orlando wetlands park newsletterjun 02, 2016 · park newsletter a publication of the friends of...
TRANSCRIPT
Orlando Wetlands
Park Newsletter
A Publication of the Friends of the Orlando Wetlands and The Orlando Wetlands Park
Inside this issue
Around the Park ............. 2
Macroinvertebrates ....... 3
Volunteer Spotlight ........ 4
May Bird Count .............. 4
Feathered Friends .......... 5
Wildflower Corner ......... 6
Butterfly Spotlight .......... 7
Happenings .................... 8
Park Information ............ 8
Approximately 15 million gallons per day of reclaimed water is
pumped through a 17 mile long pipeline from the Iron Bridge
Regional Water Reclamation Facility (IBRWRF) to the Orlando
Wetlands Park. Along the pipeline, there is a series of air release
valves (ARV) which allow air to escape. The pipes are then able to
efficiently pump water at full volume capacity; thusly, resulting in the
City using less electricity to operate the pumps. Recently, CE James
Incorporated has been contracted by the City of Orlando to replace
31 ARVs along the pipeline. The pumps are shut off and the pipe is
drained, allowing crews to replace the valves. A series of planned 2-3
day per week shut downs have been occurring since April. You may
even see construction crews working
on the side of the roads in east
Orange County replacing the
valves. The impact of this can be
seen throughout the Park with lower
than typical water levels. Water
that is not sent to the Wetlands will
be used by reclaimed water
customers in eastern Orange and
Seminole Counties or discharged
from the IBRWRF directly into the
Little Econlockhatchee River.
—Mark Sees
June—July 2015 Volume 3, Issue 3
Editor: Rachel Kessler
Orlando Wetlands Park 25155 Wheeler Road Christmas, Florida 32709-1375 Phone 407.568.1706 Fax 407.568.1725 cityoforlando.net
Photo by Mark Pollitt
Pipeline Repairs Impact Wetland Flows
Photo: Roy Schlegel
Around the Park
Spring has sprung and a lot has been going on around the park! Here are some of the highlights. A variety of turtle species, such as softshell (Apalone ferox) and the peninsula cooter (Pseudemys peninsu-laris), have been laying their eggs in sunny, sandy areas along the berms. These nests have become visible to guests due to them being disturbed by predators, such as the raccoon.
The alligators are getting hot and bothered! Males and females have been heard bellowing and courting each other. Male alligators can be quite aggressive during this time as they defend their territory and vie for mates. After mating, a female alligator will construct a nest, lay her eggs and de-fend her nest from potential predators.
Reduced water levels at the corner of Wetlands Blvd. and Osprey Blvd. have attracted flocks of wading birds. Some observations include: Woodstorks splashing and bathing in the shallows, Roseate Spoonbills shuffling their beaks back and forth while feeling for small fish and invertebrates to snap up, gallinules striding across vegetation to peck around for food and American coots squawking and jousting to claim prime feeding territory. All this activity--just within a few hundred feet of the parking lot!
It’s nesting time at the Park. Killdeer have been seen guarding their speckled eggs in nests on the ground. Hungry Woodstork nestlings with insatiable appetites are growing rapidly in the safety of nests tucked within the trees. Downy gallinule chicks can be seen toddling after their parents to sift through vegetation for food. -Rachel Kessler
2
Woodstork
Photo: Mary Keim
Photo: Randy Snyder
Photo: Winston Russell
Roseate Spoonbill
Photo: Emily Heider
Macroinvertebrates: Tiny Wonders
3
One important component that influences the structure
and function of the Wetland Park’s marshes are the
macroinvertebrates. What is a macroinvertebrate? Simply
put, they are organisms without backbones that are visible
to the eye without the aid of a microscope. Aquatic
macroinvertebrates are organisms that live on, under and
around rocks, sediment and organic substrates at the
bottoms of lakes, rivers and streams.
The Wetlands Park is home to a wide diversity of
macroinvertebrates. However, the dominant species with-
in the Wetland’s marshes are benthic (bottom-dwelling)
crustaceans called amphipods. These amphipods are called
scuds or sideswimmers. They feed and scavenge on
decomposing plant and animal parts. Amphipods provide a
major food source for waterfowl.
Chironomid midges and mayflies are also dominant invertebrates at
the Park. The midges are non-biting insects that closely resemble
mosquitoes. They are often called “blind mosquitoes”. Underwater,
blind mosquitoes are in larval form and are often red, white or dark
green in color.
Mayflies are best known for emerging
from the water in huge numbers.
Mayflies usually spend about 3-6
months underwater in the larval form.
Underwater mayflies feed on algae,
decomposing plant and animal parts.
When they emerge from the water they
typically live for very short period of
times ranging from a few minutes to a
few days.
Mayfly Larvae
Macroinvertebrates
are a food source for waterfowl, such as
these Mottled Ducks.
Photo by: Encyclopedia of Life, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario
Photo: Emily Heider
During June and July, stop in the Park’s Education Center and learn a little more about some of the
Park’s amazing macroinvertebrates. –Mark Sees
Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Keim
4
Friends of the Orlando Wetlands
The Friends of the Orlando Wetlands
(FOW) is a citizen support organiza-
tion for the City of Orlando's Orlando
Wetlands Park. Its mission is to assist
the City of Orlando employees in
providing educational opportunities
to increase community awareness,
support and appreciation of the park
and its wildlife.
May Bird Count In the wee morning hours on May 24, volunteers led by
FOW Karen Hamblett, gathered to conduct a bird sur-
vey. They were especially impressed with the number
of birds in the rookery! They observed Roseate Spoon-
bills and Black Skimmers feeding in the area after day-
break. A total of 4,383 birds were counted amidst the
cypress dome, the rookery and Cell 17. Thank you to
our volunteers for your continued dedication to the
Orlando Wetlands Park!
Black-bellied Whistling Duck 12 Tricolored Heron 127 Osprey 3
Mottled Duck 3 Cattle Egret 933 Bald Eagle 1
Woodstork 91 Green Heron 5 Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Anhinga 169 Black-crowned Night Heron 15 Crested Caracara 1
Least Bittern 2 White Ibis 799 Limpkin 2
Great Blue Heron 21 Glossy Ibis 474 Black Skimmer 4
Great Egret 570 Roseate Spoonbill 2 Barred Owl 1
Snowy Egret 617 Black Vulture 425 Boat-tailed Grackle 1
Little Blue Heron 104 Turkey Vulture 0
Daybreak at Oyler Overlook
Photo: Karen Hamblett
Mary has been with the Friends of the
Orlando Wetlands since 1991, but
considers herself a regular for the last
3-4 years. You can find her volunteer-
ing with the “garden gang” on
Wednesdays where she likes working
with all the plants and animals. Some
projects Mary has worked on include:
writing brochures; assisting in the
creation of butterfly and wildflower
guide books (available in the
Education Center); producing butter-
fly and dragonfly videos for the Educa-
tion Center; contributing photographic images. Mary was also
recently elected Secretary of the FOW Board of Officers. She is a
member of the Native Plant Society and volunteers with Orange
Audubon as their Field Trip Chair. When not playing at the
Wetlands Park, Mary works at Seminole State College teaching
Biology. Thanks Mary for all that you do for the Wetlands Park!
Photo: Randy Snyder
Birding Resources
FFWCC http://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/birds/
Florida Audubon http://fl.audubon.org/
Cornell Lab http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
eBird http://ebird.org
Feathered Friends: Summer Birding
5
Purple Gallinule
Photo: Mary Keim
Roseate Spoonbill
Photo: Emily Heider
Barred Owl
Photo: Winston Russell
Okay, so it isn’t really summer yet….according to the calendar. But
to us Floridians, it is HOT and summer is definitely upon us. How-
ever, I love the out-of-doors and have a need to get out and bird,
regardless. Orlando Wetlands Park is an awesome place to bird and
enjoy nature. I birded there quite a lot in May and decided also to
hit the park the first day of June. There are still quite a lot of good
birds in the park….and some rarities! While walking along the path
near the outflow, I found a female American Redstart. This is a
warbler, and definitely late for this region. She should have already
flown North for breeding. Walking along this path, I also had a fly-
over Barred Owl and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Back on the main trail,
I saw the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, which I have seen report-
ed, but not spotted myself. This was a great find for the park. Our
other resident species were out and about. I saw Roseate Spoon-
bills, many Wood Storks, and our usual other wading birds. There
are still two Blue-winged Teal hanging out with American Coots and
a Ring-necked Duck in Cell 9. Not sure why the ducks are still here,
but they also should have already flown North. There are many
Purple Martins and Barn Swallows flying high; and as you walk, you
can hear them chattering above. For the cuteness factor, there are
lots of babies around! Limpkin chicks and Common Gallinule babies
abound! I am sure we will be seeing our Black-bellied Whistling
ducklings anytime. I have been seeing the adults paired up for a
while. While birding, you can also see some great wildlife. I encoun-
tered a Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake and some Soft-shelled Turtles lay-
ing their eggs. The prints of deer, raccoon and bobcat are up and
down the main roads. So, it is HOT, but get outside and get some
nature! –Brook Rohman
As summer approaches, many wildflowers are blooming in Orlando Wetlands Park. Water
Hemlock (Cicuta maculata) is one that is in full bloom throughout the park. It is found in
the marshes and the white flowers grow in clusters of small umbels at the top of stems.
Leaf arrangement is alternate.
Water Hemlock is the host plant for Black Swallowtail butterflies, which can often be seen
flying around near the plants (See Butterfly Spotlight). Pollinators use the Water Hemlock
for nectar, but it is toxic to humans and inedible.
Look for this beautiful wildflower at the edges of the wetland cells and enjoy the myriad of
visitors that depend on it for food. - Randy Snyder
6
Wildflower Corner: Water Hemlock
Black Swallowtail caterpillar on Water Hemlock Photo: Randy Snyder
Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata) Photo: Randy Snyder
Orlando Wetlands Park is home to over
65 species of butterflies. One of the
more common species is the Black
Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), a
member of the Swallowtail Family
(Papilionidae). Swallowtails are named
for the small finger-like projections that
are present on the hindwings of mem-
bers in the genus Papilio.
The Black Swallowtail is a mostly black,
medium-sized butterfly. Besides the
tails on the hindwings, they have a
postmedian band of yellow through the
wings and some blue on the hindwings.
Caterpillar host plants include Water
Hemlock (Cicuta maculata), the featured
wildlflower in this issue (see Wildflower
Corner), and Mock Bishop’s-weed (Ptilimnium
capillaceum), which are common within the
park, and other plants in the carrot family.
At Orlando Wetlands Park, the Black
Swallowtail is typically seen flying along the
berms near its host plant or nectaring on a
variety of wildflower including Pickerelweed
(Pontederia cordata) featured in the April/
May 2015 issue of the Orlando Wetlands Park
Newsletter.
As you walk the berms, see if you can find a
male and female Black Swallowtail!
–Randy Snyder
7
Butterfly Spotlight: Black Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail (male) Photo: Randy Snyder
Black Swallowtail (female) Photo: Randy Snyder
Education Center Exhibit: Insects
The Wetlands Park Education Center will feature a seasonal display during the months of June and July titled: Insects. Stop in and visit the center. Incredible photographs by our Friends of the Orlando Wetlands will be displayed!
Come take a tour of the Wetlands! Friends of the Orlando Wet-lands will be available for tram tours each Friday from 9:30am until 3:00pm and Saturday from 9am until 4pm during June and July. The Tram Tour seating capacity is 7 people on a first-come first-served basis. No reservation required. The Tram Tours are free. Donations are welcome.
Friends of the Orlando Wetlands: orlandowetlands.org
Orlando Wetlands Park 25155 Wheeler Road Christmas, Florida 32709-1375 Phone 407.568.1706 Fax 407.568.1725 cityoforlando.net
Free Tram Tours Available
Happenings
Attract Native Wildlife with Plants!
A new Friends of the Orlando Wetlands' volunteer project, Green Venture, is developing a fledgling nursery to grow and sell native plants for wildlife to the community. This summer, the first efforts are on small scale with a limited number of native plants. The variety changes weekly, depending upon availability and what's in season. The little green plant wagon will be in front of the Education Center on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you have questions, plant requests, or wish to become a volunteer, please give your contact information to staff or one of the FOW volunteers.
Green Venture's goal is to reach out to the community through education about Central Florida’s native plants and native wildlife, and to have fun viewing wildlife in backyards.
In the Education Center, the Orange Audubon's pamphlet, Bird- and Butterfly-Friendly Plants for Central Florida, offers connection of what plants attract which wildlife. Walk through the OWP Wild-life Garden with its plant signage, mesocosms, and fledgling nursery. Recommended reading is Bringing Nature Home, How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas W. Tallamy.
Photo: Sandy Bauerschmidt