Volunteer naturalist Dick Brewer donates a lot of time to FWC and the CREW Trust collecting data. From his animal counts on hikes to assisting with Swallow-tailed kite nest monitoring, Dick plays a valuable role as a citizen scientist. This week he spent a long morning hiking the Cypress Dome Trails and Caracara Prairie Preserve. The area is getting quite wet with the week of rain and the marshes are filling up, attracting a lot of wading birds. Check out his observations below from his hike – and this amazing photo he snapped of a Swallow-tailed kite flying back to its nest with a tree frog as a snack.
Check your wingspan, show off your jumping abilities, learn about backyard birds and so much more at Amazing Animal Abilities on Saturday, April 14, 2018 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the CREW Cypress Dome Trails!
This year’s event will take place in an open field near the trailhead with ample parking for guests. Adults and children can visit 10 stations, experiencing everything from nature-related crafts and geocaching to learning more about local and migratory birds and the wildlife that calls CREW home.
Informative volunteer naturalists will lead small groups on guided nature walks, teaching families about the CREW project, identifying flora and fauna and helping establish a connection between guests and nature.
“My hope for this event is to bring more young families out to the CREW trails,” explained Jessi Drummond, education coordinator for CREW Land & Water Trust. “We want to show them how easy it is to have fun in nature and provide them with ideas and activities they can do at home or while visiting CREW.”
Families are encouraged to register for this free event by visiting crewtrust.org. Cost is $5 per family for non-members; families who are members attend for free.
The CREW Cypress Dome Trails offer six miles of well-marked loop trails through pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, wet prairie, popash slough and cypress domes. The trails are flat and mainly composed of grass and sand. There is no running water at the site and a portable bathroom is available for use.
The CREW Cypress Dome Trails are located at 3980 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee, just 15 minutes east of I-75 near the Estero/Collier County border.
So many friends of the CREW Land & Water Trust love Bird Rookery Swamp and head there on a regular basis for wildlife viewing. The number one, top-of-the-list animal they are there to see?
Alligators.
For first-time visitors, seeing an alligator seems thrilling and exciting until they almost step on one along the tram/trail or have the unfortunate luck to have their path blocked by a sunning gator. In response to a few calls we’ve received over the last few weeks, we’ve compiled some answers to frequently asked alligator questions.
Why are there so many alligators at Bird Rookery Swamp?
Bird Rookery Swamp is prime amazing fantastic Grade-A alligator habitat. It’s like an alligator gated community. Some of the neighbors keep to themselves, some live in the way back where it’s pretty private, and others like to walk around in their front yards and yell about HOA regulations.
Well, maybe not that last part, but you get the idea.
The CREW Project is 60,000-acres and is first and foremost land preserved for water, and second land preserved for wildlife. And Bird Rookery Swamp does a great job holding water and housing alligators. Who then meet up with other alligators and, well – you know the rest.
Why don’t you have rangers there to warn people about the alligators?
Let’s do a CREW Trust two-sentence refresher:
The CREW Land & Water Trust is a nonprofit conservation organization that is part of the greater CREW Project. We provide environmental education at the three (soon to be four) trail systems within the CREW Project.
What isn’t in that sentence? We – the CREW Trust- do not own the land. There is no fee to access the public lands that are owned and managed by South Florida Water Management District. So, no rangers. We do have FWC law enforcement that patrol within the 60,000-acre project. But, again, no paid rangers.
We do have volunteers who are on the trails during programs and as trail stewards, but with around 40-volunteers, we do not have someone permanently stationed at Bird Rookery Swamp to inform folks about alligators.
Where can I find information about the alligators at Bird Rookery Swamp?
In the parking lot. At the kiosk. At the second kiosk at the end of the shell path before you turn onto the boardwalk. At the talking trail post on the boardwalk. AND at the end of the boardwalk before you step down onto the grassy tram.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, South Florida Water Management District and the CREW Trust have multiple signs, starting in the parking lot, that offer information about alligators and what to do when in their presence.
(That’s kind of important right there- what should HUMANS do in presence of alligators – because humans are walking into the homes of the alligators and not vice versa)
FWC has fantastic alligator resources! Please check a few of these out:
What should I do if an alligator is laying on the path and blocking my way?
Try saying “Hey Susan move over!”
If that doesn’t work, and it probably won’t even if the alligator is named Susan, you have to either turn around and go back the way you came or have a seat and wait. (This is a good time to remind you to pack water and snacks if you go to Bird Rookery Swamp).
Because of how the Bird Rookery Swamp trail is shaped – a number 9 – there really is only one way out and one way in, so an alligator sunning itself across the tram can create quite a long day for a group of hikers.
BUT.
You cannot throw rocks at the alligator or poke it with a stick. It is illegal to harass an alligator and this is regulated by FWC Law Enforcement.
Will alligators bite me or my dog or my children?
We do not have any record of such incidents occurring and we would like to keep it that way.
” Be aware of the possible presence of alligators when in or near fresh or brackish water.
Negative alligator encounters may occur when people do not pay close attention to their
surroundings when working or recreating near water.
Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water
Observe and photograph alligators only from a safe distance. Remember, they are an
important part of Florida’s natural history as well as an integral component of freshwater
ecosystems.
Leave alligators alone. State law prohibits killing, harassing or possessing alligators
except under permit.
Never remove an alligator from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet.”
And probably the most important take-away from the FWC fact sheet:
The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only one in 3.2 million.
I do not feel comfortable with the large number of alligators at Bird Rookery Swamp. What can I do about this?
One of the best things about Southwest Florida is that we have so many great places to walk and experience nature. A primitive trail system where humans are directly sharing space with native wildlife may not be for everyone, and we understand that.
If you would like to increase your comfort level, we encourage you to sign up for one of our guided walks with a volunteer naturalist at Bird Rookery Swamp. Or visit the CREW Marsh Trails or Cypress Dome Trails which have significantly less alligators.
Thank you everyone for all of the happy comments on our blog, in our inboxes, in private messages an Facebook and in comments on social media. We’re just as excited as you are that Bird Rookery Swamp is finally open!
The closure wasn’t just hard on staff, or our visitors. It was really hard on our volunteers. Many of them started volunteering with us because they visited Bird Rookery Swamp so often and feel a connection to that trail system and the flora and fauna that call it home.
As soon as it opened, our BRS regulars hit the trails and sent us happy selfies, trail condition reports and photos.
Volunteer Peter Davis, an avid cyclist who leads a private buided bike tour that is exclusively offered at our silent auction each year, sent us this trail conditions report aimed mainly at cyclists – but it’s great information for those hikers that like to do the whole almost-13 mile loop.
A summary of Peter Davis’ report from 3/12/2018
– Work by the South Florida Water Management District’s contractor has improved portions of the trail that needed attention prior to the hurricane.
– The trail is in relatively good condition for cycling up until the fork at approximately mile 2.
– Around mile 3 and onward the trail gets softer and there are sections of tall grass and other plants that make it hard to see the trail below the vegetation in some areas.
– There are no places that require a water crossing, no large trees down, and no places where the mud is too deep the get through.
– Accomplished cyclists with wider tires on their bike should be able to do the whole trail without stopping or dismounting if they choose to do so.
– As usual, there are many alligators sunning themselves on the trail. Note from staff: always keep a safe distance from wildlife; to read more on ethically viewing wildlife, visit http://myfwc.com/viewing/how/ethics/.
– The wildlife viewing seems much better than in the past both in terms of quantity and quality.
– Between mile 8 and 9.5 there are some deeper mud/water holes on the trail that are hard to see in the vegetation so please use caution.
– Anyone planning to turn around should go counter-clockwise, as the most difficult trail sections start about a mile to the left of the fork.
Don’t forget you can sign up for our free weekly guided walks at Bird Rookery Swamp, offered each Wednesday at 9 a.m. through the end of March! Sign up on eventbrite.com. And we look forward to seeing you on the trails!
We all miss the feel of the grassy tram beneath our feet and the quiet solitude of standing along the edge of the first pond, watching the wading birds feast and preen at Bird Rookery Swamp.
Unfortunately the trail remains closed at the end of the boardwalk as repairs continue on washouts in the back sections. Once those are completed, repairs must be done on the front sections to fill in deep ruts left by the machinery.
In the meantime, fellow lovers of Bird Rookery Swamp, there still is a lot to see. Yesterday a bald eagle was spotted in the parking lot and was later chased away in dramatic fashion by the nesting pair of red-shouldered hawlks. I did not get a photo of the action, but please enjoy this gallery from last week’s (short) free weekly guided walk.
Little blue heron
Pied-billed grebe
Arrowroot or duck potato
Our parking lot view of one alligator; nearby is the red-shouldered hawk nest
It is with very grateful hearts that we wish you, our friends, members, volunteers and visitors, a very happy New Year.
In 2017 we saw the devastation of wildfires caused by extremely dry conditions followed by a very wet start to rainy season, then flooding followed by Hurricane Irma.
We thank you for your boots and hands. We could not have cleared the Marsh Trails and our office field station without the help of volunteers, trustees, members and FGCU students who showed up with work gloves and rakes and got to work. And while we still have a lot to do, like clearing and re-creating sections of the Wild Coffee Trail, we appreciate all of you that have put in a lot of sweat equity along with us.
When the call went out for financial help so we could purchase additional tools to use to clear trails, our members stepped up. We purchased handsaws, pruners, and more, which were well-used by our clean-up crews and will be used as we start to work on clearing trails in Flint Pen Strand. Thank you for donating in our time of need.
We also thank you for your patience. Bird Rookery Swamp is loved by all of us and is our most-visited trail system. It is still closed for repairs by the South Florida Water Management District, and we truly appreciate everyone’s patience. We know you want it open, as do we – we’ve had to cancel several of our most popular programs as we wait for the trail to dry out so the repairs can continue.
Our wish for you as we enter this new year is happiness, wherever you can find it. Whether it’s in the peaceful sunshine at the top of the observation tower at the CREW Marsh Trails, or tucked in a quiet spot watching butterflies on the Cypress Dome Trails, or even along the boardwalk at Bird Rookery Swamp, we hope you can find peace and happiness somewhere on our trails.
Thank you, again, for all of your support, and all that you do to help the CREW Trust.
Anne here. Yes, that Anne – the one that answers the Facebook messages at all hours of the day and night, the one that chats you up on the phone when you call to ask me if BRS is open. I want to tell you that it’s open – I do. It breaks my heart to know I’m breaking your heart. And when you are mad- and a lot of you are – I want to give you a cookie and tell you it will be okay. Because it will. We’re all just in Bird Rookery Swamp Withdrawal – all of us, even the staff and volunteers.
Of course you can still call me at the office, or Facebook message me – some of you are becoming quite good friends of mine – but in the meantime, here are a few answers to our Frequently Asked Questions about the closure of Bird Rookery Swamp.
Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?
WHY is Bird Rookery Swamp Closed?
This is an important question, and one we have to address right away. It’s come to our attention thanks to some of the fence-hoppers (we’ll chat about y’all in a hot minute) that the public perception is that the boardwalk is barricaded and big NO ENTRY signs are up because the trails are wet, like they always are this time of year, and we don’t want you to get wet feet.
We love wet feet. And we know our die-hard Bird Rookery Swamp friends do as well.
The trails are wet, just as they always are this time of year – okay, maybe a BIT more wet than usual. But the reason the trail is shut down at the end of the boardwalk is hazardous conditions due to contractors working on the trail to fix washouts.
Working with BIG LOUD DANGEROUS machinery and they can’t see anything around them, so the trail was closed for the safety of all involved.
Why are there so many washouts, and what is a washout?
The trail at Bird Rookery Swamp should not be there.
WHAT?
Bird Rookery Swamp is at the very bottom of the 60,000-acre watershed. And when the area was logged for cypress, the tram was built to hold the railroad, blocking the natural flow of water. Every single year when the water flows south, we have blow-outs on the trail, and we slap a band-aid on (a gravel band-aid) and fill it in, then wait for the next rainy season to blow out different areas.
Add in a hurricane and we’ve got a lot more washouts than usual and some of the old ones became dangerous deep-water crossings. The one by Ida’s pond was waist deep on me (Anne) two weeks after the hurricane and the water was flowing pretty hard as I stood there and tried to trim back part of a tree that fell.
So. We have washouts. We will continue to have washouts. We just had a lot more than normal this rainy season. And all the washouts need to be repaired so you can hike, bike and enjoy the entire loop.
Why is this taking so LONNNNNNNGGGGG?
Water. The trails are wet. The big, heavy machinery will do a lot of damage to the really wet sections, or get stuck. So wet trail conditions are delaying the project. But every week the contractor is checking on the trails, and it is drying up – so we keep our fingers crossed.
You OTTER be fixing these trails!
Why can’t you just open up the first part? It looks fixed.
Remember how I talked about the heavy machinery? Well, it made deep ruts in that first section, and those need to be smoothed out for the safety of our guests and visitors. And, to get that machinery in, the trails need to dry up.
Also – I, or we, the CREW Trust – cannot open or close trails. The South Florida Water Management District manages the lands within the CREW Project, and most of those are public lands (which is why there is no charge to park or visit the trail). We – the CREW Trust- are the non-profit that provides environmental education for all ages on the trails. We also do our best to raise awareness about the watershed by telling people about the trail systems through Facebook and this website. WE cannot open or close the trails – only the District, our partner agency, can do that.
If I can’t go to Bird Rookery Swamp to ride my bike/hike/walk my dog/take photos of awesome wildlife, where can I go?
There are two trail systems off of Corkscrew Road, just a quick fifteen minute drive east of I-75. The CREW Marsh Trails is the only trail system within the CREW Project that is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, and the Cypress Dome Trails is our least-visited trails BUT has the most active wildlife according to sightings by hikers.
I saw a bear there about two months ago – my first sighting of a bear on one of the CREW Trails.
You can hike, go birding, walk your dog and/or take photos at either trail system. Bikers, head to the Cypress Dome Trails. 100% of the Marsh Trails are clear, thanks to Jessi and a lot of FGCU student volunteers. The Cypress Dome Trails are mostly clear, except for the Wild Coffee Trail, which is the back part of the white trail. CREW Trust staff and volunteers are slowly clearing that by hand and waiting for it to dry up to continue working.
Can I volunteer and help clean up Bird Rookery Swamp so it gets open sooner?
I wish you could. I wish I could. But the District is in charge of this project, so we respect their closure and try to wait patiently.
If you do like to clear trails, please volunteer! We will have trail clean-ups in preparation for the opening of Flint Pen Strand for the public. We also have a great group of volunteers – please fill out an application if you are interested.
What happens if I just hop the fence?
Well, that’s a bad idea. We’ve already been told of one rescue by Collier County deputies of a hiker who hopped the fence and then needed assistance in the back part of the trails. The District also has signs posted that say the trail is closed; FWC Law Enforcement says it is a $50 fine if/when you are caught.
From a purely personal standpoint – we, your friendly staff at the CREW Trust, worry about your safety. Please respect the closure and try to wait patiently for it to re-open so we can see you soon at our guided walks and programs.
Ready to hit the trails this season, but looking for a few fun new tools? Check out these apps for your smartphone that can help take your trek to the next tech level.
You can use your phone for more than selfies, Mr. Bear.
IveGot1: This app from FWC is for reporting sightings of non-native invasive animals, like pythons, which have been spotted within the CREW Project. Get as much information as you can, including photos of tracks. Just remember when taking a photo to place something, like a coin or a pen or a tube of chapstick next to the track to help with noting the size. (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reporting-hotline/)
WeatherBug: This app has a program within the app called Spark which will show how close lightning is to your location. When should you find shelter and get far away from lightning? We say follow the pool rule – if lightning is within ten miles, get to shelter. Florida is the lightning captial of the United States and it is always better to be safe than sorry.
PlantNet: Can’t remember the name of that pretty purple flower? You can jog your memory with the use of this app and maybe correctly identify the plant. This is part of a global project so, if your plant isn’t in the app, you can help by adding it! Check out this shot of a flower I took by our office, then searched for, and quickly identified!
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab: This app lets you load bird packs (birds in your area) so you can tailor the app to where you are, or where you are travelling to.
Peterson Bird Identifier & Field Guide: They had me at field guide. This includes over 800 species of North American Birds and looks enough like your hardcover field guide that you’ll feel right at home.
Audubon Bird Guide: Reviews say it is the best free bird field guide available and it lists nearby observations. You can log your sightings and connect to a social community of birders. And, if you love owls, check out the Audubon Owl Guide app.
AllTrails: This app is one we are starting to use ourselves to get our trails out to the world! This app lets you explore trails and check out reviews. It’s also helpful if you are looking to explore more trails in the area (and more of our trails) or heading out of town on vacation and want to scope out the local landscape.
Looking to fill out your already bustling December calendar? We have something for everyone this December!
For the insectually curious and those itching for a bit of fun, join FGCU instructor and President of the Florida Mosquito Control Association Neil Wilkinson for Mosquitos of the Marsh: a CREW Strolling Science Seminar on Friday, Dec. 8. You’ll learn about the life cycles and histories of fresh floodwater and natural container species of mosquitos common to Southwest Florida. From identifying adult mosquitos caught in traps set the night before to using dip nets to survey for mosquiot predtaors, this is sure to be a can’t miss event! For more information or to purchase tickets, head to eventbrite.com.
Tuesdays are TrailDays at the CREW Marsh Trail! Volunteer naturalist and spider enthusiast Janet Bunch leads our free weekly guided walks from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. What can you expect in December? From the small boardwalk, you might spy string lilies blooming. Butterfly sightings may include Gulf Frittilaries and Zebra Longwings, both often spotted close to Suzanne’s Pavillion. The view from the observation tower will still show lush green sawgrass as the water levels are just beginning to dry down from our very wet rainy season. Red-shouldered hawks are pairing up and filling the air with their boisterous calls. As always, what we see depends on the day, which makes each walk different from the last! Register today at eventbrite.com. Can’t make it out to the trails on Tuesdays? You’re in luck! December’s Saturday Walk will be at the CREW Marsh Trails on Dec. 9; register at eventbrite.com.
The wading birds are flocking to Bird Rookery Swamp and will join us on our Wednesday walks!! Egrets and herons and Roseate Spoonbills are filling in the small ponds and are even visible at times from the trail parking lot. String lilies are blooming throughout the swamp and you may even spy an adult or juvenille water moccasin swimming slowly around the bases of the cypress trees and knees. The pied-billed grebes are back in the small canal and we’re hoping to see little tiny grebes this spring. We’re still waiting on the full trail to re-open but our Wednesday walks will continue, covering the shell path and boardwalk, then expanding onto the grassy traim once the district completes repairs and restoration. Sign up for your free spot today at eventbrite.com.
Members, make sure your calendar is marked for our Member Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, January 13! Want to join in the fun, but aren’t a member? You can become a member today and you’ll receive an invitation to our picnic, our very popular wine and cheese social under the stars; our quarterly newsletter; and discounts on Strolling Science Seminars and other CREW Trust programs.
