Category: Bird Rookery Swamp

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25th Anniversary Horseback Ride at CREW

HorsesThe CREW Trust is partnering with Caloosa Saddle Club members to offer a first-ever guided horseback ride at CREW on Friday, March 21, 2014. The ride will be approximately 15 miles through parts of Flint Pen Strand and around the Bird Rookery Swamp tram loop. This special ride requires participants to bring their own horses, water, snacks/lunch, and horse and rider to be in good riding condition for a long (15-mile) ride. Coggins papers must be current and presented at the entrance on the day of the ride.

Pre-registration is required before noon on March 20th. Register online at http://goo.gl/gdQXVn 

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Time to Register for Alligator Strolling Science Seminar

Alligator at Bird Rookery

You’ve seen them. You may have even heard them bellow. But how much do you really know about the science of the American Alligator? Here’s your chance to learn what makes this amazing animal tick, how it helps other species, and what it does to impact the functioning of wetlands in south Florida.

Sign up today for the last CREW Strolling Science Seminar of this season, The American Alligator: Engineers of the Everglades led by Ian Bartoszek, biologist with The Conservancy of SWFL. This walking seminar will be held at the Bird Rookery Swamp Trails on Saturday, March 29th, 9 AM to noon. Registration is required. Register today by clicking here ( http://goo.gl/VTX8lR ).

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The Life and Death of a Snake

water-moccasin
Water moccasin

Visitors and volunteers to CREW’s Bird Rookery Swamp got a shock on Wednesday, March 5th, when they discovered two resident water moccasins had been killed – heads smashed – and left by the side of the trail.  The two moccasins had been visible sunning themselves on a log or by the base of a tree for weeks in the same spot near the old railroad tie exhibit along the south tram. They had become regular sightings as well as a good teaching tool for guided walks. Then, suddenly, they were dead – killed on purpose by humans.

It is beyond our comprehension that any visitor who cares at all about the environment and the wildlife of Bird Rookery Swamp would think it OK to take the lives of two creatures who make their home there. While snakes are often the objects of fear for many humans, they rarely strike at people who keep their distance and respect their space. These two snakes belonged in Bird Rookery Swamp, maintaining the balance of nature and acting in the role they were born to play. Now, they are gone.

The primary purpose of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) project is to protect the land, water, and wildlife resources within the watershed. Recreation and public access is a secondary goal. Water and wildlife come first – always. So, it is the responsibility of each visitor to be respectful and to give all wildlife (and plants) the space they need to go about their business with the least stress possible. That means giving the alligators a wide berth (and NOT throwing sticks at them), being careful not to step on snakes crossing the trail, keeping dogs on leash and children under control, and taking photographs from a respectful distance. Our personal safety and the safety and well-being of all the animals which reside there is the responsibility of each and and every person who visits the trails. Educate your friends and family. Do your part. Be respectful. Leave the animals to live their lives in relative peace.

FWC law enforcement officers do patrol the CREW trails, but they can’t be there at all times, so it is up to each visitor to honor the place and the animals and show the respect they deserve. If you see anyone harming plants or animals within CREW, please report the violation immediately to the FWC Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Information leading to an arrest can make you eligible for up to a $1000 reward.

Let’s make sure the trails remain open to the public by protecting the animals that live there and share their space with us!

 

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Migration Season Has Begun at CREW

Red Maple
Red Maple

It’s that time of year. When birders get giddy and other folks who actually pay attention to things outside their cars and houses begin to notice different flying objects within their view. At CREW, the signs are obvious – the seasons are a-changin’. Water levels are high, the weather is hot and humid, and the maple trees are starting to turn burgundy while the cypress needles hint at turning brown. But the most dramatic changes right now are in the air.

Our feathered friends are heading for their winter homes, and that means some are leaving southwest Florida, some are arriving for their winter stay, and some are just passing through. During the past two weeks, the swallow-tailed kites have been seen circling in groups of 10, 20, 30 and more, staging for their trip back to South America.  This week, the tree and barn swallows have been racing through the skies in their characteristic swooping, circling flights chasing after flying insects like dragonflies, damselflies, and wasps. And Joe Bozzo, the SFWMD project manager for CREW, spotted prothonotary warblers and Louisiana waterthrushes at Bird Rookery Swamp already.

warbler
Photo by George Luther

So, if you want to catch some of this amazing migratory action, grab your binoculars and come on out to the CREW trails to see what you can find. The CREW Marsh Trails are a designated Great Florida Birding Trail site, and I’ve heard bitterns calling in the seasonal pond several times during the last two weeks. The Bird Rookery Swamp boardwalk and the trail just past the boardwalk is a regular “hot spot” for great migratory birds. Joe says to watch for yellow-billed cuckoos, red-eyed vireos, prairie warblers and black-throated blue warblers. Last year the orange-crowned warblers and Baltimore orioles were common sightings there, too.

Let us know what you see – post it here as a comment – so others can go see it, too.

 

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Photo Gallery: BRS Summer Wildlife

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CREW volunteer naturalist George Luther took a photo safari at Bird Rookery Swamp (BRS) on the 4th of July and reported an extraordinary number of Ruddy Daggerwing butterflies and many species of dragonflies. He also spotted deer, kites, and lots of other wildlife active on the trails. (See his photo gallery above)

The water levels are rising rapidly with the recent rains, which sheet flow into Bird Rookery from the CREW headwaters – the Corkscrew Marsh in the northeast – and through Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

If you haven’t yet ventured to a CREW trail this summer, come visit. It is a remarkable time to be out in the woods, marshes, and swamps.

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Gulfshore Life Magazine Highlights CREW Volunteer George Luther

Back in May, we told you CREW volunteer, George Luther had received a Paradise Coast/Collier County Tourism Award for his Nature’s Peace at CREW program for Alzheimer patients and their caregivers.

Now – in its July issue – Gulfshore Life Magazine has published an article entitled Here & Now: Heroes without Headlines highlighting some of those winners, and George is featured in the article and on their website. So pick up a copy and read all about him and this amazing program he designed.

George Luther Gulfshore Life
George Luther photo by Gulfshore Life Magazine

Congratulations again, George! Thanks for all you do for CREW.

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CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail

Physical Address: 1295 Shady Hollow Boulevard, Naples, FL 34120

Hours: One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset

Trails/Facilities: Free – donations accepted, Open to public

Trail Information

The Bird Rookery Swamp Trail officially opened in July 2011. The Bird Rookery Swamp Trail offers 12 miles of hiking and biking trails, including a 1500-ft. boardwalk with wheelchair accessibility. A 1/4-mile crushed shell path leads to a 1500-ft. boardwalk, then the trails become ground level, sandy/grassy, relatively flat berms with swamp on both sides. The trails are actually old tram roads used when the area was logged many years ago. Biking can be a challenge on the grassy/sandy trails, but quite rewarding. The maple-cypress swamp is home to alligators, otters, Florida panthers, bobcats, white-tailed deer and more. There is one portable toilet at the beginning of the boardwalk and several benches along the trail within the first 1.5 miles. Beyond that there are no structures.

Birders will delight in the abundance of songbirds that frequent the cypress trees along the boardwalk, as well as the many raptors and wading birds found along the trails. Barred owls are common and swallow-tailed kites frequent the area in summer.

Trail Map

BRS our photo 2026 map both sides (1)Download
Bird Rookery Swamp wildlife checklistDownload

 Activities:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Nature study/photography
  • Geocaching
  • Birding
  • Running

The walking of dogs along this trail is not recommended.

Directions:

 From Fort Myers/Naples: From I-75, take exit 111 and turn east (away from Naples) on Immokalee Road (CR 846). Travel 11.4 miles and turn left onto Shady Hollow Blvd. (One mile past the Oil Well Rd stoplight – Shady Hollow is where Immokalee Rd goes from 4-lane to 2-lane). Go to the end of Shady Hollow (approx 2.4 miles). Parking lot is on the right.

From Immokalee: Travel west (toward Naples) on CR 846 (Immokalee Road) for approx. 16.5 miles. Turn right on Shady Hollow Blvd. Travel 2.4 miles north to parking area/gate.

Google Map to Bird Rookery Swamp Trails: http://goo.gl/maps/9tSNd

Go back to the Visit CREW page.

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10 Ways to Enjoy the CREW Trails This Summer

10 Ways to Enjoy the CREW Trails This Summer

by Deb Hanson marsh bdwalk2

Summer is approaching and our schedule of events is empty. The CREW Trust has had a fabulous fall/winter season at CREW this year with the help of our project partners, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) staff who owns and manages the CREW lands, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission biologist who monitors wildlife and habitat at CREW, and our fabulous volunteers and FGCU interns who assist with guided walks, trail maintenance, exotics removal, and many other tasks.

Since October 1st, 2012 over 6000 people participated in our guided hikes, strolling science seminars, school field trips, and special programs for CREW Trust members and the public. Thousands more explored the CREW trails on their own and have connected with the watershed in many ways.

But don’t stay away from CREW just because we don’t have many organized summer programs planned. Come on out and enjoy CREW in a whole new way on your own. Summer is a time for the CREW trails to rest. With fewer footprints along the paths, grass grows taller, wildlife ventures out, and of course – with the arrival of summer storms – the water levels rise. By October, the marsh and swamps of CREW will be wet and green and teeming with animal activity. Summer is truly the most amazing time of year to experience CREW.

So, put on your old sneakers and long pants, sunscreen and bug spray, and try one or more of these suggestions to enjoy CREW on your own this summer:
1. Go for a Treasure Hunt  – CREW is home to over 100 geocaches – hidden treasures placed out in the woods along the trails that can be located by GPS coordinates – thanks to local geocachers JunglePete and The Unusual Suspects. If you’ve never been geocaching, grab your GPS unit or smartphone, go to http://geocaching.com for info and CREW coordinates and give it a whirl this summer.

caloosa trailheads2. Take a Run – running the CREW trails is a lot more interesting than pounding the pavement or hitting the treadmill at the gym. Research shows that running outdoors gives you more exercise due to varied elevation and wind resistance, too. Plus, fresh air and proximity to trees heals and refreshes. Check out the Caloosa Trailheads Facebook page to connect with like-minded folks or find a running buddy, then come run a mile or two or ten at CREW.

3. Track an Animal – hit the trail with one purpose: to track a critter. Summer means rain and softer ground, so tracks are more easily found along the trails. Challenge yourself to locate and identify five new animal tracks this summer. Grab a track field guide or app, a tape measure and a friend, then see what you can learn about animals that come out to play at CREW during the summer.

4. Just Sit There – 99% of the time people come to CREW walk, run or bike the trails. Rarely do people go to one spot and sit still. Yet 100% of the time, if you sit still in one place for more than 10 minutes you will see, hear, and experience more critters than in three hours of hiking. So, pick a trail, find a spot, and just sit there. Watch the magic happen.

camping fire5. Spend the Night – CREW has two primitive campsites that are free and available by Special Use License through the SFWMD at http://goo.gl/5wUfJ. If you’ve never been out at CREW at night, camping can give you a whole new perspective about the place. Practice “Leave No Trace” and enjoy the quiet serenity of CREW after dark.

6. Engage Your Senses – most folks walk and look when hiking the CREW Trails. Next time you go, take advantage of the summer humidity and focus attention on your sense of smell. Every animal and plant has a unique scent. Expand your sensory experience by listening and touching, too. Just be sure you can ID poison ivy first!

7. Take the Road Less Traveled – Do you take the same trail every time you come to CREW or have a favorite that you always share with friends and visitors. This summer, take a different trail or loop. Try the Pine Flatwoods Trail at the CREW Marsh or the White Loop/Wild Coffee Trail at the Cypress Dome Trails, or if you’re really ambitious (and well-prepared with water, food, and sun protection) try to get to the north or west tram at Bird Rookery Swamp. Head a new direction and see what surprises await you.

8. Awaken Your Sense of Wonder with a Child – Rachel Carson proclaimed “If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” So, take a child by the hand and explore CREW, experience bugs and birds, get dirty and wet, spend unstructured time playing in nature. You may be surprised at how much it helps you connect, too.

CowNov.19979. Get Your Cowboy/girl On – Adjacent to the CREW Cypress Dome Trails (and connected via the White Loop) are the Caracara Prairie Preserve Trails, owned by Conservation Collier and the CREW Land & Water Trust. These three miles of trails traverse an active cattle ranch. So, put on your cowboy hat and take a hike through oak hammocks, towering pines, and some beautiful wet prairie. Be prepared to get your feet wet crossing the ditch from the Dome Trails to the Caracara Trails (Oh, and no dogs allowed – to keep the cattle safe).

10. Catch a Sunrise/Sunset – all the CREW Trails are open to the public from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, so start your day right and head out to the Marsh Overlook early one morning this summer to watch the sun rise over the 5000-acre Corkscrew Marsh. Or, if you’re just not a morning person, try getting there just before dark to watch the sunset filtering through those billowing summer storm clouds. Either way, you’ll enrich your life and your spirit!

However you choose to experience CREW this summer, we’d love to hear from you! Share your adventures with us by posting pictures and comments on the CREW Land & Water Trust Facebook page or send us an email to let us know what you did that was new and exciting.

We’ll be publishing our fall/winter program schedule later this summer, so stay tuned…and have a wonderful time at CREW or wherever you spend your summer!
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CREW Volunteer, George Luther, Honored as Collier Tourism Star

George Award

On Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, CREW Volunteer George Luther was selected as  the winner in the “Best Innovative Idea” category at the Collier County/Paradise Coast Tourism Awards ceremony. George was nominated by CREW staff for his Nature’s Peace at CREW program for Alzheimer patients and their caregivers. His nomination beat out 18 others submitted for the same category.

Here is George’s nomination description:

“George Luther came to us at the CREW Land and Water Trust in the fall of 2011 with the idea of leading hikes at the newly opened CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail off Immokalee Road in Naples. After several months of successful hikes, and a chance encounter with an Alzheimer patient and her husband on one of those hikes, George came up with the idea to design a special guided walk for early-onset Alzheimer patients and their caregivers. He presented the idea to CREW staff and later to the Alzheimer Support Network in Naples. With the approval of that network and the CREW Trust, “Nature’s Peace at CREW” was born.

George designed the walk, planned the activities, and began connecting Alzheimer patients with nature. The guided walk consists of a very slow-paced stroll along the path of hard-packed crushed shell/limestone and the boardwalk at Bird Rookery Swamp. Along the walk, George stimulates the patients’ senses of touch, sight, smell and hearing by helping them observe natural objects that include plants, flowers, trees, water features, birds, mammals, reptiles, and butterflies. The accompanying caretakers get a brief respite from their daily duties of patient care while enjoying their loved one’s interaction with nature. George’s plan also incorporates the use of other CREW volunteers so patients have a more personalized experience. George welcomes each patient, designs and makes a special name tag  necklace for each patient to wear, and provides them with walking sticks.

Brenda Brooks, CREW’s Executive Director is eager to have these special visitors at CREW. “Hikers, photographers, mountain bikers and birders are just a few of the groups that enjoy CREW. Now, these guided walks will allow Alzheimer patients to benefit as well. Research has shown that Alzheimer patients benefit greatly when interacting with nature, and we’re thrilled to offer the opportunity for these patients to engage in healing walks at CREW”.
The first two walks in October and November demonstrated the power of the experiences. Patients who arrived with heads down, silent and closed off, left laughing and joking and happy. Caregivers thanked George for giving their loved ones a chance to remember their childhoods and enjoy a day of peace in nature.This program exposes a new user group to an often overlooked Collier County resource – the Bird Rookery Swamp Trails – which are free public lands and open to the public year round.

This innovative program is the only one of its kind in southwest Florida – bringing Alzheimer’s patients into the wild to help awaken memories and calm the mind and spirit. George is modest about his role, but the program never would have begun without his inspiration, dedication, and leadership.”

We are proud of George and very happy to have him on board as  a volunteer for CREW. His presence at Bird Rookery Swamp helps all the visitors more fully enjoy their experience there.

George Luther leads a Nature's Peace at CREW walk at Bird Rookery Swamp
George Luther leads a Nature’s Peace at CREW walk at Bird Rookery Swamp

See a News-Press article mentioning George’s award here.

Congratulations, George, and thank you for your dedication and passion for CREW and the community!