Almost

Icterus pectoralis - Boynton Beach, FL - May 2008

Eumaeus atala - Lake Worth, FL - July 2008

Above are some pretty crummy shots of my lifer Spot-breasted Oriole and Atala Butterfly, respectively. Both are just fleeting blurs of color, something almost captured but just out of reach. I've had this blog for a year now and it's been fun documenting my nature adventures. And I feel like I have almost caught the highlights of the year. Of course my intentions in this webspace have been varied from updating family members, to reaching out to friends, to filing away important milestones in my naturalist career but mostly it feels like I have barely scratched the surface. I never like to do anything half-way or half-assed but blogging is different, it doesn't have to be perfect. I am not here to draw in huge crowds (though I do love the comments and readers that I have) or show off my photos (maybe one day if I get a nice camera that will change). I guess I'm just here to record and remember. And if along the way I meet some friends or learn something totally new, then I have been better for it.

Daggerwing Nature Center

Daggerwing Nature Center is back in business. Their grand opening was officially on Earth Day. I haven't really explored this Palm Beach County park until last week. Formerly they had a very small center with only a few displays and now they are twice as big and have state of the art interpretive displays throughout. My top three favorite parts of this place are as follows: Number One, their Eastern Screech Owl. I'm a sucker for these little birds.

Number Two, they have a mini-bee movie theater. I don't really know what to call this thing but it's a large bee and you sit inside of it. Not only do I love bees but I always love giant animal displays, be they a roadside attraction or some large insect in a nature center.

Number Three is a tie between their boardwalk outside and their education animals. The general public wouldn't have access to their education room unless you're signed up for a program but of course being a County employee I get the behind-the-scenes tour. I think that their skunk is an intriguing education animal. This is due mostly to the fact that I have never used any sort of live mammal while teaching. At Green Cay we have just built an outside animal enclosure to hold just something of the sort but I am having hesitations about it. But of course my favorite ed. animal at Daggerwing was a snake. This was my first time holding a Blotched Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getulus goini. It was quite friendly despite having a reputation of being skittish.

If you live in the southern part of Palm Beach County I highly recommend a trip out to Daggerwing. They are located in the County's South Regional Park. The boardwalk is short but I saw plenty of birds the other day including Spot-breasted Oriole, Least Tern, and a few warblers. Least Bitterns are supposed to be common there as well.

Jonathon Dickinson State Park

Jonathon Dickinson State Park is found just north of the Palm Beach County border. At one time it had the farthest south resident Scrub-Jays in Florida but those birds haven't been seen in years. What is left is a park full of history and beauty. In the late 1600's a Quaker merchant by the name of Jonathon Dickinson became shipwrecked in this area and the park bears his name. During World War II the U.S. Army operated a top-secret radar training school year that had over 6,000 soldiers and officers and 1,000 buildings. Some of these buildings still stand today and seem very eerie as they are swamped in vegetation.


On my last visit to the park I decided to have a closer inspection of one of these buildings. Once inside you can see the work of local vandals carving their names in the cement. I didn't spend much time in this old room for fear of rattlesnakes but the place was cool and dry inside. If I'm ever homeless in need a place, this would make a wonderful shelter from any storm. Though they may have been hastily built, they seem solid in construction. If you hike up the lookout mountain (an old relic sand dune) you will see these buildings sprinkled across the terrain.

J.D.S.P. boasts sandy pinelands and cypress swamps. The Loxahatchee River, a National Wild and Scenic River, runs through the park and provides ample space for kayaking and canoeing. I've canoed the upper parts of the Loxahatchee but I should really explore this part of the river as well. Usually when I come to J.D.S.P. I hike the trails. The Florida Trail's Ocean to Lake trail runs east to west through the park, ending at Lake Okeechobee. There's also a nice loop trail near the river.

There's always something new to see at this park. I found this dead Wolf Spider in the middle of the path. I'm not sure the cause of death but the ants were just beginning to find it when I picked it up for a closer look. There were also many wildflowers in bloom while I trekked through the loop trail. Zebra Longwings and many other butterflies and moths skitted about the shrubs. The bird of the day was a solitary Downy Woodpecker that flew over the path and into a snag.

For more information about the Ocean to Lake trail you can read about my hike last August here. Also, you should check out the Florida Trail Association webpage for interesting hikes while you're visiting the state. Just remember, bring shoes you don't mind getting wet because in my experience, at least part of the trail is always flooded.

Exploring the Florida Keys

The first stop on my whirlwind Keys expeditition was at Long Key State Park. I really wanted to stop at some other state park but I had an early start to the day 5AM and none of the state parks or county parks open until after 8AM. So at exactly 8AM I pulled into the park and no sooner than my door was open I heard my first Black-whiskered Vireo of the day singing right above my car. After a killer look at this life bird I decided to take the trail and find some other treasures.

The beginning of the trail winds through a nice Hardwood Hammock with Gumbo Limbo trees like the one seen above. It was here that I found the elusive Mangrove Cuckoo, near the back of the hammock in some Mangrove trees. I only had a short glance but I could see the tell-tale mask around the eye region. It didn't call and it quickly found some hiding place in the vegetation. After no luck in re-locating the bird I tramped on down the trail feeling pretty darn good. Both the target birds I wanted on this trip were accomplished in less than half an hour at the park.

The trail opened up to a Mangrove habitat that at first glance seemed almost like a salt pan in Georgia, very flat and sandy without much vegetation. It was here that I did my first wading of the day. Along with the flooded trail I also had the pleasure of hearing lots of Prairie Warblers giving their zee, zee, zee, zee call. I just love how this call rises higher and higher.

Through the Mangrove area I saw lots of Black-throated Blues, American Redstarts, and Ovenbirds. The trees were fairly active and so were the mosquitoes at first, until the sun came up and burned them down into the shadows. The trail was shaded at times and there was always a slight breeze that helped with the sand gnats. The loop trail ended at this boardwalk (seen below).

The boardwalk is a fairly straight path over a nice Mangrove swamp. There is also a short tower over the Mangrove canopy that supposedly is great during hawk migration. I know where I'll be this fall when they come by the hundreds over this park.

The next stop after Long Key was Big Pine Key to visit the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge. The headquarters to the park is located in a shopping center and is closed on the weekends so I headed down the road to hike some trails. I stopped at Blue Hole where I didn't see much of anything except one Green Heron and an Alligator. Less than a mile further down the road two very nice trails were waiting on me. I decided to hike both of them before the afternoon heat rolled in.

Both trails wind through Rocky Flatwoods. This was a new environment for me and it really was quite interesting. Not only was the ground littered with oolite rocks but somehow all types of flowers and wildlife abounded. I really liked the sinkholes found on the wheelchair accessible trail. Also the information boards on that trail were phenomenal. Instead of giving just general species information it actually gave you the history of the area, the geology of the sinkholes and fresh water supply on the Keys, and some of the lesser known species of the area.

I didn't see any endangered Key Deer but I had a wonderful time hiking the trails and seeing some of the smaller wildlife up-close. The trail was littered with butterflies and moths. I tried my best to capture them with a photo but only the one seen above actually stayed still long enough to snap a few pictures. The flowers, like these gems above, were much easier to shoot. All in all, it was a great day of hiking and after a nice lunch I headed back to Bahia Honda State Park for more hiking, more birding, and more exploring...but that will have to wait until another day.

North Palm Beach

This weekend I was busy dogsitting 4 lovely pups up near Jupiter, Florida. While I was in the area I thought I would do some exploring at all my old haunts. I started the morning off at MacArthur Beach State Park where I went to check out the potential migrants. They have a lovely hammock trail that albeit short, proves to attract the warblers. On this trip though the trees were quiet except for one busy female American Redstart.

The Wild Coffee is in bloom now.
Instead of the birds I did practice my butterfly ID skills. There were many Julia Heliconians and Zebra Heliconians fluttering about. Both of these butterflies are in the brushfoot family. I'm new to studying Lepidoptera and it's been a slow approach at incorporating them into my walks. I am sure this will improve with time and practice.


In this Strangler Fig I found the only other birds of the morning: Gray Catbird and Northern Cardinal. They were both flitting about in the shadows. With a slow start I decided to switch up habitats and hike some of the scrub. There are a handful of really great parks on the scrub dune ridges in Jupiter. I figured the Jupiter Ridge hike would be short enough before the morning sun blasted me.


It's taken me awhile to really appreciate the scrub communities. They are hot, brutal to hike in during the summer, and unforgiving you forget to bring enough water. But they also are home to a variety of imperiled wildlife such as Gopher Tortoises and Florida Scrub-Jays. One of the reasons I really like hiking these parks is that they give you a sense of Florida before the development and you always run into something expected. The last time I hiked this particular park I was attacked by Black Flies at sunset but I also saw a long-tailed Bobcat.


Here I saw a whole murder of Fish Crows and one solitary Eastern Towhee singing its heart out. They really are a beautiful bird and the rufous and black colors complemented the scrubby background. One thing to note is that the Florida and southern Georgia Towhee have a yellowish eye, while the northernly cousins sport a red eye. After a short while I met a strange man on the path and he was so weird acting that I decided to abandon my plan to hike the loop and head home.

On the way out I stood in this low depression marsh area and listened to the frogs call. There wasn't any water in the area but you could tell the ground was damp. And with the cloudy sky it proved to be a great spot to just stand and feel the breeze off the ocean run over my body.

In the parking lot I noticed that the Sea Grapes were fruiting. I read somewhere that they were edible. I plucked off the ripest one I could find and gave it a try. The texture was nice, much softer than I expected, the skin was very thin. But then the bitter taste hit me and I gave up my taste testing. Some fruits are better left for the birds.

Six Mile Slough

While I was across the state I stopped in for my first visit to Six Mile Slough. This 2500 acre wetland is a natural drainage way for a 33 square-mile watershed near Fort Myers, Florida. Six Mile Slough is run by Lee County Parks and there is a small $1 fee per hour for parking. The 1.2 mile boardwalk provides you an intimate look at a gorgeous Cypress Swamp.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of walking amongst the Cypress Trees. The ones at Six Mile Slough were covered in lichens and air plants. And due to some recent rains there was actually some water in the swamp, which has been dry lately due to the drought in Florida.

Those bright white flower balls belong to the Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). This is one of my favorite shrubs because of its characteristic flower arrangement and the fact that it can live in water up to 4 feet deep. I first heard about this shrub as an intern in South Carolina. It was growing in a water management area where Wood Ducks were thriving. The seeds are supposedly a good source of food for many waterfowl but the bush itself provides nesting area for many other birds.

It's amazing to me how trees can grow in such odd fashions. This one had a weird bulging appearance probably caused early in its life. On our walk in the woods it was a eye-catcher just like another tree that had a thriving bee colony in its upper canopy hole.

On our walk we hardly heard a sound. The forest was eerily quiet but the sights made up for what was lacking bird-wise. At one of the ponds we did find a mother alligator and a whole group of her babies. They were keeping close by to her but staying just out of sight in the adjacent plants.

Our big bird of the day was found near the end of the walk, one solitary Carolina Wren. Surprisingly it wasn't a bird that we saw at Fort De Soto or during the aftermath of trying to reach 70 birds. I don't see many wrens at Green Cay and they are always a pleasure. Plus, the Carolina Wren is the state bird of my home state of South Carolina. It always reminds me of home.

Ocean Ridge Park

Today was a great beach day. Now that I live only a few minutes away I really need to take more advantage of the beautiful scenery. Due to some sunburn I avoided the beach until the late afternoon and then I headed for the Ocean Ridge Park. I love Palm Beach County and their variety of free parks (and I'm not saying this just because I work for them!).


The temperature was perfect, the wind was just right, and the beach was deserted. I also loved the fact that there isn't any development in this area. Hooray for somewhat pristine beaches! I say somewhat because I don't believe that South Florida really has any pristine beaches but this is as close as they come. Plus, just look at that sargassum washing up on the shoreline, beautiful.

Upon closer inspection I found all sorts of treasures washed up in the marine debris. This bottle was covered with Gooseneck Barnacles, Lepas spp. I love these barnacles with their bright orange tipped openings and long feathery feet. Everywhere I looked I found them, attached to bottles, driftwood, and even some sea beans. They were all still alive, desperately trying to pump water inside of their shell.

Barnacles weren't the only thing washed up on shore. The tide line was littered with Portuguese Man O'War. These dangerous little jelly-like animals are beautiful to see up close with their deep blues and bright pink highlights. As long as I'm not swimming with them, I think they're great to see. Most people think they are jellyfish but actually they are a siphonophora, a colony of polyps and medusoids.


As the sunset cast it's colors over the Atlantic, I bid my farewells to not only the Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls but also to all my problems. There is no greater therapy than some quality time with the beach. I love the roar of the waves, the salty air, and the calmness that is overwhelming. You never know what you'll find washed up on shore and it's always an adventure in a new place.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

On Monday I visited the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center for the first time. This is a remarkable gem in the middle of so much development. They have a nice size property with the mangroves on the west side and the ocean to the east. My time spent here was most enjoyable and of course, I will be back to bring my family and friends.

Gumbo Limbo gets its name from the Gumbo Limbo tree. This South Florida specialty is also known as the "tourist tree" due to its red bark that is often seen peeling, like many pale skinned visitors who get too much Florida sun. I love these trees and their unusual color.

Gumbo Limbo is probably mostly known for their sea turtles and their beach night walks. During nesting season, they offer guided walks on the beach to find nesting females. They book way in advance is by far their most popular program. On display they also have 3 sea turtles, each one a little different. In addition they also have a touch tank and fish tank area. Inside the nature center itself are various snake displays and a gift shop.

The most interesting turtle on exhibit was Walt, formerly housed at Disney World. Walt is a Loggerhead and Hawksbill sea turtle hybrid. You can obviously see that he has a Loggerhead body but a Hawksbill shell (below). There are extensive hybridizations of these two species especially off the coast of Brazil and other places where breeding seasons overlap. Morphologically they are usually called Hawksbills but DNA shows Loggerhead.

Not to be the only turtle on the block, there is also a Gopher Tortoise exhibit near the sea turtles. They have quite a few tortoises that inhabit a small fenced in area. Many of them have attempted to dig burrows but most were unsuccessful. This young tortoise below found itself a nice piece of shade in the lip of a completed burrow.


After exploring the tanks and enclosures there are many opportunities to walk around and see the grounds. A butterfly garden on the north side of the nature center was full of flowers and insects. The Zebra Longwings and Monarchs were zipping about. It was one of the better butterfly gardens I've seen at a nature center in Florida.

If you follow the butterfly garden path it will wind through to the mangroves. There are Red, White, and Black Mangroves on the property as well as a variety of native hammock plants such as Spanish Stopper and Ironwood. On the boardwalk loop there is a 50 foot tower that gives you an excellent view of the canopy and the beach. The only trees emerging from this level are the non-native Australian Pines.

These were just the highlights of Gumbo Limbo. If you're in the Boca Raton area of Florida with some spare time I would definitely encourage you to explore the park for yourself. The price is right, free, and the location is perfect for a walk through many different habitats. I didn't go out to the beach but it doesn't have high rise developments and that alone will set it apart from much of South Florida.