April 22, 2018

Location: Cocoa Beach, Lori Wilson Park

This is known as Coral Bean
There's more to it than you might infer -
It's beans can poison rats or paralyze fish,
And it's flowers attract Hummingbirds.

Sources: University of Florida Extension - Erythrina herbacea

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 21, 2018

Location: Cocoa Beach, Lori Wilson Park

I am a Scincella lateralis,
Also known as a Ground Skink.
I am copper colored, with a dark side stripe,
I've tiny legs, but I'm fast and can be gone in a blink.

Sources: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia Herpetology Program - Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 20, 2018

Location: Cocoa Beach, Lori Wilson Park

I am a Northern Cardinal
I am monogamous, but serially,
That means I stay with my mate for a season,
Then we split - let's blame pruriency.

Special guest photographer: David Simpson

Sources: Animal Diversity Web - Northern Cardinal

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 19, 2018

Location: Fellsmere, Broadway

I'm known as a Click Beetle
I have false eyes that are white and black.
I got my name because I make a clicking sound
When I turn over if I get stuck on my back.

Sources: Bugguude.net - Click Beetles

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 18. 2018

Location: Vero, Vero Beach Museum of Art

I'm a Curly-tailed Lizard
I escape predators in a tricky way
I curl my tail to make them think it's my head,
When they attack, my tail breaks off and I run away.

But don't worry about me, I'm not actually hurt,
Like many lizards I will
Grow back a new tail, and be perfectly fine
Because my tail is detachable.

Sources: Wild South Florida - Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 17, 2018

Location: Fellsmere, Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area

We are Roseate Spoonbills,
We've formed our own rock band
This is the cover of our first album,
It's called "We Use Our Beak as a Hand"

We really do use our beak as a hand,
That is true of birds of all classes
But Dee gets lots of "likes" for  Spoons',
We think she is pandering to the masses...

 (Ok, this is probably my last Roseate picture till next breeding season. But honestly who doesn't love a Roseate Spoonbill picture? ) 

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 16, 2018

Location: Cocoa Beach, Lori Wilson Park

This is the fruit of a Fig tree,
Here's a tip: If you want to find birds,
Look for the stuff that they love to eat,
Like these berries, on which birds will gorge!

Sources: David Simpson, Birding with David Simpson

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson