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“I see said the blind man as he picks up his hammer and saw,” is one of my favorite expressions, where “see” refers to sight or understanding. and the moment when I finally recognize what is going on. It was just a regular trip to the mailbox; on the way I’d glance at the bed of aloe vera plants with their tall bloom spikes, hoping for a hummingbird to hover on by. Surely one day I’d see a hummingbird as each Fall Hummingbirds leave their breeding grounds throughout the Eastern United States, and winter in the Florida Keys. while others take their fly-way South through Texas to Panama.  Ruby-throated hummingbird approaching an aloe vera flower. Surely they were present in my yard. Yet they eluded my vision until I took the time to sit and wait, camera in hand, for the invisible to appear. To say I'm a multitasker would be accurate, while I sit in wait for the hummingbird, the phone rings and now I’m also talking to a client about art work when suddenly I blurt out “Wait wait I gotta go… It's here…” My reaction to spotting my first hummingbird could have been likened to giving birth to my first child. But in a flash it was gone again.  Ruby-throated hummingbird male hovers in midair while sipping nectar. I silenced the phone, and waited with my strict attention on the flowers. In about 10 minutes the bird returned. I lifted my camera, pulled off some shots and I captured that amazing bird approaching, hovering, and nectaring on an aloe flower. The photograph revealed it was a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), its name referring to the ruby-red feathers on the male bird’s throat.  Firebush (Hamelia patens): a Florida native with orange-red flowers Having finally seen a hummingbird in action, I can truly appreciate these amazing little helicopters, as they swoop down from the treetops, hover in midair while sipping nectar, then zip away all in the blink of an eye. They are so small, about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches, weighing less than a quarter of an ounce, a hummingbird could easily be missed. Perhaps you could hear them coming by the humming sound caused by the rapid beating of their wings… that’s why they are called “humming” birds. Ruby-throated hummingbirds’ wings beat at an amazing 55 beats per second. They have to keep moving since hummingbirds have tiny feet, which is great for aerodynamics, however there's a downside: these birds cannot walk. They can only perch or scoot sideways.  Firecracker plant: with red, tubular flowers, growing 3-4 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide Hummingbirds need to feed every 10-15 minutes which increased my opportunities for getting a photo. They can only feed from dawn to dusk so they must consume more than half their weight in food and 8 times their weight in water. They’ve adapted to survive darkness when they cannot feed by eating as much as they can just before dark. At night, their heart rate and body temperature drop to conserve energy, sort of like a daily hibernation, otherwise they likely would starve. Hummingbirds preferred flower color is orange, red or pink. Their needle-like beaks are specialized for feeding on tubular-shaped flowers, where they eat insects found inside, and with their tongue extending beyond their beak, drink the nectar, as if sipping through a straw.  Geiger Tree (Cordia sebestena): a large Florida Keys native with bright orange flowers Frequently mentioned on lists of Keys Hummingbird plants are the following:
The aloe plant is rarely mentioned as a nectar plant for hummingbirds, although the aloe bloom is pinkish-yellow and has a tubular shape. Hummingbirds learn by trial and error which flowers give the best results, so the aloe in my yard evidently has passed the taste test. They also like the red Bombax blooms which appear in late Winter/Spring.  Adult Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird o a feeder looking “back at ya”. Photo by: Ed Cox A short while later I resumed the phone call that was interrupted by the bird. Luckily I was speaking with a fellow nature photographer who understood my enthusiasm, and then shared some of his great photos of hummingbirds. I noticed some photos involved feeders which are great for viewing hummingbirds. A feeder is filled with a mixture of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. Boil the sugar solution till the sugar is dissolved, then cool.. Since the feeder itself is red, there is no need to add red food coloring. Be careful to avoid placing the feeder in direct sunlight, as this stimulates bacteria growth, and clean the feeder every five days. Though feeders satisfy the sweet tooth, gardening for wildlife is always a better nutritional option, especially if you have a variety of plants which are in bloom at different times.  Adult Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a feeder. Photo by: Ed Cox  Juvenile Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird Photo by: Ed Cox
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Lately there has been a lot of talk about getting healthy again. There is plenty of room for common ground with this discussion… after all who doesn’t want to be healthy? Getting started is half of the problem. Often we place too much emphasis on how disciplined we must be, and set unrealistic goals which become more of a chore than a healthy habit.  A Common Yellowthroat visits a water source late in the afternoon.  American Redstart with an eye on a small green worm in a Wild Tamarind (Lyceloma) tree. Birdwatching has surprising health benefits, and is good for the body and soul. First it is widely accepted that getting out in the fresh air and sunshine is good for your mind, and your body benefits from absorption of Vitamin D. Birdwatchers walk a lot, but not at a fast pace, since there are breaks when you stop and listen and look for birds. The excitement of the search for birds inspires you to walk farther than you normally would. A fitness expert told me that for every 45 minutes of walking, you earn an additional day of life… longevity earned one step at a time!  Female American Redstart in a Seagrape Tree - Blue Hole, Big Pine Key. Photo by: Isabella Collamati My first bird watching experience came two-and-a-half years ago in May during Spring migration. I was helping survey for butterflies, when someone spotted a Cape May Warbler. I took a photo which I later used to confirm the identity, and learn the bird.  American Redstart blends in with the mulch. Spring and Fall are the major times for bird migration. Songbirds fly South in autumn by the millions, including many young birds, some less than three months old. Their sheer numbers are staggering, and it is a great time to get to know a vast number of birds, in both mature and immature development. The Spring migration however is more popular, as the birds have had time to develop adult plumage and work on their repertoire of songs.  A Black and White Warbler probes for insects in the roots of a fig tree. For centuries man wondered about the seasonal movements of birds. Migrating birds move at night guided by the stars, orienting themselves by landmarks and sensing the earth’s magnetic field. Basic information such as how many birds, how high they flew, and where they were going remained a mystery. The earliest researchers extrapolated numbers by viewing the sky and counting how many bird silhouettes were defined when they passed in front of the full moon.  Male Prairie Warbler. Blue Hole, Big Pine Key. Photo by: Isabella Collamati In the last 80 years, thanks to the end of World War II and the donation by the Navy of 25 radars to the National Weather Service, scientists have used weather radar to track migration. Using radar they can now “see” millions of birds cross over the Gulf of Mexico on a non-stop flight of 600 miles. For migratory birds, their life is short and full of perils. Many songbirds live less than two years and 85% of them die during migration. Our role as caretakers of this fragile planet is more important than ever before, to ensure the survival of migratory birds. They need a reliable source of food and water, and lots of it. Though migratory birds may come to bird feeders, their preferred food is found growing on native trees and plants. It is not just the fruit and seeds, but also the insects that are found amongst the leaves and branches. As I write this journal, I am sitting under the large ficus tree… just outside my door… my special place for “wildlife” inspiration.  Cape May Warbler series for insects in a Wild Tamarind tree.  Cape May Warbler series for insects in a Wild Tamarind tree. As a beginner birdwatcher, all you need to be successful is a quiet place and one bird. Add to that a pair of binoculars and a field guide, or an app on your phone like Merlin Bird ID (https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/) and you are well on your way. The best place to start birding is close to home. It may only be for 10 minutes at a time in your backyard or local park or nature area, but you will get to know a few birds that you see frequently. Once you are comfortable with that you can join a birdwatching group which would have knowledgeable participants familiar with good birding spots. The Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a great time to start birdwatching. Often times newcomers think they are not knowledgeable enough to participate in the CBC; this is simply not true. What is great about the CBC is that the organizers create teams of individuals having a variety of experience and skill level. There are always participants willing to teach newcomers.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits. The 125th Annual Audubon CBC in the Upper Keys will commence at Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge visitor's center located at 10750 County Road 905, Key Largo, FL. Participants will meet on December 21, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. to join up in groups divided for counting in each particular sector of the count circle.
If you are interested in joining you need to sign up ahead of the event. Contact: Suzy Roebling Email: mullet_mansion@yahoo.com Happy Fall! It’s finally arrived... if only on the calendar. There’s been a small drop in temperature (the 80’s instead of 90’s) and the mosquito count is noticeably down. I don't want to jinx us, but we're two months shy of the end of 2024 Hurricane Season and we haven't had a powerful hurricane... yet. Hurricane destruction comes in waves; first from the wind and water, which results in power outages, broken infrastructure, roofs opened and while mosquitos are eating you alive, the second wave of destruction which I fear most begins, when the unemployed surfers with chainsaws appear and start cutting down our mangrove shoreline to improve a view.  Distinctive snorkel roots from the Black Mangrove stick out from the ground like fingers, and grow alongside Red Mangrove prop roots. The strongest hurricane winds do not uproot the mangroves, but can shake the trees so violently that the bark peels off, exposing the cambium layers to salt spray and waves, quickly killing the tree. Both dead and living mangroves are protected as outlined in the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act. There are very specific regulations and heavy fines for illegal mangrove trimming. Florida law allows property owners and/or professional trimmers to trim mangroves to improve their view or access navigable waterways. Visit https://floridadep.gov and search for Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act to learn more. Always check with local environmental officials before trimming mangroves.  A white ibis observes from a mangrove branch.  A roseate spoonbill probes for mollusks and other invertebrates in the sediment. The Keys have four tree species in their mangrove forests: the Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) with it’s spider-like prop roots and cigar shaped seeds, the smaller White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) with it’s pea like seeds, the dark barked Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) whose distinctive aerial roots stick up from the ground like thin fingers, and Green Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), the tree with the distinctive bark which looks as if it want to come off.  Red mangrove seeds develop on the tree and when they fall into the water they soon sprout roots along rocky coastlines.  White mangrove seeds are pea-like. All mangroves disperse their seeds by water. The red mangroves are particularly important because their high arching prop root systems entrap sediment and decayed organic materials, making them not only an essential habitat in the marine food chain, but also “land-builders” which have formed over 200 islands in Florida Bay. Mangroves are cold sensitive plants, that range from the St. Johns River on the East Coast, down through the Florida Keys, and up Florida’s west Coast to Cedar Key. North Key Largo is home to about 8,000 acres of mangroves. Mangroves are the nursery for the oceans. When they are destroyed it upsets the ecosystem. Fishermen know that 75% of the game fish and 90% of the commercial species use mangrove roots and shallow waters to shelter from predators until they reach a size large enough to fend for themselves. Mullet, mangrove snapper, snook, tarpon, shrimp, sea trout and blue crab call the mangroves home. The American crocodile lives in the mangroves and the mangrove water snake hides out among the tangle of prop roots and branches. Bottlenose dolphin feed on fishes associated with mangrove systems.  Manatees are frequently observed swimming in proximity to mangroves. Manatees (Trichechus manatus) feed on seagrasses and other submerged aquatic plants and are frequently observed swimming in proximity to mangroves. On a visit to my favorite mangrove lined canal, I sensed a photograph, however the water needed cleaning of a landscaper’s errant grass clippings that littered the surface. As I skimmed the water with a net to catch the clippings, my splashing attracted a West Indian manatee. Next a small nurse shark swam by... the place was alive. I thought all I needed to complete the scene was a bird. As I positioned the camera to capture the photo, a green heron flew in and perched on one of the prop roots. At that moment I felt as if I were Dr. DoLittle on an animal adventure. The rare and endangered Mangrove Diamondback (Malaclemys terrapin) only lives in the brackish back waters of the Florida Keys and Everglades. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) feed on crabs and Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) prey on mollusks and other invertebrates living within the sediment. The entire Everglades population of the wood stork (Mycteria americana) nests only in mangroves.  The reclusive Mangrove Diamondback terrapin lives in the brackish waters of the Florida Keys and Everglades. Photo by: Morgan Barnes  Pelican guano coats a small mangrove island. The Red Mangrove, the “walking tree” found growing on the shorelines, is the basis for an impressive natural ocean filter system for litter dumped at sea, highlighting the importance of individual and organized coastal clean-up efforts. Back in the early 80s, my husband Ted and I would explore the mangrove shoreline, and leave with treasures like old buoys and wormy driftwood. It was athletic work as we balanced on the giant prop roots and labored to free a piece of debris from the mangroves. We called the shoreline our “Overseas Lumber Company.” Once home Ted would rip the driftwood into strips and make the most beautiful wormy frames for displaying my photographs. As I sit musing about some of the best times of my life, Ted appears steadied by his walker. I great him cheerily “Happy Fall!” He replies, “Trying not to.” All we need to do is understand some words and the context helps us out with the rest.  Red mangrove shoreline at dusk. Seagrape trees often grown near red mangroves.  A little green heron sits undercover of the mangroves. |
CAROL ELLIS
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