January 4, 2025

I am known as an Anhinga

My sharply pointed beak is great for fish-spearing

I use my long, stiff tail for many things
Including flight lift, balancing, braking and steering.

Location: Lake Woodruff WMA

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Anhinga_anhinga/

Photo and text © 2025 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.

January 3, 2025

I am American Alligator

I've been a protected species for quite a while

There are lots of alligators

We're not really endangered -

But people confuse us with endangered crocodiles.

Location: Lake Woodruff WMA

Sources: https://www.evergladesfoundation.org/post/9-amazing-things-you-didn-t-know-about-alligators

Photo and text © 2025 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.

January 2, 2025

I am known as an Osprey

I'm having fish for dinner tonight

I'm common today

It wasn't always this way - 

We bounced back from DDT pesticide.

Location: Lake Woodruff WMA

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

Photo and text © 2025 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.

January 1, 2025 (NINE YEARS!)

I am a female Wood Duck

I'm not as glossy and fancy as my mate

I've never appeared on Dee's blog, not once!

If you count years, it's been over EIGHT!

That's right, dear readers, today marks the start of year 9 of Dee at 8 am. That is 2,922 straight days. It is so hard to put into words how much it means to me to have readers that check in and comment, it keeps me going through my darkest days knowing that people are reading and getting something out of this goofy little nature blog. 

I have a few big things coming this year. I plan to finally finish up the Rhyming Guide to Ecuador, most of which is all new content that has not appeared on this blog.  We will be visiting Costa Rica in February, so I am hoping to be doing another international Rhyming Guide. And, of course, being "retired" (aka, working harder than I ever did when I got paid to) I am free to travel and go looking for birds and critters whenever my little heart desires. Which is daily at 8 a.m.

Thanks so much for being here. Hope you all stick around for another 9 years. And, if you are in Florida, please stop by to see me at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival from Jan 22-26. I am a sponsor of the festival this year, but I don't have a booth as I am the field trip coordinator and will be a tad busy. But do stop by and say hello, especially if you are new to the blog, I love meeting my readers!

Location: Lake Woodruff WMA

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

https://scbwa.net/

Photo and text © 2025 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.