Category: Bird Rookery Swamp

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A Brief History of Bird Rookery Swamp

by Nan Mattingly

Hike the Loop with CREW. Photo by Bill Zaino

As you set out to enjoy the riches of Bird Rookery Swamp (BRS for short) think of the people who have used this land before you.  Some highlights:

From approximately 500 BC to 1600 AD, the fierce Calusa tribe traversed this huge swamp from their home base on the southwest Florida coast (in the vicinity of what is now Ft. Myers Beach) to their hunting and fishing camps at Lake Trafford in Immokalee. Waterways (rivers, streams, even sheet flow) were so plentiful that the Calusa traveled in canoes hollowed out from giant bald cypress trees harvested in Bird Rookery Swamp. They made use of what they found at Bird Rookery Swamp for their daily living needs; they ate the hearts of sabal palms and used the fronds to weave floor mats and to roof their dwellings. They harvested the fruit of cocoplums and pond apple trees, they fished the waters, and they used plants for medicinal purposes.  

Dugout Canoe found at Lake Trafford. Photo by Andrew West

The bird plume trade drew feather hunters to Bird Rookery Swamp from the late 1800s to the early 1900s at which time state and federal laws were enacted to protect the birds. At the height of the trade, a pound of bird plumes was more valuable than a pound of gold, and the white ibis (known as the Chokoloskee Chicken) was considered a delicacy. Today Bird Rookery Swamp provides sanctuary for at least 45 kinds of birds, including some protected and threatened species.

Rosette Spoonbill

The timber trade brought the next economic exploitation of Bird Rookery Swamp. In 1934, cypress wood sold for $60 to $100 per 1,000 board feet. Over 40 miles of elevated trails (called trams) were constructed to run a narrow-gauge train to extract harvested trees, which were sent to a mill in central Florida. Those trees, generally around 130 feet tall and 25 feet in girth, were 500 to 600 years old. Cypress was a hard, durable wood resistant to water and bugs. Cypress trees harvested at Bird Rookery Swamp were used to build PT boats during World War II, to rebuild war-torn Europe and to provide wood for homes sold through the Sears catalog. The last surviving steam engine used on the Bird Rookery Swamp trams is on display at the Collier County Museum. A court order in 1957 ended logging at Bird Rookery Swamp.

Farmers and ranchers have used Bird Rookery Swamp lands since the late 1800s to grow orange trees and to plant field crops such as tomatoes, melons and potatoes. If you look carefully into the Bird Rookery Swamp forest, you’ll see a few derelict barbed wire fences, relics of the cattle ranching that ended in the mid-1970s.

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Fine Feathered Friends Found at CREW

By Nan Mattingly, CREW Trust volunteer

You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy the birds at all four CREW trail systems, and you don’t need fancy equipment. Just an inexpensive pair of binoculars and the will to get outside and use them.

We consulted with some birding experts to identify birds you’re likely to see throughout CREW. Their best tip for seeing most of the birds named below is to start early in the morning, just after sunrise.

CREW Marsh Trails

Blue jay: A medium size bird with a blue body, black bars on the wings and a crest on the top of the head. Present year-round in Florida. At CREW Marsh Trails, look for them in the large live oaks just north of the tower overlooking the marsh. You may hear them before you see them; they have a variety of loud calls and unique songs.

Red-shouldered hawk: Medium to large size raptor with rust-red bars on its breast and where the wing meets the body. Tends to use the same territory for years, even the same nests. Screeching, repetitive call. This hawk stalks prey from a perch, so look up when you hear that loud call. Found throughout CREW; at the Marsh Trails, you may see them in the pine flatwoods and oak hammocks.

CREW Cypress Dome Trails and Caracara Prairie Preserve

Swallow-tailed kite: All black and white with a sharply forked tail and a four-foot wingspan. Nests in the tops of pine trees in early spring in southwest Florida, migrating from South America. It’s a breathtaking sight to see a group of kites circling and swooping, dropping briefly to skim the surface of lakes to drink or bathe. Listen carefully for their sweet, shrill cries or soft whistles.

Turkey vulture: Red head, white-tipped beak, dark body feathers that resemble those of a turkey. Soars above tree tops alert for freshly killed prey, using both sight and smell to find food. They are a consummate scavenger, cleaning up the countryside one bite at a time. This bird has no song, but it hisses, grunts and growls when eating.

Carolina wren: Medium size bird with a brown crown, white throat, buff-colored or white underparts, rufous-colored back and wings and a distinctive white stripe above the eye. Once paired, they define and maintain a territory and stay together for several years. They raise multiple broods during the summer breeding season. These birds like to hang out in undergrowth and sometimes you have to identify them by their loud, distinctive song which sounds like “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle” or “cherry, cherry, cherry.”

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp

Snowy egret: A small white heron with black legs and a long black bill with a yellow patch at its base; yellow feet (think of them as yellow snow boots to remember their name). At one time the plumes of the snowy egret were in demand to decorate women’s hats and plume hunters decimated their numbers, but now protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and their population has rebounded. Snowy egrets wade in shallow water to spear fish and other small aquatic animals.     

Northern parula: Small, compact warbler with blue-gray upper parts and bronze-green back patch. Throat and breast are yellow and belly is white. Winters in southwest Florida. The northern parula feeds on insects and invertebrates; occasionally hovers or hangs upside down on foliage to catch insects in the air. Its song is an ascending “zeeeee-yip”. Fairly common in Bird Rookery Swamp, less common in other parts of CREW, because it prefers the swampy, forested habitat.  

Green heron: Small heron with a glossy, greenish cap and back. Its wings are gray-black grading into green or blue, and it has a chestnut-colored neck with a white stripe. Active during the day, it walks slowly or stands motionless in water to wait for prey, and then it strikes quickly with its daggerlike bill. This heron has been seen to place food in the water to attract fish. Sometimes you’ll see them perched in trees and shrubs. 

CREW Flint Pen Strand

Bald eagle: The bald eagle is the star of the show at Flint Pen Strand, larger and more impressive than other raptors found there. Most of us are familiar with its distinctive look – white head, neck and tail, big yellow bill and dark brown body. Swooping over water, it hunts its favorite prey – fish – and its strong hind talon pierces the fish while the front talons hold the fish securely. Its wing span is six to seven feet. A pair of bald eagles has been nesting around the eastern side of Flint Pen Strand for some years, and lucky hikers are occasionally treated to the sight of a bald eagle soaring overhead.     

Eastern bluebird: Brilliant blue back and wings, with a rusty breast and white underparts. Often seen in open woodlands and clearings; look for them in the northeast corner of the lakes area. It makes its loose nest of grass or plant stems in natural tree cavities, even in abandoned woodpecker holes. Its population declined by 90% in the last century, partly because as trees are felled, it loses its favorite nesting sites. Bird boxes have helped restore the population. 

Woodpeckers: Woodpeckers of all kinds are year-round residents, including red-bellied, downy, pileated and sapsucker woodpeckers. Most remarkable is a sizable population of red-headed woodpeckers, with their solid red heads, black wings and white wing bars. You’ll see them near the southern portion of the red trail, usually hunting insects on dead trees.

Some hints for beginning birders:

Invest in a pair of binoculars and learn how to use them; take along a good field guide like Sibley’s Bird Basics, which will teach you how to identify birds by characteristics; download a good bird identification app like the Audubon Bird Guide and eBird; wear dull, neutral colors to blend into the natural background; and respect nature – don’t step off the trail to get a good picture, and don’t harass birds. If you can, tag along with an experienced birder and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. If you want to start and keep a list of birds you’ve observed, there are many apps that provide guidance and allow you to keep your list on your phone.

More resources on birds:

Cornell Ornithology Lab maintains a web site called “All About Birds” which covers just about everything you need to know to get started and develop your skills. A particularly useful book for this region is Birds of Florida by Fred J. Alsop III. And here’s a cool website:  https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/, where you can follow bird migration in real time all over the U.S.

Please share your best bird photos with the CREW community, on our CREW Land & Water Trust Facebook page or send them directly to Allison@CREWTrust.org.     

Many thanks to knowledgeable birders who contributed to this piece: Jayne Johnston, former education coordinator, CREW Land & Water Trust; Dick Brewer, volunteer naturalist and brilliant citizen scientist; Barbara Centola, CREW Trust volunteer and birder extraordinaire; and Kathleen Smith and Lauren Plussa, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 

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Consider a “Wet Walk”

By Allison Vincent, CREW Trust Communications Director

Hiking out on the CREW trails can have a transformative effect, especially during the rainy season. Traversing wet trails evokes something deep within us, an urge to take the road less travelled, to walk quietly in the woods hearing the twigs snap underfoot.

Perhaps it’s some childhood nostalgia that transfixes us. Given the chance to have uninterrupted time in a wild place filled with trees, pools of water, and hidden places can fine tune the ear to the sound of animal footsteps or the wings of a bird.

Even still, some hikers avoid the trails during the rainy season, but why? Let go of having dry shoes and enjoy the cool clear puddles after a rain storm or wade into the tannin-rich tea-colored water on a hot day! Once you make your first satisfying splash there is no turning back!

Another highlight of the rainy season is finding animal tracks in the mud. Our game camera footage and years of wildlife monitoring have shown that many crepuscular creatures are most active in the early dawn and twilight hours before dusk.

Many of the wildlife that call CREW home are elusive but like us all, leave footprints behind. So remember next time you’re on the trail, there is a chance you are walking the same path a wild creature strolled a few hours earlier. Check in the mud, you may catch the outline of a print!

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Trail Closure: Bird Rookery Swamp Trail, Aug 10th-31st

The South Florida Water Management District, land managers of the CREW project including Bird Rookery Swamp Trail (BRS), will temporarily close the boardwalk access to the BRS trail for the final phase of boardwalk reconstruction.

The parking lot gates will be closed and locked throughout the month of August and possibly into September. We will update our website, CREWtrust.org with current information as construction continues.

We know this is a popular trail, however we hope you agree that the long-term benefits of our revitalized boardwalk outweighs the temporary inconvenience.

The boardwalk reconstruction schedule is estimated to run from August 10th-31st, but may extend longer or finish up earlier than expected. Be sure to check on closure status before driving out the trail.

Looking for an alternative trail? Try CREW Flint Pen Strand trails off Bonita Beach Road or any of our CREW trails off of Corkscrew Road. Arrive early to enjoy the wildlife!

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Trees – why do we love them?

photo by Anthony Eugenio

Volunteer Perspective Series

Written by Nan Mattingly

          In the 60,000-acre Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Project, you’ll find a wide variety of trees. The stars of the show are bald cypresses that dominate Bird Rookery Swamp and slash pines found throughout the CREW Project, as well as red maples that provide vivid color to the predominantly green and brown landscape. Of course, you’ll also see many sabal (or cabbage) palms, our state tree. All of the trees in CREW help filter and protect the water that soaks into the aquifer that spans Lee and Collier counties. This aquifer stores the water that we need for just about every aspect of life in southwest Florida.

          Aside from their contribution to our vital water supply, trees in the CREW Project also provide a myriad of less visible services that enrich and improve our environment. Some of those services are:

  • Natural air conditioning: when you walk under a canopy of mature trees (which you’ll find in all four CREW trail systems) you immediately notice a drop in temperature, as much as six to eight degrees. That’s a real gift in the summer months. (Trees strategically planted to shade your house can lower your electric bill by as much as 15 %.)
  • Habitat for wildlife: bird watchers can delight in the variety of birds on show among the trees, from colorful songbirds to impressive raptors (hawks, vultures, crested caracaras, etc.) to charming wading birds such as great blue herons, ibises, and egrets. CREW lands also attract fascinating seasonal visitors such as swallow-tailed kites and wood storks. Florida panthers, bears, bobcats and others rely on heavily forested areas for concealment of their dens and for hunting grounds. And if you see a mature tree that is missing a long chunk of its bark, bears may have been using that tree to scratch their backs.        
  • Capture and storage of carbon dioxide emissions: trees are the most efficient carbon capture machines in the world. Through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide and store it in their leaves, stems and roots. That carbon provides some of the energy that trees need to grow and leaf out. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the environment, so the trees in CREW can help lower the temperature in surrounding areas. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, all the vegetation in the U.S. (especially trees) absorbed 11 % of carbon emissions in 2017.         
  • Rich, refreshing environment for hikers: CREW offers four trail systems, all of which feature some trails that are lined and shaded by mature trees. When you’ve hiked deep into the woods, the lush, cool and green atmosphere created by trees is more invigorating than a session at the gym and more reassuring than a session with a therapist.

          All of these practical reasons for appreciating trees are sensible and important. But it may be the natural grace and beauty of trees that most attracts us to them.

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Photo Scavenger Hunt

The April Edition

During the CREW trails closure we asked CREW Trust Facebook fans to send in their best photos from before the closure. We called it the CREW Trust Photo Scavenger Hunt and the response was impressive.

Finalists

1.) Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus

1st place photo from category one of our #stayathome contest is another Swallow-tailed Kite! This one comes to us from Dick Brewer. Thank you for the beautiful mom and chicks photo!

Swallow-tailed kites come to us from South America midwinter to nest. The adults and juveniles migrate back separately in late summer. Keep an eye out in late summer for large flocks of these birds. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/swtkit/cur/introduction

photo by Dick Brewer

2nd place winner for our first category of the #stayathome photo contest – Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) by Anthony Eugenio. Thank you Anthony for your beautiful submission! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swallow-tailed_Kite/id

photo by Anthony Eugenio

2.) Native Florida wildflower

1st place in category two of our #stayathome contest – St. John’s Wort/Hypericum by Brenda Thomas, CREW Trustee! Thanks for this beauty, Brenda!

You may have heard of St. John’s Wort as a medicinal remedy. We don’t recommend picking these flowers since they are in their raw form and you cannot legally collect from CREW. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/st-johns-wort-and-depression-in-depth

photo by Brenda Thomas

2nd place in category two of our #stayathome photo contest. Photo by CREW Volunteer Dick Brewer https://www.fnps.org/plants/plant/bletia-purpurea

photo by Dick Brewer

3.) Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus

1st place in category 3 of our #stayathome contest is Morris Gieselman with the Red-headed woodpecker! Beautiful shot, Morris! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker/id

photo by Morris Geiselman

2nd place in category 3 of our #stayathome photo contest is this Red-headed woodpecker by CREW Trust volunteer, Dick Brewer! What a great catch (for you and the woodpecker)! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker/id

photo by Dick Brewer

4.) Animal track

1st place in our #stayathome contest is an alligator track from CREW Bird Rookery Swamp by Patty Pushcar! If you have out of town guests interested in seeing a real and wild American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), CREW Bird Rookery Swamp is the place! https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/alligator

2nd place in our #stayathome contest is Anthony Eugenio with another American Alligator Track from the CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail! Thanks, Anthony, for sharing this cool photo! https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/American-Alligator-Fact-Sheet.pdf

photo by Anthony Eugenio

5.) An arthropod

1st place in our #stayathome contest is this species interaction between a spider and raccoon. Congrats, Brenda Centenaro Stelzer, for capturing such a neat photo at CREW Bird Rookery Swamp. https://www.fdacs.gov/Divisions-Offices/Plant-Industry/Florida-State-Collection-of-Arthropods

photo by Brenda Stelzer

2nd place in our #stayathome contest comes from Anthony Eugenio of a common arthropod, the Lubber Grasshopper. If you’re seeing them on the trails this time of year, there are smaller, black, with an orange, red or yellow line running from their face to their tail.

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/lubber.htm

photo by Anthony Eugenio

6.) CREW at night from one of the two campsites

1st place in our #stayathome contest comes from a former FWC biologist and current Conservation Collier Environmental Specialist, Molly DuVall at our CREW Cypress Dome Trail Gate 3 Campsite. While we miss Molly, we appreciate that she still enjoys the trails and camping at CREW in her free time!

photo by Molly DuVall

2nd place of our #stayathome contest comes from Anthony Eugenio at our CREW Marsh Trail Gate 5 Campsite. Campsites are still not open, but when available, they are enjoyed one group at a time. Primitive camping under the stars with only a fire ring and picnic table. Nature at its best!

photo by Anthony Eugenio

7.) Sunrise or sunset from one of the four trails

1st place in our #stayathome contest is a sunrise and moonset over CREW Flint Pen Strand by John Lane. Spectacular, John! CREW Flint Pen Strand is our newest trial system and the only one in Lee County. https://crewtrust.org/flint-pen-strand-2/

photo by John Lane

2nd place in our #stayathome contest comes from CREW Trust volunteer, Dick Brewer at CREW Flint Pen Strand. Dick is a wealth of knowledge and has contributed significantly to the educational resources available on our website. We cannot succeed in the work we do without volunteers like Dick. https://crewtrust.org/crew-trail-guides-educational-materials/

photo by Dick Brewer

8.) Equestrian activities at CREW Flint Pen Strand or CREW Dome Trails

1st place in our #stayathome contest comes from Jennifer Law at CREW Flint Pen Strand Trails. Did you know that horseback riding is available at CREW Flint Pen Strand and CREW Cypress Dome Trails? You’ll still need a free special use license from the South Florida Water Management District, but it is well worth it based on the number of equestrians using the trails. Thank you, Jennifer! https://crewtrust.org/horseback-riding/

photo by Jennifer Law

2nd place in our #stayathome contest comes from Dick Brewer at CREW Flint Pen Strand Trails. You don’t have to be a horseback rider to appreciate the sport of human and animal enjoying a healthy dose of exercise in nature! https://animalscience.tamu.edu/2015/06/15/study-examines-health-benefits-of-horseback-riding/

photo by Dick Brewer

9.) Bicycling with friends at one of the three CREW trails

1st and 2nd place in our #stayathome contest go to Dick Brewer! Bicycle riding the 3 of our 4 trails, especially CREW Bird Rookery Swamp, is a favorite activity for many of our volunteers and visitors. The other 2 trails available for bicycling are CREW Cypress Dome and CREW Flint Pen Strand. 

photos by Dick Brewer

10.) Walking your leashed pet at one of the four CREW trails

1st place in our #stayathome contest comes from Cash and Molly! Dog walking is encouraged at all 4 of our trails as long as they are on a short (6’) leash – the safest option for you, your dog, and wildlife!

https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/tips/pets

photo by Molly DuVall

2nd place in our #stayathome contest comes from John Lane at the CREW Marsh Trails. We are so happy to see our furry friends and their owners using the trails safely. Protect your pets while at home and on the trails. https://myfwc.com/media/1892/protect-your-pet.pdf

photo by John Lane

Like our Facebook page @CREWtrust if you’re interested in future events.

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All CREW Trails OPEN- April 29, 2020

You’ve all waited patiently for your favorite CREW trails to reopen. Well, the day has arrived!

You can immediately head out to the trails to enjoy the fresh air at all four CREW trail systems: Bird Rookery Swamp Trail, CREW Marsh Trails, Cypress Dome Trails and Flint Pen Strand Trails.

Please remember we all need to practice social distancing, even on the trails.

Consider the “bottleneck” areas, like the parking lot or boardwalks as spaces to be especially considerate of others space.

We will continue to update our media pages as we learn more from the South Florida Water Management District.

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Sprucing Up the CREW Trails

Before the trail closure on April 4th, CREW Trust staff, volunteers, and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) students were out in full force finishing up some big projects during the final cool months. 

Several projects include the Wild Coffee Trail/White Trail revitalization at the CREW Cypress Dome Trails, the installation of new green and yellow post trail markers at the CREW Cypress Dome Trails, widening the Popash Trail at the CREW Marsh Trails, and an Adopt-A-Road cleanup along Corkscrew Rd. 

Our CREW trails consistently undergo huge improvements thanks to our dedicated volunteers and students that know how to complete a project from start to finish. 

Currently, trails are closed to the public and CREW Trust volunteers, but this does not mean that the volunteers have lost their enthusiasm. They have found many creative ways to help throughout the Florida #stayathome order!

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Partner Spotlight

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)

SFWMD Prescribed Fire at CREW Cypress Dome Trail

You may already know the general story of the CREW Project. In 1989, a conservation minded group of go-getters banded together to protect the land that makes up the CREW Project today. What you may not know is how the land was chosen and how the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) emerged as the primary land owner and land manager of the CREW Project’s 60,000 acres.

In the 1980s, after several years of drought caused wells to go dry, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners applied to the state Save Our Rivers Program land acquisition program (later becoming the Conservation and Recreational Lands Program (CARL) and now known as Florida Forever), asking the state to purchase Flint Pen Strand for a water recharge area to ensure a better water supply for southern Lee County. 

At the same time, National Audubon Society’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida also asked the state to purchase Bird Rookery Swamp to protect the southern and western edges of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. 

The state looked at both applications and noticed that the two parcels of land were near each other. They studied the area further, discovered there was an entire undisturbed watershed system and determined that the whole system needed to be protected.

Parcel by parcel, the National Audubon Society, Lee and Collier counties, and the state began acquiring parcels within the watershed. The state turned over land management duties to the SFWMD after acquisition. The SFWMD manages their lands to support continued or improved water flow for the benefit of Lee and Collier County citizens.

It is truly a cooperative effort and the key to our success has been partners like the SFWMD. The CREW Trust thanks you!

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All CREW Trails Closed Effective April 4th

April 3, 2020

As part of ongoing efforts to help prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 and protect public safety, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will temporarily close the all CREW trails, effective at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2020.

Closure includes Bird Rookery Swamp, Flint Pen Strand, Cypress Dome and CREW Marsh trails.

The District follows the lead of local governments that have issued Safer at Home orders in their communities and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health.

Read the official post from South Florida Water Management District blog: https://www.sfwmd.gov/news/sfwmd-temporarily-closing-crew-lands-southwest-florida-reduce-potential-spread-covid-19