Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Because the weather this morning had very high winds and heavy rain, I decided to continue to review older photographs that I had taken. Randomly I searched my files and opened the one of the folders from a workshop that had taken in Florida given by Robin Amoroso http://www.wildscapeimages.com/. The first set of pictures the I viewed were taken at the Helen and Alan Cruickshank Sanctuary, located in Rockledge Florida the sanctuary is part of the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EEL). The environmentally endangered lands program was established by Brevard County in 1990 to help protect the natural habitats by acquiring environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, passive recreation and environmental education. Thanks to the citizens of Brevard County who voted the money for the acquisition and maintenance of these lands. You can find out more about the EEL program and the areas that are available to visit at http://www.brevardcounty.us/EELProgram/Home.

Scrub lands

Trail map

The Cruickshank Sanctuary consists of pine flatwoods, oak scrub, sand pine scrub and freshwater depression marshes. It is home to Florida's only endemic bird and one which is endangered: the Florida scrub Jay. The reason the Florida Scrub Jay is endangered because of the loss of the scrub lands secondary to human development.

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

The Florida scrub Jay is friendly and although it is illegal to feed them, people do feed them, which at times will make the scrub Jay fly down and land on people looking for a handout.

My son with friendly Scrub Jays