East of Sarasota, Florida, Fruitville Road crosses a mosaic of cattle ranches which attract sandhill cranes, cattle egrets and a host of raptors. Just over 11 miles east of Interstate 75, that road ends and a short graveled lane, which leads to the Old Miakka Preserve, begins.
This 132-acre preserve offers four miles of grass/sand trails that cross pine flatwoods, open scrub habitat and creeks that flow to the upper Myakka River. On this sunny, mild morning, we roamed that network of trails, encountering turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, red-bellied and pileated woodpeckers and an assortment of open country songbirds. Gopher tortoises inhabit the preserve but were not observed today.
Though there is a great deal to enjoy and explore on Florida's Coasts, much of the State's unique fauna an flora are found on the prairies and in the flatwoods and wetlands of the Peninsula's interior. Each time we visit Longboat Key, we plan at least one excursion to that fascinating region, landscapes largely ignored by the hordes of tourists.
This 132-acre preserve offers four miles of grass/sand trails that cross pine flatwoods, open scrub habitat and creeks that flow to the upper Myakka River. On this sunny, mild morning, we roamed that network of trails, encountering turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, red-bellied and pileated woodpeckers and an assortment of open country songbirds. Gopher tortoises inhabit the preserve but were not observed today.
Though there is a great deal to enjoy and explore on Florida's Coasts, much of the State's unique fauna an flora are found on the prairies and in the flatwoods and wetlands of the Peninsula's interior. Each time we visit Longboat Key, we plan at least one excursion to that fascinating region, landscapes largely ignored by the hordes of tourists.
