The volunteer newsletter at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Profiles In Case a Visitor Asks Quick ID Guide Odds & Ends Panther Island News Newsletters Special features on the wildlife and habitats in Corkscrew Questions and answers about life and observations along the boardwalk Tips for identifying wildlife that may be seen from the boardwalk Miscellaneous articles of interest Spotlight on invasive species, general news Chronological index of newsletters

PROFILES & FEATURES
BIRDS Anhinga ~ February, 2008 Barred Owl ~ October, 2009 Belted Kingfisher ~ December, 2012 Black-bellied Whistling Duck ~ October, 2012 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ~ February, 2011 Carolina Wren ~ January, 2008 Common Grackle ~ April, 2010 Cuckoo, Yellow-billed ~ May, 2013 Eastern Phoebe ~ November, 2010 Gray Catbird ~ December, 2010 Great-crested Flycatcher ~ May, 2010 Great Egret ~ January, 2010 Limpkin ~ August, 2007 Little Blue Heron ~ June, 2009 Mockingbird ~ June, 2013 \Night Heron, Black-crowned ~ January, 2013 Night Heron, Yellow-crowned ~ February, 2013 Owl & hawk nesting ~ April, 2007 Painted Bunting ~ October, 2006 Red-shouldered Hawk ~ February, 2009 Ruby-throated Hummingbird ~ December, 2009 Swallow-tailed Kite ~ February, 2007 Tree Swallow ~ January, 2012 Tufted Titmouse ~ May, 2012 Vulture, Black ~ July, 2011 Vulture, Turkey ~ December, 2007 Warbler, Northern Parula ~ August, 2008 Warbler, Palm ~ November, 2011 Warbler, Pine ~ November, 2012 Warbler, Prothonotary ~ September, 2011 White-eyed Vireo ~ December, 2008 White Ibis ~ March, 2010 Wood Stork ~ December, 2006 Woodpecker, Downy ~ November, 2009 Woodpecker, Pileated ~ October, 2008 Woodpecker, Red-bellied ~ May, 2009	MAMMALS Bats at Corkscrew ~ July/Aug/Sept/Oct, 2007 Big Cypress Fox Squirrel ~ February, 2010 Black Bear ~ June, 2008 River Otter ~ November, 2008 PLANTS Bald Cypress ~ January, 2007 Butterfly plants ~ November, 2007 Cabbage Palm ~ September, 2009 Cattail ~ March, 2012 Coastal Plain Willow ~ July, 2009 Frog's Bit ~ March, 2011 Ghost Orchid ~ July, 2010 Poison Ivy ~ January, 2009 Pond Apple ~ September, 2007 Red Maple ~ August, 2011 Salvinia ~ March, 2009 Saw Palmetto ~ September, 2012 Slash Pine ~ January, 2011 Spanish Moss ~ September, 2010 Strangler Fig ~ November, 2006 Vine identification ~ June, 2011 Water Lettuce ~ March, 2008 Wax Myrtle ~ June, 2010	HERPS Alligator ~ March, 2007 Corkscrew's frogs & toads ~ June, 2007 Green & Brown Anoles ~ July, 2007 Green Treefrog ~ April, 2008 Pig Frog ~ September, 2008 Snake: Banded Water Snake ~ April, 2009 Snake: Water Moccasin ~ March, 2013 Snake: Yellow Rat Snake ~ February, 2012 Turtle: Florida Red-bellied ~ October, 2010 Turtle: Florida Softshell ~ August, 2010 INSECTS African Honey Bees ~ December, 2009 Butterfly: Brazilian Skipper ~ December, 2011 Butterfly: Palamedes Swallowtail ~ July, 2012 Butterfly: Ruddy Daggerwing ~ August, 2009 Butterfly Identification ~ July, 2012 Lovebugs ~ October, 2011 Milkweed Bugs & Cotton Stainer ~ April, 2013 New damselfly species ~ Feb., 2008 & Mar., 2009 Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper ~ June, 2012 Yellow Fly ~ April, 2012   MISCELLANEOUS   Aestivation & dry-downs ~ May, 2007 Corkscrew places ~ May, 2011 Identification/Misidentification ~ April, 2011 Lightning ~ July, 2008 Mosquitofish ~ October, 2007 Prescribed burns ~ May, 2008 Scientific name pronunciation ~ August, 2012

IN CASE A VISITOR ASKS Birds Common bird questions and answers ~ June, 2013 Can birds' feet get frosbite during winter freezes? ~ December, 2011 When do birds sleep? ~ August, 2009 What's the difference between a bird call and a bird song? ~ July, 2009 When birds sing and call, what are they really saying? ~ April, 2010 What's the difference between an accipiter and a buteo? ~ July, 2011 Why do some birds have such dark feathers on their wings and tails? ~ April, 2011 What's the difference between a dove and a pigeon? ~ January, 2011 What is "anting" and why do birds do it? ~ August, 2010 Will Wood Storks nest this year, and will they be successful? ~ January, 2010 Where do Wood Storks go and what do they do when they don't nest here? ~ May, 2010 What birds nest in Corkscrew during the summer months (June-August)? ~ June, 2009 When will those birds breed, and how soon before we see chicks? ~ February, 2010 What are some common hatch and fledge times? ~ February, 2007 What are the differences between an Anhinga and a Cormorant? ~ March, 2008 Why do Anhingas spread their wings? ~ January, 2007 Do female Anhingas also get blue eyes in mating season? ~ April, 2009 How long before immature Little Blue Herons are blue? ~ April, 2009 When do juvenile White Ibis become all white? ~ April, 2009 Why do sapsuckers drill holes in rows? ~ November, 2007 How big is that bird, and what's its wingspan? ~ ~ January, 2008 Insects & Spiders If caterpillars are insects, do they have three body parts and six legs? ~ February, 2013 Do butterflies have internal organs like hearts and brains? ~ July, 2012 What's a fast way to tell if it's a butterfly or a moth? ~ July, 2012 What do insects do when it rains and where do they go? ~ September, 2009 Are African (killer) honey bees in Corkscrew? Are they cause for alarm? ~ December, 2009 How do fishing spiders, water striders, and other insects walk on water? ~ October, 2009 Do all spiders bite? Are they poisonous? ~ December, 2008 Reptiles & Amphibians Why do turtles stretch their legs out when they bask? ~ January, 2013 How can one determine the sex of an alligator? ~ June, 2012 What do alligators eat? ~ February, 2009 Are snakes territorial? ~ March, 2011 How do snakes climb trees? ~ November, 2006 What happens to snakes, gators and frogs during freezing temperatures? ~ March, 2010 What happens to alligators and turtles when the lakes dry up? ~ April, 2008 Mammals Are there really Florida Panthers in Corkscrew? How many are there? ~ May, 2012 What should people do if they see a bobcat or a bear on the boardwalk? ~ September, 2010 Why are raccoons active during the day? Are they dangerous? ~ November, 2008 What left that scat? ~ March, 2007 Plants What are the shrub-like plants in the wet prairie with little yellow flowers? ~ June, 2013 Common plant questions and answers ~ May, 2013 What are the oldest plants growing in Corkscrew today? ~ March, 2013 How old are the Slash Pine trees growing around the visitor center? ~ March, 2012 Do marshmallows have anything to do with Salt Marsh Mallows? ~ August, 2011 Why do some cypress grow needles when they should be dropping them? ~ January, 2009 What are cypress knees? ~ September, 2007 Why are some cypress knees orange on top while others are brown or gray? ~ October, 2010 What are the white growths on cypress trees? ~ June, 2007 What causes peeling or shredded bark on cypress tress? ~ October, 2006 Can cypress trees grow together? ~ September, 2006 What makes the slits in Alligator Flag leaves? ~ August, 2006 What are the red flowers that are growing out from the sides of trees? ~ May, 2009 Do scientists classify fungi as plants or animals? ~ June, 2011 What are the brightly colored splotches on the boardwalk and trees? ~ May, 2011 Is the green mat covering the water by the boardwalk algae? ~ February, 2011 What vine is blanketing the trees? ~ ~ December, 2007 What are the growths on bay leaves? ~ October, 2007 What's the feathery looking plant growing in the wet prairie? ~ August, 2008 Water When is there water here, and how high does it get? ~ September, 2011 Are the water levels high, average, or low for this time of year? ~ December, 2010 Where did the water go, and when will it come back? ~ June, 2008 Why does the water look dirty? ~ December, 2006 How do you read the first water gauge? ~ November, 2010 How do you read the Stevens Gauge? ~ June, 2007 Miscellaneous How long can (fill in the blank) stay under water? ~ December, 2012 Why are there metal tubes on the Bunting House bird feeder? ~ February, 2012 What's that little house back there behind the gate? ~ November, 2009 How much of what can be seen from the observation platform belongs to Corkscrew? ~ March, 2009 How does aquatic life reestablish itself after a prolonged dry period? ~ September, 2008 What are tussocks, where do they come from, and what do they do? ~ May, 2008 Why is it called "Corkscrew"? ~ August, 2007 What is the boardwalk wood? ~ July, 2007 Do you feed wildlife? ~ May, 2007 What's the best time to visit? ~ April, 2007

QUICK ID GUIDE Birds ...   Blackbirds: Common vs. Boat-tailed Grackle ~ March, 2007 Blackbirds: Starling vs. fem. Red-winged Blackbird ~ March, 2008 Doves: Mourning vs. Ground ~ August, 2009 Flight: Ducks in flight ~ October, 2008 Flight: Vultures in flight ~ February, 2008 Herons: Little Blue vs. Tri-colored ~ December, 2007 Herons: Immature night herons ~ January, 2007 Swallow-tailed Kite: immature vs. adult ~ July, 2008 Swallows: Tree Swallow vs. juvenile Purple Martin ~ June, 2011 Wading Birds: Green Heron vs. American Bittern ~ January, 2008 Wading Birds: Little white wading birds ~ February, 2007 Wading Birds: White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Limpkin ~ November, 2007 Warblers: Palm vs. Yellow-rumped ~ November, 2010 Waterthrushes: Louisiana vs. Northern ~ November, 2006 Woodpeckers: Hairy vs. Downy ~ May, 2007 Woodpeckers: imm. Red-bellied vs. Yellow-bellied ~ October, 2010 Vireos: Yellow-throated vs. Pine Warbler ~ January, 2011 Vireos: White-eyed vs. Blue-headed vs. kinglet ~ October, 2007 Vireos: immature White-eyed vs. Blue-headed ~ October, 2011 Warblers: Blue-winged vs. Pine ~ February, 2012   Insects & Arachnids ...   Butterflies: Four black swallowtails ~ May, 2009 Butterflies: Four yellow sulphurs ~ November, 2008 Butterflies: Gulf Fritillary-Julia-Ruddy Daggerwing ~ September, 2009 Butterflies: Monarch-Viceroy ~ September, 2006 Butterflies: Palamedes Swallowtail-Black Swallowtail ~ July, 2007 Butterflies: Pearl Crescent-Phaon Crescent ~ September, 2007 Butterflies: Queen-Soldier-Viceroy ~ September, 2008 Caterpillars: Four that sting ~ December, 2008 Caterpillars: Woolly Bears & Yellow Bears ~ December, 2011 Flies: Metallic Green & Yellow Jacket Hoverflies ~ June, 2012 Spiders: Three Fishing Spiders ~ February, 2009 Spiders: Two large Orbweavers ~ August, 2008 Spiders: Orchard & Long-jawed Orbweavers ~ January, 2009 Spiders: Venusta & No-name Orbweavers ~ July, 2010 Herps, Mammals & Others ...   Fish: White rafts & Brown Hoplo catfish ~ August, 2011 Frogs: male vs. female Pig Frog ~ October, 2009 Rabbits: Cottontail vs. Marsh ~ April, 2007 Snakes: Banded Water vs. Water Moccasin ~ October, 2006 Snakes: Three common black snakes ~ November, 2009 Turtles: Red-bellied vs. Cooter ~ December, 2006   Plants ...   Alligator Flag, Pickerelweed, Sagittaria ~ August, 2007 Beaked Orchids (Sacoila lanceolata) ~ April, 2012 Butterfly Garden plants ~ September, 2012 Dewberry ~ March, 2012 Elderberry, Water Dropwort, Water Hemlock ~ April, 2008 Exotics: Brazilian Pepper, Downy Rose Myrtle, Lygodium ~ June, 2008 Ferns: part 1 (June, 2009) & part 2 (July, 2009) Grasses: Giant Cutgrass ~ July, 2011 Grasses: Sand Cordgrass ~ February, 2011 Saw Palmetto vs. Cabbage Palm ~ June, 2007 Seasonal plants in the lettuce lakes ~ May, 2008 Smartweed ~ April, 2011 Trees: Bald Cypress vs. Pond Cypress ~ June, 2007 Trees: Coastal Plain Willow vs. Virginia Willow ~ March, 2009 Trees: Live Oak vs. Laurel Oak ~ April, 2009 & January, 2012 Trees: Red Bay vs. Swamp Bay ~ March, 2011 Vines: Smilax species ~ February, 2010 Vines: Summer Grape vs. Muscadine Grape ~ June, 2010 Water Horehound ~ May, 2011 Water Horn Fern ~ November, 2011 Water Paspalum ~ September, 2011 White flowered Sedges ~ September, 2010

Odds & Ends

Birds Ground-nesting birds eavesdrop on mammals to find safer nesting sites ~ May, 2013 Birds adjust how they sing as habitat around them changes ~ January, 2013 Some birds fly into power lines because of "blind spots" in field of vision ~ December, 2012 Brightly colored birds pay high physical price for courtship coloration ~ November, 2012 Roll on Beethoven: Study shows warblers prefer to play classics for love ~ April, 2012 To be fully functional, feathers must grow, then die, then be tended ~ January, 2012 Birding odds on the Corkscrew boardwalk ~ January, 2012 Male hummingbirds use tails to shriek for female's attention, affection ~ December, 2011 Songbirds prefer regular food to organic food ~ June, 2010 Bird feeders, feeding may alter species evolution ~ January, 2010 Woodpecker Trivia ~ November, 2009 Earth's geomagnetic field helps birds determine migration orientation ~ June, 2008 Bird topography ~ September, 2009 Painted Bunting project needs help ~ December, 2009 Herps Most snake mating occurs in spring, newborns appear in late summer ~ May, 2012 Amorous male alligators employ principles of physics during water dance ~ January, 2012 Most frog/toad missing limbs, deformities now attributed to natural predators ~ October, 2011 How do treefrogs cling to both wet and dry surfaces? ~ August, 2008 Basking lizards get more than just warmth from sun ~ May, 2009 Insects & spiders Bug of the Month: Leaf-footed Bug ~ May, 2013 Bug of the Month: Bagworm ~ March, 2013 Bug of the Month: Thorn Bug ~ February, 2013 Plants improve pollination chances by getting honey bees buzzed on caffeine ~ April, 2013 Males, females play the game: whiffs of insect romance fill the air ~ November, 2012 Butterfly and Moth Trivia ~ July, 2012 Would you believe... Mosquitoes don't bite, sting, or feed on blood ~ August, 2009 Hot bodied males most attractive to females ~ March, 2011 Whose reality is real? Bees, other pollinators see actual world in UV ~ January, 2011 Spider webs and cobwebs-- what's a cob and why does it build a web? ~ September, 2011 Spiders create decorations to protect their webs ~ July, 2011 A dozen miscellaneous things you probably didn't know about spiders ~ June, 2011 Spiders create amazing webs with unusual properties, science tries to copy ~ September, 2010 Plants Bug off: Tomato extract repels moquitoes, offers natural defense as good as DEET ~ April, 2013 Good news: Biological control agents gradually reducing melaleuca population ~ May, 2011 Suck it up: Bladderworts' carnivore trap intrigues medical researchers ~ April, 2011 Corkscrew's carnivorous plants ~ October, 2012 Coastal Plain Willow has nature's miracle drug for aches, pains, maladies ~ February, 2011 Clash of the Kingdoms: plant and spider compete for same food ~ June, 2010 Brazilian Pepper berry pickers puzzle birders... ~ January, 2009   Miscellaneous Eight common wildlife myths ~ February, 2013 Insect repellent tips ~ December, 2012 Meet the Staff ~ November, 2012 Data Points: Annual rainfall statistics ~ October, 2012 Strange science: Strangler Fig roots left-handed, hot water freezes faster than cold, Heaven hotter than Hell ~ August, 2012 Weather: What is a wind chill factor and how is it determined? ~ February, 2012 Weather: What's a heat index, how is it calculated, and how does it affect people? ~ August, 2010 Florida Apple Snail threatened by two South American apple snails ~ August, 2010 "Oil" spots in water, sex & heat, invisible colors attract birds ~ March, 2010 Bird knees and frog eyes-- five things you may never have thought about ~ July, 2009 Bats recognize other individual bats' voices ~ September, 2009   First Aid Tips Dehydration ~ November, 2012 Minor cuts and scrapes ~ October, 2012 Treating blisters ~ September, 2012 Treating insect stings ~ August, 2012 Treating poison ivy ~ July, 2012 Removing a splinter ~ June, 2012 Heat exhaustion/stroke ~ May, 2012

Panther Island News

General Welcome to PI News ~ September, 2012 NABA butterfly count ~ September, 2012 Wood Ducks benefit from Eagle Scout project ~ October, 2012 Prescribed fire safety refresher, seminar planned ~ November, 2012 Point counts provide data to measure restoration ~ November, 2012 Celery Fields trip showcases mentoring, Audubon/government partnership ~ December, 2012 Meet Richard Booth, Panther Island's volunteer extraordinaire ~ April, 2013 Americorps coming to help with exotics removal ~ May, 2013 Spotlight on Invasives Balsam-pear (Momordica charantia) ~ November, 2012 Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) ~ May, 2013 Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) ~ December, 2012 Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum) ~ January, 2013 Popcorn Sedge (Scleria lacustris) ~ September, 2012 Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum) ~ April, 2013 Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) ~ March, 2013 West Indian Marsh Grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) ~ October, 2012

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