I arrived in SE Alabama last Thursday, after two grueling days in the car, Addie and I were glad to be free! I'm living in a 24' camper, and it's very comfortable, right on the National Wildlife Refuge! I am currently without a personal computer, an internet connection, and I'm not even allowed on the computers at work yet... so my access to blogging will be limited. I'm currently sitting in the town library, trying to get some things done...and thought I'd try to upload a few pictures!
American alligator, ~2 feet in length
Unknown species...probably a Sora or a Rail? I don't have a book in front of me. And those massive plants! What are they?!
Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Drive
Eastern Screech Owl in a Wood Duck nest box
The Owl's view, and my truck
My first sighting of a venomous snake. Although it was dead, it was a little disconcerting. I'm guessing a rattlesnake, even though the rattles are gone. This guy was AS THICK AS MY ARM, and about 2-3 feet in length. Impressive!
Sunset at ENWR
Red-winged Black Birds feeding on a grass of some sort.
And my favorite sighting so far! I heard a scuffling around under my camper, and of course all I had available was my phone, so the image isn't great...but this is my first Nine-banded armadillo! Such an interesting critter...
Yes folks, I'm loudly and PROUDLY making the statement that THIS video is the best you'll ever see. If you're a follower, you know I've been in the Florida Keys interning at the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key. In addition to Key deer, a smaller subspecies of white-tailed deer, we have a variety of other critters in the Lower Keys.
Watch this 30 second video (with sound!) as a domestic cat almost becomes a midnight snack for this American alligator. Yes, we have 'gators in the Keys. And this guy/gal is a regular visitor to our popular "Blue Hole", a freshwater pond with observation deck and informational panels.
The “Lower Keys” consists of Big Pine Key to Key West.
When many people think of the Keys, they think sand and saltwater.
While there are both of those features here, you may be surprised to
learn that we don’t have the BEST sandy beaches here, and we have an
abundance of fresh water. The Lower Keys, where I live, is built on a
fossilized coral reef.
Because of this coral reef, the ground is very hard, beaches are not
that sandy, and there is coral EVERYWHERE. This also means that
freshwater is able to be held in what is referred to as a “lens” just
under the surface of the ground. Elevation on Big Pine is less than 5
feet above sea level, and it is probably more accurate to say its less
than 2 feet in elevation. This lens just hovers under the surface, and
has allowed animals and people to inhabit this island. There are many
freshwater wetlands on Big Pine Key, which is surprising to many,
including myself. While I’m out on the Refuge, I’ve noticed many
shallow, open water habitats, all of which is freshwater.
Many years ago, when these islands were really being developed, in an
attempt to raise roads, the railway and buildings, some of this
fossilized coral, now limestone, was quarried. Have you ever dug a hole
in the ground, and hit the water table? That’s what happens here, in the
quarries.
The Blue Hole at dusk.
One of my favorite spots on the National Key Deer Refuge, is the Blue
Hole, which is one of the abandoned quarries. It has since filled in
with freshwater, but also contains a layer at the bottom of denser
saltwater. This is primarily considered a “freshwater habitat” but,
after Hurricane Wilma in 2005, several saltwater species of fish (tarpon
and barracuda) washed in, and can still be seen today. I’ve witnessed
the tarpon breaching, and it’s pretty impressive!
The Blue Hole is probably most famously home to several alligators (Alligator mississippiensis).
These ‘gators can be seen often sunning themselves, from the safety of a
wooden observation deck overlooking the pond. Of course these are wild
animals, and there is no fence keeping them contained, so visitors
should keep their distance, and refrain from feeding them.
One of the 'gators seen at Blue Hole.
The Blue Hole also has many species of birds that frequent the area,
that may not be seen elsewhere because of the abundance of freshwater
here. My favorites so far this summer are a nesting pair of Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
(+1). There is clearly a male and a female that are attentive to the
nest, but there is also what I’ve deemed to be a juvenile, unsure of
sex. This bird has been observed plucking dead sticks as well as green
sticks, and passing them off to the pair, as well as swimming and
roosting near the pair. I haven’t been able to figure their situation
out, but the nest is close to the observation deck, and I’ve been
getting some great pictures!
Male (standing) and female on nest.
Here the juvenile Anhinga was observed about
30 feet from the nest, and both adults, gathering nesting material?
Apparently you can’t determine sex of an Anhinga until after it’s 3rd
winter, so I don’t know if this is male or female yet.
This night, I was fortunate to watch the female take over the nest from
the male. The video quality isn’t the best (sorry), my camera was
constantly trying to focus, and I was without a tripod! Still, it was
awesome to watch.
Mom is now on the nest, and dad tends to her and the nest.
A White-crowned Pigeon
seen feeding amongst poisonwood.
The next bird I finally got a picture of at Blue Hole, but found all over Big Pine Key, is the White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucophela).
These birds are unlike other pigeons or doves that we’re all familiar
with. They are uncommon in the Keys, except for this time of year, and
they are very timid and wary. They’re seen flying in small groups, and
feeding in poisonwood, which is a nasty cousin of poison ivy. They eat
the fruit, and nest on the more remotes islands of the Keys. It’s been
difficult to catch one close enough, and sitting still to get a picture.
I’m pleased with the one at left!
These birds are at their northernmost range in Florida, but are
common throughout the Caribbean island. They are even hunted and eaten
in those islands. Here in Florida though, they are protected. I am glad
to add another member of this Pigeon/Dove family to my bird list, to
expand past the Rock Dove and Mourning Dove!
While I was trying to photograph the above Pigeon, I kept hearing a
musical song and frenetic movement in the canopy over me. I couldn’t get
a good look at it, as it was moving quickly and it was reaching dusk. I
finally was able to pinpoint it, and get a good look at it. The picture
below is the best I could do given the lighting and the bird’s
behavior. Before I left Blue Hole for the night, I was guessing that I
had photographed a warbler or vireo, just based on it’s location in the
canopy, and I saw it feeding on insects (both warblers and vireos are
insectivorous).
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
After getting home, and sending my picture to my ornithology
professor from SUNY Cobleksill, I confirmed that it was a White-eyed
Vireo. Check it out at All About Birds: White-eyed Vireo, and give it’s song a listen.
The last bird I got the chance to see, was an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). He was quite a distance away, sitting on a snag. But the sky was beautiful behind him, so he’s included!
Osprey at Blue Hole
The FINAL cool critter I saw over at Blue Hole the other night was a Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox).
We had a soft shell in our herpetology lab at Cobleskill, which could
fit in the palm of my hand. It was so different than any other turtle or
tortoise I had seen. Their shell is leathery and soft, and they have a
little snout on them, which they can use as a snorkel!
I saw this Florida softshell at Blue Hole, right next to an
alligator. They were totally unconcerned with each other. This turtle
was probably 12-14″ from end to end of his carapace (top shell). Really
cool animal.
Florida softshell turtle
More to come soon, as I get the time and inclination to post! Happy summer!
(FIRST, I was just informed by Blogger that I've exceeded my storage space. Picasa is all full. And now I have to pay for GB? Anyone have any tips around this, or another host?)
Last night I wrote an entry from school, because my computer was getting fixed, cleaned out, and reformatted. Today I got 'er back and I'm ready to finish up sharing the end of my spring break vacation.
As a final "hoorah" Mady and I decided to head back to Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge for one last sunset drive on Friday, 3/16/12.
As we were just about to pull off the highway, and onto the Wildlife Drive, we noticed several cars pulled to the side of the road. We of course hit the breaks, turned on the hazards and got out to see what the fuss was...
Photo credit: Mady Alfieri
AN 11' AMERICAN ALLIGATOR!
Photo credit: Mady Alfieri
Somehow the only pictures I lost in the drama of my technology failures, were the alligator pics. Lucky for me, I had a great wildlife-photographing friend with me! Thanks to Mady for sharing with me and on my blog. This alligator is an old female that has claimed this canal/ditch as her own. The staff at ARNWR know her well, and had told us to watch for her earlier in the week. This channel is miles long, and has little tributaries off of it, so I thought there was no way we'd actually SEE a 'gator. Before last week, I didn't even know they lived as far north as North Carolina!
As we pulled in and got on "our road" that's proven successful to us earlier in the week, we noticed that the water level in the irrigation ditches was really drawn down. Noticeably since we had started visiting earlier in the week! And Mady noticed the below, a little reddish 'coon rooting around in the mud. As soon as we stopped to take pictures of him on the ground, he treed...but still gave us some nice shots!
I've never seen a red panda or a coati first hand, BUT this little guy seemed very reminiscent of them both. After all, they're all cousins! He's also very red, which maybe just a color variation of THIS 'coon...or maybe 'coons are redder in the south?
Unknown
Unknown
Yellow-bellied slider (?)
Sunset at the Refuge
Unknown
Buffalo City trail
Buffalo City trail
Loblolly pine (?)
Along the boardwalk were really informative signs about the local flora and fauna. It was very interesting to learn about a totally new complex of wetland species. Granted above, the cattail, is quite common..everywhere. But there was mountain laurel, loblolly pine, sweet gum, ferns, and many other plants that I knew nothing about.
We found this plaque in a pine, and I'm unsure of how old it is. It SEEMS older with the use of the word "game".
And our wildlife vacation is coming to an end. How fitting to find this sign at the end of the trail.
Warbler species, unknown. We "pshed" it in!
ARNWR did not disappoint us on our last evening!
That's the last of my photos from an awesome trip. Can't wait to do it again!
I arrived in SE Alabama last Thursday, after two grueling days in the car, Addie and I were glad to be free! I'm living in a 24' camper, and it's very comfortable, right on the National Wildlife Refuge! I am currently without a personal computer, an internet connection, and I'm not even allowed on the computers at work yet... so my access to blogging will be limited. I'm currently sitting in the town library, trying to get some things done...and thought I'd try to upload a few pictures!
