Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Scuba_Jenny]

Hey @Pipehorse have been wondering where you were! Haven't seen you post in a long time! Glad to know you're OK!
It appears to be that the trend of most divers I know, when not diving, or unable to dive (weather, physical, etc) then birding is the next best thing!
Wakodahatchee and Green Cay seem to be the popular areas, with a lot of other areas in Palm Beach revealing some cool critters. I've pretty much limit my birding to those two place north, with the dog park (hollywood) and where I kayak (N. Miami) more likely opportunities.
There are a couple divers when not diving are doing searches for jumping spiders. Tiny things that hide.. kind like nudis!

 

[MrChen]

Here are pics from Sunday. Unfortunately, the seahorse and frogfish pics were silted out. Go easy on me, it's been a year since I've used my camera.

 

[MrChen]

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Hey @Pipehorse have been wondering where you were! Haven't seen you post in a long time! Glad to know you're OK!
It appears to be that the trend of most divers I know, when not diving, or unable to dive (weather, physical, etc) then birding is the next best thing!
Wakodahatchee and Green Cay seem to be the popular areas, with a lot of other areas in Palm Beach revealing some cool critters. I've pretty much limit my birding to those two place north, with the dog park (hollywood) and where I kayak (N. Miami) more likely opportunities.
There are a couple divers when not diving are doing searches for jumping spiders. Tiny things that hide.. kind like nudis!

My wife loves Wako and Green Cay. She went regularly when we lived in Boca Raton as she had a more flexible schedule than I did. One of the goals of our trip back over this past weekend was to specifically hit those wetlands in addition to getting back to some other parts of Palm Beach County that we enjoy. Our sightings included the Chuck-will's-widow many have been seeing, a least bittern, a wood duck couple, and two painted bunting pairs plus all of the usual species. We also saw many large gators and a sizeable number of snakes as well. Those two wetlands never disappoint!

 

[Pipehorse]

My wife and I spent last weekend in Jupiter on a non-diving trip. We hit Wakodahatchee and Green Cay for some birding and other wildlife viewing on the way over on Saturday. It was a great weekend, even with the rain yesterday.

Wakodahatchee and Green Cay seem to be the popular areas, with a lot of other areas in Palm Beach revealing some cool critters.

I get a chuckle that we start talking about birds, @Divin'Papaw and @Scuba_Jenny reference Wakodahatchee and Green Cay. The reason for the chuckle, is I find both those venues highly analogous to BHB. You can get to Green Cay at the crack of dawn, and 3/4 of parking will be filled. The photographers with the $15k lens that they load up into those silly beach carts, because they can't lug the lens too far. Taking hundreds of exposure of the same bird, like the photographers at BHB that some how need hundreds of exposures of the same seahorse. Then there are walker/chatters/gabbers who never shut up, silting up the silence with noise pollution similar to the way those at BHB are an unable or unwilling to use a frog kick silting up the visibility. Nevertheless or maybe in spite of all those people geting a 50 species count on a checklist there is not difficult, similar to getting a high species fish count is not difficult at BHB. I did go to Green Cay last week and also got on the Chuck Will's Widow. Watched White Ibis pulverize a poor frog before finally swallowing, and watched a Great Blue Heron swallow a snake. Plus the river otter that frolicked for five minutes no more than 10 yards from the boardwalk.

I think Wakodahatchee is a little better early in the morning as it seems to have less regulars and more tourists. The tourists don't seem to show up too early. But Wakodahatchee is smaller than Green Cay so seems even more crowded once it gets past 0830 or so. Even in the rain on this past Monday I was surprised at the amount of people at Wakodahatchee. But I did manage to get on the Louisiana Waterthrush, could not find Northern Shovelers though. Again high species count over 40 into the 50's is easily attainable there.

The thing is, there really is only one BHB and the other shore diving sites are not quite comparable. This is not necessarily the case when it comes to bird watching, and environmental habitat immersion, i.e. there are other places in Palm Beach County just as good or better than Green Cay and Wako.

The Wellington Environmental Preserve and Peaceful Waters Sanctuary (also in Wellington) are far less crowded, with just as many birds and animals to be seen. Wellington Environmental can be done on a bike as well as on foot (almost to big for on foot). Both have boardwalks areas, but mostly dry walking paths.

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR in Boynton is excellent alternative as well. I have seen a bird count of as high as 76 species in a day for this area. There is a small Cypress swamp boardwalk, plus another ten of so miles of trails there. Lastly Pine Glades Natural Area west of Jupiter Farms on Indiantown Road is good a spot for wildlife. Back in November I caught three Bobcat kittens on video for 4 minutes there, I guess momma was off hunting.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

@Pipehorse Me thinks you are spot on with the analogy of Birding at the wetlands and diving at BHB!!! So true!!!
And those $15K cameras do not guarantee good photography, above or below water!

 

[Craine]

If anybody dives the bridge for tonight’s high tide, I’d love to hear what the conditions were. I’m debating coming over from St Pete for tomorrow and Sunday, but don’t wanna make the drive if it’s already awful. (My local diving is blown out until next weekend)

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

BRRRR.... If I lived on the west coast and were considering driving over. I would consider a few things:
1. Late afternoon high tides means you'll probably be getting out in the dark
2. It's a bit chilly. Saturday morning temps are in the falling iguana range
3. Sunday will only be slightly warmer early
4. Water temps are in the 68-69° range.
5. Vis reports for today were about 1ft.
6. Do you need another reason?

 

[Craine]

1. Late afternoon high tides means you'll probably be getting out in the dark
2. It's a bit chilly. Saturday morning temps are in the falling iguana range
3. Sunday will only be slightly warmer early
4. Water temps are in the 68-69° range.
5. Vis reports for today were about 1ft.
6. Do you need another reason?

Thanks @Scuba_Jenny, you’ve definitely saved me a trip! I could deal with pretty much any/all of those except for #5, which is exactly what I was looking to find out. It’d be pretty awful to drive 4 hours, endure all the other things, only to not even see the front of my camera or my hands, let alone any of the tiny things I want to snap mediocre photos of!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

My experience with low vis, no matter how warm the water, or time of day.. the critters are hiding! There ain't nuthin' to look for b'cause they all be hidin'!