http://www.waltonoutdoors.com Your source for the outdoors in Walton County Florida and the surrounding area Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:45:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-of-northwest-florida/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-of-northwest-florida/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:39:58 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=11442 Not only our most valuable water sources, spring fed waterways provide extraordinary adventure Some of the most beautiful places to explore Northwest Florida are along our spring fed waterways. These creeks, streams and rivers provide incredible recreation and eco tourism along with the valuable drinking water our communities rely on. Florida boasts more than 700 [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-of-northwest-florida/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/join-the-choctawhatchee-audubon-for-bird-walks-field-trips-and-adventures/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/join-the-choctawhatchee-audubon-for-bird-walks-field-trips-and-adventures/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:07:56 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=11367 Choctawhatchee Audubon Society offers a wide variety of events open to the public The Choctawhatchee Audubon Society is dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat, environmental education, and a greater appreciation of Northwest Florida’s natural beauty. During the year the CAS offers a wide variety of bird walks, bird counts, field trips and [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/join-the-choctawhatchee-audubon-for-bird-walks-field-trips-and-adventures/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/choctawhatchee-audubon-society-looking-for-shorebird-count-volunteers/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/choctawhatchee-audubon-society-looking-for-shorebird-count-volunteers/#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:22:59 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=11253 Be a part of the Audubon bird count! Choctawhatchee Audubon Society, encouraged by Audubon of Florida, is organizing weekly surveys of certain shorebirds along the Gulf Coast. Currently they are in need of volunteers for the State Park areas in Walton County. A good pair of binoculars or a scope will allow counting of our [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/choctawhatchee-audubon-society-looking-for-shorebird-count-volunteers/feed/ 2 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/take-a-journey-to-lost-lake-at-tilley-landing/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/take-a-journey-to-lost-lake-at-tilley-landing/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:46:41 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=6199 Old growth swamp forest sparks the imagination Driving down the sloping gravel road, I felt the temperature drop slightly, and soon noticed the changes in the flora as I ventured into the swamp forest of the Choctawhatchee River Basin. About 1.7 miles down, I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland as she tumbled down [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/take-a-journey-to-lost-lake-at-tilley-landing/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/enjoy-a-lazy-day-paddle-down-the-shoal-river/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/enjoy-a-lazy-day-paddle-down-the-shoal-river/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:59:03 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10950 Scenic river in Crestview offers a journey through a wetland hardwood forest The appropriately named Shoal River offers an abundance of sandy sandbars, (shoals) along with cool water along a meandering 10-mile paddle in Crestview. This 10-mile stretch is the only open publicly accessible run on the river. It is easily accessible with a boat [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/enjoy-a-lazy-day-paddle-down-the-shoal-river/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-%e2%80%a8of-northwest-florida/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-%e2%80%a8of-northwest-florida/#comments Fri, 28 May 2010 15:57:46 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=11422 Not only our most valuable water sources, spring fed waterways provide extraordinary adventure Some of the most beautiful places to explore Northwest Florida are along our spring fed waterways. These creeks, streams and rivers provide incredible recreation and eco tourism along with the valuable drinking water our communities rely on. Florida boasts more than 700 [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/explore-the-spring-fed-waterways-%e2%80%a8of-northwest-florida/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/kayaking-adventure-on-holmes-creek-to-the-choctawhatchee-river-and-spring-run/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/kayaking-adventure-on-holmes-creek-to-the-choctawhatchee-river-and-spring-run/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 13:55:16 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10410 Local eco guide describes access points, currents and landscape of local waterways in colorful detail Earth Day was coming up and I wanted to scout a potential trip in lower Washington County.  With that in mind I gave Lori from Walton Outdoors a call because as we all know she is game for new things.  [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/kayaking-adventure-on-holmes-creek-to-the-choctawhatchee-river-and-spring-run/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/emerald-coast-wildlife-refuge-designated-contact-for-oiled-wildlife-in-walton-county/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/emerald-coast-wildlife-refuge-designated-contact-for-oiled-wildlife-in-walton-county/#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 22:47:25 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10393 Currently donations and supplies along with volunteers to answer phones are most needed To report oiled or injured wildlife in an area after it has been designated as oiled, call 800-557-1401 Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is now the point of contact for local response to oiled wildlife in the Walton County area. They have put in a [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/emerald-coast-wildlife-refuge-designated-contact-for-oiled-wildlife-in-walton-county/feed/ 4 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/preventative-beach-cleaning-in-preparation-of-oil-spill-may-harm-nesting-shorebirds/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/preventative-beach-cleaning-in-preparation-of-oil-spill-may-harm-nesting-shorebirds/#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 20:43:08 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10359 Remove only man made litter along South Walton’s beaches as natural debris in place provides nesting benefits to shorebirds and other wildlife A well-intentioned recommendation from Volunteer Florida urging eager people to move beach litter above the high water line to make cleaning up oil that may come ashore easier may prove harmful to beach [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/preventative-beach-cleaning-in-preparation-of-oil-spill-may-harm-nesting-shorebirds/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/bluebird-breeding-program-success-at-hammock-bay/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/bluebird-breeding-program-success-at-hammock-bay/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:44:36 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10328 Spring brings full house to 55 bluebird boxes Spring brings a full house to all 55 bluebird boxes at Hammock Bay in Freeport. This is the fourth season Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay, has been running a bluebird breeding program for these beautiful indigenous birds. The success has been quite good. There were 297 [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/bluebird-breeding-program-success-at-hammock-bay/feed/ 1 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/north-american-spring-bird-migration-count-may-8/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/north-american-spring-bird-migration-count-may-8/#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:57:11 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10262 Get out in the field or be a backyard bird feeder counter for spring migration count Okaloosa and Walton Counties NAMC is sponsored by National Audubon Society, Florida Ornithological Society, and locally supported by Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. Each spring and fall a “picture” is acquired of the migration pattern of birds.  From this “picture” they [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/north-american-spring-bird-migration-count-may-8/feed/ 1 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/dead-birds-found-along-walton-and-okaloosa-county-beaches/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/dead-birds-found-along-walton-and-okaloosa-county-beaches/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:27:29 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10235 Recent events wreaks havoc for migratory birds Whether recent bird deaths directly related to oil rig disaster is not yet determined There have been several reports of numerous dead birds found along the beaches of the Florida Panhandle. Don Ware, bird count coordinator of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society and Stephanie Torr of Old Florida Village [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/dead-birds-found-along-walton-and-okaloosa-county-beaches/feed/ 4 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/beautiful-yellow-crowned-night-heron-spotted-near-the-choctawhatchee-river/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/beautiful-yellow-crowned-night-heron-spotted-near-the-choctawhatchee-river/#comments Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:13:53 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=10008 Heron perched with watchful eye as she protects her nest The beautiful yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) was spotted along the chain of lakes near Ebro. The chain of lakes is a tributary of the Choctawhatchee River. The heron was poised on a branch not far from her nest which housed a pale blue egg. [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/beautiful-yellow-crowned-night-heron-spotted-near-the-choctawhatchee-river/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/springtime-boasts-new-life-in-chickadee-nest/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/springtime-boasts-new-life-in-chickadee-nest/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:10:05 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=9938 Six Carolina Chickadees about to hatch On April 3, a good deal of activity was stirring at a Carolina Chickadee nest in Freeport, as six new eggs are about to hatch. Both Chickadee parents were close by as Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay checked the bird box for its progress. As Joe approached the [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/springtime-boasts-new-life-in-chickadee-nest/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/camp-helen-state-park-opens-new-tramway-and-hiking-path/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/camp-helen-state-park-opens-new-tramway-and-hiking-path/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:33:38 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=9899 Path provides scenic views and bike path along Lake Powell By Don Schroeder Friends of Camp Helen State Park The cooperation between the State of Florida and the local community that gave birth to Camp Helen State Park more than a dozen years ago remains alive and well! This same working partnership was on display [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/camp-helen-state-park-opens-new-tramway-and-hiking-path/feed/ 2 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/spring-means-sharing-the-beach-with-shorebirds/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/spring-means-sharing-the-beach-with-shorebirds/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:56:53 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=9877 Watch for nesting shorebirds this spring As Florida’s residents and visitors venture out to the beaches to enjoy warmer weather after a hard, long winter, so do the state’s abundant and unique shorebirds. But there’s a big difference between the two beachcombers in Florida. Shorebirds depend on those narrow stretches of sand to survive, not [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/spring-means-sharing-the-beach-with-shorebirds/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/northwest-florida-birding-festival-april-16-and-17/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/northwest-florida-birding-festival-april-16-and-17/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:01:53 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=9839 Birding festival at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast provides important resting and feeding habitat for many species of migratory and rare resident birds. In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, St. Joe invites you to attend this birding festival that highlights some of the most beautiful areas and rarest birds of the [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/northwest-florida-birding-festival-april-16-and-17/feed/ 0 http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/coopers-hawk-on-lake-powell/ http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/coopers-hawk-on-lake-powell/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:07:34 +0000 Walton Outdoors http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/?p=9675 Beautiful adult Cooper’s hawk spotted near Lake Powell Among the bird world’s most skillful flyers, Cooper’s Hawks are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high speed pursuit of other birds. You’re most likely to see one prowling above a forest edge or field using just a few stiff wingbeats followed by [...]]]> http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/coopers-hawk-on-lake-powell/feed/ 1