andresvila's Favorites

My family had planned a day trip to Fort Myers so I took advantage of the ride and was dropped off at the SR29 entrance of Bear Island. I bicycled along Bear Island Grade & Perocchi Grade to the main Bear Island Campground (just under 9 miles) and then just a bit east of that area to do some botanizing in an area that seemed to have been burned in the last year. I didn't have a ton of time and so really mostly focused on plants!

All of my observations from today: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2023-11-25&order=asc&place_id=2348&user_id=joemdo

Very excited to see this little critter!

Observed while working with Steve W to complete plant monitoring in the Hole-in-the-Donut Restoration area 2017. Other observations from today: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.41238529941481&nelng=-80.46418749449852&on=2021-01-16&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&swlat=25.327076649090113&swlng=-80.8271559626058&user_id=joemdo&verifiable=any
More info about this restoration project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/everglades-national-park-hole-in-the-donut-restoration

Approx 10 individuals inside a Downtown Miami city planter, two of them growing close to 9+ inches tall!!

According to https://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/species/triphora/gentianoides/, T gentianoides can grow up to ~7.8" (~20cm) , and holding a ruler as straight as possible while keeping the orchid as vertical as possible, I suspect two are over ~9" (23ish cm) from soil to tip! Maybe close to 10" if perfectly straight including anything below soil level.

Most of them 5-6"

Highly disturbed and trafficked area.

Crandon Park

Observed during the 2023 South Florida City Nature Challenge (CNCSOFLO)

Project page: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-south-florida-cncsoflo/
Website: https://www.cncsoflo.com/
Instagram: @ cncsoflo

Seen during the 2023 Carysfort Bioblitz organized by Dagny Johnson KLHB State Park and John Pennekamp State Park biologist Trudy F.

Project link here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2023-carysfort-bioblitz

After blacklighting from ~3AM to sunrise, I joined Stefan's group from 8-10AM and then hiked out with Joshua until around 11:45. I then tagged along with Trudy (shoutout to young Valentin and his amazing questions!) and a few other visitors until 12:15.

Blacklighting observations from this event:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.445871537847147&nelng=-80.19031613683939&on=2023-04-01&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.20878570378058&swlng=-80.40454953527689

Seen before the Dade Native Plant Workshop, led by Steve W. This workshop, open to novices and experts alike, are held every third Tuesday of the month. More info here: http://nativeplantworkshop.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=4914799%3ABlogPost%3A69815&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_post

My other posts from Kendall Indian Hammocks during and a little before the workshop:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.69937164681659&nelng=-80.34906725313324&on=2021-03-16&place_id=any&swlat=25.68873685739192&swlng=-80.38990120317597&user_id=joemdo&verifiable=any

Paddling back to Flamingo from East Cape

Seen on a three day solo camping trip to East Cape in Everglades National Park (Cape Sable). I was particularly excited to go shelling on the beach (did not collect any shells, as that is prohibited in ENP) and also try some blacklighting out there.

All of my observations from this trip: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2022-11-21&d2=2022-11-23&order=asc&place_id=any&user_id=joemdo

My mollusk observations from this trip: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2022-11-21&d2=2022-11-23&order=asc&place_id=any&taxon_id=47115&user_id=joemdo

My blacklighting observations from this trip: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2022-11-21&d2=2022-11-23&order=asc&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&user_id=joemdo

Gonna be a while before I finish posting everything and before I finish writing up this journal post summing up the trip but eventually there will be more info here: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/joemdo/72888-nov-21-nov-23-2022-east-cape-sable-camping

I am also planning on posting some videos to youtube over the next week or so but I'm prioritizing adding my observations first! Here's a link to my channel in case you want to see subscribe to see some videos about this trip: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Exy70GX48bo6JCDqqRrtw

These are two male black-throated blue warblers. The bird on the left is the Appalachian subspecies, which you can tell from the black streaks on his back. The male on the right is the "standard" black-throated blue warbler.

Appalachian warbler observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/139146144