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Leader:
GTMNERR staff/St. Johns Audubon
Date:
March 10, 2007
Time:
0730 (trip ends around 1pm)
Meeting Place:
GTMNERR Parking Lot (entrance fee).
Meet at the causeway.
What to Bring:
Drinks, lunch, snacks, insect
spray, binoculars, a scope if you
have one and lots of energy
Directions:
GTMNERR is located
approximately 8 miles north of the
Usina Bridge ( Vilano Bridge ) on
A1A. Click
here for a map
Itinerary:
Join GTMNERR staff and St. Johns
Audubon field leaders as we take one
of the loop trails. We'll discuss
"the birds & the bees" of the park.
Some of the early migrant warblers
may be arriving at the park. Also,
we will scan the causeway for
migratory ducks and falcons.
This entertaining walk will take us
through several of the habitats in
the GTMNERR and we look forward to
acquainting those that have never
been to the trails to one St. Johns
County's most interesting birding
hot spots.
Journal Entry:
Ten participants showed up
for the GTMNERR/Guana field trip. We
walked trails for over four hours
and were well satisfied with our
trip. Teddy Shuler assisted Diane
Reed in leading the field trip which
allowed us additional information on
trees and bushes in our area. We
worked on field marks and bird calls
and had quite an eager group of
birders, who by the end of the trip,
were identifying Northern parula,
Carolina chickadees and
yellow-throated warbler by their
calls. They also were finding downy
woodpeckers by their rapid tree
pecking. It was a pleasure with the
following 52 species list:
Summary of
Linda
Harrison's
presentation of 2/27/07: The GTMNERR is
over 60,000 acres in size
and has a north section
(includes the Guana River
Wildlife Management Area,
the Guana River Aquatic
Preserve and what used to be
the state park now called
GTMNERR - Guana) as well as
a southern section (From
Moultrie Creek south to the
Palm Coast Canals)
The GTM Reserve - Guana River
site contains seventeen known
significant historic or prehistoric
cultural sites. Extensive shell
middens exist, especially at Shell
Bluff Landing and Wright's Landing,
along the Tolomato River. The Shell
Bluff site also contains an early
19th century Minorcan coquina block
well and has been listed on the
National Register of Historic
Places. The Wright's Landing site is
believed to be the location of a
17th century Spanish mission, the
Nativity of our Lady of Tolomato.
The site also contains a prehistoric
earthen burial mound and has been
nominated as a National Register
site.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and
the Intracoastal Waterway (Tolomato
River), the Guana Tract, which
includes the Guana River Wildlife
Management Area to the north,
comprises some 12,000 acres of
public conservation and recreational
land.
For information about hunting or
Guana Dam please call the Florida
Fish and wildlife Conservation
Commission (904) 825-6877
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