch the full moon rise over the Atlantic ocean. This event is especially spectacular when it happens during the twilight hours and the sky is still bright from the sun. The image of the Moon Rise below was taken at Red Reef Park in Boca Raton. The near shore rocks are part of the chain of rock clumps that make up the man-made reef.

People are drawn to these slightly supernatural feeling occurrences. The beaches often fill with moon-gazers, beach chairs and snacks in hand, waiting for the moon to begin its slow ascent into the night sky.

Tonight there was an especially beautiful Moon Rise that will likely be followed by an equally amazing encore tomorrow night. Let the Moon's magic draw you in, visit the beach tomorrow and enjoy the free show!!

Florida Master Naturalist Program

The Florida Master Naturalist Program is offered by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The program is open to anyone who would like to learn more about Florida's natural habitats and wildlife. The courses are taught by expert naturalists who can answer almost any question you can think to ask. There are three modules that focus on different types of landscapes: Coastal Systems, Upland Habitats and Freshwater Wetlands. Each module consists of six meetings that include both classroom and field instruction. The last day is reserved for student project presentations and the awarding of certificates of completion. After all three courses have been taken students receive a plaque certifying them as Florida Master Naturalists.

As someone who is interested in science and nature I have consistently taken biology and environmental science courses in college. Though they were all excellent and I learned a lot, I found that they were too general and not grounded enough in the biology around me. I wanted to learn about Florida and the plants and animals that inhabit it. The Florida Master Naturalist Program finally provided me with the information I was looking for. I attended all three modules in Palm Beach County and was fortunate enough to enroll in the ones taught by Steve Bass (the former director of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, FL). We visited several parks and nature areas in Southeast Florida where Steve led us on an expert tour pointing out various plants and animals, giving a richly detailed description of each.

I recommend the Florida Master Naturalist Courses to anyone interested in learning more about Florida's remaining wildlife and wild places.

You can learn more about the program at http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/index.htm

Selected Photos From the Three Modules I attended:

Steve discusses typical items found in the wrack line -- Things that washed ashore during high tide.

The class listens and asks questions as Steve talks.

The class explores an ancient dune system.

Blowing Rocks Preserve is unique among Florida's beaches. Here the limestone and ancient reef is exposed and puts on quite a show as the waves roll in.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center, located in Jensen Beach, Florida, is a great place to learn about sea turtles.

Loggerhead hatchlings rescued by volunteers waiting to be released.

A tiny tree frog momentarily focuses the discussion during an Uplands class.

A white pelican recovering at Bush Wildlife Sanctuary.

Delray Oaks Natural Area is a beautiful example of remnant prairie and xeric hammock systems in Florida.