25/02/2019
Recorded Temperature: 30 degrees
Location: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary,FL.
Time of Departure to Location: 7:45 am
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a cypress swamp which dates back over 500 years ago. There is 13,00 acres worth of land in which a boardwalk diverts through a variety of different environments, such as; a wet prairie, marsh land, pine flatwood and lastly into a Bald Cypress forest.
The day began with a talk from a gentleman named Dick, he spoke to us about the origins of the park, how there is 13,000 acres of ‘sanctuary’ land which was bought off loggers and how previous bird where killed in the swamp for their feathers as they where developing them both colourful and bold. He also spoke about there had been a hurricane two years ago (2017) which impacted the reptiles such as snake populations and amphibians as well as destroying some of the boardwalk in the cypress swamp.
As we continued our walk along the broadwalk where we came across the Sabel (Cabbage) Palm, he lectured us on the importance of the plant to the American life style, how the plant has a heart and it is a common food source, like a fruit, which is commonly used in salads. But he explained if the heart was taken the plant would die so Florida has a massive industry in farming the plant.
When we reached the wet prairie, Dick explained to us this is where fish are held but it drys up during the dry season quickly, forcing a dense population of different birds in one location. He also explained that any small depressions in the ground would allow for water collection due to it only being 19 feet above sea level.
”A swamp has trees and a marsh does not!”
Dick continued our walk around corkscrew heading into the Cypress swamp where we looked at the variety of different ferns and other key plants commonly found in both the pond cypress and the bald cypress areas.
Resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides)
This fern is a coarse textured species which is known for its ‘creeping’ behaviour, attaching itself to other plants and getting nutrients from the air, water and the outer-surface of the bark.
Strap fern (Campyloneuron phyllitidis)
This fern grows on other species, typically found growing high in the canopies, just like my observation of them growing on the Cypress trees.
Shoelace Fern (Vittaria lineata)
Gets its moisture and nutrients from the air and just like the other two requires a host plant for its structure. grows on moist wood but its preferred habitat, just like observing are palms.
Water Fern (Azolla filiculoides)
Extremely reduced in their form, looking nothing like a typical fern, rather looking more like some mosses.
Other plants we looked at where:
Sawgrass (Cladium)
Easily identified by its long, narrow and grass-like appearance, gets its name from its serrated margins.
Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
This is an invasive species due to its mosquito breeding habitat. Not being native to Florida and uncertain of where its originality is from (potentially Africa). They have soft leaves which are in rosette formation. Floating on the surface of the water while the roots are submerged below the water beneath the floating leaves.
Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea)
The stranger fig is a parasitic plant which will commonly kill the host plant by strangling it, making itself a free-standing tree in its own right.
Dingy Flowered Star Orchard (Epidendrum amphistomum)
Require an immediate warm conditions and are able to flower all year round. These flowers like many plants at corkscrew observed need a host plant to grow on.
Continuing our walk in the Cypress swamp my colleagues and i where able to see a little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) hunting for food, such as small fish, it walked delicately over the debree under the surface of the water, attempting to stand on the previously fallen logs moving slowly, only moving its head in the slightest of short movements.
We also saw a juvenile American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) basking in the sun on a patch of land just above the water surface.
Around the corner from the little blue heron a great egret (Ardea alba) was preforming the exact behaviours over the water, looking for food, small fish and pond crayfish which had been spotted by one of my colleagues moments before seeing this animal.
We also observed a male anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) , also known as the snake bird due to its long snake like neck, basking in the sun. Dick explained to myself and the others that this ‘sun worshiping’ behaviour is performed by the anhinga after fishing as the bird is unable to fly after being wet, it has a lack of oils produced by the feathers to keep them water proof.
The way to tell a male and female anhinga apart is the colouration on their neck, males are all black while the females have a reddish/brown colouration on their feathers.
Green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) where found at corkscrew swamp, these are the native species but numbers are minimal due to the invasion of the brown anole. For the majority of the walk most of the green anoles around where displaying their dewlap which was a bold, bright red. The American green anole is able to change its colouration from several brown hues to vivid greens, this is where it gets its nickname ‘American Chameleon’, which is misleading as they are unable to camouflage.
A racoon (Procyon lotor) which are easily identified by there dexterious front paws, ringed tail and facial mask, was spotted foraging in the grass for seeds that had fallen from the bird feeders. My colleagues and i observed him for about 20 minutes while he picked at the floor for fallen seed, totally un-phased by our presence.
Daily Species List and Acknowledged Behaviours –
- Anhinga basking in the sun drying out
- Great egret hunting for food
- American Bittern hunting for food
- Juvenile little blue heron locomotion (walking)
- Little Blue Heron hunting and catching prey
- American Alligator Juvenile basking in the midday sun
- Green anoles displaying at each other over territories
- Racoon chasing an anole up a tree
- Racoon foraging on the ground at the bird feeders
- Ruby throated hummingbird drinking from sugar water feeders
For Further Information Visit: http://corkscrew.audubon.org/
Florida Wetlands 2019 