Observations by niccasia

On September 28, 2018, around 12:15pm, The weather was hot with sunny temperatures of 93 degrees. My dad and I went to visit the nature park in Lakeland Fl, named Circle B Bar Reserve. While walking along the nature trail, we came across a Wild Boar (hog) that was rooting and/or searching for food. The Boar was eating acorns that had fallen from an Oak Tree. The species can be recognized as a Wild Boar because of its dark color and body size.

The weather was raining with temperatures of 87 degrees Fahrenheit as I walking along the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park. While walking on the boardwalk, I noticed a Northern Cardinal standing on a tree branch right above my head. The Northern Cardinal was red, it had a thick beak, a long tail and was sitting in a hunched position. The Northern Cardinal can be best recognized by its red color and long tail.

The Brown Anole was spotted on October 10th, around 10:10am at Lettuce Lake Park Trail. The temperature was 87 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was raining. The Anole was sitting on a tree stump next to the boardwalk as I began to walk the trail. At first, I didn't notice the Anole because the lizard was blending in with tree stump. It wasn't until it moved that I noticed it was a lizard. This species can be classified as an Anole because of the yellow/white color pattern the runs down their back and by the orange throat fans they have.

On September 28, 2018, around 12:15pm, my dad and I went to visit the nature park in Lakeland Fl, named Circle B Bar Reserve. While walking along the nature trail, we came across a Wild Boar (hog) that was rooting and/or searching for food. The Boar was eating acorns that had fallen from an Oak Tree. The species can be recognized as a Wild Boar because of its dark color and body size.

Around 11:12am today when I was leaving home, I spotted a Hornet Paper Wasp outside of my home. The Hornet was attending its nest outside of my home, by itself with no other help. The temperature this morning was 85 degrees Fahrenheit nice weather for the wasp to be nesting. The Hornet Paper Wasp has colors of yellow and black similar to a Yellow Jacket in appearance. The Hornet Paper Wasp can be recognized because they build their nest under unprotected overhangs such as roof tops, door frames, etc. whereas Yellow Jackets build their nest in the ground.

While walking the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park in Hillsborough County, I spotted an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. The weather at 10:17am was raining with temperatures at 87 degrees Fahrenheit. The grasshopper was seen lounging on a dried plant in the river. This species can be recognized as an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper because of the yellow black, and red color pattern of the grasshopper's body and/or wings.

The Viceroy Butterfly was seen at Lettuce Lake Park on October 10, 2018 around 10:25am. The weather was raining with moderate temperatures of 87 degrees Fahrenheit. The Viceroy is small butterfly with colors of dark orange, black, and white spots. They are similar to the Monarch butterfly in color pattern; therefore, it easy to mistaken a Viceroy as a Monarch butterfly. The Viceroy was seen relaxing on a Water Lilly plant out from the boardwalk. Furthermore, the Viceroy Butterfly can be best identified by its black stripe that expands across the bottom of its wings.

At 9:48 am in Daytona Beach, the weather was partly cloudy as I was along the beach with some friends. While walking in the sand, I stepped in a pile of seaweed that had been washed to shore. The seaweed has a greenish brown tent with branches and berry like structures that creates the plant. This algae could best be identified as Sargassum Seaweed because of its color and berry like structures that allows the seaweed to float.

Saturday, October 6, 2018 around 10:00 am, the weather forecast in Daytona Beach was partly cloudy at 91 degrees Fahrenheit. While walking along the beach, I seen a flock of seagulls all standing in the same direction facing towards the beach. They were standing in the direction in which the wind was blowing. The species can be identified as a Laughing Gull due to the gull's color pattern of gray and white feathers, the sound it makes when someone/something gets to close to it, and the fact they reside around beaches.

The Spanish Needle was observed after leaving the boardwalk at Lettuce Park on October the 10th. The weather forecast for that day was raining and the temperature was 87 degrees Fahrenheit. The flower contains 5 to 8 white petals and it has a yellow center that attract bees, butterflies and other insects. They also have needle like seeds that sticks to anything that comes into contact with it. The flower can be best identified as a Spanish Needle because of the size, shape, and color of the flower.

At 9:48 am in Daytona Beach, the weather was partly cloudy as I was along the beach with some friends. While walking in the sand, I stepped in a pile of seaweed that had been washed to shore. The seaweed has a greenish brown tent with branches and berry like structures that creates the plant. This algae could best be identified as Sargassum Seaweed because of its color and berry like structures that allows the seaweed to float.

As I was leaving the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park, while returning to my car, I glanced over to the left side and seen a bush filled with purplish-pink colored Berries. These berries are tiny and clustered together along their stem. The Beautyberries were seen at 2:23pm on September the 20th when the weather forecast was 92 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant can be identified as an American Beautyberry since the berries are clustered together along their stem.

The Brown Water Snake was spotted as I walking along the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park. The snake was seen on September 20th, 2018 at 1:00 pm. The weather was partly cloudy at 92 degrees Fahrenheit. The Brown Water snake was coiled up on tree branch at the edge of the lake. I did not notice the snake until it moved on the branch. This species can be identified as a Brown Water snake because it is an aquatic snake, the snake color pattern is brown, and it is seen basking on a log in the lake.

The White Tail Deer was seen at Lettuce Park around 2:15pm on September 20, 2018. The weather had changed from partly cloudy to sunny, still 92 degrees fahrenheit. The young deer (fawn) was lying in the bushes near the lake. The fawn was not playing nor interacting with other animals. It was seen laying in the bushes alone, as if it was abandoned or may have gotten lost. Furthermore, I was able to identify the White-Tailed Deer as a fawn (baby deer ) by the spots on its fur, and because of the size of the deer.

On September 20, 2018 at 1:25pm, the weather was partly cloudy at 92 degrees Fahrenheit. As I walking on the boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park in Hillsborough County, I spotted an American Alligator. At first, the alligator was lying in the shade underneath a tree so it was difficult for me to see it clearly. About a minute later, the alligator swam from underneath the tree out into the open where I was able to take a close picture of it. Furthermore, the American Alligator can easily be identified by its eyes and the ridges on its back.

The weather condition this evening, on August 28th at 6:28pm was raining, and the temperature at this time was 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The Muscovy Duck was spotted sitting at the edge of Lake Martha alone, in Winter Haven Florida. After about 2 minutes, the duck began waddling away from the lake, moving more closer to where I was standing in the grass area. As the duck got closer to me, I was able to see its colors more clearly. The main colors of the Muscovy Duck were black and white; moreover, I was able to identify the Muscovy Duck by the red caruncles around the duck's face.