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Our
Natural Assets
by
Dianne Faucette, Master Naturalist
March 2011 Palmetto
Perspective
It’s
New Year’s Eve 2010, I’m at the breakfast
table looking out the window, and a Red-tailed Hawk swoops down
toward our window and back up to the rooftop. John goes out to the
deck and the hawk swoops down toward him (within 2 feet!) and then
back up and away. A beautiful site. Too quick for a photo.
Our
Tree Canopy
Palmetto
Dunes, as well as the entire Lowcountry, is known for its beautiful
Live Oak trees sprawling across the roads and providing welcome
shade in our hot months. Certain characteristics of these trees help
them thrive along the coast. The beautiful curved limbs are tough.
They are able to withstand hurricane-force winds, and the trees
tolerate salt spray. The wood is unusually hard. That along with the
curvature of the limbs made Live Oaks the wood of choice for
shipbuilding in the 1700’s. One cubic foot of Live Oak can weigh
up to 75 pounds. This tree got its name because it does not shed its
narrow, elongated leaves all at once. The leaves get pushed out
gradually as new leaves grow out.
Another
characteristic of this species is the common presence of
Resurrection Fern and Spanish Moss. Resurrection Fern grows on the
top of large lateral branches. After several days of dry weather, it
turns brown and curls its leaves. After a good rain, it uncurls and
returns to green—thus its name. Both Resurrection Fern and Spanish
Moss are epiphytes (not parasites), so they take no nutrients from
the tree, but live on air and water.
Spanish
Moss is neither Spanish nor moss. It is a relative of the pineapple
family. This air plant actually produces blooms and is a series of
connected plants. Henry Ford used this plant for seat cushion
stuffing in the Model T. It was also used for mattress stuffing and
was discontinued when insects were discovered in the stuffing. This
was the origin of the saying, “Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”
Squirrels and birds pad their nests with Spanish Moss. Even though
Spanish Moss does no direct damage to its host tree, it could
accumulate to the point of smothering the leaves.
Migrating Birds
During
a winter beach tour John and I were leading at The Folly, I was
explaining to a group of pre-teens the importance of not disturbing
migrating shorebirds that only stop over here to feed and rest in
preparation for the rest of their long journey. We kept our distance
from a large resting flock of Dunlins and Semipalmated Plovers.
After the tour had ended, I witnessed a Bald Eagle flyover.
Dunlins and Semipalmated Plovers at The Folly
Bald Eagle flying over The Folly
Miscellaneous Sightings in PD
…two
Great Blue Herons fighting beside the lagoon
…a pair of Canvasback ducks in the Yard Arm pond
…a few glimpses of a Pied-billed Grebe swimming in the lagoon
…full eclipse of the moon
…lots of Cannonball Jellyfish washing up on the beach
…77 species and 2,028 birds
for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count! (including 80 White Pelicans)
…and an injured pelican in the PDPOA parking lot, rescued by Denny
& Fran Baer
Canvasback ducks in the Yard Arm pond
A few of the 80 White Pelicans that flew over the Robert Trent Jones
course during the Christmas Bird Count--photo by Fran Baer
Downy Woodpecker spotted on bird feeder
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