Rachelle Vance Photography

08/15/2026

Honored to be mentioned 🙏🏼

08/14/2026

In December, (12/2025) I launched my kayak from Kenwood Boat Ramp in Interlachen and weaved my way through the drowned forest, getting my kayak stuck on the bottom of tree stumps multiple times. I watched an Eagle land on a dead tree, I quietly kayaked to a spot where I could wedge my kayak in an exposed branch to hold me still, and for about five minutes, in the quiet of the morning, this Eagle gifted me with his presence.

The Rodman Dam Drawdown in late 2025 is meant to dry out excessive aquatic plants like hydrilla that choke the reservoir, exposes and rejuvenates dozens of submerged natural springs, reveals history and exposes the original Ocklawaha River channel, cypress stumps, and shows us what a restored river looks like.
In 2025, the debate over Rodman Dam/Kirkpatrick Dam remained intense, balancing its popular, trophy bass fishing and recreation, against environmental concerns about the flooded Ocklawaha River. . While the dam's removal was pushed by restorationists, Governor DeSantis vetoed funding for a new study, preserving the status quo, but the state initiated a routine (though revealing) drawdown in late 2025, temporarily uncovering the drowned riverbed and highlighting potential restoration benefits, keeping the "good vs. bad" battle alive.

Arguments for Removing the Dam (Bad for the River/Environment)
Flooded Ecosystem: The dam flooded wetlands, springs (like Silver Springs), and blocked the Ocklawaha River's natural flow.
Environmental Damage: Disrupts wildlife migration (panthers, bears) and water quality, with submerged forests dying off.
Aging Infrastructure: The dam is old and requires costly maintenance, with risks of failure.
Restoration Potential: Removing it would restore the river, create diverse fisheries, benefit manatees, and bring long-term economic & environmental benefits.

My website:

https://www.rachellevancephotography.com/Healing-Arts

08/12/2026

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears *Fiddler on the Roof"

My Website 👇🏻

https://www.rachellevancephotography.com

08/11/2026

North America's only native stork, the wood stork was removed from the federal endangered species list after decades of population recovery. I was driving by a local pier where a few guys were fishing, this must have been a throw back fish that this wood stork then picked up and carried away. But look at that wingspan! It must be at least five feet wide!

I deleted and started over (again) on my website . . . so Take II! If you have a spare minute and you wanna check it out and let me know what ya think . . . . here is the link:

https://www.rachellevancephotography.com/Healing-Arts

08/06/2026

Still covered in sand from its deep nest far up on the beach, a tiny Loggerhead hatchling crawls toward the bright open ocean, tasting the sea for the first time.

I kept a safe distance with a long lens as I watched in awe, my heart exploding with happiness at being able to witness this new little life makes its first trip into the ocean, it only took three waves before he was carried off into the vast salty Atlantic.

The "crawl" across the sand lets the hatchling memorize the beach's magnetic field and chemical signature, which acts as a GPS so female turtles can return to nest as adults.

07/31/2026

Laughing Gulls are a threat to our Florida State Threatened Black Skimmers, not only do they steal the fish right out of the bills of the Skimmers, food meant for the hatchlings, but they also capture and kill the Skimmer chicks as well. Black Skimmers are on guard 24/7 protecting their hatchlings in roped off areas off Florida's Gulf Coast.

Can you guess which animal is an even bigger threat to Black Skimmers? (Link to Article in comments)

7/29/2026

St. Pete Beach bird investigation
What we know:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers arrested Robert Czyszczon and Christopher Monroe following a months-long investigation into illegal pest control along the shoreline.

They first responded to reports of mothballs scattered on St. Pete Beach behind the Plaza Beach Hotel on April 20, and investigators said they worked with Audubon Society volunteers and others to remove them. The next day, 500 more mothballs were found in the same area, according to FWC.

07/29/2026

You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

by A.A. Milne (Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh).

07/27/2026

Rachelle Vance was determined to see the flamingos again. Two months after Hurricane Idalia swept a pink wave of the gangly birds through Florida and beyond in August 2023, the photographer from Crystal River dropped her dogs at the sitter and packed her travel trailer. She crossed the state with her kayak, camera, and hope. She succeeded in finding American Flamingos that week and on two other trips to the Space Coast, but photos from her July 2026 trip revealed something special: one of the birds had a metal band on its leg.

Read more about the sighting and the bird's history: https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/florida-photographer-spots-american-flamingo-leg-band

07/27/2026

Using an active hunting tactic, a gorgeous Snowy Egret in Golden Light seen here vibrating its bill on the waters surface to lure or trick small fish or aquatic insects into coming close.

Amazing to watch!

07/27/2026

https://www.audubon.org/florida/news/florida-photographer-spots-american-flamingo-leg-band

Sightings and photos of banded birds provide critical clues to the conservation of our feathered friends.