Beginning this month we will be posting a series of natural resource articles high lighting Florida’s Panhandle. The photographs and hikes presented in this series are from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties but the same natural places can be found anywhere between the Perdido and Apalachicola Rivers. We hope our readers will visit these places and DISCOVER FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE on their own. This year we will begin at the Gulf of Mexico and visit our BARRIER ISLANDS. We will visit the same location on Santa Rosa Island in Escambia County each month over the course of a year. During this series we should see how things change each season and learn more about our natural places.
The Gulf of Mexico at sunrise. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Here is the Gulf of Mexico. The northern Gulf is primary sand but their are areas of hard bottom that provide habitat for many of our commercial important fisheries. 450 feet off the shore from this photo is an artificial reef placed by Escambia County for residents and visitors alike to explore. These reefs attract a variety of reef fish and sea turtles and are great for wildlife viewing. Notice how low the sun is in the sky on this winter morning. The shortest day of the year was December 21 (when the sun was it’s lowest) and will be “climbing” as this series continues. Many beach residents use this as their clock!
Our barrier islands are considered the “world’s whitest beaches” and this is because of the high amount of quartz deposited here. In this photograph you can see the water is farther from shore than usual. This is due to the strong north winds blowing water offshore; this happens every winter – but provides feeding opportunities for shorebirds. The sand fencing is used by many of our counties to “kick start” dune restoration.
Primary dune line with sand fencing. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Beyond the primary dune on this portion of the island you will find low areas known as swales. These “depressions” will fill with water during rain events and provide much needed freshwater for the organisms who live out here. Barrier islands are xeric environments (meaning “desert like”) and freshwater habitats are very important for many creatures. Some of these ponds are ephemeral (meaning non-permanent) and dry up during some periods of the year.
Swale with dead cattails. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Small pines on the edge of a swale. Photo: Rick O’Connor
The water in most swales is freshwater. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Where the primary dune and swales end the secondary dune fields begin. Because of the primary dunes there is less wind and salt spray which allows different species to take root. The secondary dunes are often identified by their small round shrubs – such as goldenrod and beach heather. These larger plants will trap larger amounts of sand producing larger dunes. On the secondary dunes I usually find lots of tracks. Identifying tracks is difficult (especially in soft sand) but fun. Most of what I saw this winter day were mammals. Raccoons, opossums, and armadillos are very common. Skunks were once common but have been scarce since the hurricane years. Below are tracks of a canine. Many people bring their dogs to the beach but coyote and fox are also found here. These tracks measured about 3.5″ and more round than triangle shaped; suggesting this is a dog.
Small secondary dune with small pine trees.
This secondary dune supports a saw palmetto. Many forms of wildlife depending on these shrub areas.
These unidentified canine tracks are probably of a dog; though coyotes are on our islands
Beyond the secondary dunes are the largest dunes on the island, some measuring over 50′, these are the tertiary dunes. With the secondary dunes blocking wind and salt spray larger plants still are allowed to grow. Here we find actually trees; pine, live oak, magnolia to name a few. With the loss of primary and secondary dunes the tertiary dunes are exposed to the wind and salt spray of the Gulf side, which puts them at risk. This is why sea oats and primary dunes are protected in most counties.
The face of a tertiary dune. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Tertiary dunes are the largest dunes on the island; some reaching over 50′.
Tertiary dunes support trees such as this magnolia and yaupon holly.
The large field of tertiary dunes blocks enough wind that forests and salt marshes can establish themselves on the back side of the island. Here the diversity and abundance of wildlife increases. We have found not only the mammals already mentioned but snakes, freshwater turtles and terrapins, and a variety of birds. This winter day I found several small woodland and mocking birds. Some of our islands have deer and alligators.
From atop a tertiary dune you can view the maritime forest, salt marsh, and sound beyond. Photo: Rick O’Connor
Within the maritime forest you will find a variety of plants and animals.
Holly’s are famous for having the bright red berries around Christmas time. Here in January the berries are still found on some of them.
Between the maritime forest and the salt marsh you may find freshwater ponds. Like the swale ponds, these places are great places to find wildlife. Though I have not seen them in many years I have found alligators in this area. These ponds support populations of amphibians and small fishes.
This freshwater pond has bull minnows, amphibians, snakes, and – in the past – alligators. Photo: Rick O’Connor
With the dunes blocking offshore winds trees can grow much larger on the back side of the island; like this live oak.
This pond supports a stand of green algae which supports many of the aquatic animals that visit here.
On this winter day I primarily saw bird life. The air temperature was 39 F and the wind was out of the north. Many of the mammals move at night and the reptiles, being cold blooded, were hibernating somewhere; the bird life however was pretty active. Many woodlands birds were out feeding on seeds and berries, herons and egrets were in the marsh hunting fish in the shallow waters, and shorebirds were picking through the beach wrack and some were diving.
This pelican is searching over Santa Rosa Sound for a fish to feed on. Photo: Rick O’Connor
This unusual drag was found between the salt marsh and the sound side shoreline. It looks like a turtle crawl but at his time of year more probable something being dragged by something.
Armadillo tracks can be identified by their “tail drags”.
Salt marshes are one of the most productive systems on earth; and the target for another FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE series. Crabs, shrimp, mollusk, worms, terrapins, fish, and birds are some of the wildlife that call this place home – and maybe we will find some as this series continues into the warmer months. Today I found pelicans, herons, and egrets here eating.
A finger of a salt marsh on Santa Rosa Island. The water here is saline, particularly during high tide. Photo: Rick O’Connor
The muck of a salt marsh. This rich organic mud is very loose and the hiker can quickly sink! Notice the tracks of a predator.
Notice the low water levels typical of winter. This congregates fish into smaller pools and makes it easier for birds and mammals to catch them.
The Sound side of the island has wind but less wind than the Gulf side. The wave energy here is also lower supporting seagrass and oyster communities. Like the marsh these places are very productive; though all I really saw moving on this cold winter morning were the birds. There are two species of seagrass common to our sounds; turtle grass and shoal grass. However there have been reports of more tropical species appearing. We may find some when the water warms up. These waters support at least 100 species of fish and many invertebrates we enjoy eating.
The darker areas in the water are seagrasses. Photo: Rick O’Connor
I found this along the shore last winter. These are cannonball jellyfish.
This is a sea nettle. This species of jellyfish has a more painful sting. I only saw one of these today but saw several cannonballs.
People find this “sea foam” frequently when they visit the beach. It is formed when the winds pick up and there are nutrients in the water. It was up and down the beach today.
It is not uncommon to find dead fish along the shore after a hard freeze as we have had in recent weeks. When it warms these dead fish will attract scavengers including cottonmouths. Maybe we will see one later in the year.
There was very little trash on the island today but it was there. These pieces of debris can cause serious problems for coastal wildlife. We will discuss this issue more as this series moves on.
Well, for January we found the beach to be cold and windy. Very little wildlife was out to be viewed other than birds and the numerous tracks in the dunes, but as the temperatures warm we will see more. Take some time to visit our barrier islands and enjoy them. Until February.
“Within the past five years, nine of the 14 villages in Nunavik in northernmost Quebec have had to install cooling systems at community ice hockey arenas to keep the rinks cold during winter.“ – The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions
Have you wondered how Florida’s wildlife conservation policy planners and habitat managers are responding to the new management challenge of predicted coastal habitat loss from sea level rise? And how that overlays on predicted habitat loss from a 50-year doubling of Florida’s human population? Are the model predictions for both trends reliable enough to give planners a platform for recommending actions to ensure a habitable Florida for wildlife and for our grandchildren?
It’s a daunting task. The latest reports released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [ http://www.floridaclimateinstitute-uf.org/new-ipcc-report-climate-change-2014-impacts-adaptation-and-vulnerability/ ] serve to compress our “breathing room” of time to shift gears into planning for a “multiple-whammy” future – a future that just a decade ago, few natural resource managers knew they would soon need to anticipate. How do we juggle explosive population growth, accelerating freshwater depletion, and rapid climate change? What initiatives and efforts are underway?
To answer this question, let’s turn to Dr Thomas Eason, Director of the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Dr Eason gave a talk on campus a year ago at the UF/IFAS conference, “Sustaining Economies and Natural Resources in a Changing World.” His 25-minute presentation, “Florida Fish and Wildlife – Adapting to a Changing World,” was recorded and posted at [ http://training.ifas.ufl.edu/FCI2013/Session4_Natural_Resources_Eason/main.htm ]
Eason noted that globally, climate change is predicted to result in the extinction of 10-40% of all wildlife species. FWC has generated vulnerability assessments for a first suite of rare and imperiled species, and some non-native invasive exotic species as well. Analysis has shown that for many non-native species in Florida, climate change will create new habitats, and they will expand their range, while imperiled species will more likely experience shrinkage of habitat that is already inadequate.
Eason noted that sea level rise will directly impact “tens of thousands” of acres of Florida habitat, and that consideration of secondary and tertiary impacts had yet to be addressed by habitat planners. Species adaptation planning has been undertaken in collaboration with GeoAdaptive (formerly MIT). Thus far, the initiative includes future habitat modeling for six South Florida species for which FWC has good data, under three different scenarios for sea level rise.
Eason concluded with the metaphor that society (and the natural resource conservation professions) are in a car he called “Business-as-Usual” (BAU) colliding in slow motion with a wall (future reality), and that even if we don’t know it yet, BAU is “already blowing up” because “humans have put things in motion that are not going to stop”(changes in technology, demographics, the economy and climate) that will make our world 50 years hence radically different from today’s world.
I started a little vermiculture bin year before last with one cup of red wigglers from the local bait shop. I carefully sorted my garbage so there was no grease or animal protein in the bin and counted the worms every Saturday. Yes, I was a little obsessive about it.
Sixth instar larvae of the black soldier fly Credit: Bianca Diclaro, University of Florida Credit: Bianca Diclaro, University of Florida
The initial population was twenty-four and during the cold month it had gotten down to twelve. The bin finally rebounded. The last time I counted, there were 499 worms. I spent an hour looking for another to make a round 500 but gave up. I decided my bin must be doing all right and let it drift into a period of what I assumed was benign neglect.
The next time I stirred up the bin I saw large flattened maggots that made me think I’d made a BIG mistake. The wigglers were still working, but I was mortified they might be in serious danger of compost collapse.
Adult Black Soldier Fly Credit: Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida
A little research revealed they are the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF). Being a fly it lacks a stinger.
Turns out the fly is an outstanding composter of animal manure and animal protein as well as a deterrent to nuisance flies. It is being used on a industrial scale to turn offal into compost/fertilizer and the larvae make great fish or poultry feed.
They had come to my worm bin because I had let it get wetter than the perfect red wiggler moisture level and because I had become lax in my garbage sorting. Instead of a problem, I had a bonus.
Mature larvae move to a dryer space to pupate. This tendency allows backyard MacGyvers to assemble a bin with a spout to deliver the larvae directly to the chicken yard or fish pond. What looks like an icky monster is really another natural wonder with lots of applications.
Check these links for more information on the Black Soldier Fly and how it can complement your red wigglers.
Warming temperatures have awaken snakes that have been dormant during the winter months. As a result, they are more active during abnormal times of the day and move more than they typically do while searching for food. This also means more people are likely to encounter with them.
Even though most snakes are nonvenomous, many people fear them and will go out of their way to kill them if an encounter occurs. Interestingly, 95% of the humans bitten by snakes are either trying to catch or kill them; suggesting the best thing to do when encountering a snake is to leave it be.
Brush piles such as these attract snakes. These should be kept away from where family members play. They can actually be used to move snakes away from areas where you do not want them. Photo: Rick O’Connor
How can you reduce your chance of encountering a snake?
Most snakes found around the house are either seeking suitable habitat or food. Anything that could attract rodents or amphibians could attract snakes. Overgrown landscaping, trash or brush piles, bird feeders, water features, garbage, and greenhouses are examples of snake attractants many people have. To reduce your chance of an encounter you should move such items away from the house, and for those that you cannot – keep as clean as you can. Snakes do not like to cross short grass, so a frequently mowed yard helps as well. If you live near good snake habitat you may have to invest in silt fencing, or a similar product, that has a slick surface which is difficult to crawl over. If placing silt fencing along the boundary you should have the wooden stakes on your side of the fence; snakes can climb these.
What do I do if I encounter a snake?
The first thing you should understand is that, like most animals, there is a zone around snakes in which they feel threatened. When they detect you, they react as if you are the predator. If you are outside their zone they will remain motionless. If you cross the line, they will try to move away to avoid being attacked. If they have nowhere to move they will turn and defend themselves; this could mean a strike. If a snake is encountered, try not to move towards the snake and if you are already close try to give the animal an escape route. Many will want to know if the snake is venomous. Of the 46 species and subspecies of snakes in our state only six are venomous. Of these, five belong to the family Viperidae and can be identified by the elliptical eye pupil, the triangle-shaped head, and the second set of nostrils (pits) on the snout. These include the three species of rattlesnakes, the moccasin, and the copperhead. One venomous snake, the Eastern Coral Snake, does not have the appearance of a viper. The coloration of this snake is red, yellow and black with red touching yellow. They also differ from their kingsnake mimics by having a black head.
This copperhead shows the elliptical pupil and pit commonly found in Florida’s pit vipers. Photo: Molly O’Connor
If the unfortunate happens and a snake bites you, the first thing you should do is not get bit twice. Many people react by trying to kill the snake and multiple bites can happen. Nonvenomous bites should be washed with warm water and soap. If the bite is from a viper, remember–do not get bit twice. With venomous snakes many feel the hospital will need the snake for identification of the proper antivenin. This is not necessary and, again, could lead to multiple bites. Viper bites can be extremely painful and, if venom is injected, can induce severe swelling. You should remove rings, watches, or any garment that may impede swelling. Many of the traditional first aid treatments for snake bites can cause more harm than the bite. It is recommended that you hold the bite below heart level if possible and calmly go to the hospital. Coral snake bites are often undetected but are very serious and medical attention is needed.
As we approach spring, locals should be aware that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is trying to track three species of local snakes; the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, the Florida Pine Snake, and the Southern Hognose. If you think you see one of these FWC would like to know. A GPS mark and photograph is needed. You can find the log site at FWC’s website: www.MyFWC.com. For more information on snakes, contact your local County Extension Office.
This nonvenmous gray rat snake has a head shaped more like your thumb and the round pupil. Photo: Molly O’Connor
Digital devices have proliferated like kudzu in July, and new user applications for these devices are as common as armadillos. Untold hours and dollars are being spent by couch potatoes to defend artificial worlds from dragons, zombies and other imaginary invaders.
Meanwhile, real exotic aliens from air potatoes to monitor lizards are invading Florida.
Don’t panic; there is some good news. A group of new applications that can help citizen scientists identify, locate and manage invasive plant and animal species in Florida is available for free.
The first line of defense is identifying and mapping new occurrences of invasive species. Many, if not most, new infestations were established before anyone noticed or cataloged them, and effective control strategies depend on knowing the extent of new infestations.
The Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) has been available at http://www.eddmaps.org since 2005. In the words of its developers, Charles Bargeron and David Moorehead of the University of Georgia’s Bugwood Network, the system was designed to: “develop more complete local, state and regional level distribution data of invasive plants, identify “leading edge” ranges of new invasive threats, provide a means of implementing early detection and response, and help corroborate threats and refine invasive plant lists and management priorities.”
“IveGot1” was developed by this same group through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. The application is now available on both Apple and Android operating systems. The app includes invasive plants and animals and allows direct reporting of sightings as well as back ground information on Florida’s most common invasive species.
The impact of wild hogs on the environment is soil erosion, decreased water quality, spread of other invasive plants, damage to agricultural crops, and damage to native plants and animals. Photo by Jennifer Bearden
At least two other apps useful for invasive species management are also available. “Invasive Plants in Southern Forests” is adapted from the US Forest Service book of the same name. This publication is available for download at http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/gtr/gtr_srs062, but it’s a big file (33MB). In addition to its ID function, the app includes appropriate control methods for the over 100 invasive trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and forbs described. As of now, this application is only available for the iPhone platform.
The second app is for Florida’s most widespread invasive animal. Although pythons may be our most infamous invasive animal, they don’t have the distribution of the wild hog. “Squeal on Pigs” combines a location app and educational information to support states’ efforts to control wild hog populations and reduce their impacts on streams and crops.
Maybe you won’t reach Destroyer level in the real battle on air potatoes and Florida’s other invasive species, but moving from Angry Birds to Squeal on Pigs will raise your power level as a Friend of Real Florida.
Florida Black Bear visiting an easy food source. Photo by Jennifer Bearden
Florida Black Bear are the largest land mammals in the state of Florida. At birth they are smaller than a soda can but they quickly grow up to 250-400 pounds for males and 125-250 pounds for females. Even though black bears are large animals, they are not fierce killers nor are they cute and cuddly. Bears are like most other wildlife; if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.
In 1974, bear population numbers were extremely low and the Florida Black Bear was listed as a state threatened species. Today, we have increased bear population numbers 10 fold to about 3,000 statewide.
Graphics courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
As urban areas have expanded into bear habitat, the number of bear/human interactions has increased. Bears are omnivorous with 80% of their diet coming from plants. Bears are fairly intelligent creatures that forage for easy food sources. Urban areas tend to attract nearby bears with food sources such as garbage containers, pet food dishes, and bird feeders. Bears become accustom to food sources near humans and lose some fear of humans and may even bluff charge humans to defend their food source. The best way to prevent this is to remove food sources.
Clean BBQ grills and store them in a secure building when not in use.
Take garbage to the curb the morning of pickup instead of the night before.
Store garbage cans in a sturdy building or other secure area.
Feed pets inside and store pet food securely.
Protect gardens and trees with electric fencing.
Hang wildlife feeders out of reach of bears and take them down if bears are in the area.
It is illegal to feed bears in Florida (Florida Administrative Code 68A-4.001(3)). In addition to being illegal, it isn’t smart. Feeding bears intentionally or unintentionally increases the likelihood of human injury, property damage and bear injury or death.
So what do you do if you encounter a bear?
Remain calm and don’t run!
Don’t approach the bear, instead give it space to retreat.
Back away slowly without looking the bear in the eyes.
Speak to the bear in a calm voice.
Bring children and pets inside.
Find a safe place then make a lot of noise to let the bear know it isn’t welcome – yell, bang pots and pans, raise your hands high and stand tall to scare the bear away.
