Springtime in the Wetlands: May 2011

Sunday, May 8, 2011

fiddler crab

Name: Uca ocypodidae
Location found: Grand isle
habitat: slat marshes

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Sheepshead

Name: Archosargus probatocephalus
location found: Grand isle
habitat: mid-Atlantic to texas

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The red-eared slider

Name: Trachemys scripta elegans
Location found: bayou lacome.
Habitat: wetland areas.

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ribbon snake

name: Thamnophis sauritus
Location found: City park
Habitat: most grassy areas and forest's

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The Whooping Crane

name:Grus americana
Location found: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Habitat: wetlands
picture provided by Elizabeth boutall.
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Green head mallard

Name: Anas platyrhynchos
location found: City park
Habitat: Most bodies of water and water ways.

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ringneck mallard

Name: Anas platyrhynchos
Location found: City park
Habitat:most water ways.

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The Great Blue Heron

Name: Ardea herodias
Location found: Manshac
Habitat: wetlands.

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Horseshoe crab

Name: Limulus polyphemus
Location found: biloxi beach
Habitat: gulf of mexico

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Mole crab

Name: hippoidea
Location found: Grand Isle
Habitat: Sandy beaches

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Name: Bubulcus ibis
Location found: Audubon park
Habitat: jungle, tropical, and wetland areas.

Native to Africa, this stocky heron first invaded South America before invading the U.S. via the tropics.

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Monk parakeet

Name: Myiopsitta monachus
Location found: City park
Habitat: warm climates.

An agricultural pest in its native South American range, the Monk Parakeet was first brought to the U.S. as a cage bird. They were so popular that over 60,000 were imported between 1969 and 1972. By the 1980's it had already been released in many parts of the country and had established small breeding colonies.

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Barred Owl

Name: Strix varia
Location found: heard around manshac
Habitat: wetland and forest areas.

are nocturnal predatory birds with a range that extends into the wetlands of Louisiana. Few animals hunt barred owls, with the exception of the great horned owl and humans. Elusive and shy, they are seldom seen, but their distinctive call is often heard.

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Cotton mouth

Name: Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma
Location found: Big branch trip number 2
Habitat: Almost anywhere water is found.

is an aquatic, heavy-boded snake with hemotoxic venom, meaning that it breaks down blood and tissue cells, causing hemorrhaging. Thriving in the warm, moist environment of the wetlands, the western cottonmouth reproduces rapidly and is among the most common reptile species in southern Louisiana.

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The Great White Egret

Name: Ardea alba
Location found: Manshac
Habitat: wetland areas

The Great Egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, feeding mainly on fish ,frogs , small mammals, and occasionally small reptiles and insects, spearing them with its long, sharp bill most of the time by standing still and allowing the prey to come within its striking distance of its bill which it uses as a spear. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim.

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Nutria

Name: Myocastor coypus
Location found: spill-way
Habitat: almost any stretch of water.

Coypus live in burrows alongside stretches of water. They feed on river plants, and waste close to 90% of the plant material while feeding on the stems.

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Gulf Coast toad

Name: Incilius valliceps
location found: City park
Habitat:open grasslands, semi-arid regions, light forest, and even suburban backyards.

The Gulf Coast Toad is a medium sized toad species, ranging from 2 to 4 in,in length. Their back varies in color from nearly black, to shades of brown and gray with a distinctive white or yellowish colored stripe down the center, and sometimes lighter colored patches on the sides. Their underside is yellow or cream colored. Their back is covered in small tubercles, while their underside is normally devoid of them.

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Red drum

Name: Sciaenops ocellatus
Location found: Grand isle
Habitat: Coastal waters

Red Drum usually occur along coastal waters. Three year-old red drum typically weigh six to eight pounds. The most distinguishing mark on the red drum is one large black spot on the upper part of the tail base. Having multiple spots is not uncommon for this fish but having no spots is extremely rare. As the fish with multiple spots grow older they seem to lose their excess spots. Scientists believe that the black spot near their tail helps fool predators into attacking the red drum's tail instead of their head, allowing the red drum to escape.

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Harris mud crab

Name: Rhithropanopeus harrisii
Location found: bayou st.john/ city park.
Habitat: brackish and fresh water

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Saturday, May 7, 2011

coontail-hornwort

Name: Ceratophyllum demersum L. (Ceratophyllaceae)
Location found: Manshac
Habitat: fresh marsh

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coffeeweed

Name: Sesbania macrocarpa muhl. (sesbania exaltata) Leguminosae
Location found: Manshac
Habitat: fresh to slightly brackish

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Black rush needle grass

Name:juncus roemerianus scheele (juncaceae)
Location found: city park and big branch.
Habitat: almost any where but it prefers brackish.

this plant is very important to tidal marshes by contributing to its detrital cycle. thus helping the nutrients to estuarine organisms. Flooding also plays a huge role in its distribution. also this plant occurs in all marsh types.

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Eurasian watermilfoil

Name: Myriophyllum spicatum L. (haloragaceae)
location found: Manshac
Habitat: Fresh and Brackish

This plant is found rooted in the bottom of bayous,canals, ponds, lakes, and bays. It has pinnate leaves and the form in whorls along the stem. This plant does have flowers that may reach the surface of the water. This plants seeds are feed on by ducks and the stems are feed on my nutria. this plant is a big contributor of detritus to aquatic systems. Also this plant can grow so profusely that it can hinder boat traffic.

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White water lily

Name: Nymphaea odorata ait (nymphaeaceae)
Location found: Big Branch
Habitat: Fresh water ponds

The flower floats on the surface or it can extend just above the waters surface. the flower is white and very fragrant This plant tends to choke out more productive and vital plants. Also this plant is feed on by ducks on occasionally.

also this plant is our blogs background.

Karl Netzhammer

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Duck potato

Name: Sagittaria platyphylla (Engelm) Alismataceae
Location found: Manshac
habitat: fresh and intermediate

Is a perennial plant that has 3 to six leaves that are 1 to 2 feet long and come up from underground. it also has oval leaves that are 3 to 6 inches long. the flowers are white and occur in whorls on an erect stalk.this plant grows in mineral soil and is very common along river deltas.

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Common reed roseau

Name: Phragmites communis trin. Gramineae
Location found: big branch
Habitat: fresh to brackish marsh

Is a cane like perennial grass that grows 8 to 12 feet tall and is sometime can be branched. A major use for this plant is covering for duck blinds.

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Torpedo grass

Name: Panicum repens L. Gramineae
Location found: just outside of Grand Isle
Habitat: Fresh and Intermediate marsh

Torpedo grass grows from 12 to 18 inches tall. they get their name from the newly sprouted culms that shoot out from the soil. Its inflorescence is an open panicle and produces a bounty of seeds that provide food to many small birds. Also this plant is found on many beaches.

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Gulf Coast waterhemp belle-dame

Name: Acnida cuspidata spreng (acnida alabamensis) amaranthaceae
Location found: Big branch area and manshack
Habitat: found almost everywhere in Louisiana but found mainly in intermediate marsh.

This plant can grow 3 to 10 feet. Also the this plant is a annual and needs exposed soil for germination. Ducks feed on its small seeds, particularly teal.

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Hog cane

Name: Spartina cynosuroides (L.) roth Gramineae
Location found: Big branch and manshack
Habitat: Fresh and Brackish marshes

This perennial plant is a robust grass that grows from short fat rhizomes. Its culms are erect, cane-like and can be 4 to 8 feet tall. its leaves taper toward its apex from a wide base. They provide food to nutria and muskrats also it provides cover to many of the wildlife surrounding it.

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Black mangrove

Name: Avicennia germinans (avicennia nitida) Avicenniaceae
Location found: Grand Isle
Habitat: Brackish and saline soils east of the atchafalaya.

This woody shrub is very sensitive to cold weather so it is limited to only warm climates. This plant can be found in flooded areas by high tides. On marsh islands dense stands of mangroves provide valuable nesting sites for various species of wading birds.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Baldcypress

Name: Taxodium distichum (taxodiaceae)
location found: manshack
Habitat: Fresh marsh

This is a large tree with a buttressed base and grows outward from the roots which is as so known as the knees of the tree. Its bark is fibrous and reddish-brown and the leaves are flat and feather like. They grow on elevated site which has firm soil. Salt water is its main natural enemy.

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Marsh purslane

Name: Sesuvium maritimum (Aizoaceae)
Location found: Manshack
Habitat: Brackish marsh

In the late summer blue teal ducks love to nosh on this plant.

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Cattail

Name: Typha spp. L
Location found: City park and Big Branch
Habitat: Fresh and Intermediate marsh

They are perennial plants with large creeping rhizomes, the leaves are narrow and erect. They can be 4 to 6 feet long. This is the preferred food of muskrats.

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Saw Grass

Name: Saw grass (cladium jamaicense cranstz) cyperaceae
Location found: Big Branch
Habitat: fresh and intermediate.

This plant was very abundant back in the 1950's, but with the intrusion of salt water and the introduction of the nutria this plant has been on the decline. Yet as of the mid-1970's saw grass has made some what of a comeback. Also the plant gets its name from its sharp serrated leaves.

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Rattlebox

Name: Rattlebox (sesbania drummondii) (daubentonia texana) leguminosae
Location found: big branch
Habitat: Fresh marsh

The plant produces clusters of yellow sweet-pea like flowers that turn into pods that have four wings. Each contain three to six seeds, these seeds are almost never eaten by wildlife. Also the leaves have an repulsive odor so the wildlife also tend to avoid this as well.

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Salt Grass

Name: Distichlis spicata gramineae/ salt grass
Location found: Grand isle
Habitat: Brackish and saline marsh

This plant forms very dense stands on slightly elevated areas like banks. The roots, culms, and the leaves are fed on by nutria swamp rabbits and some geese. Also cattle use it as sustenance while grazing.

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Elephantsear

Name: Colocasia antiquorum/Araceae or simply Elephantears
Location found: Manshack
Habitat: Shorelines of bayous and lakes in fresh marshes.

Is known for it's distant leaf shape and long stem. Also this plant was an exotic ornamental plant that has made its way into the wild. This plant also helps with soil erosion on the banks that it makes its home. Small wildlife use this plants root system as home.

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Common duck weed

Name: Lemna minor or lemnaceae
Location: Manshack
habitat: Moist mud flats in fresh and in intermediate marsh.
This plant is also known for growing over the surface of the water in thick green clumps. this stemless plant grows in bayous, canals, and ponds.
This plant is consumed by many animals like ducks, coots, gallinules, nutria, and certain types of fishes like striped mullet. Usually they eat the entire plant.

Karl Netzhammer