School Begins Anew

Well there are not only school children returning to school but also many forms of juvenile wildlife learning the ropes to survival. Several groups of young alligators have been seen moving around the property. For those of you who do not know young alligators stay close to their mothers for quite awhile. This affords them protection from predators including the male of the species.

Alligator females construct their nests by digging holes and lining them with leaf litter which through the process of decomposition heats the eggs and allows them to incubate at the correct temperature. Female alligators tend their nests sometimes removing debris to cool down the eggs while at other times adding debris to up the temperature.

Well afternoon rain storms are becoming a little more frequent but so far we have been spared any real tropical systems. Areas that are low are now holding water which will start to affect vegetation growth.

An interesting fact I just saw my second summer hummer. Hummingbirds that are here year round are the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds but I only see a few and never before late July or early August. This year they seem to have waited till mid-August to show themselves. I have been unsuccessful capturing a picture so far but I won't give up just yet. Northern male hummers also start their migrations southward, sometimes as early as late August to early September.

Here is a picture of a Ruby-Throated male from this past summer. The two I have seen lately appear to be a female and a juvenile male.

Hope to see you all back here soon.

Susan

Well the summer rains are here. On again off again showers, mainly in the afternoon. The occasional rumble of thunder and the bright flash of lighting reminds us that heat and humidity can generate great displays of their own.

Enjoy the updated pictures and remember we miss all of you who call Sanlan home in the winter months and wish all of you blog visitors would come enjoy the Florida wild lifestyle that makes Sanlan a unique summer and winter destination.

Again I am going to post some of Jon Hains photos along with a few of my own.
By the way we here great things about the coming of LegoLand, can't wait for it to open so we can all have one more wonderful place to visit nearby.

The Buckeye caterpillar and Butterfly pictures posted were a first for Sanlan this year. We knew they were about but they were always very hard to photograph in the past. Enjoy.

Susan

Fritting Garden Fellows

Check out these wonderful butterfly pictures from around the Sanctuary. The season has been slow to start but I think we are starting to see a wider variety of these scaly winged wonders. The Orange-Barred Sulfur shares a resting spot on the cassia with the Monarch while the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail perches on the coneflower.

Remember the color we see in the butterfly comes from individual scales that reflect a certain light wave. Varied colors and patterns exist when the scales overlap to make darker colors. Some pigment is involved but most of the patterns are built from mixing or overlapping scales.

Hope all of you are enjoying the summer sun.

Susan

Super Storm Cell hits Sanlan Area

Well yesterday folks we had a big one. A super cell went right over highway 98 and snapped off at least fifteen of the large power poles like they were toothpicks. Many of the trees got a good shaking and there was minor debris all over. We lost power for just a while but for others power was out for many hours.

We will be out and about to survey the damage in the next few days and will let you know how the trails and gardens fared. Enjoy some more of the pictures we took on our last outing.

Susan

Susan's Vision

The eyed elater is an outstanding beetle that is also known as the click beetle. The offspring in their larval form eat wood boring insects like termites and other small wood boring beetles. This one just popped or should I say clicked into my head while on the trails one day.

To all those who have taken the trail rides in winter and may not return until fall we offer you this picture so you may share the changing seasons of the Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary.

The dwarf Poinciana is in bloom. A wisp of the Pride of Barbados which will possibly be gone as winter's cool winds blow and you return.

Susan

Have a Wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Birds eye view of Sanlan!

Views of Sanlan

These views feature the varied wildlife that call Sanlan home. This river otter is trying to sneak past Jon while he tries to get her in focus.

The Herons are among the many wading birds that frequent the water courses throughout the Sanctuary. Tri-color herons, great blue herons, great white egrets, little blue herons abound throughout the year along with wood storks and common white ibis.

Winter migratory birds add to the abundant residential birds from October through April.

Susan