Nature’s Reflections – Florida Osprey

The Fish Eagle – Master of the Catch

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Florida’s fish eagle, gets its name from the Latin word for sea eagle. These eagle-like birds of prey catch fish with impeccable precision and finesse. Measuring 21 to 24 inches in length, ospreys have long, pointed wings spanning six feet. The head, throat and undersides are white; the back, nape, tail and back of the head are dark brown with a black stripe located behind the eye. Ospreys have a conspicuous crook in the wing and a black “wrist” mark in flight which differentiates it from the Bald Eagle. Its usual call is a loud, whistle: chewk-chewk-chewk.

Found throughout the world except in polar regions, northern ospreys migrate to warmer climates. A year-round Florida resident, ospreys are often sighted near large lakes and rivers.

Feeding almost exclusively on fish, ospreys capture a meal by nose diving into the water. Its feet are built to grasp and hold fish. Ospreys’ reversible outer toe can rotate and extend to the foot’s rear to grasp its prey with two front toes and two back toes by plunging its strong, hooked claws to grip either side of its prey.

Osprey pairs breed at three years, and build a bulky nest of collected sticks and debris including seaweed, bones, driftwood, corn stalks and trash. It is a little smaller than a Bald Eagle’s nest. Ospreys have a fondness for high trees, towers and utility poles near the water’s edge and usually not far from where it was born.

Both parents incubate the clutch of two to three white, buff/pink eggs for 35 days. The young fledge at eight to ten weeks.

Ospreys are not neat carpenters; the large nests often appear on SECO pole crossarms. Nests, debris and often ospreys come in contact with electric lines resulting in power outages and possibly the bird’s death. During rain, or when nest material is wet, the damp material conducts electricity to the nest site.

Strictly following the requirements and limitations of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SECO exercises extreme care to protect these birds and their offspring by installing fiberglass nesting dishes to keep ospreys’ stick-built homes away from power lines in heavily osprey populated areas.

By placing the birds and nests out of harm’s way, SECO aids the survival of a protected species and helps prevent unexpected disruptions to your electric service. Ospreys enjoy having this secure nest and members enjoy watching the birds raise their families.

Installing nesting dishes near active osprey breeding sites is one of several initiatives to help protect our environment and the creatures that live within it.

Visit SECO’s YouTube channel to see osprey nest protection in action at the Dead River in Tavares.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the May 2018 SECO News online.

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Cabbage Palm

Many uses and the heart is considered a delicacy

The cabbage palm (sabal palmetto) was designated the Florida state tree in 1953 thanks to the Federation of Garden Clubs, who convinced the legislature that this palm was representative of all of Florida. The sabal palm, commonly called a “cabbage palm” is the most commonly found palm throughout the state.

One reason for its selection was its history. Early Floridians found a variety of uses for the sabal palm. The leaf bud of the tree provided food, the fibrous trunk was used for shelter materials and the fronds were used for thatched roofs. In fact, Seminole Indians are well known for constructing “Chickee huts” with thatched roofs made from the palm fronds. Chickee is the Seminole word for house, traditionally constructed using cypress logs and thatch leaves woven together with vines or thin ropes.

The leaf bud portion at the tree top is considered a delicacy by many. It is often sold in local restaurants under the name “heart of palm” or “swamp cabbage.”

Additionally, the tree provides food for wildlife. Florida’s black bears enjoy eating the heart of the palm, while the cabbage palm’s fruit, black colored berries, are eaten by gray foxes, squirrels and raccoons. Birds watch for the fruit to reach that “just right” ripened stage for eating. And, butterflies drink their fill of nectar when the small white flowers appear in early summer.

Cabbage palms provide shelter for fox squirrels, raccoons, frogs, lizards and insects. The palm thatch is used in nest building. Cavity nesters, such as flickers and red-bellied woodpeckers carve out homes in its trunk while others hide their nests among the fronds.

These prolific native palms with their fan-shaped fronds are widely used in landscaping. They are an erect tree that grows to a height of about 65 feet. Found throughout Florida, they are very adaptable to wet or dry conditions and transplant easily during any season of the year, although the warm, rainy summer months are best. It is a tree that weathers Florida’s seasons well.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the January 2018 SECO News.

Nature’s Reflections – Whooping Crane

This large bird still on the endangered species list

The whooping crane (Grus americana), is named for its unique trumpet-like call that can be heard for several miles. It is North America’s largest bird, standing 45 to 50 inches tall with a wingspan of 90 inches. Mature birds are pure white with black wing tips, dark legs, a long neck, a long, dark, pointed bill and a bumpy red crown. The bumpy red patch on the head, a trait shared with the close relative sandhill crane, serves to indicate the bird’s mood – becoming bright and expanded when agitated or excited. Whooping cranes and sandhill cranes are the only two cranes found in North America.

Whooping cranes are one of the most beautiful birds and one of the rarest. This endangered species once wintered in Florida, but habitat loss virtually wiped out most of its population. The birds were on the verge of extinction and a concerted effort has been ongoing since the 1990s to bring them back. Florida’s small whooping crane population is now mostly non-migratory.

A project to restore the migratory whooping crane began in 2001. Each winter, captive-raised and released whooping cranes are led by ultra-light aircraft from Wisconsin to Florida. The idea of the project is that once these birds are taught the north-to-south migration route, the birds will continue to make the journey on their own.

Whooping cranes mate for life, but will take a new mate if one dies. Whoopers live 22 to 24 years in the wild. Sexes are similar in appearance, although males are larger – weighing about 16 pounds. Nests are usually built over standing water and pairs return to nest in the same area each year. Females lay two blotchy, olive-colored eggs in late April to May. Incubation takes 30 days. Within twenty-four hours of hatching, the pale brown chicks leave the nest to follow the parents. Both parents care for the young. The young stay with the parents for a year, learning to forage for seeds and roots, insects, snakes, frogs and small rodents. They can fly at three months, and have their full adult plumage by the end of the second summer. At five years they are ready to choose a mate and begin a family.

To learn more about the ongoing migratory project, visit www.bringbackthecranes.org.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the December 2017 SECO News.

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Black Bear

Has A Den, But Does Not Truly Hibernate

Our largest native land mammal, the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus), has come back from only several hundred bears in the 1970s to more than 4,000 today. This subspecies of the American black bear is one of Florida’s biggest conservation success stories. It has a shiny, black coat of fur with a light brown nose and snout. Its long, razor sharp claws do not retract.

It is a powerful climber and swimmer and can run up to 30 mph for short distances. It has an excellent sense of smell, acute hearing, good eyesight, and sees in color. When a black bear sees a human, it will often do a lot of sniffing, and may stand up. This is not a sign of aggression; it helps the curious bear to catch the scent and to get a better look. The black bear is a very shy animal, whose normal nature is to flee human encounters.

Adult males normally weigh 250 to 350 lbs., and adult females 130 to 180 lbs. The largest male bear on record in Florida weighed 760 lbs.; the largest female weighed 400 lbs. Except during mating season from June to August, these bears are solitary by nature. Adult females typically breed every other year, producing one to three cubs in January/February, each weighing about a half pound. Cubs stay with their mother for about 18 months. Half die before a year of age. In Florida, male bears typically have a home range of 60 square miles; females just 15 square miles. black bears prefer forests of sand-pine scrub, oak scrub, forested wetlands and upland hardwoods like the Ocala National Forest.

The black bear is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and other animals. It’ll eat just about anything, including fruits, berries, acorns, the hearts of the sabal palm or saw palmetto, honey, bees, walking sticks (a favorite insect), armadillos, wild pigs, fawns and garbage.

Loss of habitat due to development has increased the potential for more encounters between bears and people. The presence of a black bear does not necessarily represent a problem. Many residents living in black bear country enjoy observing them from a distance, of course. Never offer a bear food! Keep food sources like pet food and garbage away from them by securing or removing the temptations.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the November 2017 SECO News.

SECO News, October 2017

Duncan’s Digest

HURRICANE IRMA HITS HARD

Hurricane Irma is indeed the biggest, baddest, meanest named storm we’ve seen in a long time. Irma’s damage to our system was more significant than we experienced in the infamous 2004 hurricane season.

Hurricane Irma – the aptly named “war goddess” – arrived with an arsenal of hurricane-force winds. She wreaked havoc as she traveled directly through SECO’s service territory as a Category 1 to a Category 3 hurricane, per data from the National Hurricane Center. Power outages began late Sunday evening September 10, and members continued to lose power through Monday morning.

From Irma’s onset until winds subsided Monday mid-day, approximately 139,000 outages were reported by members and captured by our outage management system. Over half of our system was damaged by the hurricane-force winds with lines, transformers and poles on the ground covered by trees and debris.

Executing an emergency action plan before, during and after a named storm is a standard practice for a Florida utility like SECO Energy. Storm hardening and emergency response are key investments for a not-for-profit electric cooperative. To successfully react to a weather crisis, we rely heavily on our tried and true emergency response plan and advanced preparation.

Members always want to know how SECO decides who is first in line for restoration. Florida requires substations and feeders serving hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies to be restored as the highest priority. The next priority is restoring power to large groups of members, and then to less populated areas with individual electric services.

Due to SECO’s demographic, we serve a large number of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. During Hurricane Irma, these facilities became a priority as well as they began to run out of generator fuel. The same held true for communication towers a few days into the recovery. Water treatment facilities and lift stations were also a strong consideration.

The bottom line is every member wants power turned back on – now. SECO is sensitive to that, and we understand the discomfort and inconvenience members experience. Personally, I slept on a cot in my office for four nights because my home was without power. I’m sharing that not for sympathy but to emphasize that SECO follows the plan and does not give special treatment or favors.

Once an emergency begins, logistics like fuel, food, lodging, manpower and a solid work plan are all critical to a timely restoration. Securing line and tree trimming contractor support from neighboring areas was difficult because Irma had such far-reaching effects. We searched far and wide and brought in contractors from Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and other parts of Florida.

Fuel, ice, food and hotel rooms for these folks became a logistical challenge as the state seemingly shut down before, during and after Irma. From the beginning of the restoration effort on Monday, fuel availability for our trucks was limited. Traffic on I-75 southbound delayed the out-of-state contractors’ arrivals. Evacuees understandably fled from coastal areas to central Florida, reducing the availability of hotels to lodge our restoration teams from out of state.

Contract line and tree crews arrived and suited up alongside our SECO home team after winds died down around noon that Monday. These professionals were in it to win it. SECO made significant progress, restoring power to over 90,000 members during the first three days of restoration – 49,000 members remained without power.

To better communicate with members, SECO developed an interactive restoration plan map that was launched Tuesday evening. The map was updated nightly to reflect the next day’s restoration plan.

This resource became a useful communication tool for members seeking information on the timing of their particular area’s restoration. Social media was a blessing throughout the hurricane and restoration, and helped members keep in touch when CenturyLink went down.

When Thursday dawned, progress slowed as SECO fought through new challenges and obstacles. High waters across roads and in homes prevented restoration in south Sumter County. Areas with significant damage took longer than planned. Stolen wire delayed restoration in Webster, Croom-A-Coochee and Lake Panasoffkee. Crews were redirected to allow restoration to continue in areas where we could restore larger numbers quickly.

The weather threatened to hinder progress on Friday and Saturday, as the presence of lightning would bring restoration to a stop. We put the word out for farmers to stop cutting hay and for residents to not wash their cars. We prayed and crossed our fingers.

Prayers were answered, and on Saturday at noon, less than 10,000 members were without power. We were determined to have full restoration complete by the end of the day Sunday, September 17. More than 1,200 SECO crews, along with line and tree contractors converged for the last time on our territory to finish rebuilding the remaining lines, clear trees, replace poles, avoid alligators and respond to the remaining small pockets of outages.

Though it was admittedly a rough week for those who lost power, I am proud to say that by Sunday night, 99.9% of SECO members had power restored. Only about 70 accounts in south Sumter County were unable to receive electric service due to high water conditions.

Many of our employees worked 20-hour days, didn’t have power at home and could have auditioned for a role on The Walking Dead. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of the entire SECO team. I’m also grateful for the thousands of line and tree contractors who traveled thousands of miles to Florida, leaving their families to aid ours during Hurricane Irma restoration. They have my respect and appreciation.

In each major restoration event, there are lessons learned. Sometimes Murphy’s Law prevailed and other times, thankfully, we had favor and won the day. As a team, we celebrated the highs and worried through the lows.

Nature’s Reflections will be back next month. Clearly, Mother Nature made her presence known through Hurricane Irma as these photos show.

I believe in preparing for the worst and praying for the best. Hurricane Irma may be as close to the worst we will ever see. Today, let’s count our blessings and be thankful.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Read the full October 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Living with Alligators

Keep your distance and NEVER feed them

Florida’s official state reptile is the American Alligator (Alligator mississippensis). This largest North American reptile is a common site in Florida’s waterways. Our state is home to 1.3 million of them. People are intrigued by alligators, but they are dangerous creatures if someone attempts to handle or feed them. Feeding is not only illegal, it causes the gator to lose its fear of humans and associate people with food. Once this natural fear of humans is lost, it is an extremely dangerous threat. Development and loss of habitat result in more alligator encounters.

Adult males typically reach 13 to 14 feet. The Florida record is 14 ft. 3.5 in. and 1,043 lbs. Females reach just under 10 feet. The snout is characteristically broad. The number of teeth varies from 74 to 80, and are continually replaced if lost. Lifespan is 30 to 50 years.

Alligators begin to mate once they reach seven to eight feet in length. May is the peak of mating season. During June/July, the female builds a high mound of vegetation where she lays about 35 to 50 eggs, covers them with mud and vegetation and guards the nest. The mound keeps the eggs warm during the 65-day incubation. Hatchling sex is determined by nest temperature. Colder nests produce more females and warmer nests produce more males.

Alligators can be a threat to livestock and pets, but are also a Florida conservation success story. Thousands of eggs are harvested from the wild each year as part of a program that allows farmers to raise them in captivity for valuable hides and meat. Florida’s Alligator Management program allows annual hunt participation to keep numbers down. If you observe a nuisance alligator call: 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286) for removal. Better understanding of these unique reptiles, plus keeping a safe distance allows humans and alligators to coexist in Florida.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the September 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Nine-Armed Sea Star

Once called a starfish, although it is not a fish

Sea stars are Echinoderms (Echinodermata) —a group of animals whose name means “spiny skin,” which includes sea urchins, feather stars, sand dollars and sea cucumbers. About two thousand species exist exclusively in oceans worldwide. None are found on land or in freshwater. Sea stars have tentacle-like structures called tube feet with suction pads situated along the extremities. Sea stars have an eye at the end of each tentacle, but cannot see color. An internal hydraulic-type system pumps fluids through the body, allowing the star to both move and feed. While predators themselves, most are covered with spiny skin for protection from other predators.

The Nine-armed Sea Star (Luidia senegalensis), is a millipede with long, slim tapering arms attached to a small circular center. This sea star grows between twelve to sixteen inches in diameter. The topside is a patchwork of closely packed spiny plates from brownish gray to tan. The underside of the sea star has small white spiny plates and a central band of translucent, orange tube feet. The mouth is at the center of the disc. Undigested food fragments are expelled through the mouth. Like other echinoderms, it has the ability to regenerate lost or broken appendages.

It is found at the beach in shallow water and in depths of up to 130 feet along the coasts of Florida, and as far south as Brazil. It dines on mollusks, small crustaceans, tiny fish and worms. Many foods are swallowed whole and ingested by turning its stomach inside out to consume its prey. It also buries itself in the sand, filtering it to extract tiny organisms.

Breeding takes place throughout the year. Sea stars release egg/sperm cells into the sea. The eggs hatch into larva which drift along with the plankton to grow. After twenty-five days, the larva settle on the ocean floor and undergo a metamorphosis into juvenile sea stars.

Sea stars can be found in a stunning variety of shapes and colors in every ocean and reef around the world. They are best characterized by their unique symmetry. Most have five arms, while others have ten, and up to as many as forty arms. The lifespan of a sea star is reported to be from five to thirty-five years.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the August 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Hurricanes & Wildlife

Where do animals go in a hurricane?

Florida’s wildlife is well adapted to the state’s weather extremes. Their early warning system lies in the ability to sense any change in the barometric pressure and move to safer locations. Members of the animal kingdom seem to find places to hide from a storm’s wrath.

Water birds and shorebirds move inland during storms. Many birds will fly to the outer edge of a storm and find a safe place to hunker down – sometimes hundreds of miles away. Birds have the ability to tighten their grip and hold on during high winds, just as they do when sleeping. Cavity nesters, like woodpeckers will often ride out the storm in the tree. Many species of wildlife know the areas of the forest where they will be best protected from the worst winds. Chicks in a twig or ground nest are at the highest risk for injury.

Natural disaster disrupts and affects everything in its path, including wildlife. Livestock and pets are not always able to get out of harm’s way on their own. A sad fact is that there is usually some loss to wildlife and habitat as a result of severe storms. The good news is that wildlife in general is amazingly resilient.

While we can never place animal life above human life, it is important to be sensitive to the needs of both wildlife and domestic animals as much as we can before and after a natural disaster.

Following the 2004 hurricanes, FEMA brought in veterinarians from other states to help rescue and treat the thousands of domestic animals that resided in the Florida counties that were declared federal disaster areas.

The Humane Society collected pets found disoriented and wandering aimlessly and gave them food and shelter until the rightful owners could be found. Those unclaimed pets were later offered for adoption.

Volunteers from area wildlife rehab centers were busy with rescue and treatment of injured, displaced and orphaned animals following the hurricanes. Biologists from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) monitored the impact to wildlife for weeks following the storms. Research shows that most of Florida’s ecosystems and wildlife populations recover, or adapt, quickly after even the severest storms.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the July 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – The Green Anole

One of Florida’s best natural pest control experts

This lively little garden critter is the Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), pronounced uh’no-lee, of the Iguanidae family. It is the only anole native to Florida and not to be confused with the non-native Brown Anole. Its long-pointed snout and smooth skin distinguishes it, as does its ability to change color from green to brown or gray as a camouflage technique and in reaction to temperature. When temps are above 70°F, it tends to be green. In cooler weather it turns brown. Following a territorial dispute, the winner turns bright green while the loser turns brown. Although it is often called a “chameleon,” it is not. Chameleons are natives of Africa and Madagascar, have eyeballs that move independently, and tails that curl into spirals.

Like all lizards, the Green Anole is equipped with moveable eyelids and external ear holes. Adults molt often, casting off skin in pieces. It has adhesive toe pads, enabling it to climb and cling to vertical surfaces. Males grow to eight inches. Females are smaller.

Its long, slender tail makes up half of its length and breaks off at the slightest pressure – allowing for a quick escape. The tail then grows back over several weeks.
Males have a brightly colored patch of skin called a throat fan or dew lap. It appears to inflate, but is actually displayed using a flexible rod of cartilage. The behavior is often accompanied by push-ups and head-bobbing maneuvers when courting a mate or defending territory. Breeding takes place from late March to early October. Females lay single eggs every two weeks in moist soil including the soil in flower pots. The tiny 1/4- to 3/8-inch leathery eggs take five to seven weeks to hatch.

Anoles feed on insects, but only live prey. Anoles have excellent eyesight and are frequently seen quietly stalking prey or basking in the sunlight. It is not unusual to see it gobbling up wood roaches or other bugs. Amazingly, this little lizard can grab and swallow prey almost its size. Anoles and other lizards are valuable contributors to the environment and economically important as natural pest controllers – an essential element in the balance of nature.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Nature’s Reflections – Backyard Florida

Playing in the water brings out the kid in all of us

Since Florida is surrounded on three sides by saltwater with 1,197 miles of coastline, 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline and 663 miles of beaches, it is a great place to come play in the water – a natural water park. But, that is just the perimeter. There is a lot of water within the State’s interior.

The interior of Florida has more than 11,000 miles of streams, rivers and waterways with three million acres of freshwater and 27 first magnitude springs – more than any other state in the nation. These are springs that discharge water at a rate of at least 100 cubic feet of water per second. Florida’s longest river is the St. Johns at 273 miles. The state also has 10,000 lakes with 7,700 of them larger than ten acres and the largest, Lake Okeechobee, is 700 square miles. It is the second largest freshwater lake in the U.S. In fact, Florida’s total water area is 4,308 square miles.

Florida’s natural splendor beckons boaters, canoeists, anglers, wildlife and nature observers, as well as water-sports enthusiasts. The goals of Florida’s conservation efforts include the preservation of natural habitats and ecosystems for wildlife and recreational opportunities for everyone, young and old alike.

Our treasury of clean waterways brings thousands of visitors to Florida annually. The sale of fishing gear and related equipment, licenses and rental fees makes a tremendous contribution to the state’s economy and provides residents with a wonderful place to play, relax and have a good time. Fishing is a fun and wholesome activity that everyone can enjoy.

Boating and other water sports are popular too. With thousands of registered vessels and personal watercraft, boating safety is a priority in Florida. Both residents and visitors are encouraged to take one of the many boating safety courses offered.

Florida is indeed “a great backyard” and with our excellent weather, it’s no wonder people come from all over the world to play in the water here. Whatever your preference, fishing, boating, skiing, swimming, operating a personal watercraft, or watching from the shoreline, with so much water in Florida, you’re bound to find something you like.

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Archive

The Fish Eagle – Master of the Catch

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Many uses and the heart is considered a delicacy

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

This large bird still on the endangered species list

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Has A Den, But Does Not Truly Hibernate

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Duncan’s Digest

HURRICANE IRMA HITS HARD

Keep your distance and NEVER feed them

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Once called a starfish, although it is not a fish

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Where do animals go in a hurricane?

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

One of Florida’s best natural pest control experts

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Playing in the water brings out the kid in all of us

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

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