Florida Nature Trackers Summer 2022 newsletter

FWC FLORIDA NATURE TRACKERS NEWSLETTER SUMMER  2022 Help protect the monarch butterfly The status of the migratory monarch butterfly has been making headlines lately. You can help these beautiful winged insects by planting native milkweeds in your outdoor space. Learn more at MyFWC.com/PlantingARefuge.  (Photo Credit: Tom Koerner/USFWS)

Photographing Florida's fantastic flora and fauna Florida's Wildlife Management Areas are a photographer's dream. From the average smartphone user to the professional photographer, visitors can capture pictures of Florida's unique wildlife and plants on the more than 6 million acres of scenic lands that make up our wildlife management area system. Delight friends and family with images of striking landscapes, colorful waterbirds and glimpses of mammals and reptiles found on these areas. Share your photos with #WMAzing for a chance to be featured in an upcoming Florida Nature Trackers Newsletter. Here are some tips to make taking photos on WMAs both safe and fun: Visit early in the morning or in the evening. Wildlife are more active at these times and the lighting is better than the harsh midday sun. Take your time. Wildlife encounters can be fleeting but taking a deep breath and framing your photo will result in much better photos. Take a lot of photos! Even the professionals do this. The more photos you take, the higher your chances of getting that perfect shot. Give wildlife space. Disturbance can be disastrous. Be quiet and stay well away. You will get the best, most enjoyable experience of animals’ natural behavior. Use binoculars or your camera’s zoom lens to get a close up. Know you aren’t alone. WMAs offer a variety of outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities. Staying aware that hunters, anglers, horseback riders and other users might be in the area will make sure everyone is having a great time on the WMA.   FWC opens ADA-accessible paddlecraft launch FWC’s Public Access Services Office is excited to announce the completion of a new ADA-accessible paddlecraft launch at the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area campground near Palmdale in Glades County. The launch facility includes accessible parking, a sidewalk and a floating dock, and gives visitors the opportunity to launch from the campground and paddle through the beautiful Fisheating Creek WMA.

Wildlife to watch for in late summer It's nesting season for least terns, oystercatchers, and black skimmers. They nest on islands, undisturbed beaches, and rooftops. Late summer and fall are a great time to view wildflowers on WMAs. Gopher tortoise hatchlings are beginning to emerge from their nests. Eighteen-month-old black bears separate from their mothers.  Black sea urchins spawn throughout the summer at each full moon along the Keys.  Sea squirts spawn on the grass flats.  Indigo snake eggs will hatch through September.

Black skimmer   Saltmarsh morning glory   Eastern Indigo snake

#WMAmazing Have you caught a great picture on a WMA? We’d love to see your photo! Share your pic of any plant or animal on a WMA with #WMAzing for a chance to see your photo in a future edition of the Nature Trackers Newsletter!

---------- Join the FWC Backyards of Florida project on iNaturalist   ---------- Earn certificates for the species you find through Wings Over Florida   ---------- Learn more about being a  Florida Nature Tracker

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