A Bitter(n) lesson in the birding patch

An advantage of walking in the same old patch, day after day, is that you get to know so many features of the landscape-- the clump of leaves which resemble a roosting hawk, the shaggy stump which can be mistaken for a deer, the old woodpecker holes... You notice when there is something new-- a discarded soft drink can, a broken tree limb, fresh tracks or scat... 

One morning I saw the unmistakable form of an American Bittern hiding in the sedges of the wet prairie:



The next day, to my surprise, it was still hiding in nearly the same spot:



Not wishing to disturb it, I casually took its picture and walked on. However, an hour later the bittern was there again! Now look at the second photo more closely. This little clump of reeds  will not fool me again!

Another day a small mammal (or maybe an owl?), was out in the open, watching me. It looked exotic, resembling a cross between a fox and a squirrel:



I cautiously crept closer, and this is what I saw, a coconut!:

 

You are sensitive to changes in the soundscape-- the order in which various birds first call or sing in the morning and the seasonal variations in the mix and character of their sounds, the roar of flies crowded on the carcass of a dead animal or fresh scat, the hum of a swarm of bees:



Your nose detects the opening of the flowers-- the sweet honeysuckle scent of Ligustrum, the strong camphor smell of Melaleuca flowers, the turpentine-like odor when you brush against the  Brazilian Pepper shrubs, the citrus smell of Lantana flowers which seems to be somewhat more or less pleasant depending upon their color...  As a kid I could detect the musky odor when the Garter Snakes emerged from their dens in early spring to gather in squirming copulatory masses, and the lemony sweetness of a colony of yellow Citronella ants in mid-summer (they smelled so good that I even tasted one-- to my surprise it was disgustingly bitter!).   

Honeybees and ants on fresh Ligustrum flowers:



Northern Harriers use their acute vision and hearing to pinpoint prey hidden in the grass. They sweep back and forth over a grassy area almost as if they are following a planned GPS grid. They have been said to notice even minor changes in the areas they scan, implying they have excellent spatial memory. 

This reminds me of digital subtraction technology which superimposes two images separated by a time interval and subtracts all the identical overlapping background areas to display only objects which are new, moved or have changed. It is useful in aerial photography to allow the tax assessor to easily find alterations in structures which may modify their size or shape, in astronomy to detect new or moving heavenly bodies, for armed forces to discover recently placed weapons or fortifications, and in medicine, when using the same technique, serial digital X-rays or scans may track changes in blood vessels, the progression of tumors or healing of fractures. 

Northern Harrier:



Is the harrier's small brain capable of such a feat? In a certain sense, walking a patch resembles this phenomenon. Humans have the power to ignore the familiar-- the cracks in the sidewalk, cooking and tobacco odors at home, even the voice of a spouse! While I plead no contest to the latter, one winter morning I was guilty of not hearing the distinct calls of an American Robin in our local south Florida wetlands. Since it is a bird which I heard so often back in Illinois, my brain was slow to alert me to the fact that the bird was misplaced, as robins are infrequent and unpredictable visitors. Luckily I became aware and I even obtained photos.   

American Robin:



Some of the changes in the landscape are unwelcome. These are often noted on Monday morning, after weekend trespassers on "wreckreational " vehicles (ATVs, ORVs, mud bikes, swamp buggies and jeeps) have violated the pristine areas of the preserve:



This is all that was left of my dark and shady sit-spot under the canopy of the "Fake Hammock" after trees were cut and bonfires roared, thanks to the ATV crowd. Since this photo was taken back in 2013, tall Phragmites grass has completely  invaded the sun-drenched spot:





Sometimes ugly spots can be beautified, as when Painted Buntings bathe in fresh Mud Buggy tracks:





A Killdeer forages at a muddy rut:



The antics of the partying off-road drivers can actually be welcomed when they practice doing "donuts" in the marsh. They create artificial "alligator holes" which retain water and attract wildlife, such as this Northern Waterthrush which is following a venomous Water Moccasin along the "shore" of just such a depression (Ophidiophobia warning):




  


Hurricane Irma struck in October, 2017. It decimated flowering plants and killed almost an entire generation of local butterflies, adults, larvae and eggs. Before the storm they flocked to the Lantana patch. At times one could not distinguish between flowers and butterflies:



The Lantanas recovered slowly and some bloomed about  six months later, but  few butterflies visited. This past summer I could go a week without seeing more than one or two Gulf Fritillaries...

:

... or Julia heliconians. This was the first female Julia I saw in over a month (September 4, 2019):



Julias are now becoming more common this is a male visiting the Lantanas on September 21, 2019: :



As if the fury of Hurricane Irma's wind were not enough, vandals set fire to wind-felled trees (February, 2018):



Paradoxically, the fire created a new but temporary habitat. The opening in the wetlands attracted prey for a Louisiana Waterthrush which remained there last autumn for an unprecedented three month stay as it probed among charred tree trunks and branches (October, 2018):







The fire improved sight distance, making it easier to see and photograph wildlife, such as this Gray Squirrel...



...and a  Pileated Woodpecker which  was  attracted to the dead and dying trees:



This White-tailed Deer buck failed to notice me as he entered the edge of the burned area:



The burned area is quickly recovering as invasive Melaleuca and Australian Pines sprout and flourish. Some have thrust up more than 15 feet during the two years since the  fire. This photo shows the area about one year later (August 28, 2018):



Here is the scene on October 24, 2019. Open water is already obscured by dense vegetation:

 

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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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Two small falcons

Most winters we have hosted two or three American Kestrels in our local wetlands preserve. Each has occupied rather distinct foraging/hunting territories along the 1.5 mile stretch of gravel road which runs through the area. All have been males, although some females have passed through. I always welcome their arrival and try to determine the extent of their territories, which they sometimes defend if another kestrel ventures near them. They have had favored roosts, usually high on a utility pole, pine tree or Royal Palm apical shoot. 

The kestrel which occupies the southernmost territory almost always may be found sitting atop the spire of the emerging leaf of one of the Royal Palms which line the road near the entrance. It eats mostly insects, mainly grasshoppers and dragonflies, but also takes amphibians and reptiles such as small lizards, frogs and snakes. It also catches small rodents and songbirds:







A Northern Mockingbird competes with a kestrel for a dominant perch:



Male searching for insects among the fruit of a Royal Palm



The other two kestrels tend to range either to the north or south of the lake which is about 3/4 mile north into the preserve. They often come into conflict along the lake shore, with the one whose territory is invaded most deeply usually chasing the other one away from the lake area. The central territory provides a variety of roosts from which its occupant can survey the the stretch of gravel road and its surroundings:

Power distribution lines run along this part of the track. Photos taken on wires disturb some purists, but I will settle for whatever view I can capture:







Small trees along the lake shore are also favored:



In the northernmost territory, I often find its occupant high on a lightning arrestor pole next to an electrical power sub-station:



It also selects the top of one of the tallest trees nearby:



This particular territory was recently visited by another small falcon, a Merlin, an efficient predator of small to medium-sized birds:


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With an average length of about 12 in (31 cm) and wingspan of 25 in (64 cm) the Merlin is slightly larger than the American Kestrel, North America's smallest falcon, which is 10.5 in (27 cm) long and has wings which spread to 23 in (58 cm). The Merlin has a bulkier, muscular appearance and its flight is energetic and direct, while the kestrel seems rather delicate and more buoyant in flight.

American Kestrel in flight:



Merlin:



For several days, both falcons co-existed without signs of conflict:



The Merlin fanned its tail, possibly as a sign of aggression towards a grackle which landed (fearlessly) in an adjacent tree:



The male kestrel's plumage is especially colorful. His steel-blue wings contrast with copper-red tail and topside:







Nearly all the American Kestrels I have seen and photographed have been males. The female is also quite beautifully marked with barred brown wing coverts and matching back and tail:



There was a full Beaver Moon in mid-November as we started  walking out about 40 minutes before sunrise. As usual, my child bride MaryLou was out ahead of me with her flashlight. (62 years ago, on November 22, 1957 I popped the question and we became engaged to marry). The Royal palms stand out against the dark sky in the southernmost winter territory of the kestrel:



The Beaver Moon shines over the lake which is the zone of conflict between the north and central territories of the American Kestrels:



Zebra heliconian, Florida's State  Butterfly on Firebush (Hamelia patens) flower:




= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________