Heart of the Swamp

Heart of the Swamp
Woodduck box at center

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Feb. 2 -- Fieldtrip/Workday Report



Our Fieldtrip was a huge success! We had 11 Duval Audubon members out on a beautiful, cool February morning for a bird walk and work session. A big thanks go out to the following members for their help: Patrica Knowles, Duffy Kopriva, Karen Barnum, Melinda Eckert, Rachael Sulkers, Gerald Sim, Pat Anderson, John Miklos, Gerry and Cheryl Murphy! Special thanks to Gerry Murphy, John Miklos, Rachael Sulkers and Gerald Sim for their help installing a Wood Duck nest box (see picture)! Extra special thanks to Pat Anderson, Duffy Kopriva, Cheryl Murphy and Trisha Knowles for pulling a giant bag of weeds from the native plant bed!

The group spotted 25 bird species including such notables as Great Blue Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, American Crow, and Black-and-white Warbler. Other evidence of wildlife included white-tailed deer tracks, wild hog tracks, river otter scat and uneaten bowfin skull. The swamp was well inundated with water, which was flowing slowly to the east.