Not too long ago I spied some wild turkeys strolling around the King & Bear front entrance.  It was really early in the morning, the sun was just coming up and I think I said a soft “morning” to those turkeys as if I was nodding at my neighbors leaving for work.  It’s great to be reminded of all the creatures that call our community home.  In fact, a fantastic variety of wildlife thrive here.  Some of our lesser known “neighbors” include bobcats, wild hogs and even black bears. Fox squirrels are one of my favorite.  They are bigger and more exotic looking than the common grey squirrels that dart around our lawns. In fact, they are the largest species of tree squirrels in North America. I snapped this photo of a fox squirrel right here in the King & Bear. 

For me, seeing an otter in the wild, right here in Royal Pines, was an amazing experience. Since I’ve been living in Northeast Florida for most of my life, I was under the impression that I had seen all of the wildlife the area had to offer. So I was understandably surprised one night when I was walking my dog and caught a glimpse of a funny creature waddling across the street. It never crossed my mind it could be an otter until it stepped into the light. It was going from one lake to another. While otters are graceful in the water, they definitely have a clumsy looking hop waddle when they move on land. (more…)