Sunny, high 70's, calming winds
A forest oasis with over 30 species of ferns and 90 species of birds is nestled in the middle of Pompano Beach. Fern Forest Nature Center and Preserve is comprised of around 240 acres surrounded by urban sprawl. As the preserve was located only 10 minutes from the condo is which we are staying, we decided it was an area we had to visit, and we did not regret it. Birdwise, we found the area somewhat sparse today with a few common warblers and a Blue-gray gnatcatcher the only species of note. Butterflies, however, were present in abundant numbers. The state butterfly, the zebra longing, was by far the most numerous.
 |
| Zebra longwing |
Rounding out the list of the most prevalent butterflies today were the Long-tailed skipper, the Ruddy dagger wing, the Queen, Monarch, and the Giant swallowtail. What a pleasure to see all these beautiful creatures during February. One of my goals this winter is to learn more of the butterflies found in the Sunshine State. Below are images of some of the species we found today.
 |
| Ruddy daggerwing |
 |
| Longtailed skipper |
 |
| Queen |
Tomorrow, it's up and out early in the morning as we head south for the Everglades. Our year-list is presently at 147, not too bad for one month into the year. We'll see what southern Florida specialties we can add to this list tomorrow. Stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment