A wonderful flock (ha!) of neighbors photograph wildlife in our neighborhood

Photo credit: Marc Holtsberg, male Pileated feeds a female, likely a juvenile; 

May 15, 2021

There are almost two handfuls of photographers capturing and sharing wildlife wonderment moments while walking in Wildewood Springs I and II and Springlakes*. 

One of the nicest treats is opening my inbox to see what others are discovering and willing to share with other neighbors. 

From Marc Holtsberg's lens - Pileated Woodpeckers.

While walking in the WWS neighborhood, Marc noticed four Pileateds. They were likely adults and fledges flitting and feeding. 

(Marc saw these Pileateds in a different nesting area from last year's nest - last year -one post; another; both 4/2020).

Marc also photographs adults and chicks in the Cooper's Hawk nest on Wildewood Drive. Here is a recent photo of an adult Cooper.

Beth Price's Wildewood Springs Bird eList is HERE. Oh the birds she has photographed! (Her family's place nicknamed "Priceless" is in Springdale.) Here is a photo of an American Robin Beth took in Springdale.

Thomas Couillard and Jeanne Higbee (Woodlawn) send regular updates about the 3 Yellow Crowned Night Heron nests. Thomas keeps track of the hatchings. How? By the egg shells the adults push over the nest side.

Jeanne shared this observation of activity around one of the YCNH nests. With the pair of Barred Owls around, it seems that there is an active negotiation of territory.

Something new tonight. There are now clearly hatchlings in both nests 1&2, which are only about 10 feet apart...Tonight all four parents stuck around after feeding time. Of course, we personify everything, so we decided that they were standing guard after the attention from the owls. But then a heron that is not fully an adult flew in and stayed nearby, too. The adults did nothing to drive it away as they would if it had been a full-grown adult. Then when one of the adults started collecting twigs to add to nest 1, the younger bird followed wherever it went. This went on for more than an hour and the young one was still there when we left. Our hypothesis was that it was one of the young from that tree last year..."

This is a photograph I took early one morning this week of one of the Yellow Crowned Night Herons sitting on the nest.

Betty Pander sent this short amazing video of a monarch emerging from its chrysalis behind her place.

Susan Herman (Pineneedle) recently shared photographs. She photographed an Anhinga, Peninsula Cooter, and White Ibis near her place.

And a Peninsula Cooter Turtle.

Earl Bodman (Sherwood) holding his sweet cat - they were on the way to the vet. When he introduced himself, I recognized his name from his photographs on the WWS I website. 

Earl's photo of a juvenile Bald Eagle from the WWS I website. 

Steve Rymph (Woodlawn) observes the bee box and Wood Duck boxes. He's also created a Butterfly garden near his place. An update in March was:

After clearing out the schefflera I could actually see a [Wood Duck] hen entering the second box...The hens used that nesting box as a "dump" for eggs they did not incubate last year, 15 eggs total. I cleaned the box and added new nesting material over a month ago so I dearly hope someone will settle in. My understanding is the hens will not incubate until they have laid a full clutch of eggs over several days. That way the eggs all hatch at the same time. 

Faith Buell sent updates on a Muscovy Duck nest in Springlakes. Can't place the Muscovy Duck? This is what it looks like.

The WWS I website includes many photographs from other neighbor photographers. To name a few: Earl, Beth Ramsey, Barb West, Tom Turnwald, and Michael Zinda. Michael took this photo of a Great Egret near one of the Wildewood Springs signs.

From my lens this past week, a Florida Soft Shell Turtle laying eggs!

NOTE

* Wildewood Springs is divided into two sections. Wildewood I and II, and includes a third section called Springlakes. There are 14 villages total. Wildewood I includes 558 condo units in Pinehurst, Sherwood, Springdale, Palm Tree, Lakeside, Woodlawn, Oakview, and Oak. These villages are part of the WWS Condo Association.

Wildewood II consists of Tidewater, Timberlake, Lakewood, Wild Palm, and Pineneedle. These villages as well as Springlakes have their own HOAs. 

Wildewood Springs is Wildlife Certified Habitat

Wood Stork, Pineneedle Village. Preening just before dusk.

Joel Sartore inspired this website, in a note of appreciation for our neighborhood, he shared a wonderful list of ways to help the WWS

 habitat.

 

It is a joy to share the many sightings of birds and other wildlife her in Wildewood. An American Eagle has nested nearby for years. Here is an adult and its offspring.

Juvenile American Eagle

Three neighbors recently reported turtle sightings. Peninsula Cooter Turtle (left) and a Florida Soft-Shell Turtle. Photograph, February 3, 2019. The duck? Lesser Scaup. 

The entire development called Wildewood Springs is a wildlife-certified wildlife area. What a beautiful and beneficial aspect of living here! Why are sections of the neighborhood untouched, still wild? WWS was not clear-cut. That means that developer Paul Neal and architect Tim J. Seibert designed around the large native Southern Live Oak trees. Leaving some land for wildlife provides the many bird sightings posted here. It is also good creature-in-the-house prevention. 

The wildlife designation asks that we do our best to uphold a friendly abidance to the wildlife and land. 

Our guiding Rules and Regulations booklet helps by extending suggestions about care made by local and state officials. 

Here are a few ways to help:

Let wildlife get their food from the habitat. 

In a nutshell, do not feed wildlife. HERE is some general information and a USDA statement. 

If you're like me, I was surprised by the do-not-feed directive. As a midwesterner, I had bird feeders. However, here in Florida, there is abundant nourishment for wildlife. 

Dr. Sadkin says a cause of the growing population of Canada Geese that do not return north is feeding which can interrupt migration patterns.

Avoid using rat poisons.

Tell your neighbors that Owls, Hawks, and Eagles take care of the vermin population. Susan Jennifer Griffith, UF | ISAF, is a resource for Florida-friendly habitat and landscape guidance. She says,

Warfarin-type or other poison baits should be avoided at all costs. Owls, Hawks, and Eagles will take care of the rodents naturally, but using poison baits risk killing these birds of prey so it is an endless vicious circle that ends up with inhumane deaths (potentially) of several different species – not just the rats. The birds of prey populations can take a big hit as their habitats are already disappearing rapidly so you end up still having rodent population explosions with no natural predators eventually. If residents insist on a rat box?. The box here is electrocution-based and very quick. That might be the best option if some sort of action is demanded. 

Dr. Sadkin advised not using rat poison boxes and instead installing owl boxes. Barred and Screech owls eat vermin. 

Barn Owls love vermin - rats and mice make up 75% of their nourishment.

Other ways to help reduce vermin: Trim palms near units before fruiting. (Rats eat palm fruit and will nest in palm tops of those trees where the fruit is left.)

Don't install bird feeders (a WW2A rule adopted from the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife). There is plenty of food for birds in this habitat.

Choose beneficial vegetation choices.

When designing gardens, consider using central Florida wetland-habitat plants. 

There are 4 butterfly gardens on WWS2A Association grounds. These gardens were installed with a purpose: to harmonize the habitat. They are meant to support maintaining the Audubon-certified wildlife habitat. Neighbors maintain the butterfly gardens. Each is designated with "no spraying" and "no trimming" signage made by the HOA landscape company, Natural Designs.

Another important support for wildlife - leave some vegetation along the pond edge.

"Leaving some vegetation along the edges of your pond or creek will encourage birds to nest and rest there. Allowing vegetation to grow around your pond or creek also reduces erosion and helps filter pollutants out of the surface water before it can reach your pond." - The Cornell Lab, The Nature Conservancy 

Use the FLIP List to guide plant purchases to support Florida's native habitat.

Become familiar with the FLIP list (Florida Invasive Plants) and refer to it before purchasing plants.

Remove top-tier invasive (to central Florida's wetland habitat) trees and plants.
Like Carrotwood trees. The Carrotwood tree is native to eastern and southern Australia - its native habitat is a littoral forest. But here in Florida, Carrotwood especially out-competes and endangers mangroves, the fish nurseries. I wrote about it here.

Obey and share information about Florida's Fertilizer Ordinance.

Abiding by this ordinance and reducing use when allowed is the #1 way to promote water quality in the ponds of WWS.

Manatee County Fertilizer Ordinance - "Help us prevent algal blooms, fish kills and poor water quality in our ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and bays."

"June 1 is the beginning of the summertime fertilizer blackout. During this time you cannot apply any fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus to your lawn or landscape until October. 

The County’s strict fertilizer ordinance – aimed at improving water quality – prohibits using these products from June 1 through Sept. 30 or at any time of year the National Weather Service forecasts heavy rains to occur within 24 hours. 

During the time of year when you are allowed to fertilize, you still must keep in mind that no more than four pounds of nitrogen per 1,000  square feet per year can be applied, and that granular fertilizers containing nitrogen must be at least 50 percent slow release nitrogen. Also, phosphorus is not allowed unless a soil test documents a phosphorus deficiency." -Michelle Atkinson, UF | IFAS

Recycle and reduce plastic use.

WS2A has multiple recycle bins for neighbor use. Here is a link to the dates to recycle hazardous materials nearby (66th Street in Bradenton).

Keep dogs on a leash and pick up their poop.

I learned about pet care as a long-time dog-owner living adjacent to parkland (while living in Ohio). I'm glad I did. What I learned in OH applies to FL.

First, a leashed dog in Wildewood Springs helps a pet remain safe and it supports the safety of wildlife. Here are what the professionals say:

Freshwater Turtles

Various species of freshwater turtles lay eggs year round. (Read more about the various species of Florida turtles HERE.)

"Let turtles lay their eggs. Turtles are very vulnerable when they leave the safety and security of the water. If they are disturbed they may leave the nesting site without laying their eggs...These turtles risk becoming eggbound (unable to pass eggs) and can die." - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Mottled Ducks

"The Florida mottled duck is a non-migratory native species. Florida mottled ducks nest from February through July. The females tend to locate their nests in dense vegetation (tall grasses, rushes or palmetto thickets) on the ground near water. The nest is built of vegetation and lined with down. Only one brood each year is raised and females typically lay 8 to 10 eggs called a clutch. The eggs are creamy-white to greenish-white and are incubated within 25 to 27 days." - The Cornell Lab, The Nature Conservancy

National Parks give us a view of the bigger picture of pets and parks.

Parks generally have paths or roads for walking. Natural areas are off-limits for pets. Parks have a B.A.R.K. program:

Bag poop (Why? It's much more than accidentally stepping in poop. The important answer is for clean water.)

Always on a leash; National Parks state the leash needs to be no longer than 6' 

Respect wildlife

Know where you can go

We are not the only neighborhood striving to educate and foster understanding about helpful options. Here is a flyer created by residents from a neighborhood adjacent to a State Park that helps me understand these suggestions.

Dogs are not allowed in Metro parks and natural areas.
To a bird, squirrel, or other critter living in the woods, a dog is a predator. Even if the dog only chases for a bit, the prey has expended a lot of adrenaline and energy to save its life.

• While being chased, and then recovering, the animal isn’t hunting, foraging, resting, traveling, or taking care of young.

• The stress of a chase itself can cause death.

• Pregnant wildlife and newborn animals do not have the reserves to repeatedly expend in running away from your dog.

• Ground-nesting wildlife is particularly at risk. Disturbed birds may be prevented from nesting, or if they already have a nest, they may fly away from it and neglect their eggs or chicks in the process. The chicks may die from exposure, lack of food, or predation.

• Dogs severly stress and sometimes kill wildlife.