Green Cay Gator

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

Lake Worth Beach

Alligator vs. Alligator

A couple of weeks ago the water levels at Green Cay were down significantly. With the exposed mud flats came more shorebirds but also another exciting event took place, an Alligator battle. Most casual visitors to the wetlands want to see alligators. Can you blame them considering their vast size and weight coupled with their ferocious stereotype? But really most alligators are docile and slow moving at Green Cay until that is these two gators decided to clash.

Check out the close up of that bite. The two went at it for hours biting each other simultaneously. They would take short breaks and then start again. An epic battle that lasted hours.

At one point during a break one of the alligators made a break for it and retreated to the water. The other gator was quickly on his tracks.

I love these photos with the blood dripping out of the mouth. The second gator has a mouth full of mud.

During this whole epsiode a Great Egret was watching nearby. I wondered if the bird was as intrigued as the multitude of people watching from the boardwalk.

Once back in the water instead of going their seperate ways the two alligators started fighting again. Locking each other in their tight grips.

The two stayed together this way in their alligator origami poses until finally they both tired and swam off in different directions. Both gators were bloodied but seemed okay otherwise. It was a very entertaining day at Green Cay and certainly worth the visit. If you are ever in the South Florida area you should stop by for a short walk. Our 1.5 mile boardwalk isn't very long but it's full of up-close animal encounters like this one.

All photos taken by Arny Landy at Green Cay.

Red-bellied Woodpecker vs. European Starling

Photos taken by Bill Kominsky at Green Cay.

This battle wasn't nearly as intense as the Black-bellied Whistling Duck battle but still there was a clear winner. The Red-bellied Woodpecker captured a wasp which was then eyed by the European Starling. Like a typical starling this one decided to bully the woodpecker and take the quick meal. The woodpecker dodged the attack and ate the meal in peace. This time the winner was the woodpecker but from experience we know that at Green Cay the starlings have the last word when it (almost always) destroys the nesting attempt of our Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Birds and Beer

Sometimes you must combine two things that you really like and make it a vacation. Photo was taken by Mo my trusty partner in fun on Jekyll Island, GA, my favorite place in the world!

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Brawl

At Green Cay we have some very nice Black-bellied Whistling Duck familes. Usually the diligent parents stay close by protecting the innocent ones from predators. But when the parents are away the little ducks play. Introducing BBWD Smackdown:

The fight starts!

Quickly a dominant duckling takes the lead.


Eventually a crowd forms to watch the match.

Beaks clash, feathers are ruffled.

The small duckling on the left doesn't stand a chance!

Despite being dominated both ducklings continue the brawl with beaks tangled together.

1...2...3...There's a winner!

All photos taken by Tom Rasmassen at Green Cay, used with permission.

For other such battles as Cooper's Hawk vs. Mourning Dove and Great Blue Heron vs. Common Moorhen chick please come out to Green Cay and watch the action. There's always a show and the price is free.

Season Change in Florida

The temperature outside still soars into the 80s but it's autumn here in Florida at least according to the calendar but more importantly the birds say it's true. One yesterday's bird count we started counting good numbers of our winter species. Some of my favorite birds at Green Cay are only here for half of the year and they include my very favorite winter bird the Sora.


It's not winter if the Catbirds aren't creating a ruckus on the habitat islands. I only had 4 this week but last wee I counted over half a dozen of these good looking stalkers.

The highlight of my walk yesterday was watching a Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the Tropical Hardwood Hammock. It buzzed about the red flowers and made that endearing child-like giggle. Finally the hummingbird took a perch literally 2 feet away from me. How such a small bird can migrate those many miles is beyond me but I'm really glad to have them back at the wetlands.

All photos taken by Bill Kominsky at Green Cay.

Migration Day at Green Cay

This weekend at Green Cay we had our annual Migration Celebration. Lots of families, lots of volunteers, crafts, presentations, and of course the finale is a bird release. This year we had two Red-shouldered Hawks to release. Here are a few photos of the birds and the release.

Green Cay is already full of Red-shouldered Hawks so I will be curious to see if these two stick around or find their own territory. Regardless, it was a nice show for our visitors and two more rehabbed raptors are back in the wild.

All photos taken by Marty Kaye at Green Cay, used with permission.

Lunch Time at Green Cay

Photos used with permission by Bill Kominskey at Green Cay.

The birds at Green Cay are very busy these days. We have Red-shouldered Hawks catching snakes and even the Black-crowned Night Herons are coming out and joining the fun. This weekend is our annual Migration Celebration. Come out and enjoy the free presentations, craft projects, raptors on display, and pick up information on area organizations. We will be raffling off gift baskets to support our Friends of Green Cay group. It should be a delight plus the birds out on the boardwalk will be doing there thing.

Working hard

The view from my office today.