Wednesday, March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

I am an Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab
You know I'm male because I have one large claw
You know I'm an adult because of the color on my carapace
Which can change for thermoregulation or camouflage.

Location: Riverside Park, Vero

Sources: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330801124_Color_changes_of_fiddler_crab_between_seasons_and_under_stressful_conditions_Patterns_of_changes_in_lightness_differ_between_carapace_and_claw
https://irlspecies.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=9820&cl=31

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023


I am a Little Blue Heron
In Florida you can find me year round
In winter you might find me in SOCAL
If there's a Little Blue starlet who wants to get down.

Location: Riverside Park, Vero

Sources: https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/littleblueheron.htm

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Monday, March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

I am a Northern Mockingbird
I'm mostly white, black and grey
I don't have a yellow tummy
But sitting on this wire, it sure looks that way!

Location: Riverside Park, Vero

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Mockingbird/id

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Sunday, March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

I am a juvenile Atlantic Blue Crab
Callinectes sapidus is my scientific name
That translates to "beautiful savory swimmer"
Unfortunately being tasty is my claim to fame.

Location: Riverside Park, Vero

Sources: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Blue-Crab

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Saturday, March 18, 2023

March 18, 2023

I am known as a Cobbler Moth
I'm in the Owlet moth super family
As a larvae I ate marigolds and ragweed
And damaged crops in Florida, specifically Celery.

Location: My yard, Fellsmere

Sources: https://bugguide.net/node/view/108405

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Friday, March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

This is Jamaican Feverplant, 
It is also called Puncture Vine
Due to the damage it causes bikes and critters - 
Its fruit has painfully pointy spines.

Location: Riverwalk, Sebastian

Sources: https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/tribulus-cistoides/

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Thursday, March 16, 2023

March 16, 2023

We are three Common Ground Doves
We're usually close to the ground, but today we're on a railing
You know we're ground doves by our pink legs and small stature
And our long cooing song that sounds a bit like wailing.

Location: Goodwin Wildlife Management Area, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Ground_Dove/sounds

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

March 15, 2023

I am a Southern Sculptured Pine Borer,
I'm a type of wood-boring beetle
In real life I am shiny copperry-gold
Like an ancient Berlin cathedral.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/choate/chalcophora1.htm
https://www.visitberlin.de/en/berlin-cathedral

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

I am a female Spinybacked Orbweaver, 
My man's not around right now
But he will be here 
Mating time of year
Hanging from a strand of my web's where he'll be found.

Location: Oyster Bar Marsh Conservation Area, Vero Beach

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/g_cancriformis.htm

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Monday, March 13, 2023

March 13, 2023

We are known as Sailfin Mollies
We are oblong and mostly gray
You can find us in shallow water
Eating plants and invertebrates.

Location: Oyster Bar Marsh Conservation Area, Vero Beach

Sources: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/poecilia-latipinna/

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Sunday, March 12, 2023

March 12, 2023

I am a great Great Southern White butterfly
My color can vary widely
From white to brown
Based on where I'm found
But I can never be called unsightly.

Location: Oyster Bar Marsh Conservation Area, Vero Beach

Sources: https://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/L/t/Ascia_monuste_a.htm

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Saturday, March 11, 2023

March 11, 2023

I am an Atlantic Needlefish
I have a very long beak
I'm mostly blue-green with silver below
And I've got quite a few needle-like teeth.

Location: Round Island Riverside Park, Vero Beach

Sources: https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3314

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Friday, March 10, 2023

March 10, 2023

I am known as Mangrove Tree Crab
I am an omnivore
Although I really like to eat Mangroves
I'll also eat seagrasses, algae and more.

Location: Round Island Riverside Park, Vero Beach

Sources: http://www.wildsouthflorida.com/mangrove.tree.crab.html

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Thursday, March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

These are three terrible quality photos
But proof of an awesome success
The Bald Eagles that Dee monitors
Have boinked and produced two baby eaglets.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/maps-sightings

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson




Wednesday, March 8, 2023

March 8, 2023

We are known as Mourning Doves
We eat seeds and store them in our crop
The record stored is more than 17,000 seeds
That will be a hard number to top!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/overview

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

March 7, 2023

I am a male American Kestrel
And I've caught what I think might be a cricket
Whatever it is, I think it'll taste good
I'll let you know in a minute..

*burp*

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel/lifehistory

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson



Monday, March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

I am known as a Laughing Gull
But I'm missing a foot and not laughing about it
It's difficult to balance on a windy beach
But I'll have to learn to get along without it.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.thespruce.com/one-legged-birds-386471

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Sunday, March 5, 2023

March 5, 2023

We are a Willet and 2 Laughing Gulls - 
One adult and one immature
We might look like three seagulls
To an untrained observateur.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.audubon.org/news/this-new-guide-finally-simplifies-gull-ids

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Saturday, March 4, 2023

March 4, 2023

I am known as a Sandwich Tern
I appear more delicate than Royal Terns are
You'd never know that by the way 
The Royal Terns complain
When I let out the tiniest fart.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandwich_Tern/species-compare/71427371

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson





Friday, March 3, 2023

March 3, 2023

I am a Ruddy Turnstone
I limp because I'm missing one foot
Likely from fishing line entanglement
At least I'm not totally kaput.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.savecoastalwildlife.org/managing-fishing-line-waste

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Thursday, March 2, 2023

March 2, 2023

I am Tringa semipalmata
But my friends all call me Willet
I use the sensitive tips of my bill 
To find food in a manner idyllic.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/id

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

I am known as a Ring-billed Gull
From behind, I can be hard to discern
But you can see the ring for which I am named
When my head is a little turned.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/id

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson