Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Gopher Tortoise Visit in Florida





A large rare and endangered Gopher Tortoise or "Gopher Turtle" passed through the Backyard! One of the rarest and coolest of visitors it seemed to be on a mission to get where it was going behind the Backyard. These are amazing creatures - one this big could be 40 to 60 years old and has seen a lot of changes in the Florida landscape in its life, fortunately there are still a few places in developed areas for them to survive.
Gopher Tortoise: (Gopherus polyphemus)
Appearance:
The gopher tortoise is a moderate-sized, terrestrial turtle, averaging 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in length. The species is identified by its stumpy, elephantine hind feet and flattened, shovel-like forelimbs adapted for digging. The shell is oblong and generally tan, brown, or gray in coloration. Gopher tortoises can live 40 to 60 years in the wild.
Gopher tortoises are ancient: their ancestors are a species of land tortoise that originated in western North America some 60 million years ago. They are members of the Class Reptilia, Order Testudines, and Family Testudinidae. Of five North American tortoise species (genusGopherus), the gopher tortoise is the only one that occurs east of the Mississippi River.
Habitat:
Gopher tortoises live in well-drained sandy areas with a sparse tree canopy and abundant low growing vegetation. They are commonly found in habitats such as sandhill, pine flatwoods, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, dry prairies, xeric hammock, pine-mixed hardwoods, and coastal dunes which have historically been maintained by periodic wild fires. When fire is suppressed in gopher tortoise habitat, small trees, shrubs, and brambles begin to grow making it difficult for the gopher tortoise to move around and eventually shade out the low growing plants that gopher tortoises eat.
During winter, tortoises are much less active; although on warm afternoons some individuals trudge to the earth's surface to bask on the sandy aprons of their burrows. A superb earth-mover, it lives in long burrows that offer refuge from cold, heat, drought, forest fires and predators. The record length for a burrow is over 47 feet long, however, the burrows average 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep. The burrows maintain a fairly constant temperature and humidity throughout the year and protect the gopher tortoise and other species from heat, cold, drought, and predators. Burrows also act as a refuge from the periodic, regenerative fires that are required to maintain the quality of their habitat.
Gopher tortoises have adapted to living in dry habitats with frequent fire occurrence by digging burrows deep into the sandy soil. The absence of natural cycles of burning in pine forests spells hardship for tortoises. The dense vegetation (shrubs, brambles, small trees) that grows in a forest in the absence of fire shades out the tender herbs tortoises like to eat, and limits their food supplies. Fire is vital in maintaining many native ecosystems, like longleaf pine sandhills, where gophers live.
Behavior:
Gopher tortoises are slow to reach sexual maturity, have a low fecundity, and a long life span. Females reach sexual maturity at 9–21 years of age, depending on local resource abundance and latitude; males mature at a slightly younger age. The breeding season is generally April–November. Nests are constructed (often in burrow mounds) from mid-May to mid-June, and only one clutch is produced annually. Clutch size is usually five to nine eggs, with an average of six. Predation on nests and hatchlings is heavy.
These reptiles feed on low-growing plants like wiregrass, broadleaf grasses, and legumes (bean family plants). They also eat prickly pear cactus, blackberries, paw-paws, and other seasonal fruits. In addition to needing open areas with abundant food, gopher tortoises require relatively deep, sandy soils for burrowing and sunny spots for laying eggs.
An amazing trait of the gopher tortoise is that it shares its burrow with more than 350 other species, including burrowing owls, Florida mice, indigo snakes, opossums, rabbits, gopher frog, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes and gopher crickets. For this reason it is called a keystone species, so named because the upper stone in an arch, the keystone, supports the other stones to hold them in place. Animals which utilize the gopher tortoise burrows are known as commensal species. Since many commensal species depend on the burrows for survival, decreases in gopher tortoise populations result in a decline of other species.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gopher Tortoise Home Page:
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/man...

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Gopher Tortoise Visit in Florida





Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Portuguese Man of Wars Wash Up On Florida Beaches






Thousands of Portuguese Men of War are invading Florida beaches. They are not really Jellyfish, but a unique organism made up of organisms. This mini-documentary shows these beautiful, but dangerous stinging creatures along the east coast beaches of Florida in February 2018.
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https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/p...
Stock floating Man of War footage from Creative Commons YouTube video library attribution:
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Portuguese Man of Wars Wash Up On Florida Beaches



Monday, February 26, 2018

Florida Manatees





A large group of Florida Manatees congregate below a remote water control structure waiting for tasty clumps of water grass to spill over. A group of Manatees is called an aggregation and large numbers usually do not gather except in Winter to find warmth or an unusual good food source. Here they find both, but its not particularly cold.



If you look closely you will see the scars from collisions with boat propellers on a few of the large Manatees. Many area of Florida waterways are designated reduced speed Manatee Zones to try and reduce collisions. These are large creatures related to Elephants that can live very long lives and reach 10-12 long and 1,500 pounds.

The Florida manatee is a native species found in many of Florida’s waterways. The Florida manatee population has grown to over 6,600 animals today and as a result, in early 2017 the Florida manatee was reclassified from an endangered to a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. This change in the species status is based on an increasing population and the establishment of effective protection measures to ensure the continued conservation of the species.

In 1975, Florida’s school children helped designate the endangered Florida manatee as Florida’ state marine mammal. Since then, various research, management and educational efforts have occurred to bring back a species that many people thought was on the verge of extinction.

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Florida Manatees



Sunday, February 25, 2018

Blue Jay Imitates Hawk Call - Close and Loud!


Best Red Shouldered Hawk imitation yet by Backyard Blue Jay and it freaks the squirrels out - leading to another camera mishap. If you watch closely you can see that the Blue Jay makes this big loud sound much like a ventriloquist - it barely opens it's beak to form the unique sounds of the hawk.

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Blue Jay Imitates Hawk Call





Saturday, February 24, 2018

Eastern Screech Owl Mother


Eastern Screech Owl Mother

Beautiful female red morph Eastern Screech Owl resting outside the nest box. Hang out with mother owl for awhile she is awesome. More found footage from a few seasons back. The females have always been red and the male gray since 2011. The female this season (2018) has been roosting since early December but she keeps switching nest boxes and hasn't committed to laying eggs yet, but she should very soon. I just hope she picks the best nest with the camera inside.
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Eastern Screech Owl Mother

Double-Crested Cormorant Flock





50+ Cormorants chill on a buoy cable after gorging on fish. If one Cormorant is nice fifty is better. I counted 52 all in all. Cormorants are large birds and you will see them look small next to a few White Pelicans that have some of the largest wing spans of North American birds.
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Double-Crested Cormorant Flock



Friday, February 23, 2018

Spider Spinning a Web





Mesmerizing Spiny Orb Weaver Spider making a huge web highlighted by the morning sun. Consider that this spider is smaller than a dime and it spins out this much silk, how is that even possible?
Close-up of the earlier stages of the web spinning can be seen at:https://youtu.be/DwLn11KJS9Y

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Spider Spinning a Web

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Roseate Spoonbill Breeding Plumage



Roseate Spoonbill Breeding Plumage



Roseate Spoonbills are now nesting in small colonies. They are quite a sight with pink and red flight feathers, greenish head and yellow shoulders, and of course that spoonbill. They were nearly extinct by the early part of last century and are a species of concern. A video of a flock of feeding Roseate Spoonbills: https://youtu.be/tY5kBWPp6pg
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Physical Description
The roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill endemic (native) to the Western Hemisphere. This species can reach a length of 30-40 inches (76-102 centimeters) with a wingspan of 50-53 inches (127-135 centimeters). It has pink wings and underparts (with some red on the tops of the wings) with a white neck and back, and pinkish legs and feet. While the species looks almost entirely pink in flight, they actually have no feathers at all on their heads. The pink coloration comes from the organisms on which they feed, which are full of caroteniods (organic pigment). As the name implies, the roseate spoonbill also has a large, spoon-shaped bill, which it sweeps back and forth in shallow water to capture prey.
Life History
The specialized bill has sensitive nerve endings which help the birds search for food in shallow water. The diet of the roseate spoonbill primarily consists of crayfish, shrimp, crabs, and small fish.
There is no sexual dimorphism (difference in form between individuals of different genders in the same species) in roseate spoonbills. They nest in mixed colonies (near other wading bird species) in mangroves or trees and though most breed on the coast, some nest inland. Nesting habitats include coastal mangroves and dredged-made islands. The female builds the nest while the male retrieves the nesting materials. The female lays up to three whitish-colored eggs and both adults incubate the eggs for up to 24 days. The young remain in the nest for approximately 35-42 days and are fed by both adults.
Habitat and Distribution
The roseate spoonbill is a resident breeder in South America, generally east of the Andes, and coastal areas of Central America, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico. Mangrove islands and occasionally dredge-spoil islands are the preferred nesting habitat for the species. In Florida, the species is found in Florida Bay, Tampa Bay, and Brevard County.
Threats:
One historical threat to the roseate spoonbill was hunting for their feathers, though this practice is now illegal which has allowed the population to rebound. Another threat to the spoonbill is the availability of adequate food sources and habitat degradation. In the Florida Bay, the increased fresh water flow from the Everglades may affect prey availability for the spoonbill. Other threats include habitat loss and disturbance, pesticides, and illegal shootings.
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imp...

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Roseate Spoonbill Breeding Plumage

Roseate Spoonbill Breeding Plumage

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Why Vultures Have Bald Heads and Three Eyelids - a Mini Documentary




Mini-Documentary on why Vultures have bald heads and a prominent third eyelid. I've been spending some quality time with vultures lately, or buzzards as they are sometimes called. Fascinating Birds!
The story of their amazing sense of smell is at:https://youtu.be/5uLjAsz7BEw
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Why Vultures Have Bald Heads

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Red-Winged Blackbird Song and Display





Stunning male Red-Winged Blackbirds in classic singing and displaying mode for Spring! I could watch these guys all day. I have several videos of RWBB's, but this is my best sound recording so far. No man-made noise and using an external shotgun microphone for DSLR: http://amzn.to/2CtlQDj
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Red-Winged Blackbird Song and Display



Saturday, February 17, 2018

Wild Animal Tracks - Alligator Deer Bobcat and Raccoon Tracks





Join me in a place where Deer, Bobcat, Raccoon and Alligators among other creatures all use the same trails. Once in awhile there are cottonmouth snake tracks and wild pigs as well and of course vulture and big bird tracks :-) Of course, the most dangerous track of all is the human footprint!
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Wild Animal Tracks - Alligator Deer Bobcat and Raccoon Tracks

Wild Animal Tracks - Alligator Deer Bobcat and Raccoon Tracks

Friday, February 16, 2018

Hiking With a Black Vulture


Hiking With a Black Vulture




A friendly Black Vulture walks with me on a marsh hike for over half a mile! Breaking trail is Vulture's thing - I had no idea they were such great walkers.
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walking Hiking With a Black Vulture

Hiking With a Black Vulture

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Red Shouldered Hawks Mating and Calling




A pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks mating in a Palmetto Tree and a lot of very loud territorial calling. Filmed in the vast St. John's River Marsh where trees are scarce. I was extremely fortunate to start filming the male who was calling as he approached the tree and mating began immediately. Note the male is considerably smaller than the female.
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Red Shouldered Hawks Mating and Calling

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Great Horned Owl Visits Backyard


Great Horned Owl Visits Backyard



A Great Horned Owl makes a rare visit to the long-leaf pine woods behind the Backyard. After a hard nights work its ready for some shut-eye. Mother Screech Owl is roosting in the nest box and they have to watch out for this big owl at night - they will eat their little cousins! On a few occasions I have heard and seen the Great Horned Owl in the Backyard at night. Breeding season is getting in full swing for all manner of birds now.
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Great Horned Owl



Sunday, February 11, 2018

Brown Thrasher Singing a Song




Brown Thrashers singing is like songbird jazz - very improvisational. They can out sing their cousins the Mockingbirds and Catbirds. Lately this Brown Thrasher has been singing his song every morning before sunrise usually high in the oaks were he is hard to see due to dense cover and poor light. Look for a special late winter guest appearance due to very warm weather - notice the squirrels reaction to this unwelcome visitor. Sometimes squirrels will attack snakes and run them off, but the Backyard Squirrels here are pretty mellow.
Recorded with Comica CVM-V30 Shotgun Camera Microphone:
http://amzn.to/2CcA37x
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Brown Thrasher Singing a Song

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Seagull Emergency Rescue





Came upon a big Seagull with a badly injured left wing, Googled wildlife rescue and quickly found "Wild Florida Rescue" and they were on the way! Wild Florida Rescue is a non-profit 24-hour first response service for rescue and transportation of wildlife. Like similar organizations across America they provide a valuable service that is usually not provided by local governments and they depend on donations to continue their important work in the service of wild animals. http://www.wildfloridarescue.org

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Seagull Emergency Rescue

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

SpaceX Successfully Launches Most Powerful Falcon Heavy Rocket


SpaceX Successfully Launches Most Powerful Falcon Heavy Rocket



SpaceX succeeds in launching World's most powerful Falcon Heavy Rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 345 PM February 6th, 2018. Its a bird.....no its a giant rocket.....
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SpaceX Successfully Launches Most Powerful Falcon Heavy Rocket

SpaceX Successfully Launches Most Powerful Falcon Heavy Rocket

Monday, February 5, 2018

Directional Shotgun Video Microphone for Smartphones





Good affordable directional shotgun video microphone for smartphones. Join me and the Backyard Crew to review and field test a COMICA CVM-VS08 shotgun microphone that easily attaches to smartphones. If your not interested in microphones watch the open and skip to the middle for birdsong recording test etc. with the Mic. For Android phones you should use another video app like "Open Camera" and set software to external microphone. I use this anyway because it is such a good commercial free app - this is discussed in the video.
🔹 Amazon product Link (US):
http://amzn.to/2BZ9RNE
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Directional Shotgun Video Microphone for Smartphones

Directional Shotgun Video Microphone for Smartphones


Saturday, February 3, 2018

Eastern Screech Owl Father




Hangout with Mr. Owl for awhile. Screech Owl Dad is a Grey Morph and the female has always been a red morph - they make a handsome couple. The male Screech Owl spends all day hanging out near the nest box. He can be very hard to spot, this footage is from a few years ago I just recovered from a bad hard drive.
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Eastern Screech Owl Father

Friday, February 2, 2018

Blue Jay Casting Call - Audition for Youtube Video


Blue Jay Casting Call - Audition for Youtube Video


At a recent casting call for a video review of a new microphone the Blue Jays were unusually on their best behavior. Behind the scenes footage - You be the judge of this polite gentleman who hands the lady his peanut. But these are smart birds and he knows if he gives away a peanut he will get more screen time and noticed and the other jay will leave, increasing the chances that he will land the part of the Blue Jay that stands on the camera and gets many more peanuts in the process!
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Blue Jay Casting Call - Audition for Youtube Video
Blue Jay Casting Call - Audition for Youtube Video

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Cooper's Hawk - Blue Jays and Squirrels Sound Panic Alarm!



Cooper's Hawk - Blue Jays and Squirrels Sound Panic Alarm!


A young Cooper's Hawk is perched and hunting in the Backyard and has the Blue Jays seriously upset and alarming and then the squirrels join in with their alarm calls and it goes on for over 30 minutes. You can also hear Catbird's and a Cardinal sounding the alarm. Cooper's Hawks are the real Backyard predators of songbirds, especially Doves and it is rare that they expose themselves like this, maybe because this one is not fully mature. See a Cooper's take out a Dove at: https://youtu.be/76eAggOW0V0
They accelerate rapidly and can strike from short-range unlike the larger Red Shouldered or Red Tailed Hawks - it is interesting to note that the Blue Jays are not messing with this Hawk and attacking it like they do the bigger hawks. I'm not sure why but it may be because they know this Hawk has no sense of humor!
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Cooper's Hawk - Blue Jays and Squirrels Sound Panic Alarm!