Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Pipehorse]

Amazing detail! I am sure it was many, many, many hours of work not only wet under the water, but dry in front of your computer. Well done!

Thank you!

 

[Catito]

Thanks for the info on the sea horses. I will keep looking.

Attached is a photo of the jackknife, sea robin, and juvenile queen triggerfish that I saw at the bridge on Sunday 1-2-2022.

 

[Pipehorse]

Thanks for the info on the sea horses. I will keep looking.

Attached is a photo of the jackknife, sea robin, and juvenile queen triggerfish that I saw at the bridge on Sunday 1-2-2022.

I think that is a Grey Trigger

 

[Catito]

I think that is a Grey Trigger

Oh! Thanks. Will look again.

 

[Pipehorse]

These are my stats for BHB from the first survey I did on 2/29/00 until the 12/31/2021 (the few I have done this year have not been updated to the database so far). I included below my stats, the "total" stats from all surveyors posted yesterday. Recall total species reported for total surveys is 452, so I have observed approximately 2/3 of all species recorded there. Unfortunately when querying personal stats it does not give an average number of species per survey like it does for "total stats". There is an explanation on REEF of the difference between expert and novice. So sometime after I did the first two surveys I passed a test that bumped from novice to expert surveyor.

REEF Member: pipehorse​

Region: TWA​

Geographic Zones: Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park​

Survey Types: Species & Abundance, Species Only​

Dates: 2/29/00 - 1/4/22​

Total Surveys: 988​

#Species Reported: 313​

Code	Name	SA	SO	SA	SO	(H:M)
		Expert	Expert	Novice	Novice
33010059	Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park	960	26	2	0	793:57

Code	Name	SA	SO	SA	SO	(H:M)
		Expert	Expert	Novice	Novice
33010059	Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park	1623	32	405	23	2624:32

​

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0810 for a 0937 high tide. The park was not crowded. Entered the water at 0828, sea temp was 76f, and visibility was 40ft. I did not find any Crested Pipefish today, but I did find the more common Shortfin Pipefish and another species I originally identified as a Banded Pipefish but not sure now. Also observed a Southern Puffer, which has been recorded less than 100 times out of 176,666 surveys in Tropical Western Atlantic. Respectively, Banded Pipefish (maybe), Black Grouper, Polka-dot Batfish, Southern Puffer, and Spadefish wide angle.

 

[Jaan]

Nice day at the BHB today. Feeling a little chillier, despite the computer telling me it's still 78! Not too crowded at least
Apart from the usual suspects, Nathalie got a couple of great shots today.. A ciliated mantis shrimp posing for the camera (we usually just catch the tail as it runs into a hole!), and a blue throat pike blenny giving us a display.

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0905 for a 10:16 high tide. The park was not crowded. Entered the water at 0928. Sea temp 76f, visibility 40ft, and current was stronger than usual. Conditions were amenable to doing the northwest corner of the park, i.e. no fisherman at that spot and very light boat traffic. Did a REEF fish count, 77 species in 65 minutes. Although I counted a lot of fish I didn't take many images, a the majority of the images were of invertebrates. Found the carapace of a Dolly Varden Box Crab aka Calico Box Crab. Found a Giant Hermit crab inspecting a Florida Horse Conch for possible residence, except the conch was still inside, so it was a no go. What was interesting is that the Giant Hermit Crab had an audience of five smaller Giant Hermit Crabs in attendance. I took some wide angle shots but unfortunately they don't do justice to the gathering. Also observed an Inshore Lizard fish, dart to the surface from the sand to a small school of little silversides, it grabbed one and swallowed it by the time it was burying itself in the sand again, elapsed time was less than .5 seconds. Respectively Dolly Varden Box Crab, Giant Hermit Crab/Florida Horse Conch, Giant Hermit Crab in a Lightning Whelk Shell, and Longsnout Seahorse.

 

[Pipehorse]

This is the comparison of REEF surveys at BHB for all participants and me. All participants on the top, mine on the bottom. The numbers are self explanatory. The only difference is "average species" per survey is only reported, for all participants, not when a report is run by a single member.

What you can't see in the reports is diving vs. snorkeling. For example on my set of numbers it says 347 SA surveys, 235 were on scuba the rest were on snorkel. That information can only be obtained by a surveyor for their own data.

Both reports also list the percentage of surveys each species was recorded. So I know of the 257 species I recorded, 39 species were only recorded once. For the total of all surveys, 43 species of the 296 species were recorded once.

I would have to say the most unusual sighting for myself were a pair Wahoo, second behind that would be a Snow Bass. I think the most unlikely sighting (not mine) is a Warsaw Grouper. I don't know maybe it was juvenile.

Geographic Zone Report​

Geographic Zones: Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park​

Survey Types: Species & Abundance, Species Only​

Dates: 1/1/21 - 12/31/21​

Total Surveys: 447​

#Species Reported: 296​

Average Species Reported on a Survey by Expert Surveyors: 56.66​

Average Species Reported on a Survey by Novice Surveyors: 33.58​

Survey Type: SA = Species & Abundance; SO = Species Only - How to interpret REEF data?
Expert Novice

Code	Name	SA	SO	SA	SO	(H:M)
33010059	Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park	433	2	12	0	454:11

REEF Member: pipehorse​

Region: TWA​

Geographic Zones: Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park​

Survey Types: Species & Abundance, Species Only​

Dates: 1/1/21 - 12/31/21​

Total Surveys: 349​

#Species Reported: 257​

Code	Name	SA	SO	SA	SO	(H:M)
33010059	Blue Heron Bridge (WPB) Phil Foster Park	347	2	0	0	319:13

 

[Jaan]

Tried the East Side today, but only about 20-30 viz, and a fair bit of current. Saw some nice yellow head jawfish, and sea horses too but the find of the day was this pair of Lancer Dragonets ... male and female. First time seeing these little guys out there. Pretty cool.