Migration Day at Green Cay

This weekend at Green Cay we had our annual Migration Celebration. Lots of families, lots of volunteers, crafts, presentations, and of course the finale is a bird release. This year we had two Red-shouldered Hawks to release. Here are a few photos of the birds and the release.

Green Cay is already full of Red-shouldered Hawks so I will be curious to see if these two stick around or find their own territory. Regardless, it was a nice show for our visitors and two more rehabbed raptors are back in the wild.

All photos taken by Marty Kaye at Green Cay, used with permission.

Lunch Time at Green Cay

Photos used with permission by Bill Kominskey at Green Cay.

The birds at Green Cay are very busy these days. We have Red-shouldered Hawks catching snakes and even the Black-crowned Night Herons are coming out and joining the fun. This weekend is our annual Migration Celebration. Come out and enjoy the free presentations, craft projects, raptors on display, and pick up information on area organizations. We will be raffling off gift baskets to support our Friends of Green Cay group. It should be a delight plus the birds out on the boardwalk will be doing there thing.

Working hard

The view from my office today.

Oliver the Eastern Screech-owl

Oliver our little education owl at Green Cay is doing quite well. He's eating three mice a day in addition to assisting in our bird classes and storytime sessions. On our monthly night walks he comes in to give our visitors a special treat. All in all, he's been very well behaved. Yesterday I had an animal handling training workshop with our volunteers and they had a chance to pick him up for the first time. Soon we will have a perch in the nature center so that more visitors will be able to see him. For those that don't know, Oliver was hit by a car this year and had a wing amputated. He now lives at Green Cay and serves as an animal ambassdor to school kids and the general public.

If you're into birds and educational opportunities come out to Green Cay on October 31st (Halloween) for our annual Migration Celebration. We will have crafts for the kids, speakers, a raptor show, and hopefully a rehabbed bird release into the wetlands. For more information see our website.

Feeding time!

Mice for the snakes

Report Documents the Risks of Giant Invasive Snakes in the U.S.

Released: 10/13/2009 12:00:00 PM
Five giant non-native snake species would pose high risks to the health of ecosystems in the United States should they become established here, according to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report released today.

The USGS report details the risks of nine non-native boa, anaconda and python species that are invasive or potentially invasive in the United States. Because all nine species share characteristics associated with greater risks, none was found to be a low ecological risk. Two of these species are documented as reproducing in the wild in South Florida, with population estimates for Burmese pythons in the tens of thousands.

Based on the biology and known natural history of the giant constrictors, individuals of some species may also pose a small risk to people, although most snakes would not be large enough to consider a person as suitable prey. Mature individuals of the largest species—Burmese, reticulated, and northern and southern African pythons—have been documented as attacking and killing people in the wild in their native range, though such unprovoked attacks appear to be quite rare, the report authors wrote. The snake most associated with unprovoked human fatalities in the wild is the reticulated python. The situation with human risk is similar to that experienced with alligators: attacks in the wild are improbable but possible.

“This report clearly reveals that these giant snakes threaten to destabilize some of our most precious ecosystems and parks, primarily through predation on vulnerable native species,” said Dr. Robert Reed, a coauthor of the report and a USGS invasive species scientist and herpetologist.

High-risk species—Burmese pythons, northern and southern African pythons, boa constrictors and yellow anacondas—put larger portions of the U.S. mainland at risk, constitute a greater ecological threat, or are more common in trade and commerce. Medium-risk species—reticulated python, Deschauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda and Beni anaconda—constitute lesser threats in these areas, but still are potentially serious threats.

The USGS scientists who authored the report emphasized that native U.S. birds, mammals, and reptiles in areas of potential invasion have never had to deal with huge predatory snakes before—individuals of the largest three species reach lengths of more than 20 feet and upwards of 200 pounds. The reticulated python is the world’s longest snake, and the green anaconda is the heaviest snake. Both species have been found in the wild in South Florida, although breeding populations are not yet confirmed for either.

Breeding populations have been confirmed in South Florida for Burmese pythons and the boa constrictor, and there is strong evidence that the northern African python may have a breeding population in the wild as well.

“Compounding their risk to native species and ecosystems is that these snakes mature early, produce large numbers of offspring, travel long distances, and have broad diets that allow them to eat most native birds and mammals,” said Dr. Gordon Rodda, a USGS scientist at the Fort Collins Science Center and the other coauthor of the report.

In addition, he said, most of these snakes can inhabit a variety of habitats and are quite tolerant of urban or suburban areas. Boa constrictors and northern African pythons, for example, already live wild in the Miami metropolitan area.

The report notes that there are no control tools yet that seem adequate for eradicating an established population of giant snakes once they have spread over a large area. Making the task of eradication more difficult is that in the wild these snakes are extremely difficult to find since their camouflaged coloration enables them to blend in well with their surroundings.

“We have a cautionary tale with the American island of Guam and the brown treesnake,” said Reed. “Within 40 years of its arrival, this invasive snake has decimated the island’s native wildlife—10 of Guam’s 12 native forest birds, one of its two bat species, and about half of its native lizards are gone. The python introduction to Florida is so recent that the tally of ecological damage cannot yet be made.”

USGS researchers used the best available science to forecast areas of the country most at risk of invasion by these giant snakes. Based on climate alone, many of the species would be limited to the warmest areas of the United States, including parts of Florida, extreme south Texas, Hawaii, and America’s tropical islands, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and other Pacific islands. For a few species, however, larger areas of the continental United States appear to exhibit suitable climatic conditions. For example, much of the southern U.S. climatic conditions are similar to those experienced by the Burmese python in its native range. However, many factors other than climate alone can influence whether a species can establish a population in a particular location, the report notes.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service will use the report to assist in further development of management actions concerning the snakes when and where these species appear in the wild. In addition, the risk assessment will provide current, science-based information for management authorities to evaluate prospective regulations that might prevent further colonization of the U.S. by these snakes. The 300-page report provides a comprehensive review of the biology of these species as well as the risk assessment.

Scientific Names:
Indian or Burmese Python (Python molurus)
Northern African Python (Python sebae)
Southern African Python (Python natalensis)
Reticulated Python (Python [or Broghammerus] reticulatus)
Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
Beni or Bolivian Anaconda (Eunectes beniensis)
De Schauensee’s Anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei)

Contact Information:
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Office of Communication
119 National Center /Reston, VA 20192
Catherine Puckett (USGS) 1-click interview
Phone: 352-264-3532
Ken Warren (FWS) 1-click interview
Phone: 772-562-3909 x323
Linda Friar (NPS) 1-click interview
Phone: 305-242-7714

2 FOTS

The Green Cay weekly bird count went really well yesterday. The highlight was seeing not one, not two, but THREE Painted Buntings at the first habitat island, a First Of The Season bird for Green Cay. We just filled our cage feeders up last week for the first time since we lost our assistant animal caretaker to budget cuts and what do you know, the buntings came in just in time. I watched the male/female pair for about 15 minutes before exploring the rest of the island where I found another bright plumage male.

After meeting a few visitors and pointing out the buntings I continued on my way and finished the bird count with some good numbers. We had 28 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks including three familes. A lone Roseate Spoonbill was on the half mile trail. Also we had 69 Blue-winged Teal, which is evidence that their numbers are steadily increasing as the season progresses. The other big FOTS of the day was two Palm Warblers that were found on the Cypress Island. They were hanging out with some Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a female American Redstart.

All photos taken by Bill Kominsky at Green Cay, used with permission.

All in all, it was a great day of morning birding. My only complaint was the hot temperatures but hopefully this will be the last heat wave before the cooler winter temps arrive and we have cold days in the 70s.

BBWD Babies

The Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are growing up. This pair still have 5 young so they must be doing something right. The bird count today was great. I'll fill you in tomorrow on what was seen.

Boiled Peanuts

My favorite snack food in the South is by far Boiled Peanuts but especially when the are still warm! I picked up a large bag of these at the South Carolina/Kentucky game on Saturday. Not only did I eat half the bag but my football team won as well. It was well worth the plane flights and hours spent in the airport to have such a fun weekend with my family.

FWC approves draft rule to allow Peregrine Falcons for falconry

September 9, 2009Contact: Patricia Behnke, 850-251-2130

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) moved one step closer to allowing falconers to take peregrine falcons for the sport of falconry.

At the meeting in Howey-in-the-Hills on Wednesday, the Commission directed staff to finalize the rule that authorizes the take of peregrine falcons for falconry with a permit issued by the FWC.

Seven speakers, including members of groups such as the Florida Falconry Association, North American Falconers Association, Florida Audubon of Florida, Defenders of Wildlife and Humane Society of the United States, provided input to the Commission on the draft rule. Those opposed to the falconry rule requested that the Commission find a way to fund a raptor-monitoring program that includes peregrines in the Keys.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a plan for peregrine management for falconry in December 2008. The plans allows for 36 peregrine falcons to be taken for falconry anywhere east of the 100th meridian. This area includes states from Maine to Florida to Texas to North Dakota. Florida is eligible for a small portion of that number, which will be allocated among the states that allow harvest.

"Falconers contributed to the successful conservation of the peregrine by providing birds for captive breeding so peregrines could be reintroduced," said Robin Boughton, the FWC's avian coordinator. "Many falconers would now like the opportunity to again use the birds in the sport of falconry."

The peregrine is a highly valued bird by falconers for its 200-mph dives for prey. Falcons have been used by people for hunting for more than 1,000 years.

The USFWS took the peregrine off the endangered species list in 1999, and the FWC delisted the peregrine falcon in June, making it one of conservation's greatest success stories. Today, scientists estimate there are at least 3,100 breeding pairs in the United States.
The FWC has met with stakeholders, including falconers and conservation groups, as the agency developed a management plan for the peregrine, which was approved in June. Staff has continued working with stakeholders as it drafted the rule to allow harvest of the peregrine for falconry.

Based on the allocations from 2009, Florida would most likely receive five or fewer permits for peregrines for falconry in 2010. Permit applicants would be randomly selected, with preference given to Florida residents.

Peregrines migrate as much as 15,000 miles per year, and on average, 1,700 peregrines migrate through Florida, including the Keys, in the fall as they move between northern breeding grounds and wintering areas in Central and South America. Some peregrines stay the entire winter in the state, but they do not breed in Florida. They can be spotted in the fall and winter over open terrain, particularly near coastal shorelines and wetlands.