3rin's View…

Peahen and Peachicks

Well, technically she’s proud as a peahen, but you get the drift. Mama was attentive to her little brood but kept a wary eye on me as I slowly eased past.

The proliferation of peafowl (Pavo cristatus) around here is surprisingly contentious. Most sources agree that the colorful birds were purposely released in the Jungle Prada area west of downtown St. Pete in the 1950s.

The large birds acclimated well to the climate, and without any natural predators, they reproduced rapidly. I don’t have any living in my neighborhood (though I do occasionally hear them) but an ostentation* of them recently moved into one nearby.

Reactions from residents are definitely mixed, some despise the loud birds and their big car-paint-staining droppings, while others appreciate their colorful appearance and pest-controlling diets.

No matter where you land on the issue, after surviving here for 70 years, I’m pretty certain they’re here to stay.

*Isn’t that such a fitting group name for them? Also interesting, it is one of the few species I know of that has specific names for all life stages (peafowl, peacock, peahen, peachick).

There’s been a spate of serious alligator attacks in Florida over the past few weeks. One young boy lost his hand while a woman lost her life.

It should come as no surprise since this is the tail end of alligator mating season and our ongoing drought is forcing these primordial beasts into ever higher concentrations around the remaining watering holes. To say alligators are agitated is an understatement.

There’s also a fair amount of blame to be placed on local residents who tend to downplay the dangers of these apex predators. The news is often filled with stories of people that feed and even, pet them. I imagine the fact that gators spend a large portion of time calmly lying around also lulls people into a false sense of security.

I have a healthy amount of respect for them because I’ve seen how lightning fast they can move when so inspired. Hopefully we can all continue to admire alligators (safely).

Early morning litter cleanup on this beach? Yes, please!

It was a bit hot but our group persevered in removing dozens of bags of trash from the beach at Fort de Soto Park. A couple of us stayed to take a dip afterward, exchanging sweat salt for gulf salt. Not a bad way to start the day!

Yesterday my friends Alyssa and Becky joined me for a ranger-led kayak tour at De Soto National Memorial in nearby Bradenton. The 27 acre memorial protects the location of Hernando de Soto’s 1539 landing. Ranger Mary provided us with a good overview of the historical significance of de Soto’s expedition.

It wasn’t deemed a success since he didn’t find great riches, establish an outpost, or convert any Natives. It did have a lasting impact on the area though as he inadvertently introduced European diseases and let loose black Iberian pigs (Cerdo Ibérico). The former took a devastating toll on native populations while the latter are still destroying Florida’s natural areas.

We were a small group which made the experience more relaxing and enjoyable. There was even time for a quick swim which helped cool us off.

As we returned to the launch a couple dolphins swam by to wrap up our paddle. Interesting tidbit, though named after the gentle mammals, for various reasons manatees had been absent from the river for decades. Recently there have been a few documented sightings in the river, which is positive news.

I don’t often have a Thursday available to play but I’m so glad it worked out because there was very little boat traffic (on weekends that river becomes a raceway). Definitely a lovely morning on the Manatee!

Well, judging from today’s activities, my bird feeder needs a visit from that ridiculous singing, purple dinosaur. Maybe it’s the heat, because not a single species, furry or feathered, seemed very tolerant.

Since Barney is unlikely to swing by I might just put up a “Sharing is Caring!” sign and see if that helps. In the meantime, I must amend my bird feeder’s motto from “Welcome All” to “Welcome All, Just Not All at Once”!

The eyecatching colors of these green and yellow berries caught our attention while my friend Alyssa and I were wandering the trails at Hammock Park last month.

The leaf shape and fruit color was slightly reminiscent of some type of citrus but since it was so low-growing I quickly discarded that idea. Instead, with the help of an internet search, I learned that it’s actually a tomato relative, Twoleaf Nightshade (Solanum diphyllum).

As with most of the “poison apple” family, it’s highly toxic. The plants in that family developed their toxicity to prevent being eaten by wildlife. While effective, the bitter taste and poison means that animals don’t help spread the seeds (which is a major force in propagation and plant species survival).

The edible tomato plants evolved a unique solution to this problem. While ripening, the poisonous glycoalkaloids are rendered harmless as the fruit reddens. Scientists still haven’t pinpointed when or exactly how that happened but I’m glad it did, because there’s nothing better than a juicy, vine-ripened tomato! Well, maybe with a little fresh mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar…

Yesterday evening after work I came home to two pleasant surprises. The first and most exciting, is that it finally rained at my house! My neighborhood hasn’t seen a decent rainfall since early May so this quick burst was much needed.

The second treat was my first ripe strawberry guava of the season. It was juicy and delicious (even better than I remember from last year) I’m looking forward to the rest of my harvest!

I chanced upon this delicate little flower while cutting across a vacant lot in downtown St. Pete yesterday evening. I was captivated by the tiny, white blooms and soft fragrance.

Thankfully, I chose to take a photo instead of picking it because every part of this plant packs a potent irritant (similar to stinging nettle). This low-growing native’s common name, Tread-softly (Cnidoscolus stimulosus) serves as a warning.

This plant and I might have a couple things in common…

Welp, it was just a matter of time (and quite frankly, I’m surprised it took this long) but the local squirrels have discovered both of my free buffets.

The character with the torn ear pictured above claims the front yard feeder. I have not yet determined whether it is a boy or girl but I do know it is not in the least bit intimidated by me. I assigned it the name Rip Torn (since the original owner of that moniker is no longer alive, I don’t think he’ll mind).

So far, my furry friends have been polite guests and I do enjoy watching their antics. Besides, Rip Torn showed up with a little blue flower stuck to his head the other day, what’s not to love about that?