No Mid-Winter Blues for Nature Lovers

Winter in Florida is not without some periods of cold weather. Indeed on almost a weekly basis there will be a cold front sweeping down from the north often with dense dark clouds as seen here from my dock Jan. 18 on Lemon Bay . These are accompanied by strong NW/NE winds, low tides and typically by very limited rainfall. On this date here is the radar image for the cold front that I photographed. The usual result is a lower than usual over-night temperature followed by sunny cool days which can be glorious if a little cool for butterfly flight.

Flowering in winter of native plants is rather limited which may inhibit the occurrence of insect pollinators along with the cool temperatures. Here are some of the plants I encountered in the second to third week of January. Given the very dry conditions most freshwater lakes are reduced in volume or dry. The giant amaranth seems to flourish under such conditions. I found one rose rush flower in scrubby flatwoods which is one of the last to bloom this season. The milkworts or polygala are just starting to bloom in pine flatwoods as shown by this yellow bachelor’s button. A very few St Peter’s wort (Hypericum) were in bloom with their very long yellow stamens. The shiny Lyonia are just starting to bloom- their beautiful pink blueberry-like flowers reveal their membership in the heath family. Near freshwater or brackish wetlands the Pluchea or fleabane/camphorweeds are beginning to bloom. In disturbed habitats non-native vines such as this Balsam pear (Momordica) have produced fruits of unusual design. The bright red colors attract birds to eat the seeds and disperse them.

Insects are relatively scarce in winter. I was surprised to find a Caribbean scoliid wasp feeding on the flowers of a pennyroyal mint. This species was introduced in 1930 to prey on a sugar cane beetle pest ( https://treasurecoastnatives.wordpress.com/2021/07/17/invasive-exoticwasp-on-purpose/ ) but has spread far beyond its intended release area and is undoubtedly preying on non-target native scarab beetles. A good/bad example on why biological control of pests can be hazardous to natural ecology! It is however a very beautiful wasp and I was excited to observe it on a cool sunny day foraging on native flowers. I found a striking dead leopard moth which is a type of tiger moth that is toxic to predators. White peacock butterflies have been flying on sunny days especially over patches of Bacopa on damp mud which is food for the caterpillars. Along a coastal trail I came across a small blue butterfly which was not the typical Cassius blue but instead a Ceraunus blue. These two are quite similar in appearance but are in separate genera and share similar habitats. It would be interesting to know how their niches differ.

Every warm sunny day I enjoy seeing a female gopher tortoise come out from under my shed where she has constructed a burrow. She has learned how to beg for food and readily accepts apples and oranges or flowers from human hands. She has lately been visited twice by an adult male who seems intent on romantic interactions. I have mixed feelings about such a close relationship with a wild animal. On the one hand it is very satisfying to be able to observe a wild creature so closely but I worry that the human interaction may be somewhat negative. On the other hand she and her mate are living in a residential neighborhood next to a periodically busy road and depend on humans for many aspects of their survival.

The serous drought we are in (14 inches below normal) has reduced surface fresh water so that aquatic birds are in a difficult situation. The only remaining fresh water is in constructed ponds along roadways or in parks. I have noticed as many as 14 roseate spoonbills feeding and resting in these ponds. This particular spoonbill was wading in a pond built primarily to contain runoff from adjacent roads and recreational parklands. This is actually next to a busy dog park and the two uses seem to co-exist well. A relatively new concept in wildlife management is that the future of many species will depend on their ability to use backyards and other human dominated but animal friendly habitats.

One way to both attract and benefit birds in a drying climate is to place water drip baths in your yards. I have three such dripping baths in my yard and they attract many birds and other animals. I place a dish or bucket below each bath to collect the overflow and this allows mammals and reptiles to drink also. Here is an example of a male red bellied woodpecker drinking from the drip itself, not from the water surface. This is very common since birds drink naturally from dew drips on vegetation. Some other birds attracted by the drip are a female common yellow throat warbler and a house finch. After drinking, the house finch began to feed on flowers of the non-native Cape honeysuckle which is shaped by evolution for the curved bill of African sunbirds but can be broken apart by our birds and eaten.

Think about what you can do in your yard or neighborhood to make the habitats more friendly for wildlife. If as suggested “biophilia” is a basic human need, you will be doing yourself a favor also by making our human environments more attractive to wildlife. Conversion of relatively sterile lawns into wildlife friendly habitat costs very little and can have a major positive impact.