Monthly Archives: March 2012

Wood Storks Return to South Florida

Posted by Jon-Mark on

Wood Stork -- Tree Walkers
It’s always great when a bird species on the brink of extinction, headed that way anyway, returns to flourish. One such species is the Wood Stork, (Mycteria americana) also commonly known as Flinthead, Wood Ibis, Wood Pelican or Colorado Turkey. Wood Storks are found along the coastal areas of South Carolina, Georgia and Central and Southern Florida. Wood Storks were listed as an “endangered species” since 1984 due to the severe drop in population in the 1900’s. I can’t tell you the exact date (1998-1999) but I remember a news report from Orlando about the killing of huge numbers of wood storks, pelicans, and great blue herons when they ate fish from Lake Apopka tainted with OCP, a rather nasty pesticide left by the agriculture industry. Personally, I believe that event was the demise of the main flocks historically seen in South Florida during certain times of the year.

Wood Storks in Wakodahatchee
The good news is the Wood Storks are returning to South Florida and I’ve seen many more this year along the Tamiami Trail north into Palm Beach, and Loxahatchee than I”ve seen since that Apopka event. Two weeks ago while at Wakodahatchee taking pictures, a group of Flintheads flew in on the tree tops and settled in. Last weekend on a return visit we noticed at least 3 pairs foraging for sticks. They would snap them off the limb with their beak then fly them to a nest site in the south-east rookery. Many cheers have gone up as bird lovers from all over South Florida and beyond as they gather to watch, photograph and enjoy our new avian neighbors.

Welcome home, we hope you can live here in peace and abundance.

Let me take this opportunity to thank those responsible for both Wakodahatchee and Green Cay in Palm Beach County. These places are not only a wonderful place for our wildlife to live again but a great place for those of us who love seeing and being a part of nature can enjoy their company.

The Great Blue Herons of South Florida

Posted by Jon-Mark on

WKO-GBH-Twins
The Great Blue Heron can be spotted in most parts of North America, but they flourish in Florida at certain times of the year. Ever since I saw my first one in early 1972 I have been quite impressed with their size and beauty. Not until the past few years have I become enamored watching and photographing them in the wild.

Jo, my wife, and I are very fortunate to live in South Florida where GBHs are plentiful year ’round. We don’t go too many days without seeing at least one somewhere between home and any destination, including the grocery store. And, on some occasions when we are out in nature we will be able to enjoy dozens of them in all colors and maturity.
Feeding Babies

Great Blue Heron parents are very good at raising their young to maturity. In the South Florida rookeries we are able to watch the entire process from breeding through chick raising to fledgling as close to us as the end of your binoculars or camera lens.

In 2010 we held a birthday party in a local county park where we enjoyed not only good food and fun with our family and friends but as many as 7 Great Blue Herons fished in the pond where we pitched our party tent. Needless to say, most of our part spent a great deal of time watching these crafty birds spear fish and eat them whole with just a quick beak flip.

That day we learned that the Lesser Terns got their jollies from fishing a foot in front of the GBHs. Watching that play out across the lake was better than watching a football game on TV for us. It was spectacular to watch these small Terns dive over the head of the GBH, splash into the water and retrieve a Sardine size fish within striking range of the GBH. And yes, we have seen a GBH try to grab a Turn right out of the air.

Great Blue Heron Chicks

Photographers visiting the Wakodahatchee Rookery near Boynton Beach get some great shots without the need for a $9000 telephoto lens. Check out this special Heron feeding her 3 -4 week old chicks. They grow rapidly.

Heron Feeding - Wurdemann's

If that isn’t enough, very often, there are some really exotic Herons like the Great White Heron which is found in only a very few places in North America …

Great White Heron
Great White Heron

.. and finally we also have a Wurdemann’s Heron with her chicks. These birds are rare and beautiful. Check out that ‘flip”.

Wurdemann's Heron

This is one of my favorite sights as I look out over the Everglades or savannahs or swamps in Florida, a Great Blue Heron, standing proud in the early evening.

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