Dee at 8 a.m.
deeat8am.bsky.social
Dee at 8 a.m.
@deeat8am.bsky.social
I take a picture every day at (or around) 8:00 a.m. My goal is to never have this picture be my bedroom ceiling. See more at http://deeat8am.com
I am a Phaon Crescent
Named for an ugly, old boatman in Greek mythology
Aphrodite turned the boatman young and beautiful
With her knowledge of cosmetology.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/onsjFkI

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
February 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM
I am an American Robin
One of the few Dee has seen this year
They are late in migrating to Florida
The food must be better up north than here!
Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/iRkaY7w

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
February 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM
This is one of Dee's favorite plants
Commonly known as Pink Sundew
It's bright red and pink
You never would think
It eats insects that get stuck in its goo.
Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/PqQg7Ml

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 31, 2026 at 1:00 PM
I am a Red-cockaded Woodpecker
I'm probably female based on my foraging location
Males generally forage in the upper branches and crown
The lower trunk's my favorite foraging destination.

More... buff.ly/y5U1wCa

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 30, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am a Green Iguana
In south Florida I live high in the trees
But in certain weather
I can't hold it together
Cold weather can bring me to my knees.

Thanks to very special guest photographer, David Simpson.

More... buff.ly/WKQTRs2

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 29, 2026 at 1:02 PM
I am a male Painted Bunting
I eat seeds for most of the year
But when I am breeding
It's bugs I be eating
I'll even swipe from spider webs a snack souvenir.

Thanks to very special guest photographer, David Simpson.

More... buff.ly/Zw58Ndk

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 28, 2026 at 1:03 PM
I am known as a Great Horned Owl
I can catch large prey when I'm feeling spunky
I can take mammals like porcupines and woodchucks
Or I'll catch mice or scorpions when I'm not very hungry.

Thanks to very special guest... [More... buff.ly/8FosYk9

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 27, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Whose poop is this? I think I know
His home is in the deep woods though
If he should see me stopping here
I'll run as fast as I can go.

(With all apologies to Robert Frost.)

Thanks to special guest photographer, David Simpson.

More... buff.ly/6wwIpvj

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 26, 2026 at 1:03 PM
I am a White Peacock butterfly
On my hind wings, I have a short tail
When I was younger, I was colored much brighter
Now I'm older and getting more pale.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/s4tOjoZ

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 25, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am known as a Palm Warbler
I breed in the Boreal Forest
As do billions of other migratory birds
It's a hopping place from late April-August.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/WMDGKU6

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 24, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am a male Belted Kingfisher
If I was female, my belt would be rusty
We are monogamous, but just for one season
I feed her treats to let her know when I'm lusty.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/s86Z334

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 23, 2026 at 1:02 PM
I am a Northern Harrier
You can tell by the white stripe at the base of my tail
I use both vision and hearing to hunt
I'm a bird of prey, you won't see me eat kale.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/kPp9YNH

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 22, 2026 at 1:03 PM
I am a Golden Silk Spider
Shown are my top and underside
You can see my spinnerette
From where I spin my web
That I use to catch the food on which I rely.

(Note: In the second picture, the spinnerette... [More... buff.ly/oFkHHE3 ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 21, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am a Red-femured Spotted Orbweaver
In the summer I take down my web for the day
But it's colder now,
There's not as much food around
So I leave my web up to catch prey.

Location: St. Sebastian River Buffer Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/KL6kHxx

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 20, 2026 at 1:02 PM
I am known as an American White Pelican
I winter in Cocoa Beach
Come see me starting Wednesday, Jan 21
At the birding festival, where I'll be in reach.

The 27th annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife... [More... buff.ly/hRnb4ut ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 19, 2026 at 1:02 PM
I am an Eastern Phoebe
I'm known to eat wasps, ticks and milipedes
I'll eat butterflies
And spiders and flys
And sometimes even small fruits and seeds.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/x5hAB4O

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM
We are Savannah Sparrows
Oh no! One of us has lost his eyes and beak!
I think he picked up something from that Cormorant
That we were playing around with last week.

(Oh, wait! They're back. Everything's... [More... buff.ly/JjDV9H8 ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 17, 2026 at 1:01 PM
We are Double-crested Cormorants
But one of us isn't all there
I don't know there it went
But her head's not present
Other than that, she's not worse for the wear.

(No Cormorants were... [More... buff.ly/o9xgqEj ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM
I am a Little Blue Heron
I sing but I'm not too good at it
I mostly just make harsh croaking noise
But I want to make music so I bought this drum kit.

Location: St. Sebastian River Buffer Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/X179bmV

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 15, 2026 at 1:01 PM
This flower is known as Moonflower
Because it only blooms at night
In the afternoon
You won't see it's bloom
After dark it's visited by moths in flight.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmore Unit

More... buff.ly/YsjV0sJ

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 14, 2026 at 1:03 PM
I am known as a Purple Gallinule
Shown in pictures 1 and 2.
My beak is orange with a blue shield
Common's beak is orange without any blue.

(Note: Zoom in on the Common Gallinule... [More... buff.ly/Ww3EUju ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 13, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am a Carolina Burying Beetle
Giving this Least Shrew last rites
I dig underneath him to make him a grave
You'll only see disturbed dirt here by night.

Bonus: Check out the short video... [More... buff.ly/JQqTjTr ]

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 12, 2026 at 1:02 PM
This was once a North American Least Shrew
You can tell by it's short, hairless tail
It was most likely predated by an owl or hawk
Come back tomorrow for an interesting detail...

More... buff.ly/jw7MWk4

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 11, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I am a male Common Yellowthroat
But there's nothing common about me
I wear a black mask
When out looking for snacks
I skulk about and look somewhat shifty.

Location: West Cocoa

Sources: buff.ly/QcXKyD0

More... buff.ly/4HfIusk

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 10, 2026 at 1:01 PM
We are a group of Woodstorks
A mixture of adults and teens
The more fuzzy my head, the younger I am
Adults could use a hat and sunscreen.

Location: Cocoa Landfill

Sources: buff.ly/YnJaz50

More... buff.ly/nm0WROQ

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
January 9, 2026 at 1:01 PM