A morning with Florida scrub jays

Today is my first real photography day of my Florida vacation. I visited Cruickshank Sanctuary in Rockledge, FL. Coincidentally, this is the same town where I was born 40 years ago. Anyway, the Florida scrub jay is the only bird endemic to Florida. Their habitat has become fractured by development and they are now considered a threatened species. They are very territorial and a pair needs about 30 acres of continuous oak-scrub habitat. They form little family groups and spend their whole lives near where they hatched. There are fewer than 4000 pairs remaining in the state. The scrub habitat here in Brevard County has been reduced by 70 percent in the last 20 years, but this remains one of the only areas in the state with so much of this habitat left. Scrub jays are very friendly with lots of personality. And they love peanuts!

Checking out the newcomer (me):

Great series Liz, and cute captions to boot.

Wow, beautiful shots Liz. Were these city birds to be that tame, or are they just like that? I see Red is doing his job.

1 and 2 are wonderfully iconic images.

The "save my habitat" image is one that should be put to public use.

Very cool that you could hand feed.

Nice, Liz. Wow, TWO hand-feeding posts in the same day - you & Mitch have special bird whisperer status.

Love image #2 the best. I see the jay in #1 is banded - are they tracking them?

Terrific -- and hand feeding! Astounding!

Great shots of the Scrub Jays, but a word of caution for Florida Visitors is in order..... We don't want you to end up with a big fine or have your equipment confiscated.

Florida Scrub Jays are protected by Florida Law, and feeding them is in violation of law.

See the notice below.........


Notice: Regarding Feeding Peanuts to Florida Scrub-Jays


We have recently been reminded by the Depart. Of Environmental Protection that without an official Fish & Wildlife Commission Permit (or a permitted person being present) feeding scrub-jays peanuts can be considered as ‘take’ and is not allowed. Recently a $175 fine was levied on an individual feeding peanuts to Scrub-Jays at the side of the road at Canaveral National Seashore.

The official position is that ‘Intentional feeding of a threatened species (including luring them to one's person), constitutes take (i.e. harass, molest, possess) as the activity alters the natural behavior of the bird by changing it's diet and feeding behaviors as well as acclimating it to make contact with humans.

In regards to bird feeders in one's yard that may attract the Florida Scrub-Jay this presumably is not considered a 'take' as the feeding is not threatened-species-intentional or a luring to one's person.

gymell wrote in post #7163521
Today is my first real photography day of my Florida vacation. I visited Cruickshank Sanctuary in Rockledge, FL. Coincidentally, this is the same town where I was born 40 years ago. Anyway, the Florida scrub jay is the only bird endemic to Florida. Their habitat has become fractured by development and they are now considered a threatened species. They are very territorial and a pair needs about 30 acres of continuous oak-scrub habitat. They form little family groups and spend their whole lives near where they hatched. There are fewer than 4000 pairs remaining in the state. The scrub habitat here in Brevard County has been reduced by 70 percent in the last 20 years, but this remains one of the only areas in the state with so much of this habitat left. Scrub jays are very friendly with lots of personality. And they love peanuts!

Checking out the newcomer (me):


A wren-like pose:


Hanging out in the scrub:


Will work for peanuts:


Please save my habitat!


Of course, I couldn't resist having some fun:


Look who crashed the party!

great shots! looks like the 1st guy got a couple of DUI's... (referring to his leg bands)

Beautiful shots, Liz. I've lived in FL most of my life and have never seen a Scrub Jay (that I was aware of). I do plan to correct that before too long.

Beautiful shots! Can you give some directions to where that Sanctuary is located? I am going to Florida the first two weeks of Feb and want to hit the high spots. LOL. I will be based near New Smyrna Beach on the East Coast.
Karen

Very nice captures Liz great colors and great skies maybe you can bring some of that blue with when you return to the tundra

pttenn wrote in post #7165311
Beautiful shots! Can you give some directions to where that Sanctuary is located? I am going to Florida the first two weeks of Feb and want to hit the high spots. LOL. I will be based near New Smyrna Beach on the East Coast.
Karen

Karen, it's only about 5 or 6 miles from the Viera Wetlands...........

Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary

LOCATION:
Central Rockledge just west of US Highway 1
360 Barnes Boulevard, Rockledge
From I-95 take Fiske Blvd Exit 195. At the intersection just north of I-95, go east on Barnes Boulevard 2.4 miles to the Sanctuary entrance and small parking area. From US-1 1 turn west onto Barnes Blvd and travel 0.5 miles. The Sanctuary entrance is on the north side of the road. Bike rack provided.

Discription:
Visitors to the Cruickshank Sanctuary can hike the trail (1 Mile trail) on the western portion of the 140-acre sanctuary. This trail winds through pine flatwoods habitat where raptors may be circling overhead or perched in high pine trees. Patches of oak, sand pine scrub, and freshwater depression marshes add to the Sanctuary's diversity.
Part of the Brevard County EEL Program, acquired in partnership with the State of Florida.

Hours of operation:
October-April: 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., May-September: 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Wildlife at the site:
Migratory birds, Florida Scrub-jay, bobwhite quail, raptors, gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, bobcat

PDF Brochure: http://www.eelbrevard.​com/pubs/cruickshankbr​o.pdf

Photo of the Sanctuary

Thanks all for looking and commenting! To address a few specific responses:

canonloader wrote in post #7164115
Wow, beautiful shots Liz. Were these city birds to be that tame, or are they just like that? I see Red is doing his job.

Apparently scrub jays (at least the Florida variety) are quite tame. This bunch certainly lived up to that.

avwh wrote in post #7164391
Nice, Liz. Wow, TWO hand-feeding posts in the same day - you & Mitch have special bird whisperer status.

Love image #2 the best. I see the jay in #1 is banded - are they tracking them?

Several of them were banded. Since they are a threatened species, I assume they are keeping close track. Others weren't banded so maybe they are younger.

IraRunyan wrote in post #7164867
Great shots of the Scrub Jays, but a word of caution for Florida Visitors is in order..... We don't want you to end up with a big fine or have your equipment confiscated.

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up. I looked for a sign or some notice there and didn't see anything. I guess it's a good thing I was alone there! Certainly now that I know better, I won't do that again, but it was fun while it lasted. And the jays definitely seemed accustomed to it. Since there are houses along the back side of the sanctuary, they are probably used to visiting feeders and being around people.

pttenn wrote in post #7165311
Beautiful shots! Can you give some directions to where that Sanctuary is located? I am going to Florida the first two weeks of Feb and want to hit the high spots. LOL. I will be based near New Smyrna Beach on the East Coast.
Karen

Ira's directions should get you there! Once in the sanctuary, just start walking on the trails and eventually you'll come across them.

Nice shot...Now I have to get myself a Red headed woody as well now....

http://www.bestnest.co​m …Product.asp?SKU​=WIR-78595

[QUOTE=IraRunyan;71655​57]Karen, it's only about 5 or 6 miles from the Viera Wetlands...........

Ira, thanks for that information!
Karen