The Lemon Bay Conservancy has acquired 80 acres of the former Wildflower golf course and renamed it the Wildflower Preserve.  Access is limited to guided tours at present as they are working to create paths and facilities along the trail.  As a part of their fundraising efforts, they are offering guided tours and other supervised activities until the site is ready for general access.

One of the conservancy members is also a member of the Photo Adventures Camera Club and we were invited for a tour as an incentive to enter the Wildflower Photo Contest which is a fundraiser for the site and includes cash prizes.

We had our opportunity for a tour on Jan 10 and met at 2PM in the parking lot.  This was to be a familiarization tour around the property as a group with a guide so we didn’t expect to see much in the way of wildlife but, that didn’t stop everyone from bringing a camera, or two, along anyway.  I brought my new Coolpix 7100 and D90 with the 105mm Micro-Nikkor and 70-300mm VR.

If you go out there, look to their website for openings and tours.  We met at 2PM so, didn’t think we would see much in the way of wildlife but, it was for orientation purposes, and we were just pleased to see a new location being developed.  Some of the ponds are former water hazards for the golf course and were covered in algae.  But, other areas had good flow and there is a tidal portion as well.

Shortly after entering the marked Blue path, we found this little skipper busy in the sunshine.  In fact, there were plenty of bugs about making me glad that I took the 105mm with me.  I was chasing this butterfly who seemed to be attending a convention of bugs.  In the first picture, you can see a housefly on the same plane of focus but, change focus to another leaf and you find a leafhopper and a picture-winged fly with it.

At the entrance and along the path you will find a lot of volunteer effort going in to making this a great place for conservation.  Just click on the pictures for a larger view.