A View Of Bird Rookery Swamp- “A family of five Otters”

Below are first hand observations from our volunteer Dick Brewer. Who does weekly visits to Bird Rookery Swamp and very week sends us incredible stories of the magical 12 mile loop. If you would like to see more of his observations visit: http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, May 23 ~ 7:15 am–1:00 pm

“It was a so-so day for birds but a great day for butterflies and mammals, River Otters especially. I saw seven– a family of five and two other individuals in separate places. The family retreated into what was probably their den in two fallen tree trunks, a nice
two-story place. Once inside, there was some grunting and huffing, and two of the juveniles peeked out, one from the second story and one from the ground level (photo). Another young otter was on its own a little past Ida’s Pond and alternated between catching fish and
watching people watch it.

The Water Moccasin was between markers 6 and 3. It was small, perhaps three feet, but it was easily irritated because it was ready to shed its skin. The milky blue eyes meant it was close to sightless, so it over reacted to any movement, sound or vibration. A couple from South
America bicycled by as I was watching the snake; the husband stopped but when his wife heard the word “snake,” she put her head down and quickly pedaled on by. He said snakes were not on her favorite critter list.

The young Red-shouldered Hawk was low in a maple watching the world go by. Mullet and its sibling have fledged and are no longer at the nest near marker 3. ”

BIRDS
Anhinga – 6
Great Blue Heron – 1
Great Egret – 14
Little Blue Heron – 2
Black-crowned Night Heron – 3
Black Vulture – 41
Turkey Vulture – 19
Red-shouldered Hawk – 26
Common Ground Dove – 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 16
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Pileated Woodpecker – 3
Great-crested Flycatcher – 9
Blue Jay – 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 3
American Crow – 1
Tufted Titmouse – 11
Carolina Wren – 6
White-eyed Vireo – 19
Red-eyed Vireo – 2
Northern Parula – 3
Northern Cardinal – 24

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 8
Spicebush Swallowtail – 2
Ruddy Daggerwing – 7
Zebra Longwing – 1
White Peacock – 67
Gulf Fritillary – 2
Viceroy – 3
Cloudless Sulphur – 1
Great Southern White – 6
Silver-spotted Skipper – 1
Three-spotted Skipper – 1
Dorantes Longtail – 1
Tropical Checker – 3
Southern Broken Dash – 1

DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 49
Needham’s Skimmer – 2
Eastern Amberwing – 3

MAMMALS
River Otter – 7
Raccoon – 6
Cottontail Rabbit – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 77
Brown Anole – 8
Green Anole – 1
Red-bellied Turtle – 5
Water Moccasin – 1
Green Treefrog – 42
Squirrel Treefrog – 1
Greenhouse Frog – 8

FISH
Gar – 61

By Dick Brewer