FIELD TRIP TO JONES PIER AND MOORHEN MARSH

On February 6, 2025, eleven people went to Jones Pier in Vero Beach on our SLAS field trip.   It was a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze.  Jones Pier is right off the Jungle Trail and is a new preserve, opened in 2023.   There is a 4 acre salt marsh here with a small dock.   The 16.5 acre area was purchased by the county, with the assistance of Florida Communities Trust in 2008.  The Jones family had a settlement here from the late 19th century and they sold citrus at their stand to the community.

We saw 26 species of birds on this beautiful day.   A ruby throated hummer showed up on the only red flower on site just for us!   It is a diverse habitat.   We saw warblers, killdeer, egrets, herons, hawks, osprey, woodpeckers, including two pileated woodpeckers.

Then the group drove to Moorhen Marsh.   This is the newest storm water treatment plant in Indian River County.  It also has only been open to the public for about a year.  Alexis Peralta showed us around the ponds and gave us a grand tour.   We were treated to a Wilson’s snipe, greater yellowlegs, egrets, herons, shrike, grackles, and robins.   We saw 30 species of birds.   This area, as it grows older will draw in more birds.  A good time was had by all.