St. Lucie Audubon Society
REPORT by Hart Rufe

St. Lucie Audubon Field Trip to Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands

Feb. 9, 2008

Fourteen participants gathered at 6:30 a.m. to travel to Boynton Beach to view the birds and wildlife of Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands, waste water treatment and reclamation facilities run by Palm Beach County that double as nature preserves, complete with a Nature Center, special native plantings that filter the water and attract all kinds of wildlife, and board-walks through the preserves heavily utilized by nature lovers, photographers, joggers, casual strollers, and tourists. (Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such a facility in St. Lucie County?)

While the fledgling Limpkin chicks seen and photographed the previous Saturday did not show themselves to our group (the five were reported to now number only two), highlights of the trip did include baby Great Blue Herons, young Anhingas in various stages of growth on several different nests, and a monster mother alligator with at least twelve baby alligators just feet from the fence along the path. Limpkins called constantly during the day, and colorful Purple Gallinules, secretive Soras, as well as all of the expected egrets, herons, ibis, ducks, warblers and blackbirds were seen. In all, 55 species of birds were seen.

The complete list follows: