September 14, 2021

I am known as a Red-shouldered Hawk

How red my shoulder is can be quite variable

I am a female, I'm larger than males

Which makes me good marriage material.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Buteo_lineatus/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 13, 2021

I am a Carolina Saddlebags

I have black stripes on my otherwise red tail

I have red splotches on my wings that resemble the bags

Used by the pony express to deliver the mail.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/pony-express-mochila

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 12, 2021

I am a Florida Ivory Millipede

I'm slow moving and I do not bite

But I can secrete a drop of hydrogen cyanide

If you hurt me or give me a fright!

(Check out the article below. These are very beneficial critters! The article also does a great job of explaining the differences between millipedes and centipedes.)

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2020/06/24/millipedes-annoying-but-important/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 11, 2021

This plant is known as Camphorweed

Due to the Camphor-like way that it smells

I didn't notice the scent - I just thought it was pretty

Like advertisers say, "Sex sells"!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-heterotheca-subaxillaris/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 10, 2021

This is probably an Island Apple Snail

But the shell was empty when I found it

To get a positive ID, someone must be home

You can't tell just by the shell that surrounds it.

Bookmark this great resource for identifying snails:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/iz/resources/florida-snails/

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/gastro/apple_snails.htm

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/iz/resources/florida-snails/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 9, 2021

I am another Rock Pigeon, 

I am both feral and a synanthrope

That means I can live well with humans

Others can too - with a better design approach.

(The cool thing about writing this blog is that I never know what interesting things I will come across. In this case, I was noticing in my pictures from my day at Jetty Park the wide variations in the Rock Pigeon plumages, and intended to write about that. So, I was looking for a scientific article to reference, when I came across one that mentioned Rock Pigeons are "synanthropic". I was unfamiliar with the word, so started researching that, which led me to the web site linked below, which I thought was super interesting and a bit more timely. If you enjoy the concept, check out the other bird-related articles on the same site, also linked below. )

Location: Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral

Sources: http://www.expandedenvironment.org/knowing-the-synanthrope/

http://www.expandedenvironment.org/category/animal-types/aerial/  I had to bookmark this page as I wanted to get my blog done sometime this year! So many interesting ideas.

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 8, 2021

I am a feral Rock Pigeon

Descended from captive birds

I can be found throughout the world

From bustling cities to sleepy suburbs.

Location: Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Columba_livia/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson