Pied-billed Grebe

Water Creatures

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For a couple of months during the winter, we usually pack up the camper and head to Florida to explore nature. And yes, to enjoy the warmer temps and sunshine. That trip usually includes bringing the canoe and spending time with friends. It allows us to see nature up close and personal. Sometimes it can be a bit “too close” and involves some maneuvering.

But what you see can be mesmerizing. Or entertaining. Or funny and cute. And sometimes not quite so calming… Sometimes it’s what’s keeping an eye on YOU.

Yes my friends, there definitely are alligators in Florida. And when you’re paddling in a canoe you see them. You also see them when hiking. But sometimes these little guys (in the photo below) fall under the category of “cute.” Unless Momma is nearby, which she probably is.

Baby gator hatchlings are only about 7 inches long, give or take, and require protection by Momma to keep predators away. Racoons, snakes, birds, otters and even other gators find these little guys appetizing. Baby gators tend to stay together in a group when they’re young, and you often see this out in the wild. Sometimes they stay close to Momma for two or even three years for protection.

But I digress. Let’s move onto the category of mesmerizing. When people hear you’ve been to Florida, the most asked question tends to be Did you see alligators? We know the answer to that one, but the second most asked question is Did you see manatees? And the answer to that is also Yes!

Paddling near the mouth of a natural spring that flows into the Suwannee River at Manatee Springs State Park we saw about a dozen manatees gently floating leisurely by enjoying the warm waters. It’s difficult to photograph a manatee. But look at the horizontal shape amongst the reflections of the trees on the surface of the water in the photo above.

Their front flippers help steer them through the water while the large tail provides the power to move them forward. These gentle giants are threatened due to a number of things including boats collisions, entanglement in fishing lines, harassment, habitat loss and starvation. They are protected by State and Federal law in Florida, and we can only hope they continue to survive.

Paddling around Florida’s waterways always provides a look at many creatures that love water. From shorebirds along coastal waterways (like this Brown Pelican that came in for a bouncing landing), to inland lakes with those creatures that focus on fish as a mainstay of their diet, like the Osprey.

Otter Lake in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is surrounded by towering Bald Cypress trees. The water is vivid blue and on windless days it’s smooth as glass. Sunlight reflects tree images on the water while Ospreys glide overhead.

The Cypress trees towering height make excellent locations for Osprey nests. The trees provide nest locations that offer easy approaches for the birds and good visibility to watch for potential predators.

An Osprey is considered a type of fish-hawk and eats almost exclusively live fish (although there are some exceptions). So having waterways nearby with ample food supply is critical.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is also a haven for water creatures. From the shy little Pied-billed grebe (which is not a type of duck) to beautiful Redhead ducks and more.

Pied-billed grebes are quite common in most of the U.S. I find it entertaining with it’s quick little dives to avoid being seen. Did you know Grebes eat large amounts of their own feathers. This helps block indigestible items long enough that they can form a pellet (which also includes those feathers amongst other things) they can regurgitate. And they’re the ONLY bird that does this.

And now on to the aforementioned Redhead ducks – a diving duck that’s interesting to observe. Talk about a beautiful creature, wow! As with many birds, the male is always the most colorful of the pair. According to Wikipedia, Redhead ducks make up just 2% of the North America’s duck population. Maybe it’s no wonder I don’t see them very often!

On this day we found them sharing the pool of water with a couple of American Coots. According to what I’ve read, Redheads are very “social” ducks and this photo appears to concur with that.

But Wood ducks are equally as resplendent as the Redheads, at least I believe so. This beautiful pair were remarkably calm and stood quite still for this photo. Generally I find Wood ducks to be quite shy.

And speaking of water creatures that are shy, how about the North American river otter? I rarely see them out of the water, and generally just see them quickly swimming away. But not on this day. Mother nature was kind to us and decided to share their beauty with observers paddling by. These guys were as curious about us as we were about them!

I’ve read river otters can be up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 30 pounds. The males are generally bigger, so I’m guessing that this might be a male due to its obvious size. They’re playful creatures, and on this day we found them scrambling about with several other otters as we paddled along.

And there you have it. Just a few of the water creatures we were able to share our time with while in Florida this year. Oh, there’s lots more photos to come in some future blogs. Nature has a way to mesmerize and amaze, and it’s so beautiful you just have to share it!

Until next time, keep exploring nature up close!

Exploring Nature at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

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At 90,000 acres, this wildlife refuge is impossible to fully embrace in just a few days. But I’d like to share some photos of nature’s wonders that just might encourage you to visit here when you’re in the area.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is in the panhandle of Florida and hugs the Apalachee Bay. It’s a wintering location for a large number of migratory birds. The area is absolutely huge! But don’t let its great expanse overwhelm you. Go to the Visitor Center first and explore the drive out to the lighthouse. Then broaden your wanderings by foot or bike.

Here’s a map of this section of the refuge that might be of help. The black and white line on the map is the paved public road. At the top of the map, the Visitor Center is indicated. But keep in mind this is just one portion of the Refuge.

Wetlands attract a diverse range of ducks and birds – birds of prey, shore birds, ducks, warblers, songbirds and many others. Hiking areas provide easy access for closer views. This White-eyed Vireo was singing melodiously near the overlook at a wetland just off the main drive. It’s easy to see why it’s called “white-eyed.”

These Ring-necked ducks are easy to spot with the male’s gleaming black head and back. But it’s the bill I find so interesting. It appears to almost have been hand painted. Nature’s wonders indeed!

We also saw American Wigeons, Blue-Winged Teals and others, along with the ubiquitous Pied-Billed Grebes. The Pied-billed is a rather small bird and actually not considered to be a duck at all. Its diving antics are fun to watch. I read that its ancient lineage is more closely related to (believe it or not) the Flamingo. But that is still debatable by many.

Speaking of Flamingos, another visitor to the refuge told us they had heard of sightings of one. So naturally, off we go scouting the park to find the elusive bird. And lo and behold, there it was hanging out on Mounds Pool #3. Much too far away for a decent photo, but it’s enough determine it was a Flamingo.

Shorebirds were plentiful. Like this Great Egret. Look closer at the photo and you will see a Little Blue heron directly behind it and what might be a Greater Yellow Legs just to the left. But don’t quote me, as identification of shore birds are not my forte.

One enjoyable way to explore the area of the Mounds ponds is by trail bike. You can cover lots of ground while still having binoculars and camera close at hand to stop and check out the creatures you see. There are quite a few ponds there with dikes around them for easy access and observation.

Creatures come in a variety of sizes and shapes. And they co-exist. Like this alligator and the Greater Yellow Legs. The angle of this photo distorts the closeness of the two, but I still think that bird is rather brave.

The scenery in this area is breathtaking, with wide expanses of water and marsh grasses blending together. It’s quiet out here, with wind gently blowing through grasses and occasional calls of birds drifting through the area. If I had to define the term “peaceful,” this would be it. It’s a place where you can lose life’s distractions, time-commitments and “just be.”

In the photo below, a Tri-colored heron blends into its colorful surroundings, becoming at once an intricate and natural part of the scenery.

Closer to the shoreline is the famous St. Marks lighthouse. It’s located on the east side of the mouth of the St. Marks river and is second oldest light house in Florida. It opened in 1831 and has had several renovations. The lighthouse and keepers quarters were closed when we were there this past winter. The Fresnell lens in the lighthouse was removed during one of the renovations and is on display at the Visitors Center. A replica lens is now in its place in the lighthouse and is lit seasonally according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service website.

On the shoreline beneath that lighthouse, shorebirds are prolific. Bonaparte’s Gull, Terns of several species, Sandpipers, Plovers and others.

I was fortunate to be able to photograph a Piping Plover. Note the bands on both legs. After a bit of research, I was able to report this little guy to the USGS for their banding project research. Coastal populations of the Piping Plover are considered threatened here, while inland populations are considered endangered.

Here’s another shorebird I rarely see, the American Oystercatcher. It favors coastal areas with sand and shell beaches as well as salt water marsh areas. And yes, it does eat oysters as well as clams and other mollusks. This is a poor photo, even with a super zoom lens. These guys were quite shy.

The Wildlife Refuge sports not only coastal areas but also inland lakes. If you bring your canoe, Otter Lake is a wonderful place to spend a quiet morning. Its banks are entirely lined with Bald Cypress trees, draped with Spanish moss swaying in the breeze overhead. Its deep blue waters encourages one to paddle gently, hugging the shoreline and exploring its depths.

Osprey love this lake. Seems it’s the perfect habitat to raise their young. Great nesting areas and plenty of fish. We saw at least a dozen Osprey nests while we paddled the shore.

Osprey nests are typically found in tall trees or other structures which provide good visibility for the pair to protect their nest. At Otter Lake, many nests could be found high atop dead trees lining the lake. Nests are typically built of sticks with grasses, bark and other materials lining the inside. It is common for osprey to return to the same nest the following year. Osprey are largely monogamous.

Osprey are beautiful birds of prey. These raptors can be up to two feet in length and have a six-foot wingspan. Their diet is almost exclusively fish. I’ve read they dive for fish feet first. And they are exquisite creatures when in flight. Note the coloration of the wings in the photo below.

Otter Lake also sported a few other “black and white” birds. Wood Storks. These huge birds that can be four feet tall with five-feet wingspans. They nest in colonies in Winter and Spring in Florida. Their diet is primarily fish, but they also eat other small aquatic creatures, even baby alligators. They’re the only native stork in North America. I think they have a rather “prehistoric” look, but perhaps that’s why I am drawn to them. I don’t think many would call them beautiful.

And before we leave the wildlife refuge, I’d like to provide you with just one more look. This one impressed me with its color vibrancy. The green adorning the rocks could have been angel hair, it looked that soft and silky.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief look at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. It’s a truly wondrous area that has so much to explore. I know it’s on my list to visit again in the future. I hope it’s now on yours.

Until next time, keep exploring nature up close.

Wekiwa Springs

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Ever seen a Sherman’s fox squirrel? Probably not unless you visit northern Florida or southern Georgia where they call home. Come along on this journey of Wekiwa Springs State Park and neighboring natural areas of Apopka FL to see what wonderful colorful creatures abound.

The Sherman’s squirrel is a bit larger than other squirrels and prefers sandy areas with long-leaf pines. Coloring can vary though they typically have a black head with white ears, nose and tips of feet. They are a bit elusive, like this one who thought it was hidden by laying flat on a branch above me.

Squirrels aren’t the only thing to inhabit trees. Red headed woodpeckers are a special sight to behold with their bold red head and striking black and white coloring. They’re particularly special for me as their numbers have decreased in Ohio and are not seen nearly as often as they once were.

Pileated woodpeckers are also of the same coloring but larger in size with quite different vocalizations. We were very lucky to have multiple sightings of these dramatic birds in most of the Florida state parks we visited this past February and March.

But shore birds were the most dramatic and amazing on most of our explorations. Whether paddling in canoes or on the shoreline, birds abound.

An immature Little Blue heron explores the shore seeking breakfast. Very intent and focused.

While not too far away a Green heron is also scouting the banks as well. These little guys are shorter and stocker than most other herons, and generally not posing quite as well as this one.

One of my all-time favorite birds (and the most difficult for me to get a photo of) is the Belted Kingfisher. This male was quite a distance away, but halted its flight long enough for my quick photo.

The Glossy Ibis is one bird I don’t see quite as often as the others, but when the light hits the feathers just right, it’s easy to understand how it got it’s “glossy” name. According to what I have read, I believe this to be a breeding bird which can be identified by the pale lines extending from the bill to the eye.

Another fisherman this day was the Snowy Egret with it’s distinguishing markings of black legs and yellow feet – though this photo does not show that. I believe this bird to be an immature as its legs are a dull yellowish green.

And then there’s this little cutie. Small, and a bit on the chunky side with not much of a tail to speak of, you might think this is a duck but it’s not. It doesn’t have webbed feet but rather has “lobes” on it’s toes (which to me, if I had to describe it, looks rather like it has little paddle toes) which surprisingly makes it a good swimmer. It’s small, actually smaller than a crow in size. This is a breeding Pied-bill grebe which you can tell by its whitish bill which has a vertical black stripe. Normally the bill is a yellowish brown.

And speaking of breeding attire, here’s a Great Egret in it’s breeding attire with long plumes of feathers over its back and neon green skin between bill and eye area. It’s a large bird – about three foot tall. Very elegant looking.

Then there’s this beauty – a Tri-colored heron. It’s a mix of grayish-blue, white and almost lavender in color. This is a non-breeding heron indicative of it’s yellowish legs and without breeding plumage.

And of course, we have the Great Blue heron – the largest heron in North America. Majestic. Regal. And when disturbed, you hear the ear-piercing call that sounds almost prehistoric.

These beautiful brown/cinnamon colored ducks with their dark gray bills and legs are Fulvous Whistling ducks – a new one for me. Beautifully colored. No ID on the black and white ducks accompanying them because they turned their heads in all photos taken. Too busy preening feathers – one does have to keep up appearances.

Here’s a beauty – a Ring-necked duck, a breeding male. Magnificent colored bill with black tip. Looks almost like artwork. It is…nature’s artwork.

And yet another type of duck. These are Blue-winged Teals. I’ve read they’re smaller than a Mallard. They fly great distances, migrating between Canada and some as far as South America. They’re some of the latest ducks to fly north in the spring and earliest ducks to fly south before winter.

And looking out over the water, observing all the water fowl below, is a Bald Eagle. Truly majestic and magnificent. We saw quite a large number of Bald Eagles in Florida State Parks, with some parks having 11 or more nesting Eagle pairs.

And so, whether you’re hiking wonderful trails like this one in Wekiwa Springs State Park…

Or biking trails like this one…

Or exploring magnificent water vistas like this one (yes folks, that is an alligator partially submerged there)…

Wonderful nature adventures are awaiting you in Wekiwa Springs State Park and the natural areas of Apopka Florida.

Until next time, keep exploring nature up close.