Tag: A view of Bird Rookery Swamp

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp…It’s Summer Time

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, June 11
6:40 am-12:20 pm

“In spite of the heat and humidity, it was a good day. I identified 32 species of birds and 14 species of butterflies. Among the pleasant bird sightings were a male Wood Duck flying over, four Barred Owls, three Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and a lone Black-and-white Warbler
working up and down a cypress trunk.

Butterflies were outstanding. White Peacocks were still the most common, but the swallowtails were out in force: 43 Tiger Swallowtails, 41 Palamedes Swallowtails, seven Spicebush Swallowtails, and one Black Swallowtail. In several spots, they were puddling including one grouptrail_0611 of four Tiger Swallowtails and three Palamedes Swallowtails that were gleaning minerals from some fresh Panther scat.

With the recent rains, water is up. It’s dry up to marker 3, but there were five spots between marker 3 and marker 6 where water was flowing over the tram. Most were just a couple of inches deep. The deepest was seven inches.

Ida was swimming in her pond early but I didn’t see her on my way out. However, a really large male was making its way across the tram a little beyond her pond.”
road-block_0611

BIRDS
Anhinga – 11
Great Blue Heron – 2
Great Egret – 14
Snowy Egret – 12
Little Blue Heron – 5
Tri-colored Heron – 8
Green Heron – 1
Black-crowned Night Heron – 2
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 1
White Ibis – 2
Wood Duck – 1
Black Vulture – 26
Turkey Vulture – 11
Red-shouldered Hawk – 23
Mourning Dove – 1
Common Ground Dove – 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 3
Barred Owl – 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 9
Downy Woodpecker – 1
Pileated Woodpecker – 4
Great-crested Flycatcher – 2
Blue Jay – 2
American Crow – 1
Tufted Titmouse – 6
Carolina Wren – 13
Northern Mockingbird – 2
White-eyed Vireo – 19
Northern Parula – 2
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Northern Cardinal – 29
Common Grackle – 20

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 41
Tiger Swallowtail – 43
Spicebush Swallowtail – 7
Black Swallowtail – 1
Zebra Longwing – 6
White Peacock – 79
Ruddy Daggerwing – 19
Viceroy – 12
Pearl Crescent – 1
Great Southern White – 12
Brazilian Skipper – 17
Least Skipper – 3
Three-spotted Skipper – 1
Tropical Checker – 1

DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 21
Blue Dasher – 8
Needham’s Skimmer – 3
Regal Darner – 2
Little Blue Dragonlet – 2

MAMMALS
Gray Squirrel – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 58
Brown Anole – 8
Red-bellied Turtle – 1
Banded Water Snake – 2
Pig Frog – chorus
Greenhouse Frog – 5
Green Treefrog – chorus
Cuban Treefrog – chorus

By Dick Brewer 

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp…. under water!

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, January 30
7:30 am-12:15 pm
“I wasn’t expecting a lot because of the cool start to the day, but by the end, 42 species of birds were confirmed. However, the temperatures definitely affected herps and insects. I only
saw six gators, five butterflies (2 species), and one dragonfly. One of the gators was Ida, who came up to sun in the late morning, her picture is below.
Ida_0130One of the highlights early was a family of five River Otters that was playing on the trail by the second bench. They would chase each other, jump on each other, roll in the grass, and generally seem to have a great time. A visitor was there early and saw them too. The otters
slipped into the water, swam to where we were, looked us over and huffed a lot. Then they swam back to where they began and continued to frolic. Here is there video on the CREW Trust facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/crew.environmental.ed

It must be prime time for hawk nesting. Two nests had hawks bringing in material and settling into the nest. The first photo is looking south from the first culvert past marker 3 heading toward marker 6. The second photo is a little past Ida’s Pond and on the left almost
over the trail. A third previously used nest just past marker 3 had a hawk visiting but not bringing anything in or staying at the nest.

rsha_nest2rsha_nest1

 

Water is flowing over the trails in several spots, and in the deepest there’s actually a pretty strong current. The deepest areas are between markers 6 and 3. I deepest part I walked through was 11-12 inches, but a couple of channels I could step over were perhaps 16
inches deep”.

BIRDS
Black-bellied Whistling Duck – 1
Pied-billed Grebe – 3
Anhinga – 9
Great Blue Heron – 4
Great Egret – 15
Snowy Egret – 7
Cattle Egret – 2
Little Blue Heron – 13
Tri-colored Heron – 6
Green Heron – 3
Black-crowned Night Heron – 3
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 1
White Ibis – 152
Roseate Spoonbill – 3
Wood Stork – 1
Black Vulture – 55
Turkey Vulture – 39
Red-shouldered Hawk – 13
Common Ground Dove – 9
Belted Kingfisher – 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 16
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Pileated Woodpecker – 3
Eastern Phoebe – 9
Great-crested Flycatcher – 4
Tree Swallow – 2
Blue Jay – 1
Tufted Titmouse – 7
Carolina Wren – 7
House Wren – 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 7
Gray Catbird – 32
Northern Mockingbird – 3
White-eyed Vireo – 13
Blue-headed Vireo – 1
Palm Warbler – 14
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 37
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Northern Cardinal – 24
Red-winged Blackbird – 15
Common Grackle – 5

BUTTERFLIES
White Peacock – 4
Zebra Longwing – 1

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Needham’s Skimmer – 1

MAMMALS
River Otter – 5
Raccoon – 2
White-tailed Deer – 2
Gray Squirrel – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 6
Brown Anole – 1

By Dick Brewer, CREW Trust Volunteer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp- Florida Snapping Turtle

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, January 2 ~ 7:00 am-12:10 pm

“The cloudy skies and starting temperatures in the upper 60s made walking very pleasant. One birder, three joggers, two hikers, and I were the only ones there at the start, but the gator_0102crowds of people began coming in around 11. When I left a little after noon, the parking lot was full and people were parking in the street. Lots of nice people.

Birding was good with 42 species, but the weather suppressed everything else including insects and herps. I only spotted seven gators for the day, but it may have been my ability to look in the right spot. In the attached photo, X marks the spot!

The Florida Snapping Turtle was just emerging from the water, probably to dig a hole and lay some eggs. It’s that time of year for them. She was between mile markers 8 and 9, a little west of the large twin culverts that run under the tram”.
snap_turtle_0102BIRDS
Pied-billed Grebe – 3
Anhinga – 4
Great Blue Heron – 7
Great Egret – 13
Snowy Egret – 7
Little Blue Heron – 8
Tri-colored Heron – 8
Green Heron – 2
Black-crowned Night Heron – 4
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 2
White Ibis – 143
Roseate Spoonbill – 8
Wood Stork – 6
Black Vulture – 102
Turkey Vulture – 13
Red-shouldered Hawk – 6
American Kestrel – 1
Mourning Dove – 1
Barred Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 15
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1
Downy Woodpecker – 1
Pileated Woodpecker – 5
Eastern Phoebe – 6
Great-crested Flycatcher – 8
Tree Swallow – 38
American Crow – 4
Tufted Titmouse – 6
Carolina Wren – 7
House Wren – 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 32
American Robin – 19
Gray Catbird – 42
White-eyed Vireo – 2
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 41
Palm Warbler – 9
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Northern Cardinal – 9
Common Grackle – 16
American Goldfinch – 2

BUTTERFLIES
White Peacock – 47
Zebra Longwing – 1
Common Buckeye – 1
Brazilian Skipper – 1
Phaon Crescent – 1

DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 2

MAMMALS
White-tailed Deer – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 7
Green Anole – 1
Brown Anole – 13
Pig Frog – 1
Florida Snapping Turtle – 1

By Dick Brewer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp- Wading Birds before the boardwalk

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, December 5
6:30 am–1:05 pm

“Cloudy skies and light rain all morning should have made sightings rather slim, and it did for butterflies, dragonflies, mammals, and herps. However, it was a great day for birds with 42 species seen and identified.

A 6:30 start in the parking lot caught a lot of the early birds flying in and out from their night time roosts. We were up to 25 species before we reached the start of the boardwalk.

The large flocks of White Ibis and other waders including three Roseate Spoonbills; Wood Storks; Little Blue, Great Blue, Black-crowned Night and Tri-colored Herons; Great and Snowy Egrets all flew in within 15 minutes of each other. A Barred Owl called from deeper in the cypress while Goldfinches, Common Yellowthroats, Cardinals, a House Wren, and Palm Warblers were active in the shrubby vegetation to the west orosp_1205f the parking lot and gravel path.

A quartet of Pied-billed Grebes swam, dove, and preened in the canal beside the gravel path while Red-shouldered Hawks and a trio of Double-crested Cormorants flew over. It was a great way to begin the day.

One pocket of small birds a little later included a Black-and-white Warbler, a Yellow-throated Warbler, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, lots of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and a few woodpeckers. The most unexpected avian sighting was a Cooper’s Hawk that flew over while we were watching a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks.

The only mammals we saw were a Raccoon and a River Otter, plus several Gray Squirrels. Due to the inclement weather, we could only find 18 gators. Other herps were a Red-bellied Turtle and Green and Brown Anoles.

Butterflies were limited because of the weather, too. We only found eight species. The Long-tailed Skipper in the photo was one of two seen. White Peacocks were again the most common with 47 individuals counted, followed by 11 Barred Yellows.

Even with the rain and cloudy skies, visitors still came. Most were bicyclists, but one early jogger did the entire 12-mile loop. Walkers didn’t appear until late morning and early afternoon. Ida was in her pond but floating in the back next to the raft”.

skppr_long-tailed_1205
BIRDS
Pied-billed Grebe – 4
Anhinga – 10
Double-crested Cormorant – 3
Great Blue Heron – 6
Great Egret – 15
Snowy Egret – 2
Little Blue Heron – 11
Tri-colored Heron – 4
Green Heron – 4
Black-crowned Night Heron – 13
White Ibis – 81
Roseate Spoonbill – 3
Wood Stork – 3
Black Vulture – 19
Turkey Vulture – 48
Red-shouldered Hawk – 13
Cooper’s Hawk – 1
Mourning Dove – 26
Common Ground Dove – 2
Barred Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 16
Downy Woodpecker – 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1
Pileated Woodpecker – 3
Eastern Phoebe – 8
Great-crested Flycatcher – 5
Tree Swallow – 1
Carolina Wren – 9
House Wren – 2
Tufted Titmouse – 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 9
American Robin – 3
Gray Catbird – 21
Blue-headed Vireo – 2
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Yellow-throated Warbler – 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 5
Palm Warbler – 12
Common Yellowthroat – 5
Northern Cardinal – 8
Common Grackle – 23
American Goldfinch – 2

BUTTERFLIES
Tiger Swallowtail – 1
White Peacock – 47
Viceroy – 2
Barred Yellow – 11
Fiery Skipper – 1
Long-tailed Skipper – 2
Brazilian Skipper – 7
Tropical Checker – 4

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 12
Needham’s Skimmer – 6

MAMMALS
Gray Squirrel – 1
River Otter – 1
Raccoon – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 18
Brown Anole – 11
Green Anole – 2
Red-bellied Turtle – 1

By Dick Brewer
http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html
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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp: Water is slowly receding….

Osprey that landed on a cypress
Osprey that landed on a cypress
Osprey that landed on a cypress
Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, October 31
7:25 am-1:00 pm

“The water is slowly receding, but there are still wet areas and muddy spots between markers 6 and 3. Heading out early in the morning, I could only find 11 gators, but on my way back in the late morning and early afternoon, 38 more had appeared. I think Ida moved from her pond to the ditch beside the gravel path, close to the kiosk. She was in
the water there right around sunrise and was basking on the far bank in the early afternoon. Baby gators were chirping close to her vicinity.

An interesting sighting around 1 o’clock in the afternoon was an immature Common Gallinule foraging in the southeast corner of the parking lot pond near Shady Hollow. It had the adult call and size, but its shield and bill hadn’t turned adult colors.”

juvenile Common Gallinule
juvenile Common Gallinule

BIRDS
Anhinga – 14
Great Blue Heron – 6
Great Egret – 7
Little Blue Heron – 17
Tri-colored Heron – 3
Green Heron – 12
Black-crowned Night Heron – 11
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 1
White Ibis – 54
Black Vulture – 24
Turkey Vulture – 10
Osprey – 1
Red-shouldered Hawk – 18
Common Gallinule – 1
Limpkin – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 20
Pileated Woodpecker – 1
Great-crested Flycatcher – 7
Eastern Phoebe – 13
Blue Jay – 1
American Crow – 4
Tufted Titmouse – 9
Carolina Wren – 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 19
Northern Mockingbird – 2
Loggerhead Shrike – 1
Gray Catbird – 39
White-eyed Vireo – 1
Palm Warbler – 8
Common Yellowthroat – 5
Northern Cardinal – 5
Common Grackle – 20

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 9
Tiger Swallowtail – 9
Ruddy Daggerwing – 3
White Peacock – 106
Viceroy – 2
Phaon Crescent – 7
Pearl Crescent – 3
Cloudless Sulphur – 1
Barred Yellow – 13
Brazilian Skipper – 32
Dorantes Longtail – 2
Tropical Checker – 2

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 27
Needham’s Skimmer – 16
Blue Dasher – 5

MAMMALS
Gray Squirrel – 2

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS

Green Anoles.
Green Anoles.

Alligator – 49
Brown Anole – 14
Green Anole – 3
Yellow Rat Snake – 1
Red-bellied Turtle – 3
Green Treefrog – 11

 

By Dick Brewer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp- Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

black Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, October 24 ~ 7:10 am-1:20 pm

“Nice day with 36 species of birds and 13 species of butterflies. Top birds were a flock of 9
black Black-bellied Whistling Ducks foraging in the Pickerelweed to the east of the gravel path leading to the boardwalk. A photo with one adult and three of the juveniles in the family is attached. Also had two Pied-billed Grebes in one of the large open water areas between markers 6 & 3.

Lots of night herons were back — 15 Black crowned combinations of adult and juvenile. I didn’t see any gators the first three and a half
hours, but it was cooler then. Once the sun warmed things up, they came out. A photo of a seven-eight footer is attached; it was acting as “greeter” between the end of the boardwalk and Ida’s pond (no Ida, though).” – Dick Brewer Gator on the BRS trail

BIRDS
Pied-billed Grebe – 2
Black-bellied Whistling Duck – 9
Anhinga – 18
Great Blue Heron – 8
Great Egret – 6
Snowy Egret – 2
Little Blue Heron – 7
Tri-colored Heron – 7
Green Heron – 16
Black-crowned Night Heron – 15
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 3
White Ibis – 91
Black Vulture – 39
Turkey Vulture – 29
Red-shouldered Hawk – 12
American Kestrel – 1
Limpkin – 1
Barred Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 15
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 20
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Pileated Woodpecker – 6
Great-crested Flycatcher – 6
Eastern Phoebe – 15
American Crow – 4
Tufted Titmouse – 4
Carolina Wren – 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 19
Northern Mockingbird – 3
Gray Catbird – 35
White-eyed Vireo – 2
Northern Parula – 1
Palm Warbler – 9
Common Yellowthroat – 4
Northern Cardinal – 9
Common Grackle – 46

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 15
Spicebush Swallowtail – 1
Tiger Swallowtail – 4
Ruddy Daggerwing – 1
White Peacock – 46
Viceroy – 1
Phaon Crescent – 2
Fiery Skipper – 1
Least Skipper – 1
Brazilian Skipper – 12
Long-tailed Skipper – 1
Dorantes Longtail – 3
Tropical Checker – 7

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 28
Needham’s Skimmer – 1
Eastern Amberwing – 2
Blue Dasher – 3
Citrine Forktail – 1

MAMMALS
Raccoon – 2

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 42
Brown Anole – 5
Red-bellied Turtle – 2
Green Treefrog – 3

By Dick Brewer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp: Ruby-throated Hummingbird & Limpkins

Limpkin

Bird Rookery Swamp observations

Saturday, October 17 ~ 7:20 am–1:35 pmLimpkin

Below are observations at Bird Rookery Swamp for Saturday, October 17. It was a great day including lower humidity and a nice breeze. I had 36 species of birds and 17 species of butterflies. Among the nicest of the birds was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird getting nectar from Alligator Flag blooms just north of marker 2 and the vulture roost and two Limpkins. One Limpkin was in the trees near marker 6 but the other was very cooperative walking across the tram between markers 2 and 3. There were also five warbler species including a pair of female American Redstarts, lots of Palm Warblers, and a Lousiana Waterthrush. A photo below of the waterthrush  is one of a small Green Treefrog peeping over the top of a leaf.
gtf151017
BIRDS
Anhinga – 7
Great Blue Heron – 3
Great Egret – 7
Little Blue Heron – 14
Tri-colored Heron – 1
Green Heron – 3
Black-crowned Night Heron – 4
White Ibis – 81
unknown ducks – 2 (possibly Wood Ducks)
Black Vulture – 8
Turkey Vulture – 27
Red-shouldered Hawk – 10
Limpkin – 2
Mourning Dove – 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 14
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 24
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Pileated Woodpecker – 3
Great-crested Flycatcher – 5
Eastern Phoebe – 15
Blue Jay – 1
Tufted Titmouse – 2
Carolina Wren – 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 2
Northern Mockingbird – 1
Gray Catbird – 30
Loggerhead Shrike – 1
White-eyed Vireo – 9
American Redstart – 2
Black-and-white Warber – 1
Palm Warbler – 13
Common Yellowthroat – 3
Louisiana Waterthrush – 1lowa_1017
Northern Cardinal – 9
Common Grackle – 10

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 11
Tiger Swallowtail – 1
Ruddy Daggerwing – 1
White Peacock – 44
Queen – 1
Viceroy – 4
Cloudless Sulphur – 1
Pearl Crescent – 1
Barred Yellow – 2
Fiery Skipper – 1
Least Skipper – 1
Twin-spot Skipper – 1
Whirlabout – 1
Delaware Skipper – 2
Brazilian Skipper – 7
Dorantes Longtail – 3
Tropical Checker – 11

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 23
Needham’s Skimmer – 4
Carolina Saddlebags – 1
Eastern Amberwing – 3
Citrine Forktail – 1

MAMMALS
River Otter – 1
Raccoon – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 54
Brown Anole – 8
Red-bellied Turtle – 2
Florida Soft-shelled Turtle – 1
Banded Water Snake – 1
Green Treefrog – 3
Cuban Treefrog – 1

 

By Dick Brewer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp- Water on the Trails

Black and White Warbler
Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, September 5 ~ 7:15 am–1:15 pm
“Below are my observations from today at Bird Rookery Swamp (BRS). Not a bad day for birding, especially with more Barn Swallows over the meadow opposite the start of the boardwalk and a small “flock” of Eastern Kingbirds between markers 6 & 3. Attached is a photo of a Black-and-white Warbler that was prying little insects from bark crevices in a cypress near Ida’s Pond; it has one in its bill. Ida wasn’t visible while either going out or coming back. Several pairs of hikers armed with cameras were on the trails plus two bicyclers; the bikers turned back a little past marker 3 toward marker 6 when the mud got slippery and the water was flowing over the trail. Other than that, a nice day!

Black and White Warbler
Black and White Warbler

BIRDS
Anhinga – 1
Great Blue Heron – 2
Great Egret – 4
Snowy Egret – 9
Little Blue Heron – 11
Tri-colored Heron – 10
Green Heron – 8
White Ibis – 6
Black Vulture – 71
Turkey Vulture – 12
Red-shouldered Hawk – 7
Mourning Dove – 2
Common Ground Dove – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 13
Pileated Woodpecker – 5
Great-crested Flycatcher – 2
Eastern Kingbird – 7
Barn Swallow – 46
Blue Jay – 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 3
Tufted Titmouse – 10
Carolina Wren – 12
Northern Mockingbird – 1
White-eyed Vireo – 13
Prothonotary Warbler – 1
Northern Parula – 1
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Ovenbird – 1
Louisiana Waterthrush – 1
Northern Cardinal – 12
Common Grackle – 7

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 11
Spicebush Swallowtail – 4
Ruddy Daggerwing – 8
Zebra Longwing – 1
White Peacock – 15
Gulf Fritillary – 1
Viceroy – 1
Common Buckeye – 1
Pearl Crescent – 1
Cloudless Sulphur – 3
Brazilian Skipper – 7
Silver-spotted Skipper – 1
Tropical Checker – 2

DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 34
Eastern Amberwing – 2
Blue Dasher – 3

MAMMALS
Raccoon – 2
Cottontail Rabbit – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 39
Brown Anole – 13
Red-bellied Turtle – 1
Pig Frog – 17
Greenhouse Frog – 2
Green Treefrog – 1
Cuban Treefrog – 1 “

By Dick Brewer
http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html
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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp-“Great day for butterflies”

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

By Dick Brewer
By Dick Brewer

 

“Below are observations from BRS on June 6. Great day for butterflies with 19 species identified, plus three more skippers that I don’t know and haven’t identified. The attached photo shows two Silver-spotted Skippers, one Dun Skipper, and one Ruddy Daggerwing all feeding on the same Buttonbush plant.

The juvenile Barred Owl was on a limb over the pond at marker 6. It flew down into the grass one time where it caught and ate something very small; then, it flew back up to its limb and began hissing for an adult to bring it more food.

The otter family was in a water hold blanketed with Duckweed but each otter was quite successful at catching fish. The second photo shows one of the otters really chewing a fish it caught, first on one side of its mouth, then the other, and finally chomping with both sides.
The tail of the fish is still hanging out of the right side of its mouth in the fourth panel.

River otter
By Dick Brewer

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, June 6 ~ 7:35 am–1:05 pm

BIRDS
Anhinga – 2
Great Egret – 8
Snowy Egret – 2
Little Blue Heron – 1
Tri-colored Heron – 1
Green Heron – 1
Black-crowned Night Heron – 5
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – 1
Black Vulture – 67
Turkey Vulture – 6
Swallow-tailed Kite – 3
Red-shouldered Hawk – 20
Mourning Dove – 1
Common Ground Dove – 2
Barred Owl – 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 22
Downy Woodpecker – 2
Pileated Woodpecker – 2
Great-crested Flycatcher – 3
Blue Jay – 2
Tufted Titmouse – 10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 2
Carolina Wren – 18
White-eyed Vireo – 17
Northern Parula – 3
Northern Cardinal – 22

BUTTERFLIES
Palamedes Swallowtail – 13
Spicebush Swallowtail – 4
Ruddy Daggerwing – 23
Zebra Longwing – 4
Queen – 1
White Peacock – 36
Viceroy – 3
Red Admiral – 1
Great Southern White – 10
Gray Hairstreak – 1
Cloudless Sulphur – 1
Dorantes Longtail – 1
Brazilian Skipper – 5
Dun Skipper – 7
Fiery Skipper – 2
Least Skipper – 6
Silver-spotted Skipper – 6
Southern Brokendash – 3
Tropical Checker – 3

DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 33
Needham’s Skimmer – 4
Halloween Pennant – 3

MAMMALS
River Otter – 4
Raccoon – 3
Gray Squirrel – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 148
Brown Anole – 7
Green Anole – 1
Water Moccasin – 2
Green Treefrog – 18
Squirrel Treefrog – 4
Greenhouse Frog – 6

FISH
Brown Bullhead – 227″

-By Dick Brewer

http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html