WOOD DUCK

WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa)

Location: Brevard County FL
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

This photo of a wood duck is dedicated to my good friend, Peter Schutté, who passed away in 2005. Even after a passage of years, I still think of Peter who was a dedicated and tireless conservationist. He served on the Board of Directors of the Sea Turtle Preservation Society.

Peter and I found this dabbler on a day excursion. It was our last outing together before he died. This photo hangs in the Capital Building, a contribution to the Florida State Art Collection in Peter’s memory.

GREAT EGRET

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
Location: St. Johns County FL
Photo: © 2008 Jeffrey Berger

The Great Egret is a common bird in Florida and, not without coincidence, one of the most often photographed birds in this blog. For your convenience, here are some links to other photos: Notable, Adorable, Unforgettable, and always Egretable. 

LUBBERS IN LOVE

Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea microptera)
Location: Mount Dora, Florida
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

At two and half inches in length, the Southeastern Lubber is the largest of grasshoppers and a common inhabitant of fields and forests. Their red, yellow, and black colors serve as a warning to predators: Don't eat me. The Lubber contains toxins that have been known to kill birds and sicken mammals.

THANKSGIVING 2008

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Location: Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
Photo: © 2008 Jeffrey Berger

The original choice for our National Symbol was not the bald eagle. Ben Franklin believed the wild turkey should have been chosen … describing it as “a true native of America.”

The wild turkey is North America’s second largest bird, and the toms are truly handsome creatures with iridescent feathers. A mature gobbler may stand 4 feet tall and weigh up to 24 pounds with wings spanning 5 feet.

In truth, both the wild turkey and the bald eagle are native to the Americas. But Americans can't really lay exclusive claim to either species, since both range from Canada to Mexico.

EGRET FAMILY VALUES

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
Location: St. Johns County FL
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

All eggs within a specific bird species need the same time to incubate regardless of when the eggs are laid. Many birds start incubation after the first egg is laid and continue laying their full clutch over a series of days. Thus, the first egg hatches first, the last egg hatches last, and not all chicks start life as equal opportunity birds.

The first-born hatchling has no competition for food and grows rapidly. Chicks born later are consecutively smaller and less able to compete for food against the oldest siblings. Even in the best of times, only the older chicks will survive while the youngest waste away. During routine housekeeping, parents will toss the expired chicks overboard, which inevitably become snacks for waiting gators. This phenomenon is known as “brood reduction.”

WHITE IBIS

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
Photo: © 2008 Jeffrey Berger

GOLDEN-SILK WITH FUZZY BOOTIES

Golden-Silk Spider (Nephila clavipes)

Photo: © 2008 Jeffrey Berger

A common inhabitant of swamps and woodlands, the golden-silk spider is harmless to humans and beneficial to the environment.

THE BLUES BROTHERS

Black Vulture (Coragyps altratus)
Photo: © 2008 Jeffrey Berger

To those of you unfamiliar with Mount Dora, Gilbert Park is our lakeside recreational area where townsfolk flock to feed the ducks and watch a sunset.

But be forewarned: Mount Dorans loathe those Addams Family pets strafing the neighborhood. They will feed any duck to amuse themselves, but sooner rid our lake of any scavenger (or refer them to Lou Dobbs for deportation).

Too bad vultures get such a bad rap. I think of them as the waste management service of road kill. Their favorite foods include flat cats, rigor mortis tortoise, and poodles with noodles.

Like our retirees, vultures are smart and thrifty shoppers who proudly declare: “Of course, we prefer prime beef, but you can’t beat carrion for availability and price.”

CROSS CREEK

Sunrise over Lochloosa Lake:


Cypress trees of Orange Lake:





















Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings made her home in Cross Creek and wrote a book of memoirs of the same name, which became a motion picture of the same name. Her American classic, The Yearling, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Cross Creek is literally where you cross over from Orange Lake to Lochloosa Lake, or vice versa depending upon which way the birds fly.

Raised in a small country town surrounded by farms and woodlands, I have a special fondness for places where childhoods are spent “wide-eyed and breathless before the miracle of bird and creature, of flowers and tree, of wind and rain and sun and moon.” Perhaps this explains my interest in Nature.

DOODLES ON THE SCRATCH PAD OF TIME

Ghost Crab (Ocypode quadrata)
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

"As we conclude our lecture, ladies and gentlemen, this fossilized specimen, estimated to be over 100,000 year old, bears an uncanny relationship to the modern crab. Yet, the question remains: Is this an example of evolution or intelligent design? What say you all?"

"Click. Clack.
Clickity clack.
Click. Clack.
Clickity clack.
So say we all."

A LOG-IN-A-BOG BLOG

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Location: Everglades
Photos: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Like icebergs, there is more to a submerged gator than meets the eye. So how big is this one, you ask? Introducing Swampcracker’s First Law of Gator Measurement:

Since every inch of jaw is equivalent to a foot of gator, estimate the distance from the tip of the snout to the eye sockets in inches and express in feet. For this gator, ten inches from eyes to snout means ten feet in estimated overall.

Despite a fierce reputation, alligators are harmless to humans until they reach 8 feet, but you should never feed a gator. Once accustomed to handouts from humans, they become a nuisance and must be sacrificed. Remember: "A fed gator is a dead gator.”

A PELICAN BRIEF

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Location: Longpoint, Melbourne Beach
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger


American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Location: Indian River Lagoon at Sebastian
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Pelicans have been described as “solemn,” “dignified,” “comical,” and “pompous” by various writers. With pouched bills pressed against breast, they appear to me like pterosaurs masquerading as English butlers.

It is easy to tell the difference between a "brown" versus a "white" pelican. The American White Pelican is a much larger bird with bright white feathers, black wing tips, and an orange bill.

When feeding, the brown pelican makes spectacular dives from high altitude into water. In contrast, the white pelican feeds in groups, bobbing and scooping fish into their bills while swimming. The brown pelican is a full-time resident of Florida. The white pelican migrates from the northern states of Minnesota and the Dakotas to winter along our coasts.

TREETOP DINING

Scientific Name: Anhinga anhinga
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

As anhinga fledglings grow older, they reach into their parent's throat to retrieve solid food. Meanwhile, other siblings wait their turn.

Most birds lay their eggs, not all at once, but over a series of days. Since all eggs need the same time to incubate, hatchlings are born sequentially. Thus, the first egg hatches first, the last egg hatches last, and not all chicks start life as equal opportunity birds.

The first-born hatchling has no competition for food and grows rapidly. Chicks born later are consecutively smaller and weaker. Presumably, the first-born fledgling is the one feeding.

PURPLE GALLINULE

Scientific Name: Porphyrula martinica
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

About the size of a chicken dipped in poster colors, the Purple Gallinule is not easy to find. In fact, those colors are a sublime example of camouflage.

The cool blues and purples of the undercarriage mimic the colors of sky reflected in water. Viewed from above, iridescent greens and olives mask the colors of marsh vegetation.

Oversized feet give it the agility to walk over and through marsh vegetation with ease. Nature’s attention to detail is incredible!

LEAST BITTERN

JUVENILE:


ADULT:

Scientific Name: Ixobrychus exilis
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

PREDATOR AND PREY

Predator – American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Prey – Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Not my favorite photo, but rarely seen moments like this justify this post. About this moment: One young gator about 3 feet long snatches one plump moorhen, known locally as a 'pond chicken.'

Fun question of the week: Of all persons in the news lately, who would you like to be the gator, and who should have the role of pond chicken? Leave your comment below.

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

SNOWY EGRET

Scientific Name: Egretta thula
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Just as I released the shutter, this agile egret snatched a damsil fly quicker than a blink. Double-click on the image to see an enlargement. One of my favorite shots.

ANOTHER DAPPER RAPTOR

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus)
Location: Everglades
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Known for aerial acrobatics, the red-shouldered hawk always gets my attention. Common throughout Florida, they live in hardwood forests adjacent to wetlands where they dine on amphibians, crayfish, and small reptiles. Populations of red-shouldered hawks have declined due to clear-cutting of forests. Listen for KEEE-a. KEEE-a. Then look around.

REPTILE ROW

Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Cooters and gators, oh my! Welcome to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, a popular nature preserve just minutes from my home. For an enlarged view, double-click on the image and count how many.

LITTLE GREEN TEMPER TANTRUM

GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

A mighty temper for a tiny critter. When annoyed or disturbed, the green heron leaves behind a chalk line (a stream of white excrement) as it flies away. In a manner of speaking, it is the way a bird throws you a bird. So be especially polite around the little green heron.

EDVARD GREBE

PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

The pied-billed grebe is the epitome of cute. When scared or threatened, they dive under water like miniature submarines. During the Plume Wars, grebes were hunted for their insulating feathers, called “grebe-fur.” Although protected, populations continue to decline due to habitat loss.

GLOSSY IBIS

Scientific Name: Plegadis Falcinellus
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeff Berger

LIMPKIN

LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Remember those early Tarzan films and those jungle wails on the soundtrack? Kee-YAAAH! Kee-YAAAH! It is the call of a limpkin, a native Floridian. Those limpkin calls were recorded during the filming of Tarzan.

The limpkin is a marsh bird found only in the New World tropics. Part ibis, part crane, and part rail, it is considered to be one of the most usual of birds. Called “limpkin” on account of its awkward gait, it is nevertheless an avid flier and swimmer and ranks among the fastest runners. Limpkins feed principally on apple snails, a diminishing food source due to habitat loss.

A TALE OF TWO HERONS

LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
Location: Merritt Island NWR
Photo: © 2004 Jeff Berger


TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)
Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Photo: © 2007 Jeff Berger

The little blue and tricolored heron are sometimes mistaken for each other. The little blue is the smaller of the two. Notice the gray bill tipped with black and dusty-green legs. The tricolored heron is the larger and more slender bird. Look for a rufus-colored line running down the foreneck. In addition, the tricolored heron has yellow facial skin and legs.

OK, WHAT IS IT?

Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

No, this is not a one-eyed Jabba the Hutt. Guess the right answer (please use comment button below).

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT

Scientific name: Phalacrocorax auritus
Location: Everglades
Photo: © 2007 Jeffrey Berger

Emerald-green eyes, plus an ability to change the shape of the eye lens, give the cormorant the ability to see under water.

BRETT & LUCETTE EGRET

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Photo: © 2006 Jeffrey Berger

Originally a native of Africa, the cattle egret colonized the New World sometime during the last century. Cattle egrets earn their name by feeding on grassland insects that have been disturbed by grazing animals.

In other parts of the world, they are known as “buffalo egrets” or “rhinoceros egrets” depending upon what kind of grazing ungulate they choose to follow. In Florida, they tag behind farm machinery in pursuit of grubs and insects. How about calling them “Tractor Egrets” instead of “Cattle Egrets?” Although non-native, this bird is considered beneficial by keeping insect populations in check.

During the mating season, plumage will change from bright white to buff-orange around the head, nape and back. Brett & Lucette represent a nuptial pair.

DRAGONFLY

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
Photo: © 2003 Jeffrey Berger

Dragonflies have been buzzing around marshes and meadows for 300 million years. Since they eat mosquitoes and other biting insects, I am always glad to see them around. I found this darner in my garden perched on a firebush tree. Hurriedly, I grabbed my camera and tripod in hopes my visitor would pose for me. My hope was not in vain.

Some people believe the souls of the departed return as dragonflies. If true, I could not help but wonder who this visitor to my garden might be. A date stamp offered a clue: February 22, 2003. My father would have been 81 years old on this day.

UNCLE QUIGLEY

Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
Photo: © 2005 Jeffrey Berger

A member of the falcon family, the crested caracara is a dapper raptor who gets my vote for the best-dressed bird north of Lake Okeechobee. He has a ruddy orange complexion and sports a white tie and tails, a sash of brown Glengarry plaid, and a black toupé. I was fortunate to capture Uncle Quigley in chiaroscuro.

A versatile feeder, the caracara will hunt for prey like a raptor or dine on carrion like a vulture.

The caracara is listed as "threatened" in the State of Florida. The current population is estimated to be less than 400 birds. Since their natural range is comprised of pasteurs and prairies, their future fate is solely in the hands of ranchers and private land-owners.

ANHINGA

Scientific Name: Anhinga anhinga
Location: Green Cay, Delray Beach
Photo: © 2006 Jeffrey Berger

I found this anhinga preening herself in the warm light of a setting sun. That pointed bill, those ruby-red eyes, and nut-brown feathers that almost look like fur, so I lingered awhile ...

CORMORANTS AT DAWN

Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Location: Cross Creek
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Like the anhinga, the double-crested cormorant is also an underwater swimmer that will find a perch and spread its wings to dry in the sun. Cormorants form large nesting colonies along with anhinga, egrets and herons.

IBIS IN THE MORNING

WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus albus)
Location: Cross Creek
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

The nomadic white ibis is experienced in massive flocks like star clusters in the Milky Way. I found this flock foraging the grasses and sedges of Lochloosa Lake.

The ibis has bright white feathers with black wingtips and stands about two feet tall. The ibis is a tactile feeder that will use its thin orange decurved bill as a probe, sweeping it from side to side in shallow water. With the first touch of food, the bill snaps shut. The ibis nests near freshwater because their young are salt-stressed on marine cuisine.

DRYAD

Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Photo: © 2005 Jeffrey Berger

According to Greek mythology, Dryads were a class of nymphs who presided over trees and forests. Like all nymphs, they represented a reverence for nature. Unlike nymphs, Dryads were considered mortal because they perished with the trees that sheltered and sustained them. The wanton destruction of a tree was considered an act of impiety against the gods and subject to punishment.

Today, many native birds come under the protection of state and federal laws. Despite these protections, some native species remain in steep decline. Why? Laws that protect birds from direct threats such as hunting and poaching do little to protect them from indirect threats such as habitat loss. Deprived of shelter and sustenance, many bird species will continue to decline in future years. How? Drainage of wetlands for agriculture or real estate development, wasteful water management policies, petrochemical pollutants, and the relentless encroachment of civilization into natural habitats, as examples.

The name "Dryad" captures the essence of a moral and spiritual dilemma, i.e., economic exploitation and waste in conflict with Nature.

A WETLANDS REFLECTION

JUVENILE:


ADULT:


American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Location: Cross Creek
Photos (above): © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Florida is the birthplace of John Archibald Wheeler, a famous physicist who first coined the term “black hole.” As everyone knows, Floridians have a morbid and peculiar fascination with predatory reptiles, and black holes are the ultimate gators in the Universe. They reside in the center of galaxies, and nothing, not even light, can escape their grasp. Yet, black holes represent the ying and yang of death and rebirth in the Universe. Stars, planets, and the elements of life are born from the detritus of long-dead suns.

The relationship between black holes and galaxies is like the bond between gators and birds. Nesting birds know instinctively that the patient and silent alligator offers a definitive defense against tree-climbing predators like possums and raccoons, and alligators know with equal instinct that tasty fledglings drop from treetops. Gators may be fearsome predators but they also make welcome protectors. This tidy arrangement between gator and bird is what makes bird nesting and reproduction successful.

MEET BILL

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Location: Everglades
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Whether stalking prey or defending territory, Bill’s bill can be a formidable weapon. Great Blue Herons spear their prey with a quick thrust of their long beaks. They can even scare off a gator. If you find an injured Great Blue, it is not recommended to rescue this bird by yourself. Call your local wildlife rescue center.

GREAT BLUE HERON

Scientific name: Ardea herodias
Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park
Photo: © 2003 Jeffrey Berger

Great Blue is the largest heron in North America. Also called “blue crane” by locals, the Great Blue Heron stands four feet tall and has a seven-foot wingspan. When stalking prey, this long-legged wader will stand motionless for long periods of time and strike suddenly with lighting quick reflexes when prey comes within range.

HUNGRY HERON

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Location: Everglades
Photo: © 2003 Jeffrey Berger

Fish are the staple diet of the great blue heron. Watching a great blue swallow a fish can be an adventure in suspense, especially a spiny catfish larger than a heron's throat. Great blues have been known to choke on especially large prey.
Gulp! Ouch! Heimlich, anyone?

BALD EAGLE

Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Our national symbol is spectacular to behold. Our own State of Florida has the second highest concentration of bald eagles outside of Alaska.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas taught us that “birds can serve as excellent indicators of the quality of habitat – not just their own, but that of humans who share the land.” It was the consequence of DDT on birds that first alerted us to the dangers of DDT on human communities. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring brought the problem to public attention. DDT alters the calcium metabolism of birds causing thin eggshells, which break under the weight of nesting hens. Thin eggshells lead to years of reproductive failure. Many bird species verged on extinction including our national symbol.

Since the 1972 ban on DDT, the bald eagle has made a remarkable recovery.

NEW THREATS

This post has been moved to "NEWS + VIEWS" (see ECOPHOTO LINKS above right column).

MEET ZSA ZSA

Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja)
Photo: © 2004 Jeffrey Berger

Zsa Zsa is a beautiful and flamboyant bird, and the only spoonbill native to North America. The term “Roseate Spoonbill” refers to the rose-colored feathers and spatula-shaped beak. She is a tactile feeder who snatches aquatic insects and crustaceans from shallow water.

The spoonbill was almost exterminated in the last century. The demand for colorful plumes by the fashion industry had driven up the price of feathers to more than twice their weight in gold. Plume hunters armed with clubs and guns plundered the rookeries and slaughtered birds by the thousands. Today, spoonbills are threatened by the loss of feeding and nesting habitats due to unmanaged growth.

NORTH AMERICAN WOOD STORK

Scientific name: Mycteria americana
Photo: © 2004 Jeff Berger

The only stork found in North America is an endangered bird and one of my favorites. When walking or wading, they skulk around appearing serious and grim; I call them graveyard birds. When airborn, the wood stork is a truly magnificent flier - soaring from thermal to thermal on outstretched wings spanning five to six feet across. The nicknames “Flinthead” and “Ironhead” describe the slate-grey skin covering the neck and head.

Wood storks are especially susceptable to natural and man-made events. Storms and cold spells may lead to nest desertion. Racoons may predate eggs and fledglings. Major threats to long-term survival include loss of wetlands due to development and disruptive water management practices that alter their reproductive cycle.

Like other native birds, the wood stork depends upon gators to protect the breeding colony from tree-climbing predators.

DANCING BEAK TO BEAK

Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Photo: © 2004 Jeff Berger

For the great egret, the breeding season begins when hormones cause the bare skin around the beak and eyes to change from yellow to green. The male builds a makeshift nest and invites a female to cohabitate thus signaling courtship. The nuptial pair announce their reproductive readiness by crossing beaks and fluffing up their feathers.

"LEGS"

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
Location: Merritt Island NWR
Photo: © 2003 Jeff Berger

The slender and flowing Great Egret is an unmistakable presence in any wetlands environment. This large bird stands over three feet tall, decked in pure white feathers, a yellow pointed bill, and black legs and feet.

During the breeding season, long and lacy plumes extend beyond the lower back and tail. During flight, the Great Egret will fold its long neck into a characteristic S-curve, which gracefully unfurls as it glides to a landing on outstretched wings. To protect their nests from terrestrial predators, Great Egrets prefer the company of alligators.

ANHINGA MOTHER

Scientific name: Anhinga anhinga
Location: Indian River Lagoon
Photo: © 2005 Jeffrey Berger

Anhinga mothers will lay an average of 3 to 5 eggs per nest spaced a day or two apart. Since incubation begins with the first egg, hatchlings will vary in age and size resulting in brood reduction.

The Anhinga has earned various nicknames depending upon how you experience one. Veteran boaters call it the “snakebird.” It earns this nickname by swimming submerged with only its neck and head undulating above the waterline like a serpent. The lack of waterproof plumage enables it to travel effortlessly underwater in search of fish, but for every advantage there is also a hitch. When soaked to the skin, the Anhinga looses body heat and must find a nearby perch to warm itself after feeding. With spread wings and fan-shaped tail feathers drying in the sun, the Anhinga earns its other nickname, “water turkey.”

MISSION STATEMENT

Photography removes all subjects from the continuity of space and time.  An endangered species may appear abundant in the frozen moment of a photograph but in reality may be elusive and hard to find.  Out of context, a hard-won nature photograph fails to convey the grim truth that everywhere our precious wildlife heritage is at risk.

Public exhibition of nature photography serves as a medium for environmental education and makes an important statement:  It is vitally important to engage the public in conservation issues and gain their support if we are to save our wildlife heritage for future generations.  That is why conservation is always the implied mission of a nature photographer.

KEEPING ALIVE THE SPIRIT OF CONSERVATION

This post has been moved to The Wrack Line.