Jaywatch, 2016, Pt. 2

My 2nd day at Buck Lake for the Jay Watch this year. Many known faces and a few new ones as we gathered for the group photo before heading out to our check points.



Once I settled in to my first point I took a bit of time to move up the trail during one of the in between call playing sessions. I was mainly looking at the trees but as I headed back to my starting point I gazed down and noticed a Black Bear paw print in the road! They looked fairly fresh. It rained last night so these prints were probably from not too long ago. They lead directly to...my check point flag and disappeared into the scrub. Gulp!



Along the road were a few flowers including a native pink spiderwort also called Roseling (Cuthbertia ornate).



At my next check point was was positioned to look back toward the rising Sun and to where I was not long ago. I began to play the call files and noticed several silhouettes approaching me. Could they be a family of Scrub Jays? No. A family of Eastern Towhee with two adults and several newly fledged young.



We passed this stalk of flowering Palmetto on the way back to our initial check points and I was glad we had a chance to come back by it again so I could get a photo.



I even got to walk past it as we headed toward the truck and get an even closer view. Never saw such a stalk before.



Our driver, Pete, did find our one Jay of the morning.



My next two stops were in areas not that common for the Jays so I always look for more flowers like the Loblolly Bay.



My final point had a good number of Asters blooming at the edge of the roadway.



A pretty scene for the end of the day. These areas are burned periodically to clear the way for a Jay friendly environment. Snags still stand above the lush new growth and tower into the sky.



Only one Scrub Jay in our transect. I recall many more in this area years ago so it is kind of sad. We will see how the data compiles later in the year. Hopefully, the birds are gaining ground in different areas.

Jay Watch 2015, Part 2

The second morning of my Jay Watch duties found me at the Lake Monroe Conservation area at dawn. Once I signed in and gathered my gear I dod a bit of exploring in the parking lot before we started. One shot I missed since it was so quick was an adult Bald Eagle that flew straight past us on the road about 10 feet off the surface. Then it was gone.

Instead, I had to settle for an illuminated Spiny Orb Weaver and its web.



Gaura is a Florida native but I don't see it too often. It was all over this little lot.



Eastern Towhees are always calling out on this property but I could never get in a good position, lighting-wise.



Once I turned around I did have perfect light for the Rusty Lyonia.



One pf my favorite flowers out in the scrub is the Tar Flower. I always make a point of trying to find the best bloom while I am searching for Jays.



My point shift was over so I walked up toward the next point. Out in the distance was a single Florida Scrub Jay feeding around the vegetation. I played the Scrub Jay tape quickly and the bird flew our way. Too bad it was the only one I would see today but the photos do prove it is an unbanded bird.



At the next count point I found some Lyonia sporting its small white blossoms.



Loblolly Bay flowers are hard to miss. Especially once you get nearer to thicker forest on property.



Out in the more open areas out here we know there are not any Jays here but there are other birds that come through like Great-Crested Flycatchers perching on any high snag. Sometimes we find Blue Birds and we had several Bachman's Sparrows flying by.



I was putting my clipboard down and prepared to play my Jay calls when I noticed this pink bloom in the middle of some rather barren ground. Not sure of the species yet. Most likely one of the Sabatia family species.



Off in the distance a pair of women on horseback were winding their way through the scrub. A couple of times they halted for a while but I couldn't tell why. By the time they passed me I said Hello and they said, "Wow, they aren't scared of you!" and they rode on. Turns out those pauses before was as they tried to go past the others in my party the horses spooked and would not go directly past the ladies. Go figure.



I was watching a Northern Mockingbird when suddenly a Brown Thrasher emerged from the scrub to pose for a bit.



Several of these large stalked plant came into view. I have know idea what they are but they always intrigue me.



A really close inspection revealed a small batch of purple blooms at the top.



A very large ant came scurrying past me as the morning wore down. It looks kind of like a velvet ant but...not.



My last count point was pretty quiet but there was a very small dragonfly that landed next to me.



As I headed up the trail I was finding much larger dragonflies swaying in the rising breeze.



Around the corner was a plant full of seed heads. Kinda pretty.



Swaying around with the dragonflies was a small patch of tall Yellow-eyed Grass. My last photo of the day.



We headed back in the truck to the parking lot and said our good-byes. Rain was moving in as I headed home. There are other spots I could have visited but this year I am too tired to stand in the heat any longer. I will be back out to count again next year, after all.

2014 Jay Watch, Part 2

This was the second and finally day of the Jay Watch activities for this year and today was back where I began years ago at the Lake Monroe Conservation Area. Our first stop yielded the only Florida Scrub Jays on our route. Actually, it was kind of just off of our points but the birds flew over to investigate once we were getting ready to head to the next point. Still, I needed to try for some shots.



Following that first Jay back into the scrub I realized that I was back where I found many juveniles last year but the vegetation had really gown since last year. I only found a few Jays this time, all adults.



Knowing that the remaining points would be clear of Jays (but we still have to look) I spent more time focused on the surrounding landscape for flowers and other critters. Just before the next point check was completed I stepped back onto the road and noticed something scurrying away from me. I could tell it was some sort of Funnel Spider so I waited until it emerged from the hole to get a shot.



When I got home I looked at the shots and was surprised by something I could not see in the field. A tiny spider on the back of the larger one! Perhaps it is a baby or a male. In the spider world the females are often many times larger than the males. If I can pinpoint the species at some point I can make a decision.



The next stop put me in front of a field that at times is flooded. Flowers spring up in between the wet periods and I got some species shots before completing the 10 minute stay. Again, when I got home I found another surprise. Sitting on a wort flower was a Yellow Crab Spider. I get so busy trying to focus that I never notice these other tiny details.



Our next stop was in an open scrub plain and I knew there would be no chance for a Scrub Jay here. Eastern Towhees were calling all over and I walked toward a pine to try for a shot. As I got close to the Towhees a Ruby-throated Hummingbird flew straight toward me. I hoped it would stop closer to me but it flew over to a distant bush to rest.



The hummingbird seemed to be flying to where the Eastern Towhee was moving. Suddenly, the Towhee flew back to my right and landed in another pine where I could get a better view.



Another point to check and this time was a tandem job with one of the other volunteers. Once we began to play the Jay calls I noticed a butterfly speeding past us. A Zebra Swallowtail! I only see them when I am out at these remote locations.



One of my other favorites to find are the Six-lined Racers.



I always try to get a shot of the Tarflower when I am out at these events. Can't miss them as you drive around. Hummingbirds feed on them and capture other bugs that linger too close.



Around the Tarflowers and palmetto, dragonflies hunt and rest. This one seemed to just stare at me and say, "What?".



Nearby, another species of dragonfly tried to take over the territory.



We finished all of our points and headed home. Another year, another few Jays in the record books. The final count results will be delivered by the end of the year. Can't wait to hear if we have some good results.

Hike at UCF

The wife had committed to helping at the Scouting event at UCF today and talked me into tagging along with the caveat that I could go, literally, "take a hike" while she worked. I planned on just walking the campus but ended up finding the nature trail and quickly realized I was wearing the wrong footwear. Flip-flops and scrub trails are not the best mix, BTW.

It took quiet a while to find any birds so I was taking photos of flowers to ID for a long time. I might do a post about the flowers all on their own at some point as I found a ton of good plants and flowers. However, I finally heard a long-missed sound erupting from the scrub and soon found a female Eastern Towhee that I had to get closer to despite the fear of stepping on any snakes as I headed off-trail.



As I got closer to the neighborhood near the edge of the trail I began to hear the familiar sound of Chimney Swifts sweeping overhead. There was enough of a breeze to slow them a bit for a shot as they cruised over the pines.



The farther along I walked, I started finding more birds but was surprised as an Eastern Bluebird flew in to perch for a few seconds ahead of me.



High overhead, a flock of Double-crested Cormorants flew past quickly.



Besides the Bluebird, I was even more surprised to start hearing Brown-headed Nuthatches. I had to look hard but finally got a view of a juvenile calling to the adults as they gathered food to feed them.



It waits patiently...



...while an adult Brown-headed Nuthatch plucks a pine seed to work into the lunch menu.



Nearby, a Common Ground Dove dropped in to preen and take a break from foraging near the Nuthatches.



I continued to walk the trail and walked out into the open to get around the ponds and make my way back to the stadium. A police helicopter was flying in and it seemed that they were curious as to why I was there. It circled many times and I noticed volunteer staff walking toward me to see what I was up to.



I began to make gestures that I thought would signal that I was just a bird watcher and not some threat and, eventually, the helicopter landed near the ball field and the volunteers backed off. Don't know who was in it, but they did take their time to get settled in as if it might have been some VIP. My complaint is that is scared off most of the birds I was tracking.



Once the noise subsided, the Eastern Bluebirds dropped back down before heading off into the woods.



I got closer to the stadium where I had started and noticed a flock of Fish Crows exploring something on an island in a retention pond. They were not alone. A pair a Loggerhead Shrikes were defending territory from the crows and gave me some good looks as they chased the crows out of the area.



Just before I finished my walk I could hear another familiar sound in Central Florida. Sandhill Cranes were squawking in the distance and they took flight as I rounded the curve.



Back to base and we finished the day with a lunch provided by the Scouts before heading out. An unplanned hike that provided some nice birds that I had no idea were in that spot. Can't complain.