Local Happenings

The local Scrub Jay sanctuary is one of our favorite places to visit. We try to incorporate an early morning hike as often as possible...

As you travel the trails of Helen and Alan Cruikshank Sanctuary, the songs of various birds  travel with you every step of the way. Mockingbirds, Scrub Jays, and Eastern Towhees are tops on the playlist.

This is a popular community tree where numerous species congregate. The Mocker decided it was a little much when the Grackle joined its morning meeting with the Red-bellied WP and Scrub Jay.

This Gopher Tortoise was one of the several non feathered species we encountered.

I came across a branch loaded with these downward facing blossoms.

This was one of the raptors we saw...and I'm pretty certain it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk; it seemed too small to be a Cooper's Hawk. Hopefully it will stay away from my favorite youngsters! We also saw a Great Horned Owl and an Osprey.

Speaking of youngsters...the young Jays were getting along better this week. The last time I saw these two they were knocking each other around over an acorn one had found.

This time the Jay offered its mostly hollowed out acorn to the other young Jay.

I've read a lot about Florida Scrub Jays and their unique, cooperative breeding habits.

Since the young/juvenile Jays are fed and protected by not only their parents but other young, non-breeding Jays, they are considered to be "cooperative breeders". I've seen these two young Jays regularly each visit and I'm pretty certain they are very close in age, so I thought it was interesting that they were feeding one another.

We also visited River Lakes Conservation Area this week. Its a slow time for birds in the area....we did see (and hear) lots of Meadowlarks, including this scrawny juvenile that was foraging on the trail. We also saw adult adult Killdeer with a tiny chick, several Sandhill Cranes, a few waders along the canal, and 2 Swallow-tailed Kites circling the area.

My son now likes to search for bugs, with caterpillars being his favorite. He spotted this tiny ladybug making its way up and down a branch.

I was looking at the different species of dragonflies that were occupying the upper limbs.

These Nuttall's Thistles are blooming all along the trail!

Cruickshank Sanctuary

The Helen & Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary is a great place for an early morning stroll through the scrubby flatwoods. While weekly visits had been a longstanding tradition for us, we have been on a hiatus for the past few months. The sanctuary is most well known for its optimal Florida Scrub-Jay habitat. The Scrub Jays here aren't hard to find as they often find you before you find them.

Florida Scrub-Jay
Rockledge, Fl

They usually congregate in small groups and can be seen in multiple spots along the one-mile hiking trail. This Scrub-Jay was waiting at the trail head to greet us.

Florida Scrub-Jay
Rockledge, Fl

As we hiked the trail, a very bold Scrub-Jay came out of nowhere and landed on my son's head as I carried him along on my back. Luckily it didn't stay there long as I know my son was quite startled. A short ways up the path we encountered this Scrub-Jay, which I believe was the same one we encountered a few minutes earlier.

Florida Scrub-Jay
Rockledge, Fl

 This Scrub-Jay's bill deformity was immediately apparent. I'm not sure if this bird had been injured or if it was born with this deformity. Another apparent fact was, this guy was very bold!  It made repeated dive bombs onto my head, and followed us for quite a while. (It was easy to recognize!) I've read that Scrub-Jays, like Crows, are attracted to shiny objects, and I did have shiny sunglasses resting on my head, or it may have been looking for a handout, which it definitely would not be getting. (Feeding Scrub-Jays is dangerous to their health!) I'm not sure if this bird's deformity interferes with its ability to forage as Scrub-Jays use their bills to crack acorns against hard objects.

Florida Scrub-Jay
Rockledge, Fl

Close up of bill deformity Florida Scrub-Jay
Rockledge, Fl

A pair of Osprey were carrying on quite a loud conversation in a nearby tree as numerous Red-bellied Woodpeckers were tree hopping in a foraging frenzy. Northern Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, Grackles, and a Gray Catbird were also in the area.

While I've seen Great Horned Owls here in the past, it was a rather unexpected surprise to see one emerge for the brush with some prey. It flew to a distance tree, so I as unable to see what was for breakfast. Great Horned Owls have always been a favorite bird of mine!

Great Horned Owl
Rockledge, Fl

This Eastern Towhee was perched close to the trail as it spoke with another Towhee that was hiding somewhere among the scrub.

Eastern Towhee
Rockledge, Fl

I spotted a plump bird in the distance perched on a branch of a tall tree. I took a few photos for identification purposes, guessing it would leave as we made our way up the trail. I wasn't quite sure what it  was, thinking it looked somewhat Quail like. I was able to tell it was a Northern Bobwhite upon zooming in on my photo. While these pudgy fellows are known to frequent this sanctuary, this was my first sighting of one here.

Northern Bobwhite
Rockledge, Fl

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

A little over a week ago, I visited the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary on my final day in Asheville. The sanctuary has a forest trail and a boardwalk through wetlands and an eco-filter pond. We first explored the winding trail that makes its way through the lakeside wooded area. I heard an abundance of bird songs as I scanned the tall trees and I know there were probably a few species I missed. I was trying to keep a steady pace, hoping to make it around the lake without a revolt from the toddler. It wasn't an even half way decent photography day, but the day was still quite enjoyable none the less.

Eastern Towhee

The trees were full of Eastern Towhees, Tufted Titmice, Song Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Carolina Chickadees.The wasn't any waterfowl in the lake's receded waters. The only ducks we saw were a pair of Mallards, and believe it or not, they were standing in the middle of the trail. A lone Belted Kingfisher passed by us a few times. A lone Great Egret stood statuesquely in the marshy edges of the lake. A Pileated Woodpecker flew right in front of us on its way to a distance tree. The trail in the wooded area came to an end near a residential area but continued along some tall grass, still overlooking the lake. I began to wonder if the trail really went around the whole lake, as I had forgotten to look at the trail map when we started. Thinking positively, we continued on, until we reached a dead end, a little more than half way around.

This was the view as we turned back. After making our way back, we headed to the boardwalk. Along this less than 1/2 mile walk we spotted numerous Northern Cardinals, three Blue Jays, one Mockingbird, several Tree Swallows, 2 Mourning Doves, and a Carolina Wren. Several flocks of Canadian Geese were seen and heard flying overhead.

We ended the day at the eco-filter pond where there were several turtles. These two seemed to have their minds elsewhere and didn't notice our presence.

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter!

Also, be sure to check out my monthly post at www.birdingisfun.com today:)