The great blue heron is the largest heron or egret in North America and the biggest bird seen in most swampy areas. It is a member of the Ardeidae family.

The heron's bill is yellow, long, thick, and very sharp. The bird's shoulder is black. The bird's back is mainly a slate-gray color. It has a brownish-buff colored neck with a black being a border. White is the color in front of its neck with a vertical streak that is black. The bird's head is white with a black stripe above its eye. A male and female heron generally have the same description.

The great blue heron is overall gray-blue, huge, tall, and a wader. It is long legged and long necked. It is approximately four feet tall or forty-six inches (one hundred seventeen centimeters) with a wingspan of six to seven feet. The bird is about seventy-two inches wide (one hundred eighty-three centimeters). The heron weighs anywhere from five to eight pounds (two to three kilograms).

I hope to see some this morning, as I head out to kayak in Cockroach Bay with my Master Naturalist class. 

Great Blue Heron

abc Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday

Late this afternoon, when I went out to walk our puppy one of the neighbors came over to tell me this news… Apparently a bobcat has been sited within our development here in Riverview around one of our retention ponds, at the rear of several neighbors gardens.

Florida Bobcat

The Florida Bobcat (Lynx rufus floridanus) is known to be a warm-blooded, solitary, and territorial predator mammal. Although not as big as the Florida Panther the bobcat is usually around the size of a medium-sized dog. The bobcat is dark brown with black spots and striped bars which are most visible along their sides and legs. The backs of their ears are white with a black out line, their tails shorter having a white tip. Their under parts are also generally white with their fur being short, soft and dense. It should be noted that the bobcat has razor sharp teeth and retractable claws just like the house cats.

Bobcats are carnivores but considered to be generalists as they feed off many differing types of animals, their diet being composed of small mammals  and birds although they have been known to kill smaller deer.

Bobcats are very active, spending 75%+ on the move. They tend to be most active around dawn and dusk, during midday and midnight they move the least. This activity is known as crespucular.

Due to its numbers in Florida, the bobcat is not listed as endangered or threatened.

Florida Bobcat

The University of Florida states:-

Conservation of Florida's carnivores is important for maintaining the complex ecological relationships that exist among predators and prey and herbivores and plant communities. Loss of top-level predators in ecosystems can have unpredictable results. Moreover, by conserving the large tracts of habitat required by carnivores, we ensure that sufficient habitat is preserved to support the many other species of plants and animals that constitute Florida's natural environment.

So what do you do if you see one…

Remember the bobcat is a wild animal, who could be carrying an assortment of diseases. A veteran actually strangled a rabid bobcat to death in Pasco County. You can read the article here entitled Man Strangles Bobcat from the St Pete Times.

According to the FWC they should be left well alone as they have an unpredictable dispostion.... remember those razor sharp teeth and retractable claws mentioned earlier????

Refer the animal to your local county Animal Control Services Department rather than risk incident.

As we have said previously, as 'man' encroaches on these animals lands, we are likely to hear of more incidents with Florida's carnivores.

Pictures courtesy of FWC

Today, as you read this, I will probably be sat in my first Master Naturalist Class. In honor of this I thought I'd share with you some new pups!

I had a surprise Monday morning, when I arrived to volunteer at the Florida Aquarium.

Our largest Southern Stingray had given birth on Saturday January 31st around lunchtime to 5 pups. You can see a couple of them below in my photographs, they are barely 2 days old.

Southern Stingray (Mother)

Stingrays are a part of the Ray family of fishes.

Most fish lay their eggs in the water, but not stingrays, the mother gives birth to live pups. She can have between three and ten pups at a time. Once born they are on their own!!

Stingray Pups born 31st January 2010 around 1pm at Florida Aquarium

If you live closeby, you may wish to visit and see the pups which can be found in the Lobby Touch Tank, although the pups should only be viewed the other rays within can be touched. There is also a Cownose Ray Pup, who was born at New Year to see too!

Go have fun!

Fortunately, we live in Florida and the weather has very little impact on our koi and goldfish, which can live through extreme temperatures from 20 degrees to 100 degrees.  More than the extreme in temperatures it is the changing temperatures that can hurt your fish.  If the temperatures in your pond, over a matter of a few hours, changed 30 degrees or so your fish would suffer.  But if the temperature gradually drops, the internal temperature of the fish will also change slowly and they will not be affected other than a loss of appetite and metabolism.

Koi

If only this were true for me, I would subject myself to freezing temperatures in hopes of losing a few pounds -- if only it were so easy -- I would live in an igloo 6 months a year and pig out the other six!

But I digress, so the quick answer is, the cold temperatures for the most part do not harm our cold water fish, like they do the tropical fish.  But because, I have named all my fish, I did turn my waterfall pumps off for the last week while the temperatures were so low.  And because cold water is saturated with oxygen, there is no need to aerate the pond, I turned my pumps on when the evening temperatures rose and stayed back above 40 degrees, with this last cold spell my pumps were off for almost 10 days.  The pond temperatures remain warmer when the waterfall is not circulating water through the cold air-- so the pond temperatures stayed higher and the water lilies were better off. 

Now, I am not about to get excited about the survival of my lilies yet, they look  pretty rough at this moment, and that is being nice, but they are tropical plants so we take our chances with tropical lilies, but for blooms every day for the better part of the year, it is worth taking a chance.  We will deal with the water lilies later, for now leave them be.

Pondscapes is Waterlily's Store in Tampa, Florida

Can I ask that you take a moment and consider the birds this week?  Here in Central Florida, the birds will certainly benefit from a little help from you at this time with this irregular cold spell we are having.  By hanging a bird feeder either bought or handmade you will give them a little extra fuel to keep them warm through the chill.

Mocking bird in the garden

Bird watching in our backyards can be enhanced in the winter months by providing food and water for our feathered friends. Here is the recipe for an easy to make bird feeder suet, it has been used to attract many different birds.

Bird Feeder Suet Mix Recipe

Ingredients:-

2 cups lard
1 cup of peanut butter
2 cups of quick cooking oats
1 cup plain flour
2cups of cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup bird seed

Method:-

Melt the lard and the peanut butter (crunchy peanut butter tends to add that extra bite!), in a pan over a low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the other remaining ingredients.
Allow to cool slightly and then pour the mix into plastic molds or containers.
When set use or cover and store in the freezer until ready to use.
Hang outside close to the house so you can view the birds as they enjoy the delicacy.

This is a great activity to share with your children, once the bird feeder is hung the children would enjoy journaling the bird activity and drawing their sightings.

Let me know via the contact us page what birds you have seen in your gardens.

The ‘Window by the Pond’ is a Nature Observatory that is sited on the edge of a pond within Bok Tower Gardens Lake Wales, Florida.

The Nature Observatory is a small wooden cabin that is fronted by a large picture window overlooking a pond. There are wooden benches within, which enable visitors to sit undetected and observe the local wildlife in their natural habitat. Educational pictures posted at the rear of the cabin show some of the animals that can be seen here, these included birds, butterflies, reptiles, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels to name but a few.

One of our views of the pond from the Nature Observatory! 

A sign posted here reminds visitors:-

"This is nature's show not ours. No scheduled performances." 

Click here to view The Carillon Tower, Bok Gardens

We have a resident in our neighborhood that is detested by many, feared by a few, and admired by still others. The dogs may bark at him, the cats may stare at him, but everyone gives him a wide berth. Sure there are enemies are constantly threatening his life, but - for most - their chances of catching him are equal to catching frost bite in the Florida winter.

Although Mr. Armadillo weighs about 10 pounds, adult armadillos normally weigh from 8-17 pounds. His family roams from Texas to the east coast and throughout Florida, but he likes the Riverview area.

I've lived here 15 years, and he's been here the whole time. I've never seen him during the day, but he's usually crossing the road every morning between 5-5:15 AM.

He survives amid the homes, the people and the animals for several reasons. First, he is nocturnal - venturing out only at night - when most people are safely tucked into their beds or comatose in front of their televisions. Secondly, he never sleeps two nights in a row in the same place. Third, in a fight, he has claws that will rip your flesh from the hairs to the bones. Fourth, he has a armored casing for his body and the ability to curl up into a ball. And when he's forced out of that ball, he comes out fighting. Fifth, he can run very, very fast. Finally, he smells like he hasn't had a bath since birth.

The nine-banded armadillo feeds primarily on insects and their larvae; earthworms; scorpions; spiders; snails; and small vertebrates and their eggs. We should be thankful that the armadillo eats large amounts of armyworms, cockroaches, ants, wasps, flies, beetles, and grasshoppers. They have been known to dig up entire yellow-jacket nests.

Armadillos are beneficial because of all the pests they eat, but their feeding does cause problems for property owners. When looking for insects in the soil, armadillos dig numerous holes in lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens. These holes typically are 1-3 inches deep and 3-5 inches wide.

They also uproot flowers and other ornamental plants.

When Mr. Armadillo burrows under driveways and patios, seeking shelter, he can cause structural damage.

That's what makes Harry Homeowner so angry with Mr. Armadillo. Of course, if the homeowner worked to keep his lawn less bug-infested, the nine-banded armadillo would move to another landscape.

He seldom creates damage in our turf because we have so little of it. Although we had 100% grass when we bought this home 15 years ago, we now have less than 20% in grass. The rest is covered with mulch to protect and to support our gardens.

My neighbor has been hunting Mr. Armadillo for 10 years that I know about. Every trick he tries leads to failure.

Yes, he's tried the trap with the protruding boards (photo). The challenge with that solution is that the nine-banded armadillo's sense of smell is so keen that he can tell the difference between the steel bars and the "normal" scent of the ground around it. At the first scent of danger, Mr. Armadillo is in flight.

Yes, my neighbor has tried placing grubs in stockings. Actually my neighbor created more damage to his lawn by digging up the grubs than Mr. Armadillo would have done.

All my neighbor has gained from hunting Mr. Armadillo is new gray hairs. I suggested he hunt something he had a better chance of catching, like the grey timber wolf. (No, we don't have those wolves here; but, he's got a better chance of catching that than he does of getting the wise old armadillo to fall for his traps.)

Repeat after me: Remove the grubs from your grass, and Mr. Armadillo will not create unattractive holes in it. Better yet, replace all that useless grass with mulched gardens filled with colorful, flowering plants.

The nine-banded armadillo may be digging in our gardens, but the damage is hidden by the flourishing flora and the mulch. Any damage he does is offset by the benefits of all the pests he consumes during his nightly buffet.

Mr. Armadillo can be a pest or an ally. It's your perception that makes the difference. In my mind's eye, Mr. Armadillo is my ally in the war against pests.

As for my neighbor, "We behave as we behave because we believe as we believe." Good hunting, my friend. Caught any timber wolves yet? 

He is Mr. Armadillo.

Mum (that’s Mom in American English) recently sent me a newspaper clipping from England with the picture seen below, her letter asked me what I knew about it.

The clipping read:- A python named Delilah was moved by Florida Wildlife officials to a temporary home when his cage near Lake Apopka, Florida, was deemed unsuitable on Friday, Sept 11, 2009. They measured her before moving her to a more secure location. She had escaped in the past. The 16 year old snake was measured at 18' long and 30" around.

 Delilah

Now, I should mention upfront, I’m not best friends with snakes but donning my detective hat decided to find out more as I knew nothing of the story.

Several articles I read tell that pythons first appeared in South Florida nearly two decades ago, and they now take center stage as efforts to control their proliferation in the Everglades continue by wildlife managers at both the federal and state levels. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) continue to search for solutions for controlling the further invasion of this exotic species, as well as all reptiles of concern in Florida.

The Orlando Sentinel featured the story of Delilah By Anthony Colarossi

APOPKA - Delilah, an 18 foot long, 400 plus pound Burmese python that had enjoyed a swell existence in an Apopka area backyard feeding on rabbits, has a new home for now.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials removed the Burmese python from a home on Friday due to concerns about Delilah's size and whether the chain-link cage she was in was secure enough to contain her. A complaint prompted wildlife officials to visit the home and check out the snake, which some officials called the largest python they had ever seen. The snake was removed from her enclosure and brought to a caregiver with a permit for reptiles of concern. Officials were trying to determine if the Burmese python's owner had the proper permit for Delilah.

"To me it's a Goliath. It's a monster of a snake," Lt. Rick Brown with Fish and Wildlife's Investigations section said, adding it is the "largest I've ever seen."

Recently, the snake was being cared for by Melvin Cheever of Apopka, the brother of her owner. Cheever said his brother was moving to West Virginia and left the snake behind to prepare her new accommodations. Cheever said his brother has owned the snake for 16 years. "I fed her this morning, gave her seven rabbits," Cheever said soon after the snake was placed in a container and prepared to move Friday from the small community alongside Lake Apopka. "She is as docile as can be. She's as happy as can be."

Cheever acknowledged the snake, which measures 30 inches around, had escaped its enclosure several times in the past. Her history of wandering out of her cage and her immense size caused wildlife officials to investigate Friday in the small community alongside Lake Apopka. The snake was kept in a chain-link cage behind a duplex-style home.

I followed up on the news report and found...

Since the removal, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have criminally charged the owner of Delilah, the 18-foot-python. Cheever, 39, has been charged with unsafe housing of a reptile of concern, a second degree misdemeanor. He was also issued a warning for failing to have a reptile of concern permit and no PIT Tag, the identifying microchips inserted into such snakes.

My further investigations found...

Here are a few snippets of information from Rodney Barreto, Chairman Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in a Letter to the Editor found on their site.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) initiated a program on July 17 to help stop the spread of Burmese pythons in Florida. This program is only the first step in our efforts to stop the spread of these invaders. We issued permits to 13 python experts to capture and euthanize any reptile of concern found in specific state-managed lands in South Florida. This initial program will run until Oct. 31, at which time we will consider expanding it. So far, the permit holders have captured 17 pythons and provided us with data on location, size and habits.

We are encouraged that the permit holders have captured that many pythons. Each python removed means one less python in the wild and one less python with the potential to reproduce 100 eggs in a season. We anticipate many more pythons will be captured as the weather cools and pythons come out to sun themselves during the day. But we haven't limited our python removal efforts to the 13 experts; we've expanded them to include hunters. It's a natural step because, historically, hunters have been instrumental in conserving wildlife across this great country.

Discussions are continuing on how best to manage the Burmese python problem, and the FWC is dedicated to working with all of our partners - Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - through special programs, scientific efforts and legislative action. Our mission of managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people is clearly shown in our dedication and new programs to stop the spread of all nonnative species in Florida. Burmese pythons have invaded our native habitat, at least partly, because of people releasing them into the wild. We urge people with an exotic nonnative pet they can no longer keep, to turn in the reptile at Pet Amnesty Days held around the state. The next one is scheduled for Nov. 7 in the Tampa area.

Further investigation about the Event revealed this...

Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day Nov. 7th 2009 Free & Open to the Public

Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day will be held Nov. 7 at Busch Gardens. It's free and open to the public. People can surrender their exotic pets free of charge, with no questions asked and no penalties

If you have an exotic pet you can't care for anymore, don't just open the front door and set it free. It's illegal to release a nonnative animal into the wild in Florida, and it could be detrimental for the animal and the environment.

In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida's native habitats, Busch Gardens and Plant City, in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), will hold the state agency's sixth Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day Nov. 7.

"We expect to get quite a few nonnative animals that day, so we need to make sure we have safe homes for them," said Jenny Tinnell of the FWC.

"Many exotic species end up in the wild because owners have released them. Often, pet owners don't understand the difference between native and nonnative species, or they don't realize the possible effects releasing a nonnative fish or animal can have. This event gives pet owners who can no longer take care of their pets or no longer wish to keep them a legal, responsible option."

For more Information Contact: Jenny Tinnell, 850-926-0128

I then found research that shows that...

Nonnative pet amnesty events help increase awareness of nonnative species problems.

People have observed more than 400 nonnative species in Florida, and more than 130 of these species have reproducing populations.

So, if you are free on November 7th, why not attend the event and then afterwards you can enjoy the beauty of Busch Gardens.

I'll now end my investigations here and leave the final word of this post to Rodney Barreto Chairman FWC...

No matter what - NEVER release a nonnative animal into the wild. 

Check out some other snake posts:- Meet Larry or Snakes: Friend or Foe?

I hope you read and enjoyed Encouraging Wildlife Habitats in the Garden - Part 1 of this series and have been able to action some of the tips I included therein. 

Here in Part 2, I shall share with you another 5 Tips to further encourage wildlife in your garden and landscape. 
 
Tip 1

Build a Pond - All animals need water; a pond will draw frogs, birds, snails and dragonflies to name but a few. The inclusion of a shallow ledge as a planting platform with the gently sloping sides of the pond will allow safe access to and from the water for creatures that use the pond to drink and bathe. Adding aquatic plants will encourage visitors including butterflies, damsel flies and dragonflies, the plants will also provide shelter for amphibians and small water birds.
 
*Michael Jones of Pondscapes presents a Pond Building workshop on the last Saturday of every month, the next being October 31st from 9AM onwards, no registration - just turn up and join in!
 
Blog Post Ponds for the Garden and Things that make Ponds Great

Our Garden

TIP 2

Put out a Birdbath - Water is an essential part of productive wildlife habitats. Wildlife will benefit from any water source you provide, and keep it filled with fresh water, especially during very dry spells or very cold spells in winter. Bird feeders will also attract birds to you garden. Adding birdfeeders of different designs or with different seeds may increase the diversity of birds you see on your property.

 
Bird Bath

Tip 3

Put up Bird, Bat and Owl Houses - Adding birdhouses (nest boxes) and bat houses in your yard will provide nesting and roosting shelter for wildlife. The types of birds that nest in birdhouses (nest boxes) are called "cavity-nesting" species. They typically excavate holes in dead trees or use existing cavities (natural or bird-made). Cavity-nesting birds include woodpeckers and owls. In urban areas, cavity-nesting birds may not be able to find enough natural cavities for nesting. That makes birdhouses a valuable habitat resource for these birds.

 Bat House

Bird Nesting Box 

Tip 4

Vertical Layering - is created by increasing plant structures between the ground and the tree canopy. Planting bushes or ground covers below some of your trees will increase the availability of wildlife habitat. Planting a variety of vegetation in different sizes and heights provides more cover/protection and feeding opportunities for wildlife species. Leave the ground level branches unpruned in this area they thus can provide winter food and shelter for many birds and wildlife.

Vertical Layering

TIP 5

A ‘snag’ is a standing partly or completely dead tree, which remains upright. Any limb or part of the ‘snag’ that presents as a danger i.e. electrical cabling, should be removed preferably by a reputable arborist. Snag resolve depends on two important features, the size and the strength of the wood in question. The mistake that is made far too often is these snags are removed too quickly, when there are no dangers in evidence. Snags provide an environment which offers natural nooks and crannies for wildlife through birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates to insects. The decaying material provides food for many of these creatures, and with the added assistance of local flora and fauna breakdown provides important nutrients which are released quickly back into the earth from which new plantings will benefit. 

So, think twice if you have or see a snag before removing. Below is a photograph of an education station seen within Weedon Island by the side of a snag, check out the menu!

Please drop me an email and tell me of your adventures of gardening with wildlife via the Contact Us Page

5 Top Tips - To Encourage Wildlife in Your Garden

Our previous Blog Posts that may further help you are listed below the Tips. 
  
TIP 1

Reduce Your Lawn - By reducing or removing some of your grass, you will open up the possibilities within your garden for wildlife. Stopping the use of pesticides and herbicides which put the birds and wildlife at risk, altering your plantings to alternative groundcovers, native plants or wildflowers will alter the ecosystem within your garden thus opening it up to the diverse wildlife in your area. The new plantings will provide the necessary foods and shelter necessary for wildlife to survive, that grass does not provide.

Blog Post: - The New Law - Under the Category of It's about Time  and  Ground Cover; Ornamental Peanut

Our Garden

TIP 2

Create a Brush Pile - of prunings in some quiet corner. This will make a wonderful shelter/protection for small birds and other creatures. A brush pile or two, especially if near other vegetation, will provide excellent cover and feeding opportunities for wildlife small mammals, snakes, birds, and butterflies.

Blog Post: - Build a Brush Pile and Meet Larry 

Brushpile

TIP 3

Use Native Plants - Buy plants for your gardens that are native to your area. Native plant species have evolved and adapted, they are more bug resistant, and they also will require less water, less maintenance and fertilizing and are better suited to your weather conditions. Native plants also help native wildlife by providing the very sources of food and nesting/housing areas the animals need. A balanced ecosystem means a healthy garden.
 
Blog Post: - Firebush

Firebush

TIP 4

Plant or Leave Vines to Wander - Virginia creeper, greenbrier, and native honeysuckle to name but a few, offer perches, room for nesting, and food for a wide range of bird species.
 
Blog Posts: - Snakes on a Vine  and  Rangoon Creeper and A Vine for Two Butterflies 

Snake on Rangoon Creeper

TIP 5

Plant a Butterfly Garden - For a butterfly habitat, add plants for both the adult butterflies and their larvae (caterpillars). They often feed on different species of plants. When planting your butterfly garden, keep in mind that the food plants for larva (caterpillars) will be munched on and may look a little tattered at times.
 
Blog Posts: - Creating a Butterfly Habitat  and  Sheltering your Butterflies 

Zebra Longwing - Our State Butterfly

 
Next week: I will include another 5 Tips to further Encourage Wildlife in your Garden.
  
Good Luck : )