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Fall
in Palmetto Dunes
by
Dianne Faucette, Master Naturalist
December 2010 Palmetto
Perspective
It’s
the end of October as I write this, and I’m watching two
Pied-billed Grebes on the lagoon. A Great Egret just flew over while
issuing a gentle continuous squawk. In the background there’s an
Anhinga announcing his presence.
A
Belted Kingfisher is chattering around the lagoon.
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
A
Red-bellied Woodpecker keeps returning to our feeder, and the
Mullets are jumping out of the water. A Great Blue Heron quietly
flies overhead. A second group of Pied-billed Grebes swims by and
finds a secure hiding place under some dead tree branches
overhanging the lagoon. The young Cardinals are reaching their full
plumage. Fall brings the various migrating ducks, starting with the
Pied-billed Grebes. The Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers arrive a
couple of weeks later.
A
Cloudless Sulphur butterfly makes the rounds of our flowers. These
yellow butterflies and the orange Gulf Fritillaries have been
abundant this fall.
On
the beach, the Sea Oats have gone to seed, and the Camphorweeds by
the dunes have sprung into their bright yellow blooms, replacing the
Beach Morning Glories that sprawled across the sand in long vines.
The spiny Sandburs have certainly stuck a few people’s feet
according to the number of times I’ve heard “ouch!”
In
the marshes nearby, fall brings Glasswort, which resembles
end-to-end tiny pickles. They turn from green to shades of yellow,
orange, pink and red.
Fall
also brings home our human residents who desert us in the hot,
crowded summer months. When we go to the beach, we now see our
neighbors walking instead of crowds of sunbathers. Migrating winter
shorebirds will soon use our beach to feed on the small creatures
living just below the sand’s surface.
The
Sanderlings (“peeps”) have already arrived and run past us in
their hurry to find their next safe feeding spot. We will start
seeing Willets and Red Knots, very similar in appearance this time
of year. Several different Plovers will be here pecking through the
sand. In more remote sections of the beach, such as Fish Haul Creek
Park, many more migrating shorebirds stop over to feed where they
feel protected and have a better chance of resting and feeding
before they resume their long journey. These include Ruddy
Turnstones, Dunlins, Dowitchers and Marbled Godwits.
Sanderling
In
our yards and flying low across the roads are Yellow-rumped
Warblers, our prominent winter residents.
Colorful
Caterpillar
On
a beautiful fall day, I had the privilege of touring about 25 PD
Women’s Club ladies around Honey Horn to see the marsh, Marsh
Tackies, gardens, trees, and butterfly enclosure. Someone noticed a
Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar crawling on the screen enclosure,
so I picked up the beautiful Nemo-looking animal and placed it in
one of the larva cages where its own host plant was stationed. The
group got to see a close view of this unique caterpillar before it
continued its life stages into chrysalis and finally
butterfly.
Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar
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