The Brazillian Freetail Bats stole the show last Friday at the FWC Evening of Bats and Ballads dinner event as hundreds of these flying mammals continuously emerged for several moments from the narrows of this artificial cave. The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWC) hosts an annual Birding and Wildlife Festival at the Chinsegut Nature Centerto educate the public on wildlife and habitats through fun and activity. This years kick-off event began with a delicious Ziti dinner catered by Papa Joe’s accompanied by tasty wine samples donated by Aspirations Winery. After all of our bellies were full, George and Cyndi Marks grasped the crowds attention in an informative yet entertaining presentation on these flying mammals. The presentation was complete with live bats taken around the audience for a real up close and personal experience. As dusk settled in, the crowd headed over to the Bat house perched just east of the parking lot to witness the nightly event of the bats exiting their roost. The crowd was pleased with this natural phenomenon as they expressed with through ballads of “oohs” and “ahhs” in the background.

Chinsegut Nature Center
23212 Lake Lindsey Rd.,
Brooksville, FL, 34601
(352) 754-6722

A typical pine forest surrounded by waterways, Inglis Island offers many opportunities for birding and viewing wildlife.  Inglis Island is sandwiched between Lake Rousseu at Inglis Dam and the Cross Florida Barge Canal at Inglis Lock just off SR 40.  Once a prosperous waterway this area now belongs to the Marjorie Harris Cross Florida Greenway and designated for mainly for preservation and recreation.

Park at Inglis Dam and enjoy the park that sits on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Rouseau. An American kestrel keeps watch perched high up on a power line while a pair of eastern bluebirds perch themselves near the boat ramp. The coots fill the shoreline and awkwardly run on top of the water to escape from an intruder as you approach them. Morehen, brown pelican and pied billed grebe float comfortable amongst the coots fishing for their next meal. A Belted Kingfisher roosts atop the Dam rail ready to fly in a moments notice. Cross over Inglis Dam to Inglis Island to hike, backpack, camp the Great Florida Birding Trail.

This 4 mile trek takes you through pine flat woods over to Inglis Lock and along the canal. Watch for wild turkey trotting along the trail atop the berm. Listen for hawks and woodpeckers as you pass through the pine uplands. From the Pine Forest trek up a man-made berm made of misplaced soil from the creation of the barge Canal.  Take time to relax on a birding bench along the canal and watch for gulls, terns, morehen, coots, pied billed grebe, and Osprey activity in the canal. From here the trail leads you back past a modest Cypress Dome into a hardwood hammock full of mighty oaks and cabbage palms. The return loop then leads you along Lake Rousseau.  Here the boyscout camps are often full of troops spending the weekend out in the wilderness.  Look for Blue Jays and Cardinals as you finish the trek back to Inglis Dam to complete the loop.

Inglis Island by B A Bowen Photography

History: Back in the late 1800′s John Dunn of Dunnellon Phosphate built Inglis Dam and Inglis Lock to transport millions of dollars worth of phosphate mined in the area that is now known as the City of Dunnellon. The Dam built on the Withlacoochee River created Lake Rousseau which is now a haven for freshwater fishing, boating, paddling, hiking, camping, backpacking, and birding.  This area is managed by the Office of Greenways and Trail in Ocala Florida.

Baby Brown Pelican

The SunCoast Seabird Sanctuary is located on a tiny spit of land wedged between two high rise condos on the Gulf shore of the small beach community of Indian Shores. If it weren’t for the Pelican Statue out front, the Sanctuary could easily be mistaken for a typical St. Pete alley-way. This modest non-profit avian hospital survives purely off donations and is run by experienced veterinarian Barb Suto. She led a team consisting of both staff and volunteers to help rescue the birds during the 2003 disaster when a Tampa Bay tanker leaked over 336,000 gallons into the gulf and was there again to help with the BP Oil spill. This Hospital is dedicated to rescue, rehabilitating, and releasing the birds. The ones kept here in captivity are too injured or damaged to be released back into the wild. It is considered the largest bird hospital in the world based on the admission of over 8000 birds per year. They keep two small animal totes out front to accomodate birds that need to be dropped off after hours. During one of my visits last month I witnessed a couple bring in great horned owl all that fell out of its nest and looked dazed.  They drove 15 miles from Clearwater and arrived at the Sanctuary approximately 15 minutes prior to closing.  The staff took the bird in and looked it over. They reported happily that he did not physically show any signs of injury, but they would like to keep it over night for observation prior to releasing. This hospital is still nurturing birds from the 2011 BP Gulf Oil spill. It is no secret that the Brown Pelicans were brought here from Louisiana last summer, and most have been released back out into the Gulf here in the Tampa Bay area.

The Northern Gannets from Louisiana are another story. They are housed in a closed pen so as not to be displayed to the public. They took in over 90 Gannets that were affected by the oil spill. They have been releasing them slowly and just this past week 9 more were set to freedom. The pen still holds 20+ …a much smaller number than 90 but still nice size number to house.
This is a great place to bring young children to introduce them to nature. Birds held here include: green heron, reddish egret, snowy egret, American oyster catchers, owls hawks, woodpeckers, and many more! There is also a small educational center with an ongoing movie about the Sanctuary and physical displays of birds, shells, and other natural artifacts for hands on learning.  Visit the small gift shop to adopt a bird, purchase t-shirts, note cards, refrigerator magnets, etc., that will all benefit the Sanctuary.
This past week I payed another visit not only because I think this is a fantastic place, but I enjoy the Black Crowned Night Herons and Great Blue Herons that choose to nest in the Oak Canopy above the Sanctuary. No these birds are not injured, they are opportunist and the food seems to be plentiful around the Sanctuary. There are at least 20 nests above the sanctuary and don’t be surprised when a night heron drops down from above to grab a branch or to be part of the action. These birds are nesting now and can be observed nest building, brooding, flirting and even mating if you happen to look up at the right moment. Immature night herons, distinguished by their brown speckled feathers, are entertaining to watch with their styling brown spike crests squawking for their parents to feed them. If you are in the beach area of Pinellas County, the SunCoast Seabird Sanctuary is a must see!

Visitor information:  Open 365 days a year – 9:00 am to Sunset – Admission is always FREE.         

Located at: 18328 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Shores, Fl 33785 - 727-391-6211 or 727-391-2473 

About:  The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary was founded in 1971 by zoologist Ralph T. Heath.  The sanctuary is world renowned as a leader for innovative rehabilitation techniques and has been the first to breed brown pelicans in captivity for release.  To find out more interesting facts about the Sanctuary to find ways you can help go to http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com

Click here to view more photos of the SunCoast Seabird Sanctuary on Flickr.

Paynes Prairie Bolen Bluff Trail by B A Bowen Photography 

Paynes Prairie was a treasure trove of wildlife this past Saturday as we enjoyed the LaChua and Bolen Bluff Trails with friends. Upon entering Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, my out of town guest and lifetime friend, Laura, and I were pleasantly surprised by the giant moss covered Oak trees as we explored the parking lot waiting our Florida Hikes friend, Brickman to arrive. Brickman frequents Paynes Prairie and was excited to join us as our tour guide for the morning. We smiled as we recognized the familiar on-line face pull up in a rugged S-10 pick-up with his buddy Craig. We exchanged hellos and quickly began chatting and sharing stories as we all share a common passion in Florida nature. As we entered the park Sandhill Cranes are in abundance on the Prairie and can be seen flying in flocks of 30 or more! We follow along the boardwalk out to the Aluchua Sink only to spot an alligator head peering out of the water on this frigid morning. I stop to change out a lens, when a brown animal is spotted in the distance. “It is a hog…” says one of us….”It looks more like a tree stump.” I reply as I peer through my zoom lens. “No it definitely is moving!” chime in the other two. So I snap a photo and rely on my digital zoom only to uncover that it is actually a small horse. Not familiar with this terrain quickly assume this land is still a working ranch. My thinking is quickly corrected by the local boys. There are wild horses that live in these lands…left over from the Spanish Invasion prior to Florida becoming a state. Our excitement continues to rise as we are told Wild Buffalo live here too! Along down the trail we spot coots, morehen, a little blue heron actively hunting for breakfast while a Great Blue Heron holds a statuesque pose while observing. Further out in the prairie an America Bittern can be seen with a keen eye. His ability to camouflage himself amongst the brown marsh grasses is uncanny. I pause for a few moments to capture a photo of this elusive bird. But it proves difficult as he displays his agility adeptly stepping through the grasses. After a few rough shots, I step up my pace to reach the group. At 1.5 miles we reach the viewing platform and climb to the top unknowingly for the panorama of a lifetime.  In the distance we spot a small herd of horses running. For a moment it felt like I was in an old movie filmed in the Wild Wild West. The dark brown hair contrasting against the wheat colored grasses and a bright blue sky made for a nice scene.

On our way back the Bitterns seemed more active and to appear more frequently….. or perhaps we just got better at spotting them!  I happy to finally get a few more photographs of this master of camouflage. This was a first time encounter with an American Bittern for me. We hurry back along the trail as our guides have a prior commitment with a horse farm for a fertilizer pick-up. Once more we come upon the sink only to find the warming air has lured more alligators out for sunning along the banks. This was certainly a treat for my northern guest! We are sure to take a group photo before we part ways. We certainly want to hike with our north Florida friends again…perhaps in the Spring when the when this brown dormant prairie is exploding with colorful wildflowers.

About: Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is a 22,000 acre wilderness that is also a designated National Natural Landmark belonging to an elite group of Landmarks. Only 600 have been named throughout the United States. The Alachua Sink plays an important geological part in refueling the Florida Aquifer. It was formed when a group of sinkholes in close proximity merge to form a sink. This Alachua sink along with its sedges and grasses serves as a filter purifying the water as it drains back into the Florida Aquifer.

Click here to view more photos of Paynes Prairie on flickr.

Mossy Oak Primitive Camp

If you are yearning for a get-away to experience Florida’s wilds, hiking/backpacking the 12 mile Bee-Hive Loop in Myakka River State Park will offer adventure and scener that is more than satisfying. Trek through tropical Oak-Palm Hammock dripping with Spanish mosses, resurrection fern, and a multitude of epiphytes. Airplants that were commonly spotted were Gold Foot Fern, Shoe string fern, Wild Pine, Butterfly Orchid, and Giant Airplants. Giant Airplants are a rare spot outside of the Everglades and seem to thrive happily in these mature live oaks. The trail then takes you out into a globally-impaired habit, the Florida Dry prairie comprised primarily of saw palmetto, with intermittent splashes of color added by Florida Wildflowers. Silver aster, sabatia, giant yellow bachelors button, candy weed, are complimented by the chocolate brown color of the prairie grasses. Listen for the musical sounds of the Meadowlark in distance of this vast endangered habitat. This loop has two primitive campsites for overnight hiking: The Mossy Oak Campsite is 2.5 miles from the Trailhead and the Bee-Island Campsite is 4.5 miles counter clockwise from the Trailhead. Both sites offer protection in the cover an Oak Hammock with fire rings and a utility post on which to hang packs and such. This hike is recommended for the cooler, dryer months as the Oak Hammocks show signs that they are seasonally under water in places. The dry prairie can also be harsh in the hot sun for there are no sources of shade along the trail until you reach the pine forest.
Myakka River State Park has a unique back country scenery like no where else and is worth a visit. Trails are maintained by the Florida Trail Association, Sun Coast Chapter.  Myakka River State Park also offers biking, paddling, airboat rides, fishing, equestrian trails, and wildlife viewing as other recreational opportunities.  Myakka Lake provides a shallow habitat that attracts large wading birds.  It is not uncommon to see large flocks of Roseate Spoonbill and Sandhill Crane foraging in the shallow lake. There is also a Nature Center, gift shop and Cafe  in the Park for those who have families and would like to stay several days. Myakka River State Park has approximately 39 miles of continuous hiking /backpacking trails.  Click here for more information and trail maps.

Click the Bee Island Trail to view more photos on Flickr.