Snakes and Things

Tuesday December 10th

Big Soft Shelled Turtle at Six-Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Yesterday I found myself checking out some of the habitat at Lovers Key for any Racerunner Lizards. Dipped on the lizards, had seen them at Long Key State park earlier this year. No photo.  They are so quick.

Curly tailed Lizard

But down in the Keys there are a lot of lizards to be found. Curly Tailed Lizards are everywhere, and they will pose for you.  Seems every time I return to the Keys, these invasive lizards are becoming more numerous. 

Green Iguanas are everywhere too.

A male African Agama

A male African Agama

A female African Agama

Another interesting invasive lizard is easily seen at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, are African Agamas. The males can be brightly colored and these lizards can be found sunning themselves. This location also hosts, Green Iguana, Knight Anoles, Basilisk Lizards, all invasive

Green Iguana are everywhere in south Florida

I have yet to come across a wild Nile Monitor Lizard, but master birder Eary Warren, trapped one in his back yard in Cape Coral. Defidently an unwanted invasive.  Right up there with the Burmese Python.

Green Anoles are natives, but Cuban Brown Anoles are aggressive invasive that are out competing the green.

A native Green Anole

A Large Male Brown Anole Displaying a Dorsal Crest

This Knight Anole was observed in a Mango Tree

Well what about Snakes? Have a few.

Ribbon Snake

Ron Bishop spotted a small mass of Brown Water Snakes

 sunning on some rocks at Harns Marsh

A Pair of Water Moccasins sharing a cozy spot

May Gallery Pics

Wednesday May 30th

Swallow-tailed Kite

Purple Martin seen at the Franklin Locks

A Chucks-wills-Widow see at Babcock-Webb WMA in early May

 The flowers were blooming at Hickey Creek Mitigation Park in Alva.  Still working on my flower identification.

Newly hatched Purple Martin chicks

at the Celery Fields Nature Center

Florida Red-bellied Cooter seen at the Franklin Locks

Wilson's Plovers seen at Bowditch Point

American Oystercatcher seen at Bowditch Point

Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones 

seen at Bowditch Point

A very young Water Moccasin 

seen at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Peninsula Ribbon Snake 

seen at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Red shouldered Hawk s

seen at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Button Bush Blossom

Dragonfly
It maybe a Green Darner

Cuban Brown Anole flashing his dewlap

A Relic seen at the Shell Mound Trail at Ding Darling NWR

Fruiting Shrub at the Bailey Tract

Black Racer seen at the Bailey Tract

Fish Crow Examining a Horseshoe Crab shell

Mangrove Blossom

Cape May Warbler seen at Bowditch Point

Eastern Screech Owl at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

House Crow seen at Nokomis Beach

Boat-tailed Grackle

Milkweed seen at Hickey Creek

Clover at Hickey Creek