Exotic paradise in our back yard

Here in south Florida, a large number of our common creatures (including my family) are actually non-native. Florida is inhabited by a great variety of non-native wild creatures, such as invasive and destructive Burmese Pythons, Cane Toads and feral hogs. Green Iguanas ate all our impatiens flowers and their burrows can damage and disrupt building foundations, levees and seawalls.

Here is a sampling of some I have encountered in our back yard.  

White-winged Doves moved up from Mexico and became popular targets for south Texas hunters in the early 1900s. During the 1980s they were spreading into the southwestern US and Florida. By the turn of the century they had been reported in human-disturbed areas through much of the the US and now have invaded  Alaska and much of southern and western Canada. 

In our suburban neighborhood they build their flimsy nests in live oaks and other roadside ornamental trees. One of their common calls sounds like "Who cooks for you?"

This is one of my favorite views of this species, taken through the window of our back patio:

A pair were roosting high on a dead tree along the Levee Trail:

Eurasian Collared-Doves are native to Europe and Asia. They have now spread through most of North America, descendants of about 50 birds which were released in the Bahamas during the 1970s. Favoring populated areas, they also nest in a variety of trees and ornamental shrubs as well as on human structures such as the tops of hurricane shutters and other niches in buildings. Their call seems to answer that of the White-winged species, "You cook too!"

A lovey-dovie pair snuggled up on a power line, while another posed out in the open:

Among the waterfowl, domesticated Mute Swans beautify some of the lakes in our subdivision. I have only seen them once in the wild, a flock of four flying over the Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in nearby Pembroke Pines:

A recent addition to the list of established exotic birds is the Egyptian Goose, a species which probably escaped from aviculturists' collections. Although wild birds were first reported as breeding in Florida in the 1980s, their south Florida population appears to have exploded during the  past 10 years. A few were first reported in our (Broward) County in 2006 and their numbers rapidly increased. I first saw them locally in 2011 and this was my first photo, one of a pair flying over the wetlands:

Since then, they have become a common sight in our back yard lake and are breeding locally.

Muscovy Ducks are not closely related to our native ducks but may be closer to the Egyptian Geese (which are not true geese, but relatives of the shelducks, sort of in between geese and ducks). 

Muscovy had been domesticated by the indigenous people of South America long before Europeans arrived, and many plumage variations have been selectively bred. They raise large families on our lake:

They fly high and roost on trees and rooftops:

Here, a Muscovy shares a neighbor's roof with an Egyptian Goose:

Although many Muscovy Ducks are dependent upon handouts from residents (a practice which is prohibited by the City), they may also be seen out on the wetlands:

European Starlings have been here so long that one might not think of them as "exotic," yet they are anything but ordinary:

Other backyard exotic fauna include reptiles such as the Green Iguana...

...and Brown Anoles native to Cuba and the Caribbean islands, here displaying its dewlap: 

Our native Green Anoles are out-competed by the Brown species:

Other exotic lizards are descended from imported pets. The population of the large Knight Anole is increasing:

The Curly-tailed Lizard is another established escapee:

Our granddaughter caught this baby Mediterranean Gecko in our back yard. They are usually found around or inside human structures.  Adults chirp and sing like little birds:

Cuban Tree frog on our window sill:

The Cane Toad (Bufo marinus), also known as the Giant Neotropical Toad or Marine Toad, was deliberatively imported in 1936 to control insect pests in Florida's cane fields.  (*See added footnote about the Cane Toad invasion in Australia, thanks to Erica*)  It is highly toxic and can kill a predator, including pet dogs and cats:

When threatened it secretes a milky-white poisonous fluid known as bufotoxin from its parotid glands:

Of course, I could go on and on, but I want to share a couple of back yard views of the sky to the east just after sunrise...

...and after sunset

*Erica-- Thanks for the information about the Cane Toad invasion in Australia. I had not heard about it. Here are a couple of links including the 1988 Australian film:

Cane Toads: The Conquest Official Trailer

Cane Toads An Unnatural History 1988

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Linking to:

Fences Around the World

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

Bird D'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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Crops & Clips: This week's clicks

We have missed a few morning walks due to weather, medical appointments and the weekly early morning grocery curbside pickup.  Photo opportunities are limited because we walk out into the wetlands in the dark, an hour before sunrise. 

The dark sky was an interesting backdrop for these flash photos of a Northern Flicker in a Maple tree along the trail:

A similar opportunity occurred  earlier this year with a male Northern Cardinal:

So far this autumn there were no unexpected sightings, but it was nice welcoming back some migrants and winter residents. Palm Warblers have arrived in good numbers. Many of these little tail-waggers will stay here until spring, populating residential lawns and gaining the nickname of "Florida Sparrows:" 

Most of the Palm Warblers are from the drab-plumage western population, which migrate in a southeasterly direction and cross migration routes of the eastern birds, most of which spend the winter to the west of Florida. Those from the northeast are more brightly colored. Here is an eastern "Yellow Palm Warbler" which I photographed locally back in February, 2020. Its undersides are entirely yellow with reddish streaks and it has a chestnut-colored cap: 

Northern Parula warblers are abundant, probing amid the leaves out to the tips of the branches:

I never pass by an opportunity to get a photo of a Yellow-throated Warbler. They are quite solitary and it is unusual to find more than one at a time:

Common Yellowthroats, reclusive little pot-bellied birds, are warblers which nest locally but whose numbers are greatly augmented by southbound visitors. The adult male has a black face mask and bright reddish brown cap:

Immature male yellowthroats will have full dark masks by springtime...

...while females lack masks but have rather conspicuous eye-rings:

Many Black-throated Blue Warblers have arrived. These are enjoying the berries of Trema trees near the Bald Eagle nest. This is a male:

The plumage of the female is subdued, but beautiful nonetheless:

After most disappeared in early spring to nest in coastal mangroves, the Prairie Warblers are back:

Perky Blue-gray Gnatcatchers can be distractions as they actively move through the trees and we try to distinguish between them and the warblers which are frquently their traveling companions:

Other arrivals included...

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (with its beak coated with pollen)...

...Eastern Phoebe (Its bright yellow undersides will bleach into white before it returns north in the spring)...

...and another flycatcher, the Eastern Wood-Pewee, which differs from the phoebe by having wing bars and eye rings:

A half hour before sunrise, this is a view from the Levee Trail of the "civilized" opposite side of the canal:

Fifteen minutes later, the sun emits crepuscular rays which stream out over the canal...

...and converge to the west over the Wounded Wetlands and the Everglades Preserve beyond:

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Linking to:

Fences Around the World

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

________________________________________________

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