Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park

Return to Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park - wandering the desert

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Me and Kiki huddling in the shade in the middle of the Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park desert - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/100th self-timer camera on groundSeeking a desert, Kiki and I returned to Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park which has long trails made up of sandy fire roads with little tree cover.  Why seek a desert?  Because yesterday I heard America's "Horse With No Name" and it became the theme for today's outdoors adventure.  There were other reasons for seeking a desert too, but those are more omnipresent and need not be singled out.  Our first visit to this park was back in November of 2009, and based on the lead image of that post and the one below, you can see how my HDR technique has improved in the past three years (no more ghosting!).  

Most of the 3-mile Loop Trail of Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park is desolate - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 3-exposure HDR handheldWandering for 5-miles (including the beginning 1.9 mile loop) in mostly desert trails with the strong Florida sun beating down on you may not sound that appealing, but it is exceptionally good for producing clarity of mind, if not clarity of photographs.  I cannot speak for Kiki, but the desolate trails provided exactly the environment I wished to be in.  We saw not a single human our entire time out there.  If you do not count the countless ants and flying insects, and the two birds' shadows I saw fly by (I did not use the energy to lift my head toward the sun to see them), then the only creature we encountered was a friendly gopher tortoise, who kindly yielded the right-of-way to us.  I am fascinated by the mechanical movement of tortoises and how they can withdraw from the world anywhere they want to.  I did not stop to photograph him, because in the desert you risk forgetting even your own name.  Indeed we took refuge for awhile at the max point out in the desert under a very well placed roofed picnic table (top image).  Kiki dug a hole to cool off in as I took a few photos.  Once she had sufficiently ceased panting, we continued on, though I know shade break or not, we were good for more miles.

I did not touch this tree - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 3-exposure HDR handheldOnce back in the corral area, I chomped on a few crackers and Kiki a dog biscuit, and we both took water.  Just as we arrived back I noticed off to the side a very peculiar tree.  I saw none in such condition anywhere else in the park, not even in the middle of the desert trail where one would think such a tree would be found.  This scary tree was right next to the campground (see blue tent).  I would not want to get the campsite within eyeshot of it.

It was a good visit to Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park and if you do go make sure it is as early as possible to avoid the hot Florida sun, bring lots of water as there is none on site for humans and prepare to cross a desert.

J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park:

  • 10500 Wilderness Park Boulevard
    New Port Richey, FL 34655
  • hours sunrise to sunset
  • dogs ok!
  • camping - car, primitive & backcountry

Flora & Fauna of J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park

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J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park has its own corral for visiting horses.

After a recent and very personal epic fail, I sought the comfort of Nature and the countryside.  Though not so exciting or scenic, Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park still provided the needed escape I sought.  The park is equipped with a staffed visitor's center that has good maps.  You can camp, bring your horse, bring your dog, and amble all within the park's 8,000 acres.  

This gopher tortoise was quite the speedster.

The first fellow we met out on the hiking trail was the above gopher tortoise.  It saw us, yet still motored toward us nonplussed.  I met it half-way for a friendly portrait.  I could not help lightly touching its shell.  Its home was just a few steps away actually.  A fine hole it was.

A long-tailed skipper butterfly staying hydrated, as we all should.

I have never photographed a butterfly to my liking, and I still have not.  However, the long-tailed skipper I saw semi-fluttering about was my best attempt to date.  The image was made with a Nikon D300 and Nikkor AF-S 105mm VR micro F2.8G lens, and hot shoe mounted Nikon SB-600 Speedlight.  I used the SB-600 for all shots featured in this post save for the top, HDR image.

A messy air plant clutching to a twig.

I have long been very interested in and fascinated by the concept and being of air plants.  A plant that can exist clinging to something in mid-air.  Does it wish it could set down roots in the Earth?

The appropriately named golden-silk spider seen in J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park.

Just like my desire to make a good butterfly photograph, the same goes for spiders.  I still cannot produce an image I want to, but this is perhaps my best spider image to date, which, obviously, is not saying much.  This golden-silk spider was having a late lunch, so I only made two photographs of him not wanting to be that much of a bother.

I will one day write a poem based on the bokeh color and DoF in this photograph.

There is nothing purer in photography for me than Nature and wildlife photography.  It fills me with a sense of the old explorers.  If I am able to capture something of fancy, to me it is like bringing home a treasure of pixels.

J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park:

  • 10500 Wilderness Park Boulevard
    New Port Richey, FL 34655
  • hours sunrise to sunset
  • dogs ok!
  • camping - car, primitive & backcountry