Spring Creeps in Gradually in SW FL

Spring is of course an astronomical phenomenon but in eastern N America we think of it more as an event announced by the flowering of certain woodland ephemeral plants or the calls of breeding frogs. But of course it is not a single event but a process spread out over many weeks. In Florida we are denied such clarity since the transition into Spring is less obvious. But if we did not have access to a calendar some of these occurrences would tell us approximately the time of year.

One of the huge changes in Lemon Bay is a switch from relatively clear water in winter to murky water in summer. Clear water is a sign of low primary productivity especially in phytoplankton and murky water a sign of renewed growth of suspended algae. I noticed this piece of bright green filamentous algae recently and while enjoying the bright green color was not happy to see that such algae might be thriving on the nutrient pollution so widespread in our local waters. Such algae can become a massive surface mat and throttle the natural productivity of our tidal waters.

One non-native and extraordinary flower that blooms reliably in late winter is the starburst, a member of the Clerodendrum genus from New Guinea and the Philippines. .The corolla tube of this mint flower is spectacularly long and prevents access to nectar except to the species with the longest tongues. Thus it does not usually produce seeds but is terribly invasive sending out root suckers. So do not plant this species!

A native plant that flowers in late winter is Walter’s viburnum which is specific to damp soils along creeks and rivers. It has a flat array of small flowers that attract a variety of small insects and produces dark fruits attractive to birds. It grows well in yards in semi-shade if the soil is periodically damp from rain runoff so swales are ideal for it.

Late winter can still be cool and there are few native flowers in bloom so native insect pollinators are scarce. Instead you may see non-native honeybees in your yard gathering pollen and nectar. Here I show honeybees visiting a non-native powderpuff flower which is a bizarre array of long stamens, and a native goldenrod. The seaside goldenrod is a wonderful plant which is tolerant of occasional inundation with salt water, an increasing problem is bayside yards.

An interesting tree which is in full bloom in late winter is the sea hibiscus. This mallow is pantropical and might possibly be native to southern Florida and is valuable as a salt tolerant tree and a source of wood and fiber for rope. Its attractive blossoms open as a bright yellow and change to a reddish color. The reason(s) for this are somewhat obscure. Such color changes sometimes indicate that a flower has been fertilized or possibly indicate a signal to a different night time pollinator. Ants are attracted to a sugary secretion from the leaf undersides and red cotton stainer bugs feed on the seeds. http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/coastal/hibiscus/tiliaceus.htm

In our yard the most eagerly awaited spring flowers are those of the mulberries, native reds and non-native blacks and whites. The fruits are avidly devoured by migrating birds in April but must be developed starting in late winter. The whites are the most preferred by birds I discovered by accident when I planted whites that I thought were blacks. But all mulberry fruits provide a food bonus for hungry and tired migrant birds after their ordeal of flying across the Gulf of Mexico.

In a recent nature walk at Charlotte Flatwoods Preserve we discovered a rarely seen wild coco orchid with large fruits. Orchid seeds are generally very small with minimal food reserves. Thus they must quickly establish a trophic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus if they are to survive, so likely very few do grow. Another interesting sight at the preserve was a very beautiful natural gradually sloping wetland with a willow head center and a biodiverse edge of concentric zones of different plants . This contrasted distinctly with an old quarry hole that had a diminished flora dominated by the native but invasive/aggressive spike rush.

In our little corner of the world on Manasota Key I have noticed few butterflies flying in winter except for monarchs and orange barred sulphurs. However in late winter I am now seeing some other species such as Gulf fritillaries, mangrove and long-tailed skippers. These have recently been mainly attracted to the non-native flame vine which emits a scent that brings in butterflies from far and wide. One of these pollinators was the rarely seen white tipped black moth. You will wonder immediately why a moth is flying in daytime and drinking nectar. This is one of the unusual moths that mimic a wasp and can thus fly in daytime with little fear of birds.

Our yard birds continue to be winter residents such as the yellow throated warbler attracted to a dripping water bath. There are no migrants yet to be seen and we eagerly await their arrival in April. We also enjoy frequent visits from flocks of foraging white ibis that dig for small prey in the ground. This relatively tame bird sometimes referred to by old timers as “Chokoloskee chickens” can be either juveniles with brownish patches or adults that are all white with black wing tips and red bills. You might wonder why there is an age difference in coloration and I cannot tell you for certain. But it is not unusual for juvenile water birds to have a distinct plumage color possibly as a means of directing social interactions among their species.

This time of year naturalists are eagerly awaiting true spring that is accompanied by mass movements of birds from Mexico, Central and S America to N America. It is a very exciting time and the anticipation is high for the most famous of all events, the “fall out” of migrants who stop briefly in our yards on their flights north. Let us welcome them in our yards with fruits, flowers and water to help them recover from the rigors of trans-Gulf flights.