Using a remote camera in the woods, photographer collects amazing array of wildlife photos

Mark H. Bickel, Andrew West | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Andrew West, the award-winning photographer for The News-press and Naples Daily News, loves to go into the woods to produce some of his best images.

Deep in the woods.

For years now, West has been using a remote camera to get breath-taking photos of Southwest Florida’s wildlife. These photos have been featured on our different content platforms and the stunning images are a big hit with our audience.

The amazing thing about West’s vast collection of photos of critters in the wild is that the subjects often look like made an appointment with him to have their portrait taken. But nothing is “posing” here. The magic of the remote sensor camera, also known as a camera trap, is that it is activated by the movement of the animal, producing these uncanny moments in the natural world.

Click here to watch the video of Andrew West setting up his camera trap, and see some of the candid photos of animal life in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed.

From wildlife to wonderful restaurants and entertainment indoors and out, Southwest Florida is a great place to live. Find a home in this vibrant area on the southwest coast of Florida. Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Go take a hike: CREW Trust has plenty of events coming up

Liz Freeman | Naples Daily News

Antsy to enjoy a slight dip in the temperature?

The CREW Trust has a slew of programs to be outdoors.

Officially the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed Land & Water Trust, it’s the charitable organization that manages the 70,000-acre preserve with trails spanning 40 miles for exploration.

Here are program offerings starting in October. Each has a specific address and price. All events are outdoors. Space is limited so advance registration is required. To register, visit CREW Trust’s Eventbrite page: crewtrust.eventbrite.com

October is just around the corner

• Wet Walk: Beginner, Oct. 1: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. CREW Flint Pen Strand Trails, Pinewoods Parking Lot, 16470 Harrell Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135. $10 for members, $15 for non-members
• Bug Watch, Oct. 3: 7:45 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. CREW Marsh Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee, FL 34142. $15 for members, $20 for non-members
• Wet Walk: Advanced, Oct. 8: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. CREW Flint Pen Strand Trails, Pinewoods Parking Lot, 16470 Harrell Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135. $10 for members, $15 for non-members
• Fall Blooms at Sunset, Oct. 25: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CREW Cypress Dome Trails, 3980 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee, FL 34142. $15 for members, $20 for non-members

Find out what’s happening in November on news-press.com.

Visiting Chokoloskee, a town of historical significance with stories to tell

J. Kyle Foster | Naples Daily News

Way down south and east in Collier County, Florida, in The Everglades, is a town called Chokoloskee that until 1955 could only be accessed by boat. It’s worth the drive to explore this old Florida area with its rich history.

But first, how do you pronounce the name and what does it mean? Pronounced chuk-uh-lus-kee, the name comes from the Seminole-Creek chuku meaning house and liski meaning old, according to the book “Florida Place Names.” Other interpretations are just “home.”

Home for centuries to Calusa Indians, Chokoloskee was “settled” in the 1870s by European travelers. The Calusa were known for their shell mounds, which were places to toss out shells of oyster and conch the Calusa used for food and sometimes built into tools. These mounds built up the islands of Chokoloskee and parts of Marco Island, providing higher ground as protection from hurricanes that hit the area often.

In 1955, a causeway was built to connect Chokoloskee with the mainland. That was replaced with the Chokoloskee Bridge in August 2018 to meet modern standards with increased width and height, according to Fort Myers-based Kelly Brothers, which built the bridge.

Read more – History, tradition, and mystery entrenched in Chokoloskee on naplesnews.com.

Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center features tough tanks, nature history, wildlife

“Through the Lens of Nature: A Celebration of Flora, Fauna and Culture” will be in the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in East Naples, Florida, from Aug. 4-Oct 31.

View the picture gallery on naplesnews.com.

Find a home in the Naples, Florida area! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.