Ferrell Outdoors

25/04/2024

22/04/2024

Celebrate Earth Day! Earth Day started the ball rolling for The Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act, The Endangered Species Act and more. Take time to go outside, take a bicycle ride, go kayaking, walk on the beach, enjoy the outdoors.

20/04/2024

ARE YOU A NATURE ENTHUSIAST?

The FLORIDA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM could be of interest to you. It is a program for you to learn and promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world and unique ecosystems and wildlife. It is an ‘adult education’ UF/IFAS Extension program developed by the University of Florida and provided by many Extension offices and participating organizations throughout the state of Florida. Did you know that YOU CAN TAKE THIS COURSE? It is very inexpensive and does not take much time. The FMNP training will benefit those interested in learning more about Florida’s environment. Increased knowledge can be for personal use or even as a volunteer or employee. The FMNP is a learning environment dedicated to Florida’s natural history and an opportunity to experience Florida’s amazing natural world with others. It is also a place to forge new friendships with like-minded people.

Many Master Gardener Volunteers have enjoyed also taking this program as part of our continued studies. We welcome you to join us and thousands of other committed individuals and become a Florida Master Naturalist in the FMNP. For more information on this program and how to participate….

www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu

www.facebook.com/OfficialFMNP

11/04/2024

Lemonade Lecture: The Florida Scrub Jay: 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20. Learn about the friendly Florida scrub jay with Joan Ferrell of Ferrell Outdoors. This presentation is part of the free Lemonade Lectures series sponsored by Volusia County. Light refreshments and lemonade will be served.

08/04/2024

Total eclipse of the sun. The chase was worth every second. Under clear skies we witnessed 4 minutes and 15 seconds of totality in Clinton, Arkansas. The sky went dark, we saw stars. One of the most amazing natural events we have ever witnessed.

08/04/2024

We have changed our destination to Arkansas today, Sunday. The solar eclipse totality path is now almost completely cloud covered except for a small area near Clinton, Arkansas and a sliver in the state of Maine. We will be checking the weather for Clinton, Arkansas in the morning to confirm. Wish us luck!!

04/04/2024

Our travels along the way have taken us to Grayton Beach State Park, 357 Main Park Rd, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459, known for its Coastal Dune Lake. Coastal dune lakes have sporadic links to the Gulf of Mexico. These lakes receive water from streams, groundwater seepage, rainfall, and storm surges. Known as an outfall, this connection serves as flood control, releasing lake water into the Gulf as necessary. Coastal dune lakes, believed to date back as far as 5,000 to 10,000 years, originated from sand redistribution by winds, resulting in shallow basins, typically around 5 feet deep on average.
Coastal dune lakes are only found in a few areas of the world: Madagascar, New Zealand, Australia, Oregon and Walton County, Florida.
We will be back to explore more of these unique lakes!!

02/04/2024

Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, 1900 E. Gulf Beach Drive
St. George Island FL, was a beautiful stay. Hiking, bicycling, kayaking, fishing, hanging out at the beach. The sand dunes are amazing. It’s one of the best dark sky locations in Florida. We will make this a destination again to observe stars on a clearer night. Beautiful and well maintained make this park a destination of yours.

02/04/2024

Muscovy ducks are large, heavy-bodied ducks native to Mexico, Central, and South America. They are distinctive for their unique appearance, with red facial caruncles and a prominent k**b above the bill in males. Muscovy ducks are popular for their eggs, and pest control abilities, as they consume insects and small rodents. They are also known for their calm demeanor and ability to adapt to various environments, including urban settings. We have found them at almost all fresh water lakes near trails.

31/03/2024

Jack and I are starting our trip to Texas to witness the solar eclipse in totality. We plan to make interesting stops along the way. Stay tuned!

28/03/2024

Purple Martins are actively nesting in Central Florida. This house was in Lake County. Other nesting areas can ba found on the grounds of Marine Discovery Center and more places.

26/03/2024

What can you do to help keep your favorite bicycle or walking/hiking trail clean? One way is to use reusable water bottles. You might find these water fountains to refill your bottle along the way at some trailheads, restrooms, libraries and public access areas. We found this one at the Neighborhood Lakes Bicycle Trailhead in Lake County, FL

25/03/2024

21/03/2024

Alien or foreign creature? It’s a dragonfly nymph! Actually just the shell that is left after the dragonfly emerges. We found this along the boardwalk at Lake Ashby Park, New Smyrna Beach.

19/03/2024

The little blue heron can be seen by freshwater and saltwater locations throughout Florida. We have seen them along trails in busier parks and along hard packed sand trails far away from busy cities. Patiently waiting and hunting fish, insects, shrimp, and amphibians, watch for these beautiful birds along trails you walk in Florida.

https://ferrelloutdoors.com/guides-and-books

18/03/2024

JOAN & JACK

Thank you both so much! Your delicious dinner and lovely way of hosting made Alexander and I feel right at home. You were our 3rd Warmshowers Foundation family. 😎

I hope to work with you as a fellow Climate Fresk or the Biodiversity collage facilitator very soon. We had so much to share and talk about it. I look forward to following Ferrell Outdoors activities throughout the year. I wish we lived closer.

We will miss the bike loving dog Maxx as well. 🐶

16/03/2024

Heather and Alex were our guests through warmshowers.org. Visiting from France they are sharing their social and ecological nonprofit. Incredible mother and son. Their 4 month outreach experience/bicycling destination is Montreal, Canada.

08/03/2024

Join us at the Mt. Dora Library on March 23 for an engaging presentation on some our favorite bicycle trails in Lake County,

29/02/2024

28/02/2024

Save the date for our Wildlife Festival March 9th!

27/02/2024

Looking for nature trails in Central Florida? We can help!

Florida Footsteps: A Guide to Short Trails in Central Florida
https://a.co/d/gtR4c68

15/02/2024

Resilient, fire hardy, provides habit and food for animals, helps the medicinal world. This multitasking plant offers promising research suggesting that saw palmetto may help increase testosterone levels, improve prostate health, reduce inflammation, prevent hair loss, and enhance urinary tract function.

13/02/2024

Purple Gallinule is a beautiful bird easily found at Venetian Gardens in Leesburg. Walk their paved trails over wooden bridges to see a variety of bird life and nature with a suburban feel.

Discover more places to enjoy. https://ferrelloutdoors.com/guides-and-books

08/02/2024

Ferndale Preserve in Clermont offers a diverse trail going through different ecosystems. Traverse well kept sand trails, enjoy views of Lake Apopka, wildlife and birdlife.

Florida Footsteps: A Guide to Short Trails in Central Florida
https://a.co/d/2PzEZk6

07/02/2024

Green Mountain Scenic Overlook located in Minneola, FL offers the view of tree tops and a peek at Lake Apopka. The trailhead there provides options to hike a few or multiple miles. It’s also a great option for bicycle trail riding.

02/02/2024

The male raccoon, or boar, is slightly larger than the female, also referred to as sow. The young are called kits. A female raccoon can have litters of up to seven kits, and with an average lifespan of five to ten years, she may give birth to a total of 35 to 70 babies during her lifetime.

30/01/2024

It’s all about balance. Birds are warm blooded. Their desire to keep warm is important. A bird, tucking its foot up, cuts the amount of heat it loses through its unfeathered limbs.

26/01/2024

Bourlay Historic Nature Park in Leesburg, FL - Lake County. In 1999, Arthur “Buddy” Bourlay III generously donated an 88-acre park with significant historical importance for Leesburg. This land witnessed the first steamboat landing, hosted the inaugural Methodist service, and was formerly owned by the Lee family. Within the park, visitors can explore a "shot-gun" style Cracker House, engage in birdwatching, and enjoy scenic views of Lake Griffin from the lakeside trails.
Look forward to a guided hike on a trail in Lake County, FL soon!

www.ferrelloutdoors.com

23/01/2024

Sabal Bluff Preserve, located in Leesburg, FL, within Lake County, offers enchanting trails for visitors. The diverse landscape showcases fruit-bearing trees like avocado, orange, grapefruit, banana, and others, originally planted by the property's original owner. These resilient trees, unaffected by past frosts thanks to "the lake effect," still grace the preserve. Keep an eye out for Gopher Tortoises as you explore this 55+ acre haven. Take a leisurely stroll through the preserve, and stay tuned for additional details on more Lake County trails in our upcoming trail guide.