By Amber Prinkey

There are over 200 different species of squirrels but just three in Florida, the Eastern Gray Squirrel, Fox Squirrel, and Southern Flying Squirrel (which doesn’t actually fly, instead they have a special membrane between their front and back legs that allows them to glide through the air between trees). Some people think these fuzzy little rodents are pests because they may make a nest in your house or dart out in front of your car (Squirrels will use a zig-zag pattern to run away from predators, which doesn’t work very well on cars so keep an eye out for them and don’t be surprised if they double back!). They also steal birdseed from feeders and terrorize your pets… but this is Squirrel Appreciation Day so let’s focus on their good qualities!

First, where did all of these squirrels come from? Although squirrels are native to North America, in the 1800’s they were introduced to city parks to add interest and entertainment. While we have many other things to entertain us now, watching their acrobatics and other silly behaviors (like pretending to stash nuts to trick onlookers) can still be a source of fun!

Luckily, squirrels don’t want your food like rats and mice do, instead, they eat acorns, hickory nuts, butternuts, beechnuts, maple seeds, as well as berries, mushrooms, and some field crops, such as pumpkins and corn. They are well adapted to finding food and some can find food buried beneath a foot of snow with their incredible sense of smell. However, squirrels won’t dig up all the nuts that they bury under the ground which makes them responsible for planting many trees!

Gray squirrels typically mate in late winter/early spring and have litters of 2-7 “kits.” They are born blind and dependent on their mother but grow quickly and can be on their own at 8-10 weeks, allowing mom to have a second litter mid-summer.

Many people may find baby squirrels and want to help them but often mom can rescue them by picking them up by their scruff and returning them to the nest. People idealize raising baby wild animals like squirrels as their own pets, but it is not only illegal in Florida but also dangerous- to the humans and to the squirrels. They can be aggressive plus they require extra care and special food. The best thing you can do if you find a baby squirrel is to call a wildlife center like ours for advice before you remove the animal from the wild.

By Amber Prinkey

One might ask, do eagles still need saving? You may know about their difficult past, but how are they doing now? Let’s have a look.

In 1782 there were approximately 75,000 bald eagles in the U.S. when they were named our national symbol.

By the 1950s they dropped down to an estimated 412 breeding pairs due to the pesticide DDT. DDT went into the waterways, fish and other prey absorbed it, the buildup of pesticides in the eagle’s systems caused the eggs they laid to be thin and cracked when they sat on them.

In 1972 DDT was banned in the U.S. when the Environmental Protection Agency was formed although it is still in use in South America, Africa, and Asia.  Additionally, the bald eagle became protected by the Endangered Species Act in 1973.

By 1995 with regulation enforcement, habitat restoration, and breeding programs, the numbers rose to nearly 4,500 bald eagles.

In 2007 they were removed from the Endangered Species list

Current estimates put their numbers at about 316,700, which means their population is INCREASING! Over the past 40 years, the population has steadily increased. Part of the reason we know this is from data submitted during the Christmas Bird Count, a reason to feel good about participating if you did so this year!

While we did fix the problem with pesticides, humans continue to be the reason for most bald eagle fatalities. Trauma caused by impact with manmade structures, gunshots, and poisoning (from eating other animals affected by lead gunshots) are the leading causes of death.

Interested in helping our nation’s symbol? Become an Eagle Watcher with the Audubon Society! Details here:  https://cbop.audubon.org/get-involved/be-eaglewatcher

By Amber Prinkey

We had a flurry of fun during Winter Camp, check it out:

Don’t forget to check our website for upcoming Camp Wild opportunities!

From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to The Tortoise and the Hare, everyone can agree that these shelled creatures are adorable. Here are some turtle-y awesome facts you may not know:

Turtles spend most of their lives in water… usually. Some turtles, like Box Turtles, stay on land.

^{One of our resident box turtles peeks out from below a rock}

Slow-moving tortoises have an advantage – they might be ignored because they look like rocks!

Some tortoises LOVE to dig! Gopher Tortoises may construct many burrows and they can be up to 40 feet long and 10 feet deep.

Scientists believe they can see the color red best.

Their shells are made of bone and covered in thick scutes made of keratin (like our fingernails!)

It is illegal to move gopher tortoises from their home. They are a keystone species, those burrows they dig provide shelter for up to 400 species of animals!

It is also illegal to take sea turtle eggs. Sea turtles have a rough time of it, only about 1 in 1,000 makes it to adulthood! If caught poaching these eggs, offenders face a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail.

Many species of turtles and tortoises are endangered. In some countries, it is believed that their parts have medicinal properties which leads them to be poached – taken illegally from the wild.

Some turtles and tortoises can live up to 200 years! But the average of most species is about 50 years. That’s still a long time if you are considering getting one as a pet. Red-eared sliders have been a common pet for many years and unfortunately, our native turtles are suffering because of it. Many people have released their turtles into the wild and these non-native reptiles are taking resources from our native turtles. They are now a conditional species in Florida, you’ll need a permit to keep one as a pet. 

Please always do your research before getting any animal as a pet and NEVER release unwanted pets into the wild.

^{A red-eared slider basks in the small wetland behind the nature center}

By Amber Prinkey

With the increased focus on nature that has happened over the past year and a half because of Covid, why not continue by participating in this year’s Christmas Bird Count which lasts from December 14 to January 5? Ornithologist Frank M Chapman created the Christmas Bird Count in 1900 to bring more attention to conservation efforts. He and his fellow conservationists thought we should be counting the birds instead of hunting them! This work continues and helps the Audubon society understand bird populations. There are rules and a sign up required, get the details here: https://www.audubon.org/answers-your-top-questions-about-christmas-bird-count

If competition is your thing, consider a Big Year. Just like the 2011 movie shows us, birders compete to see the most bird species in the U.S. in an entire year. The current record was set in 2019 and stands at 836 of the just over a thousand species here in the U.S. There are also worldwide competitions to see as many of the over 10,000 bird species we know of, that record stands at 6,852. That’s a lot of birds!

If you’re like us here at Sawgrass Nature Center and just want to enjoy birds whenever and wherever consider a life list. This is just a list of birds you’ve seen. No pressure, just enjoyment of birds and their silly, strange, fun, and beautiful behaviors. 

Want to learn more about birds? Book a Bird Adaptations class with us. Your group will learn about birds, see them up close, and even dissect pellets from them! See our website for details.

A flock of Mourning Doves visits the field at our nature center

By Amber Prinkey

A few months ago we talked about citizen science when regular people help researchers understand animal movements and patterns. Interested in helping out some more scientists? For the next few months, researchers at Journey North would like our help in tracking Monarch butterflies. If you live in the Southeastern U.S. you can sign up to report your Monarch sightings this December through March. Visit https://journeynorth.org/monarchs for details.

We had a WILD time at Fall camp this year, check out some of the cool things we saw and did!

We had a great time, we hope you’ll join us for a future camp! Check our website to see what’s next!

www.sawgrassnaturecenter.org

Today, we’re uniting for a worldwide celebration of generosity. GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity in all its forms by sharing acts of kindness and giving their voice, time, money, goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes. 

Are you in?

Giving Tuesday kicks off our End of Year Campaign! This year has been the busiest one yet for our Wildlife Hospital and we need your help!

Your donation will help cover the increased costs associated with the increase in patients.
This year we are looking at a 42% increase in hospital admissions when compared to our 2020 numbers.
Your support matters! Please share this post so we can reach more people.

By Amber Prinkey

No turkeys here at Sawgrass Nature Center but we do have a Turkey Vulture! Her name is Nelly and she has quite a personality! Nelly can be shy when she encounters new people. She may feel a little vulnerable because she has a wing injury and knows she can’t fly away. Maybe not the prettiest bird, turkey vultures still have a lot to teach us:

• Unlike most birds, the Turkey Vulture has a keen sense of smell that it uses to detect carrion (dead animals). In fact, they have the largest olfactory (smelling) system of all birds (that we know of, new data is coming out about other bird’s smelling abilities). They have been known to be able to smell carrion from over a mile away, which is unusual in the bird world.
•  The Turkey Vulture often defecates on its own legs, using the evaporation of the water in the feces to cool itself down. Also, the acid in their poop kills bacteria caused by climbing into carcasses.
• The bald head of a vulture is a feeding adaptation which prevents bacterial infection as the bird’s head is submerged in a carcass
• Turkey Vultures are recognized while flying by their ability to soar, rarely flapping their wings at all in flight. Their wings form a slight “V” while soaring.
• Many raptors use the heat rising off the ground to help them ascend. This saves valuable energy.
• Adult birds have few predators as they will vomit up their last meal to chase them away.
• A group of vultures is called a committee, venue, or volt. In flight, a flock of vultures is a kettle, and when the birds are feeding together at a carcass, the group is called a wake.

As an important part of our ecosystem, vultures are known as nature’s clean-up crew. We have them to thank for eating dead and rotting things which helps keep our planet clean.

By Amber Prinkey

Although their brains are tiny, birds make good use of what space they have with plenty of neurons. With some birds being able to migrate and return to the exact same area next year, they’re showing us they are smarter than we think. Check out these smarty bird facts:

Many bird species can plan for the future by caching food (saving it for later).

Crows and mockingbirds have been shown to recognize faces and are more comfortable with those they have interacted positively with as opposed to a stranger.

Crows not only make tools but can also curve a tool into a hook for better food gathering.

Green herons also use tools. They’ll find a piece of food, place it on the water, fish will come to the food, then they eat the fish.

Crows will group together to mob predators, using strength in numbers.

Studies show ravens can plan for tasks, a trait we thought only humans could accomplish!

Ever thought you heard a hawk only to look and see an innocent little Blue Jay? They mimic these fearsome predators to scare the competition away from food!

Some birds like gulls and crows will drop hard-shelled food items on the ground so they break and they can eat what’s inside.

More than 200 species of birds have performed “anting,” the act of rubbing ants on their skin and feathers to “clean” themselves with the ant’s chemicals.

Some species of parrots may develop a vocabulary of over 1,000 words!

Wild turkeys have a technique where they line up side by side to walk across fields to flush out more insects.

Even Great- Tailed Grackles (a close relative of our own Boat-Tailed Grackles) have shown to be more intelligent than previously thought. A study showed they have behavioral flexibility, the ability to change preferences with changing circumstances. This means they will alter the way they do things if another way is better than the way they previously did it.

So now we know birds are smart, but they still make mistakes. Here at Sawgrass Nature Center, we regularly get calls about birds who have flown into windows. How can you avoid this at your home? Putting a few stickers or window clings on your windows will alert birds to the window and help them avoid it.

A non-releasable blue jay sits on a branch in our Aviary