The weather during the week was perfect, with blue skies and temperatures in the upper 70’s and low 80’s. The park has been quite busy with lots of folks taking advantage of Gatorland’s $9.99 Florida Resident special… which, by the way, ends February 28. Our new White Gator Swamp exhibit opened officially on Valentines Day, and it really looks fantastic! We have four of the largest White Gators on the planet, and they are quite a sight to see. Cajun folklore has it that if you stare into the blue eyes of the white gator it will bring you good fortune. I can’t think of anyone who couldn’t use a little good fortune in their life… so come on over and take a stare into those baby blues! No, it won’t work from a picture… so here’s a sneak peek of my favorite white gator!

On Valentines Day, the morning started off with lots of fog and cloud cover, which made for some rather interesting opportunities for the gathered photographers. The alligators looked almost black and white as they laid in the water waiting for a bit of sun to come and warm their massive bodies. If you look at the picture below, you’ll notice the ridges along the alligators back. These ridges are made up of bony plates called osteoderms, and are also known as scutes. Besides providing a protective body armor for the reptile, these bony plates also serve as a primitive solar collector. Alligators are a lot like a battery… during the evening they are quite active and expend a good deal of energy. Being an ectothermic (cold-blooded) reptile, they receive their internal body temperature from the environment. Cooler evenings means a lowering of their body temperature, so when daylight comes alligators have one thing in mind… warming up! During the day they will either climb out onto the shore, or float in the water with their upper bodies exposed gathering the suns energy.

Great Egret activity continues to increase with almost constant nest building throughout the Rookery, and as of this weekend, we now have three Egret nests with chicks. The Snowy Egrets have also increased in numbers, and are beginning their courtship cycle. Several are already in breeding colors, and this weekend I noticed a few beginning to pair up and scout for nesting locations. While the Wood Storks are plentiful in numbers, they still have not made a concentrated effort at nesting, only making occasional trips to their prospective nesting sites and moving sticks about.

Spoonbill numbers are also increasing, on Friday and Sunday we had a small flock of 5 Spoonies show up shortly before dusk to roost in the Pine Trees at the far North section of the Rookery. There were no leg bands visible, and at least one of the 5 showed some early signs of breeding color. On Saturday we only had one Spoonbill show up, although he did like to pose for everyone on a dead pine tree that has become a favored hang out spot.

The pair of Barred Owls have still been appearing nightly at the South End of the Rookery close to the Emu enclosure. They are definitely in courtship, and chatter like a pair of monkeys up in the trees. While it’s not the best picture, I was able to get a quick shot of one up in the pines.

Mike Godwin
Gatorland

The opening weekend of Gatorland’s Birding Season started off with a “ooohhhh” as photographers and nature lovers alike converged on the Rookery to take advantage of our new “Dawn to Dusk” hours. The birds certainly did not disappoint those in attendance, and the Great Egrets put on quite a show for everyone with their continuous courtship and aerial displays.

The Great Egrets are still the only nesting wading birds at this time, and their displays are constant throughout the Sanctuary, from courtship, to stick gathering, to fly-overs, there is always action happening somewhere! The number of nests continues to grow, and I did have the opportunity to confirm that we do indeed have our very first Great Egret chicks of the 2009 season, which you can see in the picture below.

The birds are not the only animals in courtship within the Breeding Marsh, as our pair of resident American Crocodiles also put on quite a display of courtship and mating behaviors, giving the gathered photographers a rare opportunity to witness something seldom seen. I should note that this pair of American crocs are the only two crocodiles in our Breeding Marsh area, and this is their very first year of breeding. The male was a wild croc captured in Miami last year after venturing outside of the established South Florida “croc zone”, and he joins a female croc that was already out in the Breeding Marsh. Looks like he’s having a great time in his new home, and I know “Mama Croc” is happy having some croc company!

Crocodile courtship begins with head displays which can be initiated by either sex. In the photo above, the female crocodile in the foreground approaches the male with open jaws. Despite the open jaws, this is not a threatening display, and is part of a complex ritual that will include head displays, body posturing, rubbing of snouts, and strength tests. Before mating, both alligators and crocodiles will force their prospective mate underneath the water, holding them down with the weight of their bodies. The actual mating takes place in deeper water and involves a coitus method with the male mounting the female from the top and occasionally shifting his body a bit to the side.

The Osprey have been active fishing within the Rookery, as well as the Tricolored Herons. The Tricoloreds can be found throughout the day fishing for minnows around the edges of the Rookery, and present some great photo opportunities.

While I haven’t seen the young Bald Eagle lately, I did spot a pile of empty mollusk shells within the Rookery, a clear indicator that the Limpkin is back. The Spoonbill juveniles are still coming in to roost, and we do have a pair of Barred Owls hanging around the South End of the Rookery, appearing just as the last bit of light escapes the western sky. While the Birding Season is just getting started, there are plenty of opportunities for both photographers and nature lovers alike within the Gatorland Rookery. Come on over, and see the show… I know you’ll have a great time!

Mike Godwin
Gatorland

Several new updates to report from this evening, starting with the youngster you see above… a juvenile Bald Eagle! This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to see this bird fairly close, as he normally likes to hang out with his buzzard buddies way up in the sky. It appears as though he’s taking a liking to Gatorland, so chances are fairly good you might run across him (or her) during a visit.

This evening, we had two juvenile Spoonbills come into the Rookery to roost, my best guess is that they are the pair raised during the 2007 season. One made several laps around the Rookery, giving the gathered photographers a great opportunity for flight shots.

The Glossy Ibis are also returning to roost, as well as increasing numbers of Little Blue Herons, Cattle Egrets, and Snowy Egrets. Hundreds of White Ibis return to the Rookery to roost, with flocks of 20 or more at a time coming in from all directions. It’s quite an experience to see the birds returning to roost above the safety of the alligators, at times the air is just “alive” with birds literally surrounding you as they maneuver for a landing spot.

Quite a few Black Crowned Night Herons were around the park, I counted 8 individuals, including several who didn’t mind posing for a quick portrait. The Night Herons can be found at either the north or south ends of the the Sanctuary, as well as within the park itself along the northern walkway across from the Aldabran Tortoises, as well as right in front of the North Alligator Island.

While I was unable to personally verify the report (meaning see it with my own eye), one of the photographers spotted the first Great Egret chicks in a nest located in the Northwest Cove section of the Sanctuary. Chicks already… WOW! I’ll do my best to verify this sighting within the next few days.

One other sighting I can verify, we have a pair of Hawks with a nest within the Swamp Walk, and while it is high in a cypress tree, it is perfectly viewable from the boardwalk. The nest is located on the south eastern section of the loop, on the right hand side of the boardwalk before you get to the last rain hut on the east side. We’ll have some signage in place shortly to make spotting the nest easier.

Today, the weather finally started warming back up… and this weekend looks to be even nicer with the following weeks temperatures expected to be in the high 70’s and low 80’s. Should be nice weather for the Orlando Wetlands Festival this Saturday, and great weather at Gatorland if you’d like to come out and visit the birds this weekend!

Mike Godwin
Gatorland

The 2009 Birding Season has officially begun at Gatorland, and despite the rather frigid conditions the past several days the bird activity is steadily increasing. As of today, we have over 30 Great Egret nests constructed, many of which already contain eggs. Snowy Egret, Wood Stork, and Anhinga courtship activity has also increased, but at this time the only nesting species are the Great Egret and Double Crested Cormorants. Walking around the boardwalk this morning I spotted the following birds:

Tri-colored Heron
Wood Stork
Black Crowned Night Heron
White Ibis
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Cormorant
Assorted Songbirds such as Grackals, Cardinals, Sparrows, Wrens and Titmouse

While there were no Spoonbills present this morning, they have been coming in and out for the past several weeks. Here’s a shot of one of the Spoonie youngsters posing for the camera!

Extended hours for the Rookery are now in effect every Wednesday - Sunday through June 28. As a reminder, our “Dawn to Dusk” program allows for entry at 7:30am (please be prompt as the gates do not remain open) and the opportunity to stay until dusk. Early entry is through the Event Gate located in the far south parking lot (look for the cream colored tent top). For those wishing to take part in the Dusk access, we ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes before normal closing time (currently 5:00pm). Late entry is through the Main Entrance to Gatorland, and while we exit through the south end, we do provide shuttle service for photographers and their gear back to the main parking areas.

Stay tuned for more updates, and don’t forget, you can always check the activity in the Sanctuary by visiting our Gatorcam at: http://gatorland.com/gatorcam.php

Mike Godwin
Gatorland