Pensacola - White Sand Beaches and Squirrel Tree Frogs

 

 When you are married to Mark Scott, amateur herpetologist, vacations always include looking for reptiles and amphibians.   I wanted to relax on the beach, and Mark wanted to find and photograph new species.   We decided on the city with white beaches, skinks, and tree frogs:  Pensacola, Florida.         

     The following are excerpts from Mark's journal, with my comments in blue italics.  



Both of Us in a Photo with No Reptiles



Six-Lined Racerunner



Squirrel Tree Frog



Eastern Fence Swift



Male Green Anole with Dewlap



May 9, 2013, First Full Day at the Pensacola Beach.

                We drove through a tree lined street named Palafox, passed the Pensacola main harbor to the Bayfront Road.   The Gulf of Mexico came into sight and it was a welcomed vista to our eyes. We were accustomed to the purple Rocky Mountain majesties, and yet here before us, was a tranquil bay with waves gently lapping at the shore.

                Pensacola Beach has everything one might desire in seaside fun. There was the giant souvenir shop, a Ferris wheel, and the most gorgeous sugar sand beaches you've ever seen. Unlike other beaches, there was no parking fee and plenty of open spaces. I set off to photograph the sights before taking to the shore. The beach ball shaped water tower was an obvious icon and my first photograph of the trip. Something like 400 photographs followed. The invention of digital allowed me to take countless photographs and delete any undesirables. Gone were the days of film photography when the photographer needed to consider the success of each shot. Focus and let 'er fly.

                The crystal clear water gave way to entrancing emerald shallows, and off on the horizon, were the depths of the deep blue sea. Only in paradise do you see emerald water and sugar sand beach. No kidding, the sand was that white and that fine.



Pensacola Beach Water Tower

Beach and Pier

Mark

Me

          We drove the Gulf Shore National Seashore road to Fort Pickens State Park. At the western edge of Rosa Island, the fort heralded two periods of construction. The initial fort may have dated to the Spanish American war and it was updated with reinforced walls during the Civil War. Sepia photos depicted soldiers alongside huge cannons; the men were intent on protecting a naval invasion.

Comment from Jeanie:   It was a wonderful day at the beach and Fort Pickens.  Mark kept talking about how he had earned a herping day that he could cash in.

May 10, 2013, Friday.  Marcus Bayou nature walk and the Tarkiln State Park boardwalk.

                Since Jeanie had her day at the beach, she conceded to two full nature walks.

Comment from Jeanie:  Mark was cashing in his herping day already.   Since we were both slightly sunburned, it sounded like a good plan.

                The skies were slightly overcast and fat droplets hit the windshield. I wanted to get to the pitcher plants and bladderworts before the downpour. We hiked the Tarkiln boardwalk to a lagoon. Had we hiked far enough, we would have reached Perdido Bay.

                We encountered a field of pitcher plants directly before the boardwalk.               The native carnivorous plant has an upper white tongue and a lower white vase. Veins of burgundy run through the white flower. I immediately recognized them. The park ranger gave me permission to leave the boardwalk, thereby gaining close access to the flowers. The ground was bogged in black soil so I stayed to the boardwalk. It was a small field of pitcher plants, but it was supposedly one of the last locations. We saw a secondary carnivorous plant, a red blossomed flower. As for the yellow bladderwort, we never located those guys. 




Pitcher Plants

Comment from Jeanie:   Bladderwort must be the worst name ever for a plant.

          We drove to the Marcus Bayou boardwalk, which was a contribution from the water reclamation plant. It was situated next to a typical neighborhood and directly outside a chemical plant. On our first visit, we completely missed the entrance which was sealed off with a six foot chain link fence. Examining our directions, we returned and parked. Only then did I realize the fenced off area was our destination. We hiked the 1.5 mile boardwalk which boasted an assortment of wetlands. The entry was bordered by pleasantly mowed lawns until we reached the wooden boardwalk. The adjacent boardwalk was fed by a six inch diameter blue pipe which ejected fountains of water at various intervals. We came to our first wetland. It had dark water and a covering of green pond scum. A break in the shallow dark waters revealed teeming tadpoles.

 

                My herpetological mind rifled through a variety of tree frogs, wondering which tadpole species might belong to the local tree frog. Soon, we discovered Green Tree frogs (hyla cinerea), basking on the blue pipes. It wasn't a new species, as my son Isaiah and I had photographed a handful of Green Tree frogs in Arkansas. This species has a yellow striped smile and a long white racing stripe down its side. When tree frogs bask, they assume a torpedo position reminiscent of bird droppings. They are easily overlooked by aerial scavengers, appearing as nothing more than debris.



Green Tree Frog

          The skies cleared and we took in more sun than we had planned.   Jeanie was the first to spot the broad headed skink. The Broad-head skink (Eumeces laticeps) has a large head and ruby red coloration. It ranges northward to Asheville, North Carolina, and was the same species we photographed at the arboretum. We saw two more. I took some zoom lens shots, but relied on the kiosk to truly enlarge portrait quality.




Broad-head Skink

          We met a New Jersey man, formerly with the military, who relocated in Pensacola. He routinely enjoyed the Marcus Bayou boardwalk and he was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. He knew the wildlife seasons and the locations for hundreds of sightings. He pointed out the gopher tortoise holes which were currently flooded. I imagined some tunnels were flooded, but surely they would dig new ones. The tortoise wasn't my primary objective, but I was in hunt for the indigo snake which lives communally with the tortoise. Much like prairie dog towns, the tortoise creates a township of citizens such as the indigo snake, the gopher frog, the timber rattlesnake, and the eastern diamondback. I would have loved to discover any of them. But I was unable to locate the new holes, which were probably hidden deeper in the forest.
 

                From the boardwalk, he pointed out a water moccasin. It was the only snake sighting of the trip. The agkistrodon piscivorus is named for its prey item which is shallow water fish. It slithered through the tall grass.

                I took two good shots, but was able to enlarge a good facial portrait. The water moccasin's eyes are located high on the plane of its face. The dark bronze striped face is fascinating, and the shape of its skull reminds me of an iron sculpture. On previous Florida trips, I've shot roll after roll of water moccasin shots. This was a heavy bodied adult which was two feet in length.

Comment from Jeanie:  I was happy that the water moccasin was below the boardwalk and not on it.  I could tell that Mark wanted to fling himself down from the boardwalk to get a better shot.



Water Moccasin

            Since a majority of my Florida explorations were in the southern peninsula, I may have to revise some of my common reptile identifications. In the everglades, the Cuban brown anole has largely taken over, and the native Florida green anole is rare. On the Marcus Bayou boardwalk, we saw five green anoles, and what I presume were 10 Cuban anoles. But the green anole is a chameleon and can easily assume a brown coloration in a matter of minutes. The female green anole has a white dorsal stripe, and I saw one basking on the walls of our carriage house. My conclusion from reptile literature was that northern Florida has not been affected by the inundation of invasive species. Most of the chameleons were the native green anoles in a variety of colors.



Male Green Anole with Dewlap

 

Green Anole

               The Marcus Bayou boardwalk was also home to bobcats, turkey, and one resident alligator. I wondered if the alligator was a pet store purchase and subsequent release. We didn't see one, but it could have thrived through most of the season. Alligators do live to the north, ranging inland as far as Georgia.

                I hiked alone, hoping for a sighting of an indigo snake. The eight foot giant can cover a ten square mile hunting range. They are fast and hunt a whole host of prey. I saw a shed skin, either a kingsnake or indigo skin.

 

May 11, 2013, Saturday.  A day at the Naval Aviation Museum.

                Leaving Denver, the weather prediction was storms for Saturday and Sunday. The front moved in one day early, so I'm glad we spent our first day at the beach. Upon awakening, we went to our morning breakfast, a five star meal in itself. Jeanie practically beamed every morning during Bonnie's superlative breakfast creation.

 

                Bonnie treated us to eggs benedict, fluffy pancakes, strawberry waffles, omelets, eggs over easy, and French toast. Spread over seven mornings, no two breakfasts were the same.

Comment from Jeanie:   We stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast, Noble Manor (http://www.noblemanor.com).    We were served a delicious gourmet breakfast every morning.  Our hosts, Bonnie and Bob, provided us with information about local attractions and events.

                On this dreary Florida morning, we headed for the famous Naval Aviation Museum and home to the Blue Angels. We spent the morning learning the history of naval aviation. No sooner than the Wright Brothers learned to fly, the United States set itself to creating a naval air force.



Blue Angels



Snake on a Plane

Comment from Jeanie:   We enjoyed the Naval Air Museum.  Mark especially liked the snake logo on one of the planes.

                 That evening while soaking in the hot tub, I actually saw a Squirrel Tree frog hop from the ornamental grass into a bed of flowers. I hauled out of the tub and raced for my camera. At the time, I thought it was another green tree frog, which was no big deal. But I'm glad I hunted the grounds. It was a rare occasion of backyard herping.

                In Highlands Ranch, I've caught and relocated the Great Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix), but my urban herping experiences are few. I stalked the flower gardens and successfully located the tree frog. It was difficult to balance the flashlight, illuminate the subject, and shoot a photograph. However, I did manage to thread the fronds and shoot three macro shots. I thought it foolish at the time, but my efforts paid off. It was a Squirrel Tree Frog. The green colored frog had white lips, but lacked the yellow racing stripe. Isaiah and I pursued the little amphibian in Shark Valley, a bird sanctuary noted for its kites. We never saw the tree frog, which were in decreasing numbers in the wild. This was a new species and one I could add to my personal record book.

                Foraging around the side lot, a second squirrel tree frog leaped on my calf. I bungled the capture and he got away. My agility isn't what it used to be. I also bungled a Mediterranean gecko capture, which was totally reprehensible in the prime of our herping years. I did see a giant snail that night and one sleeping green anole. All in all, it was a very successful herping night.

 

Squirrel Tree Frog



Squirrel Tree Frog

Comment from Jeanie:   Mark was able to find a new species while I sipped wine and relaxed in the hot tub.   This was so much better than cruising down deserted roads in the middle of the night.

May 12th, 2013 Another Day at Pensacola Beach and Mother's Day.

                We toured the art festival that morning, which situated in the Historical District. I photographed the silver roofed church and toured the art tents.  Jeanie conversed with a self published author who manned a tent for other authors. Just as the conversation got interesting, the band played a  guitar solo and drowned out every word the man was saying.

                After our morning festivities, we relocated to the Pensacola Beach. We knew the drill and we still beat the Mother's Day crowd. It was certainly more family oriented and fewer of the bathing beauties were around. I walked down the beach, enjoying some bird watching. Following the two rainy days, seagulls, terns, and pipers gathered in huge flocks. They weren't easily spooked and I was able to get fairly close.

                We reflected on the luxury and leisure of popping over to the beach. I took a dip, swam a few laps parallel to the shoreline, and then we packed up. We drove to the Gulf Breeze Zoo. It was a well kept zoo where the animals were extremely healthy.  The Gulf Breeze Zoo ranks as one of the healthiest zoological gardens I've ever visited. There were a variety of specimens, a quaint children's zoo, and spacious habitats.

                Outdoor sunshine maintained the vibrant colors of the Amazonian toucans, wood ducks, and flamingos. The lively turtle pond was populated by begging turtles. It was a shameless display. They lost all sense of dignity. They gathered for pellets which were thrown by the handfuls. I witnessed the presence of the giant Florida softshell.

Begging Turtles



Giant Florida Softshell

          On our way back, we stopped at the Naval Oaks preserve. We hiked white oak and pine coastal habitat. I photographed a Six- lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus), and the Eastern Fence swift (Sceloporus undulates undulates). Both are Colorado lizards, but it felt good to be behind the lens again. I love photographing those guys.  The fence swift has a sapphire blue belly and I could see the signature marking beneath his front legs.

Six-Lined Racerunner 





Eastern Fence Swift

 

Comment from Jeanie:    The fence swift was camouflaged by the log except for his bright blue underbelly.  Since Sapphire is my birthstone, I felt a kinship with him (or her).

 

                May 13th, 2013 Tubing down the Big Cold Water Creek. 

 

                This morning we had the most incredible goat cheese stuffed peppers. The cheese stuffing was a delicious mixture of goat cheese and Philadelphia cream cheese. We discussed directions with Bob Robertson, who had more knowledge of the Black Water State Park than Adventures Unlimited.  My directions were correct and quite flawless I might add.

                We tubed down the Big Cold Water Creek. The water was refreshingly cool and we had a soothing breeze all morning. Together, we saw 5 adult turtles and 5 juvenile cooters.  Among the juveniles, I almost captured Barbour's Map Turtle, a new map turtle species. The Graptemys barbouri turtle is indigenous to the northern panhandle, and by process of elimination, it was the map turtle we saw. Around the Adventures Unlimited wooden decks, we saw another Broad- headed skink and a five lined skink. While floating down the pleasant currents, we heard the staccato tapping of a woodpecker, but never caught sight of the bird.

                This day marked the first day, I truly relaxed and accepted the Florida vacation. The first several days of any vacation, I'm still checked into work mode. I simply transition from a working state of mind to an activity state of mind. They are really one in the same, just a different setting and different set of activities. However, the river float was pure relaxation.

                Innertubes provide poor navigational abilities and much like winter saucers, you go wherever the current takes you. I found the best method of propulsion was rowing backward. Like the water beetle named the Oarsman, I propelled myself into the best currents, shot passed downed logs, and avoided overhanging limbs. Jeanie on the other hand, careened into the shoreline on several times. Fortunately, her innertube bounced off most objects and she eventually got the hang of it.

 

Comment from Jeanie:   Mark prided himself on being a water beetle, but I saw him careen off the shoreline and get caught in branches several times. 

 

                We floated a short distance down the creek and spotted the red stop sign. The sign marked our "haul out" location, and thank god, we didn't miss it. Otherwise, as our tour guide so elegantly put it, we'd be headed for the Gulf of Mexico.

 

May 14th, 2013, Tuesday. Navarre Beach and Gulfarium

 

                There aren't enough superlatives to adequately complement the hospitality, the warmth, and accommodations of the Noble Manor. Jeanie may never stay at a Holiday Inn Express again. Before we left, I saw an Ireland vacation where the tourists traveled from one B & B to the next. I might actually consider such a thing. Europeans are more familiar with B & B travel. We encountered visiting Swiss tourists at the manor and they wondered about all the American churches. They speculated that Floridians needed to attend church to pray for hurricane deliverance. I must agree partly with them. Pensacola had more churches than the population warranted.

                Today, I said an emotional farewell to Pensacola. It was a great destination. It was perfect for our needs. The beach was only twenty minutes away and frequent visitation was easy. In one week, we did just about everything Pensacola offered. We walked the historic district, saw artwork, attended the zoo, visited the Naval Aviation Museum, ate frequent seafood, visited the Gulfarium,  saw Fort Pickens , tubed the Cold Water Creek, and lastly we saw the Pensacola Wahoos play the Chattanooga Outlookers. In six days, we'd done it all. There wasn't really anything left to do. It was time to fly home tomorrow and I could accept our return to normality.

                We visited the Navarre Beach and it was gorgeous. The emerald sea spread before us and the visitors were few in number. We walked the beach foraging for sea shells and Jeanie found a new one.

                Bonnie hadn't visited the Gulfarium in seven years, and she wasn't terribly impressed the last time. She had higher recommendations for the Gulf Breeze Zoo. We lowered our expectations and decided to go anyway. We figured they didn't have the extensive aquariums of Chattanooga, which housed more fish than any aquarium I've seen. And we figured they didn't have trained Orca like Sea World. Those things taken into consideration, it was a wonderful, small town aquarium.

                We saw performing sea lions and bottle nosed porpoise. The Gulfarium specialized in education and accommodated field trips quite well. The staff trained dolphins with whistles and rewards.

Dolphin

Comment from Jeanie:   The Gulfarium was a lot of fun.  I enjoyed the dolphins and sea lions.

 

                That night we attended the minor league baseball sensation, the Blue Wahoo's. They're named after the local white fish. No one seemed to know what Wahoo tasted like. We ate Wahoo fish tacos in Denver, but I was never convinced the fish was truly that variety. The Wahoos started with an early lead, and put the Outlookers down by five runs. Their lead dissolved by the top of the sixth when their opponents belted out a grand slam homerun. The Outlookers hit everything thrown to them and took the lead by one. Reading the news the next day, the game went on for 13 innings, and the Wahoos finally won. The local announcers were a hoot. Jeanie laughed at the local pest control skit. Two boys raced for inflatable green alligators. The boy who collected the most alligators the quickest was declared the victor.



Scoreboard with "Rally, Fish!"

Comment from Jeanie:   I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I really enjoyed the Blue Wahoos.   Rally, Fish!

 

 May 15th, 2013 Return flight to Denver.

                 The Pensacola airport was fifteen minutes away. The security section went easily and they didn't even bother to frisk me. Jeanie rarely gets frisked, although there was this one time, a homeland security was fascinated by the rhinestones on the pockets of her jeans.

                We celebrated our return and ate at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, On the Border. I feasted on carne asada with a lime margarita. That night I unpacked and the vacation was officially over.

                It was a wonderful trip.                

 Comment from Jeanie:   It was an awesome vacation.