Flora and Fauna - Key West in Fall
By Marjorie Paul-Shook
South Walton County , FL -Fall arrived this morning for today anyway. Key West is known for slipping right into deep summer at any time. But, today it is cold in the shade and skin kissed warm in the sun. Wide open windows invite floral scented breezes. Silver light glints on the blue Caribbean waters. After nearly a month of rain, the tropical foliage is super abundant, wildly and madly green.
Autumn also brings birds; many surprising varieties, some seem like old friends from childhood; tiny yellow wrens, many songful Mockingbirds. There are exotic Falcons with golden underbellies and huge wingspans. The Falcons reek some havoc as they dine on the many sweet little chicks, offspring of our free-roaming chickens parading down the street following the Mama hen. You have to remind yourself that it is natural selection.
Key
West is known for slipping right into deep summer at any time. But,
today it is cold in the shade and skin kissed warm in the sun.
Turkey Buzzards from Hinckley, Ohio soar in the periwinkle blue sky. If you are lucky you even see the majestic Bald Eagle perched and perusing the waters in search of lunch. I watch these birds this morning from my bike as I ride through Little Hamaca Park. I highly recommend this little known green space to you folks thinking of visiting our little city. It’s on Government Rd. off Flagler Ave. (mid island).
At the end of this road you’ll find The Hawk Missile Site, a crumbling and imposing reminder of the U.S. response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. I can only imagine that the mood in this place was at one time very serious and strictly confidential. A beehive of men on special assignment. The empty guard house still stands behind a high chain link fence topped with rolled barbed wire. Yet the gate stands open.
Today with the soft clicks, chirps and calls of the new day it serves as only a faded reminder of yesterday’s conflicts. Today I get off my bike and take a seat to observe the world around me, I spy a flock of wading birds softly picking their way through the shallow salt ponds gently scooping up fish. Today I lean back to see a huge column of soaring birds stretching up into the sky, all riding the wind, effortless. .
I wonder do they see me? I wonder if
I look like lunch. I get on my bike and ride like the wind with no hands. 
