Sanford RiverWalk
Sanford RiverWalk
On the southern shore of Lake Monroe in Seminole County lies a multi-use pedestrian trail known as Sanford RiverWalk. The paved 9.1-mile trail connects RiverWalk to the 210-mile Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail and completes the 26-mile loop around Lake Monroe. This urban-designed trail earned the city of Sanford the International Making Cities Livable award.
Saunter along the trail and discover the serenity as the waves carry sailboats across Lake Monroe. Discover the wildlife and birds who share the space with humans. Dock your boat at the Sanford Marina day slips. Sit for a while on one of the swinging benches or under a gazebo and let your troubles melt away.
Walk along the brick-lined streets to historic downtown Sanford where unique shops, restaurants, and craft beer is are bountiful.
Be sure to return to RiverWalk to complete your day watching the magnificent sunset on Lake Monroe.
Wild Turkey
Wild turkeys, Meleagris gallopavo, can be seen throughout Florida foraging in leaflitter in open areas or at the edges of forests. Insects, snails, berries, and nuts make up much of their diets. They often create flocks of up to 20 birds. At night, wild turkeys stay safe by roosting in the trees of a dense forest.
There are two subspecies of wild turkeys in Florida. The Osceola or Florida wild turkey (M.g. osceola) is only found in peninsular Florida. In the panhandle and northern Florida, the Osceola turkey breeds with the Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). These large chubby birds with their iridescent plumage and long legs have a wingspan of 49-56.5 inches. Females are smaller than males and not as brightly colored.
In the spring, the male wild turkey’s head will turn bright red as he struts, gobbles, and fans out his tail to attract a female. The hen will build a nest on the ground where she lays 9-11 eggs over 12-13 days. In 25-26 days, the incubated eggs will hatch. It’s not long before the young can feed themselves but they are not able to fly for two weeks. The hen will keep them safe at night under her wings for about four weeks until they are strong enough to fly to a tree to roost.
Fun Fact: Turkey fossils older than 5 million years have been found throughout the southern US.
Florida Trail Lockwood to Barr with Boonie Falls
Florida Trail Lockwood to Barr with Boonie Falls
Just outside of Oviedo in Seminole County lies a 5.6 mile Florida National Scenic out and back trail. It features Boonie Falls, the southernmost waterfall on the Florida Trail.
Meander along the Econlockhatchee River and let nature fill your senses. Listen for a variety of birds and watch for wildlife in the shaded, wooded wonderland. Colorful wildflowers and mushrooms are little surprises waiting for you around every bend. During the rainy season, the trail can get muddy, however, the bridges and boardwalks will keep you dry on most days.
Sit for a spell on the bench and watch the water at Boonie Falls cascade over cypress knees. The natural falls are small at only 2-3 feet high but they sure are beautiful.
For a map and trailhead of the Florida Trail – Lockwood to Barr click here: https://www.alltrails.com/…/florida-trail-lockwood-to…
Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit
The Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris hefneri, is the smallest of the three subspecies of marsh rabbits, reaching only 14 to 16 inches long. They have a brown back, gray belly, small ears, and a grayish-brown tail. Look for them in tall grass in wetlands and salt marshes. The sedge and grass provide the perfect habitat for feeding, nesting, and shelter.
Rabbits reproduce quickly and their population tends to prosper in the right environment. On average, a rabbit will produce 6-7 litters per year. Litters of 2-4 young are born blind and remain with their eyes closed until the fourth or fifth day after birth. They become independent after two weeks and will find their own home ranges at 8 months. The average life span is 1 year although they can live to 4 years of age.
Lower Keys Marsh Rabbits are endemic to The Florida Keys. They currently inhabit the coast from Big Pine Key to Boca Chica Key and occupy several smaller islands in the refuge’s backcountry. However, habitat destruction and degradation due to human development in the Florida Keys has deprived lower marsh rabbits of 50% of their habitat. Sea-level rise, invasive vegetation, and domestic and feral cats are also a threat to this species. Lower Keys Marsh MarshRabbits were listed as federally endangered in 1990 and are designated Endangered by the state of Florida.
When in the Keys advocate for habitat restoration. Leave nothing but footprints.
References:
Florida Natural Areas Inventory “Lower Keys Rabbit” Field guide to the rare animals of
Florida, 2001, http://www.fnai.org/…/pdf/Sylvilagus_palustris_hefneri.PDF
“Lower Keys Rabbit” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, October 01, 2021
Torreya State Park
Torreya State Park
Established in 1930 by the Civilian Conservation Corp., Torreya State Park is best known for its highly endangered and endemic Torreya tree. However, the Torreya tree isn’t the only rare species that call this park home. Other rare species found here include Florida yew, ash magnolia, pyramid magnolia, fireback crayfish, and Apalachicola dusky salamanders.
Since 2001 the park has been working on restoring an old sand pine plantation to a healthy and thriving longleaf pine and wiregrass ecosystem. Take a tour of the Gregory House, a relic of the pre-Civil War era.
Go hiking on Torreya State Park’s 16 miles of challenging trails through the steep ravines. Bring your small craft, launch it at the boat ramp, and paddle on the gorgeous Apalachicola River. Bring your camera and photograph the numerous birds and wildlife because Torreya State Park is recognized as a Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Take some time to simply relax and enjoy the serene overlook of the river. Picnic areas with grills and tables provide the perfect spot for your outdoor meal. There is a playground for the kids. Service animals are welcome.
Stay for a night or more to explore this beautiful park. Set up camp at the top of the “mountain” overlooking the Apalachicola River at one of the Rock Bluff Primitive Campsites. Make a reservation for the cracker cabin, yurt, or a campsite with hookups for your RV.
The park is located in the panhandle in Bristol. Whether you spend a day or a week, Torreya State Park is a wonderfully unique park to explore and discover.
For more information visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/park…/torreya-state-park.
Painted Bunting
Painted Bunting
Painted Buntings, Passerina ciris, are a delight to see with their bright blue, green, red, and yellow feathers. Females and young buntings are a beautiful shade of green.
There are two breeding populations of Painted Buntings. The western population in the south-central U.S. migrates to Central America. The eastern population that we will discuss here breeds in northeastern Florida eastern Georgia, and South Carolina before migrating to southern Florida and the Caribbean.
Painted Buntings breed in scrub habitats, hedges in yards, and on the edges of maritime hammocks. They prefer habitats with shrubs and trees that are semi-open. A mated pair will find dense foliage where the female will build a nest of woven foliage, including oak leaves, pine needles, bark, grasses, and Spanish moss. She will produce 1-3 broods yearly with 3-4 eggs. Incubation lasts 11-12 days. Males will fiercely defend their breeding territory.
Eastern breeders spend their winter in grassy/shrubby habitats where food is readily available. You may find them in small flocks or sharing their space with other seed-eating birds in South Florida.
These songbirds’ diets consist primarily of seeds except during the breeding season when their diets require mostly insects. Insects of choice include grasshoppers, caterpillars, wasps, flies, and beetles. Painted buntings forage seeds from grasses, spurge, sedge, St John’s Wort, and more. bark, grasses, and Spanish moss. She will produce 1-3 broods yearly with 3-4 eggs. Incubation lasts 11-12 days. Males will fiercely defend their breeding territory.
Painted Buntings will eat seeds from your bird feeder when you welcome them to your yard and provide low, dense vegetation.
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo and Lynn Marie
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, with their bushy tails are common sights throughout Florida. Look for them in the woods, in parks, and in your yard. Watch them as they chase each other through hardwood and mixed forests, in oak and hickory trees in parks and yards, and across streets.
Their diet consists of seeds, acorns, buds, fruit, and insects. Watch as they hoard acorns, berries, seeds and bark to be retrieved late.
Coexisting with squirrels requires us to be vigilant in keeping access to our attics sealed so that squirrels build their nests in the trees as nature intended. Watching them at our birdfeeder can be both frustrating and amusing. To keep your feeders for birds only, invest in a highly rated squirrel-proof feeder. #ConnectRespectCoexist
Gaudy Sphinx
The Gaudy sphinx, Eumorpha labruscae, is a common and vibrant green moth whose range is from Argentina to Canada. Host plants include muscadine grapes, Christmas bush, and other vines. Pupae climb down into the soil where metamorphosis takes place. They emerge as adults. Females release pheromones at night to attract males who follow the scent.
Florida Red-bellied Cooter
Florida Red-bellied Cooters, Pseudemys nelson, are found across the entire peninsula of Florida and into the southeastern part of Georgia. They were first classified as a separate species by Archie Carr in 1938. This is a large aquatic turtle with females reaching shell lengths of almost 15 inches. The males are smaller in size than the females and have elongated front nails that they use in courtship. They can be identified by the red blotches that extend up the carapace (top of the shell), a most often plain, reddish plastron (belly), and a notched upper beak.
These cooters are herbivorous as sub-adults and adults but the juveniles will eat a wide variety of plants and small animals. They can be found in freshwater ponds, lakes, marshes, and very slow-moving rivers and streams. The turtles prefer slow water movement and heavy vegetation and will not be found in swift-moving rivers or waterways with low vegetation.
Florida Red-bellied Cooters lay their eggs from May through August in well-draining soils close to freshwater. They have often been observed laying their eggs in alligator nest mounds. The average is about 14 eggs per clutch and the cooters can lay 3 to 6 clutches of eggs per year. The hatchlings look different than the adults, being greenish in color with yellow bars on the carapace.
Many animals such as raccoons feed on the eggs. Natural predators for this species are numerous when the turtles are hatchlings. However, as they mature, few animals other than the alligator can penetrate the thick shells of the Florida Red-bellied Cooter.
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