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Erin

Coddiwompling through life, guided by my love of nature and insatiable curiosity.

Water Works

I volunteered this morning shoveling shells and hauling concrete balls as part of a shoreline restoration project. After having previously volunteered in the creation of oyster reef balls with Tampa Bay Watch, I was eager to get involved in the actual placement of them.

It was a big undertaking, thank goodness there were over 60 of us! The first stage was to haul and place 100 oyster reef balls just offshore, in the intertidal zone. The 200 pound concrete balls will help diffuse wave action while providing a hard substrate where oyster spat can attach.

While restoring oyster beds are important for improving water quality, these projects also create EFH (essential fish habitat). For the second stage we filled 1,000 mesh bags with shells. These 35 pound bags were then placed upshore of the reef balls to further protect the shoreline.

Needless to say, it was quite a workout! Though it was hot and humid at least we had some cloud cover that made the morning tolerable. I look forward to checking back on the project (when it’s cooler out) to see the improvements.

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Play Day at Passage Key

I had the good fortune to go out with friends to Passage Key this afternoon. The water was incredibly clear and calm, which was not only enjoyable but made it easy for us to keep an eye out for sharks.

It should come as no surprise that Florida leads the country in shark bites, of the 15 thus far this year 5 of them have occurred here (which does not include the rumored attacks from this long weekend). As the below graphic jokingly shows, there are definitely sharks in the salt water around here (24 species have been documented in the Gulf of Mexico).

Thankfully, our time in the water was blissfully uninterrupted. What a great way to spend a hot summer day!
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Murid in My Milo

While taking out the trash the other evening, something odd caught my eye. At first I thought it was a small bird tucked in the milo (grain sorghum) growing under my bird feeder, but upon closer inspection I saw that it was young rat.

I know they’re a reviled species but this little one was kind of adorable as it feasted on the seeds. It’s the first one I’ve seen in my yard, since I have a pretty good team of rodent control specialists (aka tom cats) in my neighborhood.

No matter the species, it makes me happy that wildlife enjoys my yard!
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New Nest

I was excited to witness the Sea Turtle Patrol crew in action during yesterday morning’s beach walk. Every morning at dawn, from May through August, a trained team traverses the entire 3 mile stretch of Treasure Island.

They are looking for tell-tale disturbances in the sand that lead to a new nest. After spotting a trail, they take careful measurements and protect the nest with informational markers. All the data is then carefully logged so they can analyze nesting rates at the end of the season.

Three sea turtle species commonly nest along our coast, Loggerhead, Green, and Leatherback (though rarely a Kemp’s Ridley or a Hawksbill will also come ashore here). Because they each have a different crawl pattern, it is possible to tell them apart even without seeing the actual animal. Which is quite helpful, seeing as how most nesting* occurs in the middle of the night. According to the Turtle Patrol, this new nest was laid by a Loggerhead Sea Turtle.

What a wonderful way to start the day! The view was pretty incredible, too.

*Though not all, the summer of 2020 I was incredibly fortunate to watch a Loggerhead Turtle digging her nest one morning.

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Rainy Afternoon Fun

When inclement weather interrupted our outdoor plans, these two intrepid explorers hopped in the car and headed north to the adorable town of Dunedin.

Our first stop was the Dunedin Fresh Market’s grand opening so we could listen to talented native, Aubrey Wollett. Afterwards, we wandered over to the town’s namesake brewery for a frothy beverage. Feeling peckish, we dodged sprinkles as we crossed the street to the Hog Island Fish Camp where we shared some mouthwatering seafood.

By the time we finished, the storm had blown out to sea, so we headed to the beach to watch the sun slip away. Our toes in the sand, what a perfect way to end a great day!
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Friday Night Lights

Power Ranger?

Alyssa, Katie, and I were in the mood to try something new so we checked out the Asian Night Market last evening. Thankfully, the threatening thunderstorm stayed north of us and didn’t ruin our fun!

There were so many enticing aromas wafting from the 50+ food trucks and tents, it was hard to decide what to try. Korean barbecue, Japanese sushi, Lao papaya salad, pad thai, Chinese stir fried squid, Vietnamese nuoc mis (sugar cane juice), Filipino Suman Malagkit  (sweetened rice in banana leaves), Taiwanese boba tea, and so much more!

Ultimately, we ordered different items and sampled each other’s selections, all of them were delicious. It was loud and crowded but a very festive event. I’m glad we went. I do love living here, there’s always something new to see and do!
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Storied Silver Springs

Like a Painting
Props from I Spy
Twin Oaks Mansion
Pink Sorrel (Oxalis sp.)
Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Silvery Reflection

Since 2013, Silver Springs State Park has encompassed both the Silver River and the 30 artesian vents that feed the waterway. The largest of them, Mammoth Spring, is a first magnitude spring, discharging an average of 100 cubic feet of water per second. Making it the second largest spring in Florida. 

The springs are clustered closely together. Given the small size, it is surprising that the area figured so prominently in the state’s history. Located near the center of the state, the riverway was one of the main transportation routes.

Noting that early travelers were entranced by the crystal clear water, enterprising settlers Hullam Jones and Phillip Morrell added glass to a rowboat. Thus, Florida’s first attraction opened in the late 1870s.

Over the ensuing decades zoological displays and demonstrations were added to the property. Starting in the 1930s, Silver Springs even attracted Hollywood directors who used the scenic area in tv shows, like Sea Hunt and I Spy. As well as 20 films, including Rebel Without a Cause, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and six Tarzan movies (the latter inspired Colonel Tooey, who operated the “Jungle Cruise” boat ride, to import some Rhesus macaques).

In 1971, Silver Springs was designated a National Natural Landmark, the same year that Disney World opened, which, ironically led the attraction’s demise. When the state acquired the property they removed the old cages and rundown buildings, returning much of the site to its natural state. Thankfully, they restored the glass bottom boats so you can still float over the springs as they burble up through the Ocala limestone. Small but still scenic!

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Monkeying Around

Grooming Session
Legs Up, Monkey Pose
Where’d Everybody Go?
In a Hurry
Got to Catch Up with the Troop
Snack Time

Friday I finally had a chance to head over to Silver Springs State Park. While the park’s namesake is stunning and has an interesting past, that story will have to wait, because the main reason I drove 100 miles inland was for some monkey business.

Lucky for me the weather was gray and moody, with rain threatening at any moment. Why was this a good thing? For a couple reasons, the cloudy skies kept the temperature down and scared the crowds of tourists away. Which the monkeys and I both took full advantage of.

While I only saw a dozen of them, there are over 400 Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) freely roaming the banks of the Silver River. They are descendants of 12 monkeys that an enterprising tour boat operator purchased and released onto a small island in 1938. Colonel Tooey had hoped to capitalize on the public’s fascination with Tarzan. Unfortunately, he did not do his homework and the Rhesus Monkeys promptly swam away.

As you can tell, they didn’t go far. Over the ensuing years, free food enticed them to stick around and colonize the area. Though that practice ended in 1993, when the historic tourist attraction was purchased by Florida and became a state park, the monkeys have remained.

While the state considers this colony to be invasive and a threat to native species (and poses a slight human health risk as they can carry Herpes B) there are no current plans for eradication. Not only would it be expensive but the public outcry would be immense.

I enjoyed getting a peek into their lives, it was well worth the drive!
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Walk It Off

Since sleep proved elusive this morning a beach walk seemed a viable alternative. I’m so glad I ventured out there, the clouds and sea breeze kept the temperature mild while the view was just incredible. As if that wasn’t enough, the gulf offered up some lovely treasures for me to discover!

Shark Eye Moon Snail, Coral, Sand Dollar, Lightning Whelks, Fighting Conch, Paper Fig Shell (rare because it is so thin and fragile), Treasure Island, Florida

Such a stunning way to start the day. I love living here!
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