Big Econlockhatchee River Water Hyacinth Hunt

     I headed out mid morning and disturbed a huge flock of White Ibis birds. There was about 40 of them and they expolded with wings flapping and duck like calls. Due to the river being very flooded I had to wade out to my canoe and pull it up from underwater. I went out and found the recent flood has brought with it thousands of Water Hyacinths. I collected 101 of them and three Chinese Tallow Trees.
     Pulling out a tree while blancing in a canoe is a real test of skill. If you think of the most skilled canoeists in the world, the volunteers from Eco-Action.net are better.

17 less Cuban Anoles from UCF

     This kind of blurry action picture is two of my baby Box Turltes attacking a baby Cuban Anole. Of the 17 Cuban Anoles (Anolis sagrei) I caught on Friday 10/14/11, two were babies and fed to my four Box Turtles. The other 15 will be fed to my Florida Snapping Turtle. Yes this is how I spend my Friday night, hunting exotic invasive species.

100 Air Potatoes from Jay Blanchard Park

As fall cools things down, exotic/invasive hunting begins again. I teach a Yang Style Tai Chi Class in Jay Blanchard Park (See Meetup.com then East Orlando Self-Defense Group). As I was waiting for class to begin I picked off 100 Air Potatoes. I'll take them home and burn them.

My new Cuban Anole eating machine

           This Florida Snapping Turtle spent all day Tuesday with me. It came to work with me, went to a UCF Eco-Advocates meeting with me, then in the evening a Florida Native Plants meeting. It behaved so sweetly the whole day. It spent hours with its head in my arm sleeping through the meetings.
     I tell people, "Don't be decieved, when this thing eats its not pretty." Tonight (Wednesday) I fed it six Cuban Anoles and one dead Finch from the animal hospital I volunteer at.
    Note in this picture this Florida Snapping Turtle is very swollen. I cured this water retention, a skin infection it had and a bad smell too. It is doing much better now.