A Rare Treat at Johnson Beach

Field Notes from November 15, 2015

Provided I can get enough of my grad schoolwork and housework done on Saturday, I sometimes spend a lazy Sunday afternoon birdwatching. Of course, if the opportunity arrises, I can't help but do a little herping and bugging to the side.

There were patchy clouds in the sky and some growing thunderheads to the west threatened rain at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore. If the sun was shining, it was warm, but if the clouds covered its power, a cold wind chilled the ground. It would seem that this chill was too much for one anole (Anolis carolinensis), which lay dead and crispy on the leaflitter underneath an Ilex vomitoria plant. I stumbled upon the grim spectacle at the same time as a large, 1.3-meter black racer (Coluber constrictor) noticed the fried lizard. Of course, I noticed the snake before I even realized that it was eyeing up frosty leftovers. I started snapping pictures immediately and documented the whole process from mouth to stomach. Apparently, racers are not above scavenging.

Coluber constrictor at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Coluber constrictor at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Coluber constrictor at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

I noticed an elderly lady walking her pug down the boardwalk as I crouched, observing the process. I motioned for her to approach slowly but it was too late. The snake moved off into the shrubbery and she couldn't see it in the shadows of the Ilex. Farther along the boardwalk I met her husband. He was a little more enthusiastic about the prospect of seeing a snake than his wife and I took him over to where I'd spotted it before. Of course, it was long gone.

Anyways, the purpose of this stroll was to birdwatch so I'll cut to the chase.

Mergus serrator - A few red-breasted mergansers were fishing in Big Lagoon, on the north side of the island.
Some tracks in the dunes may indicate the presence of the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).
Gavia immer - There were a couple common loons in Big Lagoon and one flew overhead on the Gulf side.
There was a possible Podiceps (grebe) on the Gulf but I only got one fleeting glimpse before it dove and I never saw it resurface.
Pelecanus occidentalis - Several brown pelicans flew casually over the island.
Ardea herodias - A several great blue herons were spotted either fishing in the shallows of Big Lagoon, strolling among fishermen on the Gulf side, or resting among the dunes. One even walked across the road in front of me, apparently unafraid of my vehicle.
Charadrius nivosus - It was a little challenging for me to identify this one. At first I thought it was a semipalmated plover (C. semipalmatus) but the head patterns weren't quite lining up. Then I noticed the breastband wasn't complete and I knew it couldn't be the semipalmated. I think this may be my first personally confirmed record of the snowy plover.
Tringa semipalmata - The willet is always present at any beach on the Gulf, or so it would seem. I spotted several of them but I know I ignored at least a few others.
Arenaria interpres - One ruddy turnstone was chasing waves on the Gulf side.
Calidris alba - I know for sure that at least half a dozen of these birds were on the Lagoon side but I didn't take the time to identify every little sandpiper or peep that I came across. There could be other species present.
There were certainly many gulls around, probably Leucophaeus atricilla (laughing gull), but I didn't focus on gulls.
Thalasseus maximus - A flock of about half a dozen royal terns flew overhead, following the shoreline on the Lagoon side.
Columba livia - One rock pigeon near the public beach access.

Mimus polyglottos - A common sight anywhere in Florida, I spotted at least a few northern mockingbirds at the shrubby, west-end of the park.

Setophaga coronata - Yellow-rumped warblers are common in most Florida habitats. I identified a couple of them for certain, though there were likely many more.
Melospiza melodia - A pair of song sparrows were in the shrubbery in the dunes. I saw other sparrows as well but I couldn't identify them with certainty.

Setophaga coronata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Ardea herodias at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Ardea herodias at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Orthoptera at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Calidris alba at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Calidris alba at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Calidris alba and Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Calidris alba and Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore. The smaller bird was trying to steal the larger's worm snack.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Danaus plexippus at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Calidris alba at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Danaus plexippus at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Gavia immer at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Ardea herodias at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Danaus plexippus at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Danaus plexippus at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tringa semipalmata at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Ocypodinae at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Dead Brachyura at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Charadrius nivosus at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Arenaria interpres at Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park

This is a species of pennant dragonfly I think. Any help on the identification of the insects on this post (or others) would be greatly appreciated. 

My brother in the pine flatwoods of
the park.

I have no idea what kind of spider
this is. They are big; over an inch
 in diameter (including the legs).

I thought nothing of it at the time. I knew there where wild pigs in the park, and I also knew they could be aggressive. But I always wandered away from the guys, veering off the trail and encountering creatures that none of the others would ever know about. I didn't expect to encounter anything so shocking. Then I heard it. A shuffling noise in the undergrowth. I stepped into that strip of land between the beach and the trail, but it was to thick to make out what was rustling. Then it squealed. Like a boar in a tussle with another, it squealed. At first I was apprehensive and stepped back. But my enthusiasm for wildlife consumed me and I pulled out my camera. Then they started really rustling, moving about in the thicket. Sounded like a whole herd, and I couldn't tell which way they were going. Fearing a charge, I called to the others, "Wild pigs! Wild pigs!" I continued to bellow emphatically as I moved toward the noises until it spoke. "Umm...actually, it's just a man in here." Some poor bloke had been trying to take a dump off the beach and there I was standing in front of him with a camera. I don't know who was more embarrassed. "I could have sworn you were a wild pig!" I exclaimed. He sure sounded like one! The poor man just mumbled and made his way back out to the beach. How embarrassing!

Oak toad on the white sands of Florida's trails.

This is the salt marsh that runs between the flatwoods and the bay. Tarkiln Bayou is so near geographically to West Campus that it reminded me of places since destroyed.

This is meadow where I first spotted
 the cottonmouth. I see them on
 every hike in Florida it seems.

The spanish moss grows thick.

Besides wild pigs I caught a common garter snake and nearly had a cottonmouth, but it moved into thick bush. At first I crawled in after it with snake tongs in hand, but visibility was so limited in that dark thicket and it struck me that, if I did find the snake, I would be to close. Army-crawling through the bush like I was, it would have bit me right on the face if it saw fit. Needless to say, I decided not to pursue. The hike came out to about 8 miles and covered sections of pine flatwoods, salt marsh, and white-sand beachfront.

Six-lined racerunner.

Toothpick grasshopper.

The two most common creatures in the flatwoods that I encountered (besides cricket frogs) where oak toads and six lined racerunners. I also encountered leopard frogs and plenty of dragonflies and damselflies. The six lined racerunners are a joy to try and catch. It's humanly impossible to do so, I'm convinced. The three of us had one cornered on many an occasion. At one point we thought for sure we had it. Luke threw the net down and, as far as anyone could see, the lizard was under there. I thought I saw something flash over the horizon, but I didn't think it was the lizard at the time. It must have been because that net was empty. So fast our eyes couldn't even pick it up.

Wasp attacking caterpillar.

I might as well have out with it. I am a camouflage fanatic. One of the best examples of this in florida is the toothpick grasshopper. It looks just like some little twig (or a toothpick, he, he). They are very common in many of the areas I was at in Florida including West Campus. And no wonder! If they didn't move, a predator might never spot them. However, it seems that have sacrificed some of the energy and agility that the other grasshoppers possess to diversify into such a perfect camouflage. It's worth it though, since there are so many of them around. And I can't help but wonder how many I never even noticed. A whole lot, I'll warrant. Many other grasshoppers were seen as well, but I didn't photograph any of them. It's kind of sad, but all the most common usual species are usually neglected by my lens.

Brown pelican. Proud parent.

INCOMING!!

Another insect encountered was a sort of paper wasp. One of the ones my friend Luke spotted was devouring a small caterpillar, mashing up it's head into a pulp and slurping up the guts and fluid. A lot of people are not aware of the predatory nature of wasps. We tend to picture them ruining picnics or pollinating wildflowers (which they seldom do). The truth is, wasps are one of the top predators to many creatures, including caterpillars. In fact, some species feed almost exclusively on caterpillars. It reminds me of a time when I was out door-knocking. Under the porch light was a little hole. I watched with much amusement as a wasp arrived with a paralyzed caterpillar and stuffed it into the hole. I imagine that the hole was full of such caterpillars, all paralyzed, waiting for the egg, laid on the back of one of them, to hatch. Then the little grub would begin to devour it's pre-stored food. I'd seen such things on David Attenborough's shows but it was a delight to see the real thing for myself. It is a good example of a caring parent in the insect world. To bad insects are often viewed in such a negative light.

Along the shoreline, I saw a number of birds training or protecting their young. A killdeer was seen first and, classically, it led me away from its mate and nest. It didn't call much but its mate back at the nest, called repeatedly. Unless it was the young in a nest. But judging from where those sounds were coming from, the nest would have had to have been in a tree. Not likely for killdeer.
Further along, I encountered a pelican wheeling and soaring around a patch of coast with its youngster close behind following her every move. It was amazing to see a dedicated parent showing her adolescent how to curve and move in the air. It must be quite an achievement to fly when you're a pelican, especially considering that great big head. Good thing it's as light as bird bone!
Well, that's about the longest post I've ever made! Glad it's over. Next time I'll do it in two parts!

Look at those dudes.