We live at Naples Bath and Tennis Club.
The main two mile circular access road is Bald Eagle Drive.
Except
for Clubhouse Drive, all the spur roads are named after birds:
Bobolink, Goldfinch, Hummingbird, Jacana,
Meadowlark, Oriole,
Oyster Catcher, Spoonbill,
Swallow, and Widgeon.
Our address is
"Oyster Catcher" which is a gull that uses his red beak to pry
open oysters. They are extremely fast, having never been
outrun by an oyster.
Streets are Named after Birds
Oyster Catcher
Mourning Doves April 2006 We had
three broods of two babies each, in a hanging basket by our condo
door. We watched them all fledge.
Courtship begins with a noisy flight by the
male, followed by a graceful, circular glide with outstretched wings and
head down. After landing, the male will approach the female with a
puffed-out breast, bobbing head, and loud calls. The male then leads
the female to potential nest sites, and the female will choose one. The
female dove builds the nest. The male will fly about, gather material, and
bring it to her. The Mourning Dove is the most widespread and abundant game
bird in North America. Every year hunters harvest more than 20 million.
Muscovy Duck at Oyster Catcher
Bald Eagle on Airport Road
Ozzie and Harriet are a mature and actively
mating pair of Bald Eagles. They have been coming to this nest
since 2006.
Ozzie is a male Bald Eagle, identified by his
smaller and less pronounced beak line and white spots on the back of
his neck.
Harriet is a female Bald Eagle, who is larger
than her male counterpart, has a more pronounced and larger beak,
and does not have any white spots on her neck. Harriet is also
distinguished by her Inverted V in the front of her neck and dark
circles around her eyes.
We see
many
Wood Storks in
Florida, but not in Vermont.
Although
ugly on the ground, they are beautiful in flight, with a wing span up to
six feet. We learned about "tactile feeding wading birds".
The Wood Stork is a tactile feeder, capturing food by feel.
Although this bird can feed visually, tactile feeding allows it to
forage in wetlands with concentrated prey, as well as in murky waters,
without depending on sight. If there is an increase in water depth, fish
are dispersed over a larger area and the wood stork will not build a
nest for two and breed. This is apparently true of other tactile
feeders such as the ibis and and spoonbill. Breeding efforts generally
cease when the rainy season begins. At that time of year in the
Everglades, aquatic prey become scattered and exposure to the elements
is harder to endure.
Barred Owl
Red Shouldered Hawk
American Swallow Tailed Kite
Pileated Woodpecker
Great White Heron is a Blue Heron
Morph
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron Little Blue Heron (Is white
the first year)
Great Egret: White. Bill is
yellowish-orange, black legs, and black feet.
Little Egret: White,
black bill, black legs, yellow feet and a slim black bill.
Snowy Egret: White,
black bill, black legs, yellow feet. and, a patch of yellow skin
at the base of the bill.
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black Crowned
Yellow Crowned Night Heron Swallowed Tailed Kite Red Headed
& Red Bellied
Hairy
Downy
Pilleated
Painted Bunting
Royal Tern
Mockingbird (FL State Bird)
These official flamingos were sold in pairs, with one standing upright
and the other with its head low to the ground, "feeding". There are
more plastic ones than the real ones.
We have both in SW Florida. You can often see dolphins from the
Naples Pier. Drive to Manatee Park on the Orange River in Ft Myers and
rent a canoe or a kayak to see manatees.
Read more here.
South Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles
coexist in the wild.
Everglade Anhinga Trail
In February 2013 we went with Amy, Tom and Aleksey to snorkel in Key Largo.
We stopped in Everglades National Park near Flamingo and walked the Anhinga
Trail and saw many birds and alligators.
See slide
show.
Compared to a Burmese python, like the one on the wrapped around Michael
Cole’s arm below it,
the rattlesnake (and most other native snakes in
Florida) has keeled scales (with ridges in the middle)
that give it a
rough or matte-finish look, compared to the smooth, shiny scales of a
Burmese python.
Also, the rattlesnake has diamond-shaped markings
compared to the python’s large giraffe-like spots.
The shape of the
heads is also different but not so obvious in these photos, but the face
markings are
visibly different with the rattlesnake having a large dark
swoop mark from the eye and the python having
dark and light wedges
behind the eye.Cheryl Millett
Biologist
Burmese Python
Florida is turning to cold hard cash to lure adventure seekers into the
Everglades to bag a Burmese
python, the state's slithering non-native
enemy No. 1. Dubbed the Python Challenge, the month-long
contest will award
$1,000 for the longest python and $1,500 for the most pythons caught between
January 12 and Feb.ruary 10, 2013 in any of four hunting areas north of Everglades
National Park and
at the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Pythons have been spreading through the Everglades for years, posing a
threat to the sensitive
ecosystem by preying on native species. Some
estimates put their number in the tens of thousands.
Last year, 272 pythons
were removed from the wild, state figures show.
The first
python was discovered alive in 2007 when researchers checking on the status
of a male Key
Largo woodrat wearing a radio transmitter noticed it strangely
had moved more than a mile from its
original documented habitat. The signal
led the two researchers — a University of St. Andrews graduate
student and a
volunteer assistant studying federally endangered Key Largo woodrats — to a
7-1/2-foot
Burmese python sunning itself. The contents of the captured
snake’s stomach included not only the
collared woodrat but another one as
well.
Come to Florida and learn TREADMILLING!
Treadmilling is the technique used by a trained catcher:
Drag your hands, one after the other, along the underbelly of the snake to
make it think it’s getting away.
When the snake is tired, firmly grab
the base of the head but avoid the writhing body getting wrapped
around your legs. Snakes captured in the wild are securely
bagged, boxed, tagged and dropped off to
a designated recipient for research
or training.
Florida's population boom now includes some
500,000 wild hogs whose piggish habits are causing problems
for farmers, residents and health officials as well as
native flora and fauna.
“Nothing personal, but the only state with
more wild hogs than Florida is Texas,” said Bill Giuliano,
an assistant professor of wildlife ecology at the University
of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Wild or feral hogs can now be found in every Florida county
and in at least 35 states — including 1 to 2 million hogs in
the Southeast. Nationwide, their population totals about 3
million.
“Because they are prolific breeders, there
is no way to completely eradicate them,” Giuliano said.
“Even with intensive hunting pressure, you’re not going to
get rid of them.”
He said the problem can be traced to 1539 when Hernando
DeSoto brought hogs into southwest Florida, and some of them
found freedom in the New World. Nearly 500 years later,
there are some 3 million descendants of these “pioneer pigs”
across the nation.
In Florida, some of the highest densities of feral hogs
can be found north and west of Lake Okeechobee where large
forested tracts, dense vegetation, abundant water and
limited public access provide an ideal environment for the
pigs. Hog numbers tend to be lower in areas with intensive
agriculture or urban development.
International
Rabbit Day is held on the fourth Saturday or Sunday of September
Male rabbits are known as bucks, females are called does, and their babies,
born furless and blind, are called kittens. They’re likely to have many
siblings. A rabbit’s pregnancy lasts only
about one month, and it can become pregnant again—with up to 14
kittens—almost immediately after. And just a few months after that, the
females among those offspring may get pregnant themselves
and have their own litter of kittens, and those female kits will soon get
pregnant, and so on.
Forty years ago, on October 11, 1974,
President Gerald Ford signed the bill establishing the 729,000 acre area as
the
first national preserve in the National Park System east and south of
Naples. The Welcome Center is on Route 41, about 17 miles east of Route 29 that
goes to Everglades City. We drive to Turner River Road in the
Big Cypress, about 5 miles east of Route 29, at least once a
month to view birds and alligators.
See a detailed map of
the
Big Cypress Preserve.
AUDUBON'S CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY
(West Naples, FL)
At one time, the sanctuary's bald cypress
forest supported an estimated 100,000 Wood Storks. Be sure to walk the
2.25 mile boardwalk loop. In flight ... Wood Storks are very beautiful.
Read
about its History and also
about its Aquisition.
Read about the
Myrtle Oak in Naples at Naples Preserve. It is among "Big Trees"
the biggest Myrtle Oak in Florida and in the 50 States. It apparently only
grows in the five southeastern states,
The delicate and fragrant swamp lily is a
Florida native. It grows in wetlands and
along streams throughout the state. The
swamp lily is a perennial herb, with an
onion-like bulb. The leaves are erect to
spreading. Leaves are strap-like, up to 3
feet long and 3 inches wide. Swamp lily
flowers arise from the bulb on a long flower
stalk that is separate from the leaves. Two
to six flowers occur at the tip of the
flower stalk. The long flower tubes are 4 to
6 inches long. Swamp lily flowers are white,
or white and pink, and are fragrant. They
have 6 petals. The fruit is a capsule, with
large, fleshy seeds. Swamp lilies may be
confused with spider lilies (of the genus
Hymenocallis). Remember that swamp
lily flowers have 6 separate petals. Spider
lily flowers have petals that are connected
by membranous tissue.
The swamp lily flower has long,
wide, strap-like leaves.
Its flowers are on long stalks.
Swamp lily flowers are white and
fragrant, with 6 separated petals
Rain Lily
(Zephyranthes
& Habranthus spp)
The magical rain lily brings a sweet
surprise after rainfall - beautiful flowers!
Plus it's a super easy-care plant for South
Florida gardens.The flowers don't last long
- each one may live only a day or so - but
if you've grouped these plants, more blooms
will take the place of the ones that are
spent
These sweet little plants will
appear nondescript, with grassy
evergreen foliage similar to
liriope, when suddenly out of
nowhere their enchanting flowers
pop up above the leaves.
Flower colors are usually pink,
yellow or white - but newer
hybrids are now available in
other shades and even patterns.
Palm Trees
The Sabal Palm (Sabal palmetto) was designated as the
official state tree in 1953. Also known as the cabbage palm, palmetto,
or cabbage palmetto is the most widely distributed palm tree in Florida.
It grows in almost any soil and has many uses, including food, medicine,
and landscaping. In 1970 the Florida legislature mandated that the sabal
palm tree should replace the cocoa palm on the state seal.
The Cabbage
Palm Tree is native to North America. The Cabbage Palm has a single,
gray, unbranched trunk covered with old leaf bases, also known as boots.
Leaf bases create a criss-cross pattern. It gets smoother as the palm
matures. Trunk is about 10-15 inches in diameter.
Sabal palmetto grows up to 65 ft (20 m) in height (with
exceptional individuals up to 92 ft (28 m) in height,
with a trunk up to
2 ft (60 cm) diameter. It is a distinct
fan palm (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with
a bare
petiole which extends as a center spine or
midrib, (costa) 1/2 to 2/3 the length into a rounded, costapalmate
fan of
numerous
leaflets. A costapalmate leaf has a
definite costa (midrib) unlike the typical palmate or fan
leaf, but the
leaflets are arranged radially like in a palmate leaf. All costapalmate
leaves are markedly
recurved or arched backwards. Each leaf is 5 to 6.5 ft
(1.5–2 m) long, with 40-60 leaflets up to 2.6 ft (80 cm)
long.
The
flowers are yellowish-white, .20 in (5 mm)
across, produced in large compound panicles up to 8.2 ft
(2.5 m) long,
extending out beyond the leaves. The
fruit is a black
drupe about .5 in (1.3 cm) long containing
a single seed. It is extremely
salt-tolerant and is often seen growing
near the
Atlantic Ocean coast.
For a palm tree, Sabal palmetto is very
cold-hardy—it is commonly accepted that
Sabal palmetto is able
to survive relatively short periods of
temperatures as low as 7 °F (-13 °C). However, it has also been reported
to
survive temperatures much lower. Maintenance of the Cabbage Palm tree is
very easy and very adaptable.
The Cabbage Palm is known to tolerate drought,
standing water and brackish water. Even though this palm
is
drought-tolerant, it thrives on regular light watering and regular feeding.
It is highly tolerant of salt winds, but
not saltwater flooding.
Serenity
Walk Park in East Naples reopens; wildfire, Hurricane Irma had damaged it
1 of 5
Saylor Trail at Barefoot Beach Preserve will
take you through some of Florida’s
ecosystem. Along the beach, visitors may see
shells, dolphins and crabs.
Lauren Kummer via
Wochit
2 of 5
VIDEOS: NATURE TRAILS IN SWFL
Gordon River Greenway welcomes nature lovers
| 0:35
Run along the Gordon River on a 1-1/2 mile
paved loop trail. This trail has water
access along the way as you spend time
enjoying some of the scenery.
Lauren Kummer via
Wochit
3 of 5
VIDEOS: NATURE TRAILS IN SWFL
Take a walk at Rich King Memorial Greenway |
0:36
At the Rich King Memorial Greenway visitors
can bike, walk and even inline skate. The
length of this trail is 3 miles and extends
from north to south along the east side of
Naples. Lauren Kummer
via Wochit
4 of 5
John
Yarbrough Linear Park is a 6-mile paved
trail that runs north to south. The trail is
a multi-use trail that can be used for
biking, running, walking, hiking and
rollerblading. Lauren
Kummer via Wochit
5 of 5
Serenity Walk Park in East Naples had some
not so serene days in 2017.
It's open again, after being closed since
last March when a wildfire and then Hurricane Irma in September ripped
through the heavily wooded park and mile-long walking trail.
The one-two punch wreaked havoc at the park, the result of
an environmental restoration project, and prompted another restoration all
over again.
Serenity Walk Park is the last of 28 county parks and
preserves to reopen after being closed because of Irma.
The 99-acre preserve along the western edge of Collier
Boulevard north of Rattlesnake Hammock Road originally was built as a
mitigation project to make up for destruction of 44 acres of wetlands for a
huge county drainage project.
The county bought the land for the park in 2002 for $2.75
million and received a $1.1 million grant from the Florida Communities Trust
through the Florida Forever land acquisition program. The park cost $150,000
to build.
Crews restored most of the site by removing nonnative
trees and plants and regrading the land to restore wetland functions.
The county planted 2,800 pine and cypress trees and more
than 64,000 ground cover plants as part of the restoration.
It opened in 2011 as the Lely Area Stormwater Improvement
Project Mitigation Park. It was renamed the next year, sitting serenely
until last March.
First, a wildfire that scorched thousands of acres on the
edge of Golden Gate Estates jumped Collier Boulevard and torched the park.
Fire crews had to remove sections of fencing to get
firefighting equipment into the park, which lost picnic tables, plastic
matting, and signs and markers along the trail.
When rainy season arrived, the heavy equipment being used
to clear the trail couldn't work in the wet soil.
Then, on the cusp of dry season, Hurricane Irma came
through in September, felling more trees and requiring cleanup to start
anew.
On a recent afternoon, walkers wended through a forest of
scorched trunks and toppled trees, reminders of Serenity Walk Park's rough
year.