Saturiwa Conservation Area

08/08/2026

Forgot to post last night’s sunset 🌅

08/06/2026

…on morning walk at Saturiwa shoreline…

07/29/2026

Wildlife Wednesday - a lesson in ornithology.

Summer molting is a natural, annual process where birds shed old, worn feathers and grow new ones. Occurring typically July through September, this phase ensures birds have warm, waterproof, aerodynamic plumage for migration and chilly winter survival. Molting is energy-taxing and gives birds a patchy, bald appearance.

Feathers naturally degrade over time from physical wear and sun bleaching. Following the exhausting spring breeding season, late summer provides an abundance of natural foods, creating the ideal window for birds to invest their energy into growing a fresh set of feathers. Because growing a new coat requires a lot energy and protein, birds will visit local feeding and watering stations during this time.

While most birds replace feathers gradually, cardinals frequently lose their head feathers all at once in late summer. This natural, harmless process leaves them looking like tiny vultures. New feathers grow within a few weeks. ♥️🌱

Photo credit: Jim Powers

07/15/2026

Wildlife Wednesday: a lesson in local turtle education.

The Florida Cooter (Pseudemys floridana) can be found in various freshwater aquatic habitats throughout the state. The adults are predominately herbivorous, eating primarily rooted aquatic vegetation. Juveniles may eat insects and small fish but shift to mostly a plant-based diet as they age.

Cooters can be most easily seen basking on floating logs, rocks or vegetation on sunny days and are quick to flee to the safety of the water if threatened or disturbed. Cooters are aquatic turtles that only leave the water to nest, or search for new habitat during periods of heavy rain or drought. The females sometimes nest in yards, gardens or flower beds. They can live up to 40 years. Females have delayed maturity and may not lay their first nest until they are 10 years old.

These large aquatic turtles are highly valued for their role in aquatic ecosystems, as they manage aquatic vegetation and invertebrates. Because wild populations face multiple threats, conservation relies on a mix of legal protections, habitat management, and public involvement and education — hence this narrative. 🌱

Photos by Mike Adams: female laying eggs and a recently hatched juvenile.

07/12/2026

07/08/2026

Wild flower Wednesday - a lesson in biology.

Not too many people would be interested in something as gross-sounding as ‘dog vomit slime mold’ or ‘scrambled egg slime’ (Fuligo septica), but here you are!

This mold is a bright-yellow, intricate, foamy, amoeboid organism that commonly appears on wood mulch and decaying organic matter after heavy rain or warm, humid weather. Despite its alarming appearance and name, it is a harmless, beneficial organism that eats bacteria and decomposes mulch. So, check your yard and watch for these summer rainy-season bright organisms.

The name may sound ugly, but they’re pretty fascinating to observe in their natural organic setting.

07/01/2026

Wildlife Wednesday. A lesson in regional herpetology.

These two juvenile terrestrial & subterranean-dwelling gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) photographed here are an indication of species reproduction in our high-quality upland pine forest.

Baby gopher tortoises hatch in Florida between Aug and Nov, emerging completely on their own without any parental care. From day one, they are strictly herbivores. They forage on low-growing vegetation right outside their burrow, snacking on saw palmetto berries, gopher apples, and prickly pear.

Gopher tortoises grow incredibly slowly— usually less than one inch per year. It can take them 10 to 21 years to reach adulthood, at which point they can live for up to 60+ years in the wild. The two pictured here are ~ 2 & 4 years old respectively.

Because gopher tortoises are a threatened species in Florida, it is illegal to keep them as pets or relocate them without a permit. If you spot a tiny hatchling in the wild, admire it from a distance. If you need specific advice or find an injured tortoise, you can contact your local wildlife officials at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) or the Gopher Tortoise Council.

(Photos by Carole & Mike Adams)🌱

06/24/2026

Wildlife Wednesday: a lesson in herpetology.

The Southeastern five-lined skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus) is one of three native skink species in our state. Featuring a thick neck and sprawling legs, this smooth, shiny lizard was surprisingly not discovered until the 1930s. Today, however, it reigns as the most common lizard in the Southeast.

These wary creatures thrive in moist pine forests, wetlands, coastal dunes, and mixed hardwood forests. You can often spot them basking in the sun or find them tucked away safely under ground debris. While perfectly adapted to ground life, they are also highly skilled climbers.

Like many lizards, they use a defense mechanism called autotomy, purposely breaking off their tails to distract predators while they escape. While they face major predatory threats from outdoor house-cats 🐾, they are incredibly valuable neighbors to have around. They act as natural pest control in yards and gardens by eating insects, spiders, worms, and small snails. 🦎🌱

06/19/2026

Blooming now in wetlands & swales…

06/17/2026

Wildlife Wednesday — a lesson in regional ichthyology.

The Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabina)
is a primitive looking species of the St. Johns River, it’s tributaries and springs. They represent the only permanent year-round fresh water population of an elasmobranch (sharks and rays) in North America. Both are cartilaginous fish — skeletons are made of flexible cartilage instead of bones.

St. Johns River stingrays typically grow around 10 to 13 inches across and up to 30” long with their barbed tail. Stingrays do not attack people, however if stepped on, they will use their spine as a form of defense. Although being pierced by the stingray’s spine is painful, it is rarely life threatening to humans.

Like all stingrays, they possess venomous, serrated barbs on their tails used for defense. If you are wading through the springs or river shallow areas, it is recommended to do the "stingray shuffle" to gently kick them away and prevent accidental stinging.

Prey typically consists of benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates such as bivalves, tube anemones, amphipods, crustaceans, clams, and worms. Atlantic stingrays are highly electroreceptive fish. Like sharks, they have rows of sensory cells that able them to detect weak electric fields generated by prey creatures. The stingray can use this sense to locate prey buried in the sand. Scientists also believe male stingrays may use this sense to locate buried females during the mating season.

The world’s largest freshwater fish was discovered in June 2022. The massive stingray was caught in the Mekong River, Cambodia, and was measured a whopping 13-feet long and 661 pounds!