Captain Forster Preserve was the site of the first field trip for the 2015 Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory – Pelican Island Audubon Society class. The magnificent live oaks (Quercus virginiana) were flowering and were replacing their old leaves with brand new ones.
Pictured below on the trail are Ellie Klebonis, Fecility Rask and her sister, Dave Thompson (our host), Paula Eifler, Judith Filipich, and Karen Schuster.
Thank you to Karen for fabulous photos from the walk, beginning with the entry sign …
… remnants of an old homestead at the west end of the parking lot …
… a strangler fig tree (Ficus aureum) with fresh leaves and not-yet-ripe fruits …
… butterfly orchid (Encyclia tampensis), green wild pine (Tillandsia utriculata), and lots of resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polyopdioides) growing epiphytically on oak branches …
… catkins and fresh leaves on a live oak …
… resurrection fern growing on the furrowed bark of a big grape vine (Vitis rotundifolia) …
Many thanks to Dave Thompson (shown on the trail with Trich Kruza) and Joyce Thompson for yet another year of gracious hospitality at their home …
Our hostess Joyce looked lovely as does her table in this artistic photo from Karen …
Don Schuster is shown in a photo that I took of Joyce, as we enjoyed ourselves …
