Corkscrew swamp

The welcoming sign at Corkscrew Swamp

Corkscrew swamp covers around 13,000 acres of the Corkscrew Watershed in South west Florida which is part of the western part of the Everglades. The swamp is mainly constructed with wetlands but it does have the largest virgin bald cypress forest in the world, which takes up around 700 acres. In the forest hold the largest colony of nesting federally endangered wood storks in America. The swamp also holds many other animals which are on the federally and state species list;  the Florida Panther, American Alligator, Gopher Tortoise, Florida Sandhill Crane, Limpkin, Roseate Spoonbill, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Big Cypress Fox Squirrel and the Florida Black Bear. Several rare plants are also found here, mostly the Ghost Orchid.

Exposed roots

The swamp is a vital link between the wildlife, water and the coastal ecosystem of the Estero Bay aquatic preserve and Delnor- Wiggins State park which are parts of the Estero, Imperial and Cocohatchee rivers. This part of the Everglades are crucial habitat for the Florida Panther and he Cypress trees.  The swamp is an excellent place for the restoration of the estuaries, aquifers and river which in turn leads to great recreation activities, clean water for agriculture and drinking.  

Corkscrew Swamp is a little, living part of Florida's history. The battle for space has destroyed vast areas of natural wetlands but the swamp is a small reminder of what was. The swamp is home to some of the rarest animals for example the panther and bears. 

History of Corkscrew Swamp

Plume Hunting

Until the start of the 1900s very few people knew about the swamp, this was the time when egret and heron plumes were in huge demand for the fashion industry. The hunters would make a lot of money over a couple of days hunting, this was having a negative effect on the populations. Rhett Green was employed to by the National Audubon Society to patrol and protect the rookeries at the swamp.  In 1913, Mr Green was taking people around the swamp to observe and document the wildlife, but in particular the bird life. The protection of rookeries and the endless campaigning to stop killing birds for their plumes was successful. 

Logging

Cypress trees

The logging of cypress trees began in Fakahatchee, south of Corkscrew in 1944. The wood was sent to Europe after World War two to help in the rebuilding effort. By the time the 50s came around all of Fakahatchee cypress had been destroyed, so the Lee-Tidewater Cypress company had moved to north of Corkscrew. Roads had been built, 500 year old trees were building forced out of the ground. The locals had started to become concerned about the prospect of the destruction of the great forests, so the campaign to save the trees had begun. The National Audubon Society and many other organizations worked hard to raise the money to buy the last virgin bald cypress land in the world. In 1954 5,680 acres of which 640 acres where given by Lee-Tidewater Cypress Company as a gift. Corkscrew swamp was created. 

The Early Sanctuary

February 1953, saw John H. Baker the president of the National Audubon Society, published in the Miami Herald the value of the swamp, he also persuaded the Florida Governor Dan McCarty to get the state to acquire 'the great Corkscrew rookery of wood ibis (storks) and American egrets in the beautiful strand of virgin cypress between Immokalee and Bonita Springs'. (Corkscrew.audubon.org,2015). This quote tries to explain the great scientific importance and aesthetic value of the swamp. He also put forward the idea of employing staff to protect the swamp

On the boardwalk

 and the history. Two years later, nobody was managing Corkscrew, so Audubon took it upon himself to become the owner of the swamp. The swamp grew from 5,680 acres to 11,000 acres. The added land came for the Panther Island Mitigation Bank. The swamp was only accessible by car via a long dirt track, Henry P. Bennett was the warden and he was employed to carry out tours, the tours involved Henry pushing the visitors in canoes through the lettuce lakes. Over the next year a lot of construction took place: the first section of the boardwalk was built, this allowed the visitors to walk around the swamp instead being pushed in canoes. The welcoming hut (chickee) was built, the dirt road disappeared and became pavement, electricity and phone lines arrived. The neighbourhood to the east of the swamp had been developed, so the need to be extra careful to spot invasive plants. 

Our Changing Neighbourhood

The road network increased and so did the canals and ditches. The wetlands were drained to make way for the demand for more homes and agriculture. The water was diverted. In the 1970s, South-west Florida hydrology had drastically transformed the environment. The extensive construction had damaged the shallow wetlands more than the deeper ones because the shallow wetlands are easier and cheaper to drain and fill.  This was a huge hit on all the wildlife but in particular the panthers and woodstorks.

Corkscrew.audubon.org, (2015). The Sanctuary | Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. [online] Available at: http://corkscrew.audubon.org/sanctuary-0 [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Julia butterfly or Orange longwinged

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/photo268425.htm

 Julia Butterfly Dryas iulia 

They are also known as orange longwinged due to their wing shape. 

The Julia butterfly belongs to the Nymphalidae family and subfamily Heliconiinae.

They are similar to the Gulf Fritillary and the Zebra longwinged are named the brush footed butterflies due to the first pair of legs are have evolved to be like brushes which they use to sample plants. The female scrapes the leave to taste the chemicals to see which plant is suitable for the caterpillars and to they the eggs. The eggs are elongated and yellow and are laid on the new leaves. 

The way to identify these butterflies are; males are bright orange on the upper-side and the underside. The upper-side of the hindwing has a thin black line around the border. The females are brown with white and black spots but have more black markings. Predators have evolved to avoid the caterpillars and adults due to the chemicals in the passion flowers are not tasteful. As it comes out of the chrysalis the adult is drawn to the nectar. 

The wing span is 8.2 to 9.2 cm. They feed on nectar from a range of plants including Iantana and Shepherds needle. The ideal habitat would be sub tropical openings and fields. 

The males fly around all day looking for fertile and receptive females which they can mate with. 

Butterfliesandmoths.org, (2015). Butterflies and Moths of North America | collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera. [online] Available at: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Dryas-iulia [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Susanleachsnyder.com, (2015). Julia. [online] Available at: http://susanleachsnyder.com/Conservancy%20Butterfly%20Garden/Julia.html [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Great southern white butterfly

http://miamiblue.org/great-southern-white/

Great southern white butterfly Ascia monuste 

The great southern white butterfly is part of the Pieriade family and Pierinae subfamily. 

How to identify the butterfly is the male on the forewing is a white with a black zigzag pattern on the tips of the wings. During the dry season the female looks identical to the male but the female has thicker pattern and a tiny black spot on the wing edge, the wet season the females are grey. The wing span is 6.3 to 8.6cm. The average life span for males is five days and the females are slightly longer with eight days. The butterflies feed on nectar from a range of plants which include the verbena and Iantana. Their habitat are gardens, fields, salt marshes and coastal dunes. 

Butterfliesandmoths.org, (2015). Butterflies and Moths of North America | collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera. [online] Available at: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Ascia-monuste [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Orange barred butterfly

http://butterflies.si.edu/species/OrangeBarredSulphur.html

 Orange barred butterfly Phoebis philea

The orange barred butterfly belongs to the Pieridae family. 

The males are vibrant yellow with a orange segment in the middle of the forewing. The females are white in the wet season and reddish-orange in the dry season, with a black band going along the boarder.  

Its wingspan is 7 to 8cm. The ideal habitat is tropical forests. 

The eggs are white and are laid on shrubs. As the caterpillar hutches it finds the Cassia leaves as they have a huge craving for these leaves. It eats and eat and in this time the caterpillar molts. The caterpillar uses its prolegs which are bristles on the hind legs to hold onto the 'ground' to be stable, to be able to eat it holds the food with the three walking legs.

 

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Butterflies.si.edu, (2015). Butterfly Details - Orange-barred Sulphur.  http://butterflies.si.edu/species/OrangeBarredSulphur.htm [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Flmnh.ufl.edu, (2015). Complete Butterfly Information. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wildflower/completebutterflydata.asp?id=16 [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Susanleachsnyder.com, (2015). Untitled Document. [online] Available at: http://www.susanleachsnyder.com/Conservancy%20Butterfly%20Garden/OrangeBarredSulphur.html [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Florida fighting conch

Fighting conch we found at Lovers Key

Florida fighting conch Strombus alatus

The fighting conch belongs to the stombidae family. The conch is a marine gastropod mollusc. The world mollusc in latin translates to soft, meaning the invertebrates have soft bodies however some have evolved to have a hard shell either internally or externally, these shells are used for protection. The conch has a external shell which is made of of calcium carbonate. 

The conch can be found in warm waters ranging from the Caribbean sea up to North Carolina in the Atlantic. The conch can be found hidden on the sea floor tangled up in the sea grasses. 

The Florida fighting conch can grow up to 10cm in length. The hard shell which protects the soft body has varying colours; white, yellow, brown, green and orange. On the foot there is a sharp spike which the conch uses for protection against predators. The conch is able to look at it environment by not exposing its entire body but using their eye stalks which poke upwards. The males are very territorial with other males and they would fight for their territory, apart from this aggression the fighting conch is rather peaceful. 

The conch feeds on detritus and algae (omnivore). The conch will keep the sand clean by filtering out the dead organic matter, this filtering keeps the sand aerated. The conch feeds by lengthening the snout and collects the prey via the tongue (radula), it has a tough and rough surface for scraping of the food from the rocks.  





Aquaticcommunity.com, (2015). Fighting Conch - Strombus alatus. [online] Available at: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/SwSnails/FightingConch.php [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Grey nickerbean

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2009/01/24/htop/c91de0.jpg

 Grey nickerbean  Caesalpinia bonducella

The grey nickerbean belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family. 

The plants stand tall and are a bit like vines as they are intertwined with each other. They stand at around four feet but if they spread out and use surrounding plants and trees for support they they can grow to twenty feet.  

There are spines which are all over the stems and these spines can reach to more than 2 inches. The leaves are shiny and compound. There are five yellow flowers which are arranged in clusters on the leaves. The fruit grows inside the pods. The pods appear flat, for protection around the pod, there are spines. Inside the pod contains three hardened seeds. The colour of the seeds change depending where in the cycle they are, inside the pod they are green but as the pods start  to dry out the seeds become brown, this is when the pods open and the sun turns the seeds grey. 

The beans can be found around mainly around the coast and uplands. The nickerbeans are very accepting to many different environments from salty soils and flooding. 

The nickerbeans are native to Florida, but due to the distribution of floating seeds these trees are found all over the world from the West Indies to South-east Asia. 

Sms.si.edu, (2015). New Page 1. [online] Available at: http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLFieldGuide/Caesal_bonduc.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Gumbo limbo tree

Add captionhttps://americaincontext.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/gumbo-limbo-tree.jpg

 Gumbo limbo tree  Bursera simaruba

The gumbo limbo tree belongs to the family Burseraceae. 

The tree is a big semi-evergreen with a big crown which can reach up to sixty feet in height.  The branches and trunk are dense which are covered with sticky 

substance. The substance makes the bark have a varnished presence. The bark peels into thin strips. It has been nicknamed in Florida the tourist tree due to the peeling bark.

The gumbo limbo is native to Florida and is popular for carving modules.The tree is also abundant in the West Indies, Mexico and all over America. The tree has a good resistance to all types of weather even though they grow quickly and the wood is soft.The trees are able to cope and grow in low levels of alkaline or sandy areas but this does slow down the rate of growth. The way the trees are good at surviving extreme weathers is the trees have evolved certain features, to survive the drought to do drop their leaves. 

The trees have berries which have a small triangle shaped seed in the middle, the berries takes a twelve months to ripe and is fully mature in the summer months. 

The ideal conditions for the tree to grow is in direct or partial sunlight and in good drained soil. 

In some countries the bark is used in tribal and herbal medicines. In Belize the bark is used in skin infections like sores, sunburn, measles, rashes and bites. The bark can also aid in UTI (urinary track infections), colds, flu, fevers and to clean the blood. A small bit of bark, around 5cm is boiled in approximately one gallon of water for ten minutes and then it is drunk. It has  been suggested that the bark has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antivenin properties. 

Rain-tree.com, (2015). Tropical Plant Database entry for: Gumbolimbo - Bursera simaruba. [online] Available at: http://www.rain-tree.com/gumbo.htm#.VSEsqfnF88s [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Watson, E. (2015). ENH263/ST104: Bursera simaruba: Gumbo Limbo. [online] Edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Available at: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st104 [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Strangler fig tree

Strangler fig in Lovers Key. 

 Strangler fig Ficus aurea


The strangler fig belongs to the Moraceae family (mulberry family). 

The strangler fig is one of the most well known hemiepiphyte and is one of the most important and successful trees within the forest.

The fig tree begins the life cycle as small sticky seed which has been transported by animals like monkeys and birds. The juvenile strangler is an epiphyte. The seed develops roots and these grow around the host tree in a lattice like shape, the roots head towards and enter the ground. Some fig trees engulf the host tree trunk eventually the host tree canopy is shaded by the strangler figs dense roots and leaves. The strangler fig can end up killing the host tree in competition for resources. 

The fig trees are of huge importance in the tropical forests as they are keystone species.The strangler figs are hollow with lots of hidden sections which  offer breeding sites for some small animals like birds and bats and food resources for a large number of animals  like invertebrates, reptiles and rodents. Lots of animals are drawn to the fig tree because of the fig fruits. The fig seeds are kept in-tacked when eaten and digested. 
Loggers usually leave the fig trees standing due to their complicated tangled roots. 

There are fig trees all around globe due to the distribution and dispersal of the seeds which have been consumed by animals. 
The tree reproduces by mutual evolutionary pollination relationship with the wasp. The grow in groups on small stems that have come straight from the trunk of the tree. Each and every fig has a small hole which can fit a female wasp. As she enters the fig, the female wasp has lost both of her wings, so unable to leave the fruit. The wasp lays her eggs and the pollen which she has collected, eventually the female wasp dies and the small hole in the fig closes up. The females take longer to develop than the males, so the males hatch first just after a couple days of the female laying the eggs. The males force their way by chewing into the females eggs and mate with them. The males try to leave the fruit by making a hole by chewing and then the males die. The females are able to leave to fruit via the hole the males made, the females winged are full of pollen. The females are carrying eggs and pollen and the cycle happens again. 

Encyclopedia Britannica, (2014). strangler fig | tree. [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/568081/strangler-fig [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Rainforests.mongabay.com, (2015). Strangler Fig. [online] Available at: http://rainforests.mongabay.com/04strangler_fig.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Comb jellyfish

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates

 Comb jellyfish Mnemiopsis leidyi

The comb jelly belongs to the Bolinopsidae  family.

These jellyfish belong to the small phylum group Ctenophora which contains ninety species. Most of the jellyfish are transparent but there are a few which are colourful displaying blues and greens. 

There are a few special characteristics of the Ctenophora; 

1. Radially or bi-radial symmetrical. 2. Multi-cellular body with small amount of tissues, organs and organelles. 3.Body contains an internal cavity and a mouth and anal pores. 4.Swims by means of plates of cilia which are the the combs like features 5.Reproduction mostly sexual as hermaphrodites 6. Well developed sub-epidermal nerve 7. Larval stage (planktonic.) 8. Marine 9. Carnivorous.

The comb jellies are oval in shape with eight small comb-like sections, which are called Costa, they use the costa to move through the water and to keep orientation. When the jellyfish is swimming the comb-like sections deflects the sunlight which produces a multi-coloured effect. When they are hunting they hold the prey in their increased stomach. 

The comb jellies have particular organs which allows them to find chemicals in the mouth which allows the jellies find their food. These jellies will sometimes eat other comb jellies which are bigger than them, they do this by using their cilia to bite chunks of the opponent. They also have a statocyst (gravity sensitive structure), this allows them to effortlessly move up and down and stay upright within the water. 

The comb jellies are most commonly found in the Atlantic and prey on copepods and the larvae of the oysters. 
These jellyfish live near the shore in warm water and are easily found but other jellyfish live in the deep sea and in the poles. The comb jellyfish move around in great numbers and sometimes have bad effects on the fish stocks as they eat the fish eggs. 

The body has three layers (Epidermis, Mesoglea and Gastrodermis). The comb jellyfish has a mouth and an anus at either end of the body, the gut goes straight from the mouth to the anus, there are canals which come from the stomach to the costa. The waste is removed by the anus and the mouth and digestion is intracellular and extracellular. These jellyfish have no organs for gas exchange but this happens right away across the body. They have no circulatory system or brain, but they do have a sub-epidermal nerve net which is a connection of nerves which runs under the skin. Statocyst is the main sense organ and it located close to the anus. 

They are ctenophores are hermaphroditic, so the sperm and eggs are dispersed into the water to fertilise. The larvae are called Cydippid, they are free swimming. 

Earthlife.net, (2015). The Comb Jellies (Phylum Ctenophora). [online] Available at: http://www.earthlife.net/inverts/ctenophora.html [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Montereybayaquarium.org, (2015). Comb jelly, Open Waters, Invertebrates, Beroe spp at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. [online] Available at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates/comb-jelly [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Eastern screech owl

 Eastern screech owl at Lovers Key

 Eastern screech owl Megascops asio

The eastern screech owl belongs to the Strigidae family.


The owl is found in the wooded suburbs and is one if the more common avian predators. The owl is mainly nocturnal but sometimes are crepuscular and diurnal. The owl eats insects, other birds and rodents. The owl has many different vocalisations which include screeches, barks, chuckles, rasps and hoots. The owl can nest in a vary of places from unused woodpeckers nest to ready made bird boxes.


Mating and courtship start from January and March by the males by showing the females how well he can make a nest. The eggs are laid by the females in March to May. The young bird relies on its parents for up to ten weeks after hatching. The adult have a wingspan on 53cm.

The way to identify these owls are by there big yellow eyes, they have tufts on the end of their ears and are usually raised but when the ears are flat, the owl has a round looking head. The facial disk is mainly dark. The scapulars are black along the edge with white on the outer section which form a white line along the shoulder. The feet are large with compared with the rest of its body. The females are larger than the males but the plumages are the similar between the sexes. The young have light and dark colours on their heads.

The size of the owl can differ geographically. In the south and east the owls are darker in colour and small but in the north and west the owls are lighter in colour and bigger. In Florida the more common colourations are brown, grey and rufous (red). The bill is grey and black.

There is a defence song is three seconds long, it quavers. The contact song last from three to six seconds it is low pitched again quavering trill for around fourteen notes per second. When the male has finished building the nest he will sound the contact song to tell the females that the nest is available or if he has brought food back to the nest. When the females sings each song it is slightly higher pitch than the males. 

The range of the Eastern screech owl is from Colorado, to Kansas, Texas and San Angelo.   

Society, N. (2015). Eastern Screech-Owls, Eastern Screech-Owl pictures, Eastern Screech-Owl Facts - National Geographic. [online] National Geographic. Available at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/eastern-screech-owl/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Prickly pear cactus

Prickly pear cactus at Lovers Key

Prickly pear cactus Opuntia littoralis 


The prickly pear cactus belongs to the Cactaceae family. 


The majority of the prickly pear cactus have either purple, yellow or red coloured flowers. They can be different sizes from under a foot to seven feet. The cactus have fleshy, flat pads which are small braches/stems which have the appearance of large leaves. These pads have many functions from storage of water, flow production and photosynthesis.  The genus Opuntia have  glochids (small, barbed spines). The glochids are red and yellow in colour and can separate from the pads easily however if the glochids get lodged into the skin, they can be hard to remove.

The fruit from the pears can be eaten and are in the supermarkets as 'tuna'. The pads are also edible, by eating them like a vegetable, these are known in the shops as 'Nopalito'. 

The prickly pears are found in the deserts around the South-west of America, there are varying species which have evolved to survive in different elevations. The majority of the cactus need to be in dry, rocky areas. 

The prickly pear cactus has medical properties as it contains pectin, it can lower the unhealthy cholesterol, it has also been studied that is can lower diabetics need for insulin. The cactus contains soluble fibres which keeps the blood sugar regulated.  

Desertusa.com, (2015). Prickly Pear Cactus - DesertUSA. [online] Available at: http://www.desertusa.com/cactus/prickly-pear-cactus.html [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Zebra longwing butterfly

Zebra longwing butterfly at Lovers Key

Zebra longwing butterfly Heliconius charithonia

Zebra longwing butterfly belongs to the Heliconiidae family. 

The butterfly has long, thin wings which are all black, with small yellow stips going across the wing with small red spots close to the body. They have a wingspan of 100mm.  The female and male are identical in appearance. It is neo-tropical meaning it ranges in the very south of America and Mexico.  

The butterfly prefers warm and damp areas. The  caterpillars eat passion flower leaves, but these leaves have a toxin which leaves a bad taste for the butterflies, this is also poisonous for the predators.

The zebra longwing mates as soon as it leaves the chrysalis. The females lays the eggs (five to fifteen) on the passion flower leaves. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars are black and yellow. The longwing make many generations per year. The females lay tiny, yellow eggs in small clusters on leaves. The butterflies feed on nectar and pollen. 

The butterfly makes a squeaking sound when it is bothered. When the sun goes down the butterflies come together in big groups and roost, night after night they come to the same tree. 

Entnemdept.ufl.edu, (2015). zebra longwing - Heliconius charitonia. [online] Available at: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/zebra_longwing.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Nhptv.org, (2015). Zebra Longwing Butterfly - Heliconius charitonius - NatureWorks. [online] Available at: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/zebralongwing.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Sea grape

https://pickmeyard.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/sea-grape-tree.jpg

 Sea grape Coccoloba uvifera

The sea grape belongs to the Polygonaceae family. 

The sea grape is a expansive shrub. It has a asymmetrical branches and a recognisable trunk, which can grow up to thirty feet. If the sea grape is planted away from the salty air, it can grow up to fifty feet tree. There is a red vein in the middle of the leathery, evergreen leaves going from top to bottom. When the leaves have matured they are a deep green, when the leaves are young they are hairless and are a copper colour with a kidney shaped. 
The bark of the sea grape peels but is smooth and has a marble coloured effect, (grey, white and brown). The bark contains a red sap which is used for medical purposes. 

They are  dioecious (female and males are on different trees).  Females trees have white/ivory flowers which turn into red grape like fruits and are pear shaped with a stone in the middle, they hang downward to appeal to animals like birds and children.  

The sea grape is commonly seen near the seaside and sand dunes for landscaping,the plant needs plenty of sunshine, sand and soil. The trunk is twisted and can grow up to two feet in diameter. 
The fruits can be used to make jelly and wine. in the West Indies they use the wood to make cabinets. 

Floridata.com, (2015). Floridata: Coccoloba uvifera. [online] Available at: http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cocc_uvi.cfm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu, (2015). Plant ID Ornamentals Sea Grape - Florida Master Gardener Program - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. [online] Available at: http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener/outreach/plant_id/ornamentals/sea_grape.shtml [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015]

Hort.ifas.ufl.edu, (2015). Sea Grape - Tree selection - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS. [online] Available at: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Pages/cocuvi/cocuvi.shtml [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Wildlifeofhawaii.com, (2015). Coccoloba uvifera - Sea Grape, Seagrape - Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers. [online] Available at: http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/1561/coccoloba-uvifera-sea-grape/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

black vultures

Add captionhttp://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/eurasian-black-vulture-aegypius-monachus/flying-vulture-0

 Black vultures Coragyps atratus

The black vulture belong to Cathartidae family.

The black vultures  are big raptors, they have black heads and holds its wings broad and rounded. During daylight the vultures fly in flocks with the turkey vultures and hawks. The vultures have strong wing beats followed by small glides, a bit like how a bat flies. They flap the wings more than soaring. The tail is in shape of a fan but it quite short. They are all black apart from the white patches on the tips of the wings, this can be seen from below.

The black vulture buries the eggs, usually two, on the ground but under cover, in a cave or tree trunk, there is no nest building. The eggs are incubated for forty days, once the chicks have hatched, the mother and father feed the chicks regurgitated food. Ten weeks after hatching, the chicks should be ready to fly.

Vultures are scavengers and opportunistic by eating dead cattle or road kills, they have been known to kill small farm animals, lambs and calves. 

Black vultures can be found in forests especially open areas of the forest, they nest in wooded areas.    

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Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Black Vulture. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture/id [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Anon, (2015). [online] Available at: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/raptors-and-vultures/vultures/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

mosquito fish

http://reefbuilders.com/files/2011/01/mosquitofish-fish-can-count_31042_600x450.jpg

 Mosquito Fish Gambusia holbrooki

The mosquito fish belong to the Poeciliidae family. 

The eastern mosquito fish grows up to 2 inches long, they are brown/olive colour on the topside with a yellow underside and silver on the sides. On the dorsal and caudal fins there are lines of black spots. Underneath the eye there is a black mark, which looks like a tear drop. 

The fish live in slowing moving water like marshes, ponds and lakes, the ideal substrate would be muddy with a wide variety of plants. 

The breeding season for the mosquito fish is between April to August, the females are bear live young which is unusual. One female can give birth to two hundred young per year. After mating, the fry arrive four weeks later.  

The fish will eat anything from worms, crustaceans, insects, algae, tadpoles, pupae and mosquito larvae. They also eat the eggs of other fish for example largemouth bass, they also have cannibalism tendencies. They are very aggressive by attacking the fins of bigger fish.  

The mosquito fish has a parasite with the name 'The big red worm' which is a nematode. The nematode used the mosquito fish for its life cycle, the nematode doesnt cause any harm to the fish. 

The animals which predate on mosquito fish are snakes, turtles, birds and bigger fish. 

Mosquito fish got their name by eating the mosquito larvae, they were used to help control the mosquito populations. They were added to streams, marshes, lakes, and ponds. 

Fcps.edu, (2015). eastern mosquitofish. [online] Available at: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_mosquitofish.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

brown pelicans

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/birds/pelecaniformes/Pelecanus%20occidentalis/

Brown pelicans Pelecanus occidentalis

The brown pelican belongs to the Pelecanidae family. 


The brown pelicans are big and bulky sea-birds, they have a big bill,with a elasticated neck which holds large amounts of fish, large dark body with a sinuous (thin) neck. The birds are positioned perfectly whilst flying and gliding, with broad and long wings. Their wingbeats are very powerful and slow.The pelicans tend to stand around the docks and the shoreline looking for fish.  

 They tend to fly along the coasts and copy the highs and lows of the wave in search for fish. When a fish has been found they dive into the water, the impact manages to shock the fish, so it is easy for the pelicans to scoop up the stunned fish and the fish goes into the pouch.

The adult pelicans have brown/grey coloured body with white neck and yellow heads. When it is breeding time the neck plumage turns a dark red/brown colour, the juveniles are brown/grey including the neck. 

Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Brown Pelican. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown_pelican/id [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Common grackle

http://billhubick.com/photos/birds/common_grackle.phpG

 Grackle Quiscalus quiscula

The grackle belongs to the Icteridae family. 

The common grackles similar to blackbirds, but much larger in build and tails. The male holds the tail in a keel shape where the females does not. Their heads are smooth with a long, black bill. The wings appear to be short. The females are smaller than the males. They average 32cm in length. 

Their colouring is shiny purple which seems to glisten in the sunlight. Their heads are blue/purple and the bodies are brown/bronze. Their eyes stand out due to the golden colour, this applies to males. The females are a much duller colour. There is a slight difference between the sexes the males are more shiny than the females. They have long and strong legs which helps them forage for food by pecking instead of scratching. Their flying technique is short and rigid movements. 

 The way to tell the difference between adults and juveniles is the difference in the eye colour and colour of the body, the young birds have dark brown body and eyes.

The birds congregate in great numbers, either flying or foraging around farm land. They are common in the urban and rural parts, sitting on telephone poles, gardens and fields. 

The vocalisation of the common grackles are very loud with a deep tone, their songs are high pitched. 

Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Common Grackle. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id [Accessed 6 Apr. 2015].


Society, N. (2015). Common Grackles, Common Grackle Pictures, Common Grackle Facts - National Geographic. [online] National Geographic. Available at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/common-grackle/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2015].