June 4, 2026

I am known as a Song Sparrow

My song is how I impress girls

They judge me not just by my voice

But how well my singing lessons were learned.

Location: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Song_Sparrow/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

June 3, 2026

I am a male Red-winged Blackbird

I get territorial when I am breeding

I'll even fight horses and humans

Despite my low chance of succeeding.

Location: Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

June 2, 2026

We are American Robins

If you love hearing our song

You can put structures in your yard for us to nest

But never put pesticides on your lawn.

(Because Robins dig in the dirt for worms, they are very susceptible to pesticides!)

Location: Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

June 1, 2026

We are known as Tree Swallows

We eat insects and berries and fruit
We also scavenge compost for eggshells

When we need calcium to reproduce.

Location: Pearson Metropark Johlin Cabin Wildlife Viewing Area, Oregon, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

May 31, 2026

I am known as a Green Horsefly

In the US, I'm the only horse fly that's green

I'm crepuscular, I'm spectacular,

I have fuzzy white scapulars

I'm the prettiest bloodsucker that you've ever seen.

Thanks to our very special guest photographer, Heather Stapleton!

Location: Private residence, Vero

Sources: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/17583

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

May 30, 2026

I am a Hardwood Stump Borer Beetle

My name says all that you need to know

I bore holes in hardwood

To me, it tastes good,

My jaws are strong, watch your fingers and toes!

Thanks to our very special guest photographer, Heather Stapleton!

Location: Private residence, Vero

Sources: https://www.whatsthatbug.com/hardwood-stump-borer-all-you-need-to-know-explained-simply/

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

Florida Native Plant Resources

David and I recommend the following online resources for native plant identification:

• A Photographic Atlas for Botany (Morrow) - Fantastic, full color online atlas.
• Florida Wildflower Foundation - I use this as a reference for my blog frequently
• This is the specific page that I showed in class, but please explore the whole site, it is wonderfully done.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center  - A concise, easy to use resource that I also use frequently as a reference for my blog.
• iNaturalist.org: This is a good resource to narrow you down to at least a family. BUT - this is SO important - NEVER eat a plant based on a photo ID. Unless you have taken a science-based course on botany and plant identification, or are with someone who has,  do NOT eat any plant in the wild. Remember - all plants are edible ONCE.

Offline (old fashioned "books") that are handy to have:

• Florida Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities by Walter Kingley Taylor - Considered the classic Florida ID book, but can be difficult to find. 
• A Falcon Guide: Central Florida. Wildflowers - I like this book because it's organized by color, which is the first think I notice about a flower, although it is not always the most definitive identification key. 
• The Wildflower Book: East of the Rockies - A Complete Guide to Growing and Identifying Wildflowers - My mom in law just gave me this, so I have only had a chance to scan it, but it looks like a great resource, and the phots are awesome.
• Guide to the vascular plants of central Florida by Richard P. Wunderlin - If you decide that you want to get seriously into botany, this is considered the bible of plant ID in Florida. This is a free edition.