Natural Beaches Rock!

Learn the importance of keeping beaches natural.
Thanks to Audubon Society for providing the valuable resource.

 

Sea Turtle Awareness

Linda Lentin K-8 Center

In honor of the rapidly approaching onset of the sea turtle nesting season, one of our senior naturalist and Sea Turtle Ranger, Argelio Chaviano, teaches the kids at Linda Lentin K-8 Center about these fascinating creatures.  These outreach programs are being conducted at various title 1 schools, contact us to book your own outreach programs.

 

Beautiful Morning!

Hello Everyone,
          Its Aimee, one of the Interpretive Naturalists here at Crandon Park. This morning upon my arrival at 7am to the park, I saw an American Kestral sitting in the parking lot, of course as I got closer in my car, it flew away but none the less it was exciting to see one. I believe it was a male since from the quick glimpse I got I remember the distinct blue coloration.
           After my experience in the parking lot I decided I was going to take a stroll down the beach in one of the trucks before the rest of the staff arrived. So I quickly dropped off my belongs in the office, grabbed the truck keys and my camera and headed out. What a wonderful idea! The weather was a beautiful change from our normal South Florida warm weather. I first headed up toward the Bear Cut Preserve but the tide was a little high so I opted out of heading up that way. I drove slowly just past the wrack line enjoying the sun rising over the horizon and a Brown Pelican seemed to be enjoying the weather and the early morning hours with me. I finally got down to the south end of Crandon beach were I knew I would find a bunch of shore birds hanging out. There they were: Semiplamated Plovers, Black-billed Plovers, Sanderlings, Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Double Crested Cormorants all sitting on the shore line. The Brown Pelicans were sitting on the water just off the shore. I got out of the truck and took a few pictures and then the most amazing thing happened. The birds all took off and it seemed like they were preforming and arial ballet in the sky over the water with the sunrise as the backdrop.
This really brightened my day. What a beautiful morning!

CRANDON PARK SUNRISE BEACHCOMBING
Saturdays, 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Enjoy a leisurely walk along the beach wreck line. Learn about shorebirds and the many plant and animal species that inhabit the coastal environments of South Florida. Bring your binoculars along and your water shoes in tow! You never know what the tide might wash in!
$ 3.00/Person
Reservations required.305-361-6767 ext. 112

Crandon Park Visitors and Biscayne Nature Center,
6767 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, Fl. 33149,
Parking Lot #1, North Beach Entrance

Semiplamated Plovers, Black-billed Plovers & Sanderlings

Group of Semiplamated Plovers, Black-billed Plovers & Sanderlings

Shore Birds tracks in the sand

Royal Terns

Royal Terns & Herring Gulls

Double-crested Cormorant

Royal Terns

Herring Gull (1st winter)

In Flight!

The sunrise on a cold morning

In flight

Laughing Gull

Double-crested Cormorants

Double-Crested Cormorant

 

Our Life in Macro

Hi everyone,
     It’s Aista and Carla again and today we took some time out in the morning to check out and explore our Tequesta Hammock Trail. Nothing turns the day around and gives life a positive spin quite like expolring the wonders that nature has to offer. As we walked through the trail, we were taking some photos and soon realized that looking at things in a different light could open up so many new ideas. Check out our pictures and stop on by soon!

Bay Cedar

A honey bee is a wonderful pollinator for this lantana bush

Up close, this wild coffee leaf’s veins are amazing

Virginia Creeper

The roof above my head

Boston Fern

The cocoplum is flowering!

Fire bush

Beauty berry

Spanish Bayonet

Morning Glory

 

Welcome

Hello everyone!

Welcome to Crandon Park Visitors and Nature Center’s new blog. We hope this will be a way to keep you informed on our park happenings. Check back frequently to find out about upcoming events, recent sightings and bloomings, and other notes of interest.

– Crandon Park Nature Center Staff