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Posted by Bryant Roberts on 17:00:53 02/21/10
Since last fall when I realized that I have paid far too little attention to the Big Cypress Swamp I made a project of familiarizing myself with some of that area s grades, tramways, and trails. On Saturday afternoon I made my first visit to Jones Grade in the northeast corner of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park west of SR 29 just south of Alligator Alley. This trail lacks the spectacular aerial gardens of the Main East Trail off of Jane s Scenic Drive but it has more diverse habitat and is more convenient for people approaching this area from the northeast. I took the trail west to where it joins the north end of the Main East Trail which was impassable southward due to overgrowth. From the intersection I went north to a few hundred yards past where the trail bends west. I also took the spur trail that goes south from a few hundred yards past the entrance gate to its end. The most interesting birds seen that afternoon were two Louisiana Waterthrushes and a Magnolia Warbler. There were plenty of very large Alligators sunning themselves beside the borrow ponds along the trail which were quick to get out of my way. Yellow bladderworts were the most conspicuous wildflowers along the trail but I also came upon a nice bed of blooming violets. I also found a bed of Shadow-witch, a terrestrial orchid, in bloom as well as several Epidendrum species and Butterfly Orchids not in bloom.
Birds observed on 2/20/10 along Jones Grade in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Anhinga 12
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 4
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 30
Wood Stork 2
White Ibis 10
Ring-necked Duck 3
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 6
Northern Harrier 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 4
American Coot 3
Wilson s Snipe 1
Barred Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 8
Tree Swallow 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Cedar Waxwing 20
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 3
Gray Catbird 12
American Robin 75
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 25
Tufted Titmouse 12
White-eyed Vireo 10
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Northern Parula 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 30
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 8
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 18
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