Center for Birds of Prey

Across Florida, there are over 40 Audubon chapters and over 90 employees working to protect birds and their habitat. Several weeks ago, I was fortunate to visit the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey (CBOP) in Maitland, Florida. CBOP rehabilitates raptors and educates the public about their care, biology, and role in our environment. When raptors can’t be released after rehabilitation, they are housed at the center or relocated to educational facilities across the country. 

Their education manager, Laura VonMutius, welcomed me to shadow her for the day. Although I’ve known about CBOP for almost a year, arriving at the center was a wonderful surprise. They have over 50 resident raptors, of 20 different species. Many of the mews (outdoor enclosures for raptors) are available for the public to view, and some of the birds are even kept outside during the day. 

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m a firm believer in the power of experiential education. Education birds are raptors that are trained and acclimated to assisting with public programs. Although Education birds don’t allow the same hands-on opportunities as some other animals, they carry an incredible power when brought into a room. Adults and children are mystified in their presence. When I look back on my visit to CBOP, I think about the ripple effect they’ve had in their 40 years of operation. How many birds have they rehabilitated and released? How many others have been nurtured in captivity, and how many people have those birds taught?

~AnnaFaith, Education Intern

The Halfway Point

I am halfway through my internship on Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and I must admit I have had more opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience here on Corkscrew than any other places I have worked. I have learned about many different invasive species of plants, performed wading bird surveys, fish sampling for their food supply, and trail-cam maintenance. A typical day is to never expect, only to embrace a new lesson and become more fascinated with the wildlife living in the swamp.

Butterfly Surveying- Only seven Viceroy Butterflies (Limenitis archippus) were spotted this year, while the White Peacock was more prevalent at a count of 354.

If you follow all my weekly Friday post you get an insight into all the cool insects, plants and animals I run into, such as this one the Common Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristate).

This year I had the pleasure of leading a team for the Christmas Bird Count. I am not the best at bird identification, but I surprised myself by the amount of birds I knew. My favorite parts of this new experience was learning how to distinguish the difference between songbirds and taking a long look around Lost Creek Lake and seeing the amount of birds that use this hidden treasure.

The Christmas Bird Count has been going on for 120 years to get people involved in counting birds over hunting them. Over the years, Audubon has seen the trends in bird populations all over the world. I am living to take part in the little things that can make a bigger impact as the world around us evolves. 

-Ayanna

FIRE

A little over a week ago, I got to be a member of one of the ignition teams on a prescribed burn on Corkscrew’s property. It was incredibly cool, and I learned so much.

The Everglades is an incredibly fire dependent region, and its pine flatwoods and prairie ecosystems especially so. Pine flatwoods cover approximately 50% of Florida’s natural land area, making them the most extensive terrestrial ecosystem in the state. Fire is necessary to maintain the open plant community this shade-intolerant ecosystem relies on. Without periodic burning, this habitat can undergo a phase shift into a hardwood hammock in as little as 15 years. Fire-adapted plants within these habitats even rely on burning to help germinate seeds and improve growth. As human populations have spread, we tend to suppress natural fire regimes. Not only does this result in a buildup of dead vegetation that can act as fuel for extremely destructive wildfires, it allows for areas of extremely dense vegetation that make it difficult for wildlife to travel through.

There are so many moving parts to a prescribed burn; wind, humidity, presence and types of fuels, as well as location of all team members, corridors for wildlife to escape, and many other factors. There are different techniques for setting fire, and different terms dependent on where the edge of the fire is compared to the wind direction, which then influences fire behavior. It’s difficult not to just stop and stare as the fire burns on, but there’s too many important tasks to focus on such as spacing ignition spots correctly and watching embers to make sure they don’t travel outside of where the fire is meant to be contained. I have gained such a respect for fire, for the habitats that rely on it, and the teams that carry out the prescribed burns to maintain these vital ecosystems. I’m honored to have gotten the opportunity to be a part of it all.

-Sam

Farewell

Working as a Research Intern at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I have gained so much knowledge and experience from working here and I am so grateful to the Research team for guiding me along the way. I wanted to thank Shawn for being such a great mentor and showing me the ropes of the dataset that I worked on for my main project, and for connecting me with Dr. Jerry Lorenz, who will be my new boss down in Tavernier, FL. I also wanted to thank Lee for teaching me field techniques and training me to eventually lead the crew in the field. I also wanted to thank the rest of the Corkscrew staff and all the interns that I've worked with for being so kind, helpful, knowledgeable, and for welcoming me into the Audubon family with open arms. I will miss this place dearly, and I will never forget my time in this beautiful sanctuary.

-Brian

Python Trained ✔

It's been an awesome 2.8 months and one of the most heart racing activities I took part in was being trained on catching a live Burmese Python (Python bivittatus). This python is an non-venomous snake that is native to Southeast Asia. They became established in Florida due to accidental or intentional release of captive pet animals. Today's population size is set to be as large as 300,000 in Florida, as a result one way to keep up and to eventually start knocking down this number, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) started the Python Pickup Program.

At the training the instructors went over how you can identify these pythons and the expansion of sightings and/or trapped pythons over the years in South Florida. As you may already know pythons are a big problem in the environment currently, as they consume a variety of prey such as mammals, birds and reptiles; decreasing populations of natives and endangered species. Therefore, this training is for anyone interested in knowing how to properly handle a python once spotted (taught by FWC). Catching a python big or small is not a thing everyone has the heart for, and I thought I was one until; I did it.

I can't lie when it was my turn to take down the python and bag it, my heart was racing until I took that knee. I'm left handed and I always feel awkward after being thought how its done from a right hands point of view. However, I felt confident in my plan of attack and took the python down without hesitation. 

-Ayanna

Great Herping

I’m coming into my third month of working for Corkscrew, and it feels like every time I go out for field work I’m adding a new species to my list of wildlife that I’ve seen. It’s especially exciting whenever I’m able to add a new reptile or amphibian to that list, and the swamp has plenty of those to offer, whether I’m on the boardwalk collecting hydrology data or looking in the minnow traps we’ve set for fish sampling.

 Recently, a Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means) was caught in one of our traps. To borrow some terminology I’ve picked up from my birding co-worker, this guy was a ‘lifer’ for me. A. means is the longest salamander in the United States, growing up to 4 ft in length. They have tiny vestigial legs and no external gills, which helps to differentiate them from the greater sirens we also have at Corkscrew, though both of these salamanders and their respective families are obligate neotenes, meaning they never fully metamorphose, and retain larval or juvenile characteristics into adulthood.

               








Other great herps I’ve come across are the Banded Water Snake, Cuban Tree Frog, the aforementioned Greater Siren, Peninsular Newt, Five-lined skink, Black Racer, and Gopher tortoise! And just so many, many, MANY gators.                

                                           

-Sam

Experiencing Nature through Education

New Education Intern!

At work on Halloween, dressed as Mrs. Frizzle

Hello everyone! My name is AnnaFaith and I just started with the Education Team here at Corkscrew. I was born in Massachusetts and I grew up in Rhode Island. I graduated from Prescott College in August 2019 with a BA in Natural History & Ecology. I studied on campus in Prescott, Arizona from August 2015- January 2017 before spending a semester abroad at the Kino Bay Field Station in Sonora, Mexico. In May 2017, I moved to Acadia National Park in Maine to serve as the Raptor Intern and take classes at the nearby College of the Atlantic.

HawkWatch on top of Cadillac Mountain in Maine

After a year in Maine, I returned to Rhode Island. I finished my degree in the Prescott College Limited Residency Undergraduate Program. I received credit by completing internships with Norman Bird Sanctuary and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island; student teaching; and taking online courses. In addition to working in education, I’m passionate about federal public lands issues and I’m currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Public Lands Foundation. Outside work, I love playing guitar, singing, and birding. I’m thrilled to be here at Corkscrew and am very much looking forward to the next six months.

 
Connecting Students to Nature

From my very first phone interview, I could tell Corkscrew is an incredibly special place. I’m already loving my work here. My very first week, I was able to attend the statewide Audubon Assembly. It was exciting to learn about operations across Florida, and to see so many different facets of the organization. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but already feeling like it’s the best job I’ve ever had.

Students on a Wild Florida school trip watching raccoon

Each time I venture onto the boardwalk, all I can think is that I’ve moved to a paradise. With students or on my own, I feel like I see new wildlife each time. From a charismatic Raccoon family to elegant Spotted Fishing Spiders, I’m captivated no matter where I look. I’m especially grateful for the chance to share this place with others as a member of the Education Team. Hands-on experiences in nature are vital for the health and well-being of students. By exploring the outdoors, and finding joy in natural history, children form connections to nature that foster principles of lifelong stewardship. I’ll close with a question to our readers: 

What is your earliest memory of nature? Have your early experiences with the natural world had an effect on your outlook today?

Goodbye Corkscrew

My time at Corkscrew has come to an end. I have learned so much about land management from my mentors Allyson and Scott. My time here has been amazing. I was able to see wild bears, birds, snakes, hogs, and panthers all while working in the heat of Florida’s summer. I gained experience with chainsaws, machetes, backpack sprayers, ATVs, tractors, and airboats. So much knowledge was gained and I am deeply grateful for all those involved in working with me to be the best intern possible. Corkscrew has taught me many things and will always hold a special place in my heart. Thanks again Corkscrew Swamp. I will miss you.

-Alex

Another new conservation intern!

Hi!

My name is Sam, and I was born and raised in South Florida although I’ve been away from home for a while. I graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts with a degree in Biology in 2018. At Smith, I worked with salamanders in the Eastern hemlock forest as well as snails in the rocky intertidal zone. Both studies focused on responses to predation pressure, because I think trophic cascades and predator-prey interactions are one of the most interesting aspects of ecology.





I have researched oyster aquaculture in Seattle, monitored Pacific salmon in Oregon, and done behavioral research on Scimitar-horned oryx at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas. I love all aspects of ecology, and one of the best perks of this field is constantly being able to explore and travel to new places; I even got to do research in an Australian rainforest during college!

It's also nice to return home, too. I am excited to work in our unique Everglades as an Audubon Corkscrew Conservation Intern. I’ve been here about a month already and have gotten to participate in fish sampling, as well as herp and bird surveys. I enjoy herping in my free time and now it’s part of my job!

New Conservation Intern Here

Hello,

I'm Ayanna Browne, an alumna of Tuskegee University and Corkscrew new 60% land management and 40% research, Conservation Intern. I aspire to become a Wildlife Biologist but it's codependent on what I become passionate about on my journey though internships and seasonal jobs. I love the outdoor but the cold and I are not friends, maybe it's because I was born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, learning everything I can to become more qualified in my career path is my goal.  Thus when I settle for a permanent position, I feel like I'm never working a day in my life, exactly like a mentor told me back in college.

Sunflowers Dry Down

The Sunflowers in the backcountry seemed to be taking a huge hit the last few weeks of September. They just did not look like they were going to have enough water to bloom. Finally, in this first week of October the sunflowers have bloomed. Yet, a greater question remains. Where is all the rain and water. The sections where the sunflowers usually bloom high above onlooker's heads is significantly low. Not but two days ago the effects of the dry down in CSS could be seen. Though invasive, 3 armored catfish were dried up and dead only 100 yards from the sunflower field. The lack of rain is causing many plants to have to snuggle to produce flowers. Hopefully we will get some rain soon

SUNFLOWERS BACK AT IT

This Week on the CMT

This Week on the CMT

This week on the Central Marsh Transect, we did some aquatic fauna sampling. I was able to help guide our two new interns, Sam and Ayanna, on their first time throw trapping and minnow trapping at Corkscrew. We were able to identify several species of fish that we caught in our trapping methods, like the Mosquitofish, Flagfish, and the invasive African Jewelfish. We were also catching crustaceans such as the Everglades and Slough Crayfish. 

The species that I like to see the most are the Peninsular Newts, which is a small newt native to Florida. Other herps we caught included Banded Water Snakes and Greater Sirens, in which this was the first time I've ever seen a Greater Siren. They were slimy, speckled, and had external gills that would expose in water. That species was truly one of the coolest I have ever seen.

In conclusion, there is always a good time to be had on the CMT. We even saw an Acadian Flycatcher that kept an eye on us when we were throw trapping the in the Bald Cypress! Maybe next time I will be able to find my lifer Amphiuma.

Sunbathing and Birds

Sunbathing and Birds

Birds sometimes exhibit a behavior called sunning, which is the act of spreading out in full sunshine, exposing plumage and skin to direct sunlight. Many species exhibit this behavior especially during hot summer months when sunlight is at full exposure. At first, this behavior may look odd to the average birder, but there are many reasons why birds do this.

One example is this photo I captured on Corkscrew's boardwalk, where I observed a Carolina Wren sunning out in the open in the middle of the boardwalk. It is seen spreading and stretching its wings, spreading its tail, and fluffing its feathers on its head and back, exposing its skin. One benefit of this is during colder months, it uses solar radiation to maintain body temperature without exerting as much energy from food. Another benefit is that sunning can help birds convert compounds in their preen oil from a gland at the base of their tail into vitamin D. The most important benefit of this behavior is to maintain feather health. Parasites that are inhabiting the birds feathers will be dislodged when exposed to sunlight, making it easier for birds to remove those parasites when they are preening.

When you see a bird sunning for the first time, you may think it is either injured or sick, but with careful observation, it becomes clear that the bird is actually sunning in order to maintain health. It is also important to try to avoid spooking the bird while its in the middle of this behavior so it doesn't get interrupted during this important behavior.

-Brian, Research Intern

Electric Land Management

                                                          Electric Land Management



I never thought that after getting a degree in Environmental Biology that I would still have so much to learn about working a land management job.  Land management is so much more than invasive plant removal and prescribed burns. Land management is dealing with the circumstances at hand in the best way possible.

Just the other day the well pump at the mitigation bank finally gave out. Rather than calling it a day, due to the lack of water, Allyson and I went down to good 'ole Lowes and got a new pump. I had never replaced an above ground pump before. I had also never done any rewiring of any kind. This particular day I got a crash course in wiring, water pumps, and pvc glue. We managed to get a brand new pump set in place and ready to go.

If anything this malfunctioning equipment speaks to the adaptability of a land management team. If something goes wrong, it does not hurt to know a little bit more than just invasive species.

-Alex

How I Got Into Birding

How I Got Into Birding

I wasn't always someone who would go out of their way to visit natural areas, state parks, or wildlife refuges. Honestly, I wasn't always interested in ecology, environmental science, and biology. In fact, my best subjects back in high school were English and Chemistry. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that I became interested in these natural sciences, and the reason for that was my introduction into birding.

My two best friends had visited Green Cay Wetlands, which was an anthropogenic wetland - AKA -man-made wetland restored from previous farmland. That's how they got into birding; they would try to identify all the species of birds they would see along the boardwalk. One day, they asked if I wanted to go to Marco Island with them for a day trip on the weekend. I said yes, not knowing that birding was going to be on the to do list. When we arrived at Marco Island, they brought out their binoculars and started identifying all of the shorebirds on the beach (one I specifically remember was a Snowy Plover). They were so excited to see the Snowy Plover, and I was still apathetic to the whole thing. They asked if I found any interest in what they were doing, and I told them I was still unconvinced. I just didn't see the big deal about seeing a bird!

In order to win me over, they brought me to Green Cay Wetlands. They started teaching me how to identify birds starting with Herons and Egrets, which were the most prevalent group of birds at the site. I kinda got the hang of it, with mistakes of calling a birds "Great Heron" or "Blue Egret." The one bird I could identify without question was the Roseate Spoonbill. When I was little, my dad would read me these animal books, and one of the animals I remember was the Roseate Spoonbill because it was pink and the bill was the shape of a spoon. My friends and I would visit Green Cay on the weekends pretty regularly, and I found it to be a fun way to spend time with my friends.

What solidified me as a "bird nerd" was when my friends and I took another trip back to Marco Island. On the car ride there, I would read my Smithsonian Bird Guide of North America to study up on the birds we would see at the time. While we were birding the mudflats, I remember seeing a photographer taking pictures of Roseate Spoonbills foraging. The photographer was waste deep in the water with a huge lens on his camera, which was attached to a tripod. That image will always be in my head whenever I think about my first experiences birding because I found it so interesting that someone would think to walk out in the middle of the water  to take photos of birds. As we continued along through the mudflats, we all agreed that we would want to see a cool shorebird, like a Greater Yellowlegs. All of a sudden, we all hear "tututu" flying in right in front of us. Immediately we all see the bright yellow legs on the medium sized shorebird. It was a Greater Yellowlegs! We had confirmed it due to its call and not just by its yellow legs (which is also seen on Lesser Yellowlegs). 

That trip and that moment sharing an experience of a "lifer" with friends is what cemented me in the birding life. I started becoming more interested in environmental sciences, biology, and ecology due me spending most of my free time outdoors watching birds. I encourage anyone who hasn't tried birding to go to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, or their local natural area, with friends and try to identify some birds. Birding is a healthy and productive hobby that everyone can enjoy!

-Brian, Research Intern

The Wolf Reflects in Ripples of the Swamp

I was a 90/10 Resource/Research Conservation Intern here at Corkscrew. My 10% research included trail cam processing and the occasional species survey, otherwise I was always on Resource in the battlefield against invasive species. I learned more species identification such as invasive species and bird species. I learned hands on operational and maintenance skills with chainsaws and 4wd vehicles like our swamp buggies and ATVs. I wrote an operational procedures manual outlining the maintenance and usage of these as well as other tools and equipment. I was also part of two prescribed fires including mop up where I learned about the amount of foresight that has to go into the fire plan and the suppression techniques. 

As my internship comes to a close, I reflect on my time here at corkscrew. It isn’t like me to sugar coat things because I am a very direct person who prefers the straight truth. That being said, this internship was a very tough experience. There were a lot of negative times that I had.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing however, I really grew because of it. 

Resource management is hard work especially in Florida where temperatures feel as hot as 120 degrees in the field. You screw up more often, you dehydrate fast, and you get annoyed with the people you work with even quicker. Heat will do this but you always had to remember that you are still working in a professional setting. I had a hard time getting a firm handle on this concept until about the fifth month of my sixth month internship where I managed to change my mindset and just appreciate everything around me.

The biggest lesson I learned from interning here at corkscrew was professionalism and how to adapt by merely changing my state of mind. I learned how to better work with people and how my wording when I speak can be misconstrued very easily and offend people who are not familiar with me. This is common sense written down but I did not fully gage the extent of it and have experienced blow backs because of it during my internship (I am thankful I learned this during an internship and not a career job). I have learned that complaining with a fellow coworker only puts your mind in a negative state and that it is a poor reflection on you to continue doing it. 

 This is what I obtained from my internship here, personal growth.

During my rebirth I have realized that I want to go back to school to pursue a degree in Sustainability business geared towards Water quality and Ecohydrology. I am passionate about ecology and have always caught myself transfixed with hydrology (water movement and quality). 

From growing up in a swamp, enjoying the currents of the ocean in my kayak, falling in love with Wilson’s Creek at Pisgah National Forest, being enamored with Rainbow Falls at the Great Smoky Mountains, to once again returning to the Florida wetlands- I am excited to move on with what I learned and to open more doors on my way wherever I go.

Panther Island Field Day

Panther Island Field Day

This past week on Panther Island (PI), I went out with Lee Martin, our Research Technician, to conduct the monthly wading bird survey. We didn't see many birds, but what we did find was a ton more invasive apple snail egg clusters than we had seen the month before. At first, it was only a few that we saw attached to some Pickerel Weed and alligator flag, but after going down one of the trails, we saw dozens attached to other aquatic plant bunches all the way down. We had seen one Snail Kite along the way, so we will have to wait and see how this season's snail populations affect the Snail Kite population.

We had also found tons of Florida Panther tracks along the way, some even included kittens as well! Lee made plasters of the tracks as a souvenir. Other tracks included Bobcats, Coyotes, and White-tailed Deer. We also we driving our ATVs down one trail to find that the trail had been dug up and ruined by wild hogs. Maybe the presence of these hogs on PI will assist the growth of the panther population as well. 

Overall, I thought it was crazy to see how much PI's water level had changed from the last time I was there in June. I predict that we will definitely be seeing more Snail Kites out there due to the population growth of the apple snails, whether invasive or native.

Touring with the Naples Botanical Garden Interns

The week of July 1, the Corkscrew Interns have had the pleasure meeting the wonderful and very bright interns at Naples Botanical Gardens. On July 2 Brian, Alex, and I lead a tour around Corkscrew showing the backcountry and the boardwalk. We were able to make connections with the interns, and we learned a lot about them as individuals. It was a very fun experience and we hope they had just as good of a time taking the tour as we had at giving it. The following day we headed out to the Naples Botanical Gardens to receive a tour from four of the seven spectacular interns we had the pleasure of meeting.

On our tour with them, I was fascinated by their internship programs! Each intern at the Botanical Gardens comes up with their own research project, even the land management interns. Some of the projects were creating a type of basket-like catcher to obtain seeds from the Florida Scrub Roseling (Callisia ornate) that drops its seeds as soon as it opens. The purpose of this is to catch the seeds that would disappear into the scrub forest ground otherwise in order to propagate them.

There was also a dual project involving ecohydrology principles. This tested if quantity of fish in a lake had a direct effect on the water quality of that lake. One other project involved growing different genetic propagules of Persea palustris that tends to  develop a fungal disease called Laurel Wilt disease due to an invasive burrowing beetle. These propagules are grown in a controlled environment so that they do not get afflicted.

We had also taken a tour of the gardens which were absolutely gorgeous! From the amazingly kept up succulent garden to the diverse array of water lilies, and especially the lotus pond! Alex especially was very enthusiastic about the ''Lotus Effect''. This is where the leaves of the lotus being hydrophobic (and dirt repellant) would repel the water so well that you could toss droplets in the air and catch them and have them still skimming across the leaf as if it were made of plastic.

Our final experience was going into the herbarium to have the one and only George Wilder show us some pressed files he made and talk about the herbarium. George Wilder was one of the main botanists who first came to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to create a database for all of our species here.

So Thank you very much for that divine tour Naples Botanical Garden! Especially to Emily, Julie, Will, and Fred. We had such a fantastic time there, and will most certainly be back if not to see the exquisite gardens, but to see you devoted intelligent and truly amazing people!

Field Work on the CMT

The past couple of weeks have found me assisting with field work in the Central Marsh Transect (CMT), including throw trapping, minnow trapping, and bird surveys.

The first time we tried throw trapping back in June, the CMT was still dry and had little to no water in it, making it impossible to throw trap and catch anything. Moreover, we waited to do throw trapping and minnow trapping for the next month in July, in which the water level ranged from knee-high to waist-high. After catching some Mosquito Fish and Freshwater Shrimp, we set up our minnow traps to be checked up on the next day. The next day came and we had caught tons of Peninsular Newts, as well as African Jewelfish, crayfish, and a baby Mud Turtle. While checking on one of the traps, I brushed away some alligator flag and felt a sudden stinging sensation. Wouldn't you know it that I had just been stung by a Saddleback Caterpillar! The pain was worse than a wasp sting and lingered for a few hours, but it was super cool to see the little guy.

This week I assisted with a CMT bird survey, in which we observed 30 species of birds for July. The water on the CMT was around the same level as the weeks before, and it was really fun to explore through the swamp with a great group of people. Birds that we saw included Pileated Woodpeckers, Chimney Swifts, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Brown-headed Nuthatches, a Tufted Titmouse, and more. We saw an Okefenokee Fishing Spider that was about the size of my hand!

All in all, I've had some memorable experiences on the CMT and I'm happy that I could tag along and help with the field work.

-Brian, Research Intern

Flighty Feathers

I just adore feathers! Out in the field while I'm working I always look for them, even when driving the swamp buggy will I stop just to jump down to take a picture of another exquisite feather that one of our beloved birds of corkscrew molted!

I started really taking an interest in feathers during my Vertebrate Anatomy course I took at USF. There Dr. Motta taught an extremely captivating lecture and lab regarding species. It was very informative and my favorite lecture was that of feathers and how they came to be! Allow me if you will to share the marvel that is feathers....

Flighty Feathers

Around 175 million years ago, feather-like filaments started to appear on dinosaurs who are the ancestors of todays birds. Scientists believe these filaments evolved to provide insulation or that they were for sexual display similar to what todays birds will use their feathers for.

Around 165 million years ago however did we first see evidence of the first flattened feathers showing that locomotion was beginning to change into aerial locomotion. It was believed that the ancestors of birds would evade their predators by running up trees. As they continually used this escape mechanism and flapped their wings, the feather-like structures started to evolve for a whole new purpose, flight.

The first bird-like dinosaur with true feathers appeared around 150 million years ago and was called Archaeopteryx.  The Archaeopteryx was the transition between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds that we know. It most resembled a Raptor, a close relative of the Archaeopteryx.

Extant birds of today use their feathers for display, insulation, camouflage, and flight. The feathers are shed once or twice a year; not all feathers are shed at once though.

There are two types of feathers, Contour (vaned) feathers and Down Feathers. The vaned feathers cover the body. The contour feathers include Flight feathers (remiges), Coverts, and tail feathers (retrices). The contour feathers on the wing, or the flight feathers, are used as air foils. By this, it is meant that the feather is positioned such that they rotate as the bird flaps its wings during aerial locomotion.

The muscles responsible for this locomotion are the erector-plus-rotator muscles and the retractor muscles that are found within the feather follicles along the linear feather tracts on the wings. Upon downstroke, the feathers rotate so that wind cannot move through them. Contrary to this on upstroke, the feathers rotate to allow wind to go through them. If this was not the case the bird would not be able to get lift.

Feathers have a quill, a shaft, and a vane made of barbs and barbules. The barbules have hooklets on them to keep the feathers together. When birds preen themselves, they not only waterproof their feathers but also rehook the barbules to put the feather back together.

The down feathers that are used in pillows have little to no shaft nor and hooklets. They are just short feathers that lie all over the body for insulation.

Birds have beautifully colored plumage. The warm colors such as red, orange, yellow, brown, and black result from pigments. White color on feathers are due to microstructure and light that passes through it. Blue and green iridescent colors are structural colors that result from light hitting the fibers of the feathers themselves.

The Importance of Community Science

The Importance of Community Science

Community Science is the public participation in scientific research. Here at Corkscrew, community science is conducted by our boardwalk naturalists. They volunteer their time to contribute to a 22 year old data set that goes back to 1998! My job is to organize and format this data set into Microsoft Access, and then from there we can look at relationships and trends within the data set.

Looking back at the data, we can ask questions that we never knew to ask. For example, we can ask why a certain species was seen at one point in time and why it doesn't currently get recorded. Were there changes in the environment that were unfavorable to the species? If the species is migratory, were there changes to the environment in their breeding range that prevented successful reproduction? As you can see, one can ask many more questions just by looking back in a large data set.

Not only does looking at data help answer these questions, but you can also get insight from the data collectors themselves. I have met with a number of the volunteer boardwalk naturalists and have had discussions on how the data is collected. I have also asked about previous migration events and which songbirds were seen, and when these events occurred. Being familiar with these patterns will help me understand the data better when looking at it from an outside perspective. Overall, I like looking at this data set and I can't wait to see what can be discovered.

-Brian Fedak, Research Intern

Seen Any Alligators?

Seen Any Alligators?Coming from two cities that seem to be an eternity away from natural alligator populations, I was never too weary when jumping into water of any kind. However, now that I am here in Florida, there are alligators all over the place. To quote my boss, Ms. Allyson Webb, “anywhere there is a body of water, there is probably going to be an alligator.”

I have now begun the process of learning to spot the large, armored predator throughout Corkscrew. Every time I see an alligator, I try and send a picture of it to my ever-worrying mother and ask her to try and spot the gator, just to freak her out a little bit. Naturally, she always says that the alligator would have eaten her. To be honest, sometimes I send her close-up photos of alligators just so she can say she spotted one. Regardless of my mother’s ability to spot gators in photos, seeing alligators all over the area is definitely a benefit to living in Florida, especially for a herpetology enthusiast like myself.

-Alex

A Wave Goodbye as I Grow New Scales

It is hard to believe my six months at Corkscrew have come to an end. I have learned so much about conservation work through this internship. I have met some amazing people that helped me grow and learn. I have also been lucky enough to have had the chance to do some truly amazing things.

Driving the swamp buggy

As a 60/40 conservation intern, I got to work in both the land management and research fields. I gained new skills from those specific fields, but I also learned how those two fields work together to keep an amazing place like Corkscrew healthy. Most of my work in the land management field was herbicide application to mostly invasive plants. It was interesting learning about the different herbicides and how every plant species gets treated a little bit differently. I also dabbled in prescribed fire and chainsaw work as part of that field. One of the coolest new skills I gained from this field was driving a swamp buggy. It was manual which I had never driven before so that is definitely something that will come in handy.

Getting ready for the WOST flight

My work in the research field included wading bird surveys,

In the swamp!

mammal monitoring using trail cameras, a Wood Stork (WOST) flight, and fish sampling. The fish sampling was probably my favorite thing I did at Corkscrew, mostly because I love learning about fish. We would go out with throw traps to catch the small fish and then I got the chance to process many samples from the swamp. The WOST flight was also cool, as I had never done anything like that before. The plane was small and I was a little nervous but everything worked out and it was definitely an experience I will remember.

On an electrofishing boat at Fish Slam

In addition to my main work at Corkscrew, I got some pretty cool volunteer opportunities. One such opportunity was an event put on by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) called Fish Slam. The aim of this event was to catch as many invasive fish species as possible out of the freshwater ways around south Florida. The Fish Slam I attended was in Vero Beach. I also had the chance to help with some Burrowing Owl research in Marco Island through the University of Florida and a shark tagging program through Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

I have had such an amazing time working for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and met many incredible people that I will never forget. I will take what I learned with me to my future jobs and adventures. My next adventure takes me to South Carolina, working with the state as a freshwater fisheries intern. I am very excited for this next chapter, but am also looking forward to hearing about the great future I know will Corkscrew have.


Thank you,

Kendall Williams
Conservation Intern