Rocky Brushy Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan (2007) -- Part 2
Rocky Brushy Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan (2007) -- Part 2 Rocky Brushy Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan (2007) -- Part 2
EXISTING NATURAL SYSTEMS CONDITIONSAvifaunaProtected birds that occur in the watershed include American oystercatcher, brown pelican,limpkin, little blue heron, Florida sandhill crane, southern bald eagle, southeastern Americankestrel, snowy egret, tricolored heron, wood stork, and white ibis. Of these, the limpkin, little blueheron, Florida sandhill crane, snowy egret, tricolored heron, wood stork, and white ibis requirerelatively shallow water habitats for foraging, although the white ibis and Florida sandhill crane alsoforage in pastures and lawns. Some of these species nest in estuarine habitats (snowy egret, woodstork, brown pelican), but freshwater habitats including cypress, wetland hardwoods, or shrubswamps are also important nesting habitats. Wood storks more specifically feed in shallowmarshes and wet prairies. Degradation of both nesting and foraging habitats has contributed topopulation declines in these species.The Florida sandhill crane and limpkin require shallowpickerelweed/maidencane freshwater marshes and adjacentopen, low herbaceous uplands (crane) or streams and ponds(limpkin). The apple snail, which may be found in lakes,marshes, broad swales, and impoundments is the mostimportant food limpkins that nest among tall grasses such asbulrush, between the knees of cypress, in vine-coveredshrubs, or in the tops of cabbage palms or cypress trees.Protected birds of prey that occur in the watershed include the bald eagle and southeasternAmerican kestrel. The bald eagle is found in a variety of habitats, but prefers high water-to-landedge ratios where prey is concentrated. The southeastern American kestrel is a secondarycavity-nester, nesting in cavities formed by woodpeckers in long-leaf pine, sand pines, turkey oaks,or live oaks, and requiring open fields for foraging.The American oystercatcher and brown pelican inhabit estuarine and marine shorelines and openmarine waters, respectively. These habitats are present in the lower reaches of the watershed inthe Rocky Creek estuary.MammalsListed species of mammals that may occur in the watershed are Sherman’s fox squirrel and theWest Indian manatee, both of which are documented as occurring in the watershed.Both the Florida mouse and Sherman’s fox squirrel typically inhabit areas of fire-maintainedlongleaf pine-turkey oak sandhills, and flatwoods (Humphrey, 1992). The fox squirrel was identifiedby Cox et al. (1994) as an indicator of remaining natural communities including sandhill, mixedpine-hardwood, dry prairie, and open pine flatwoods. The West Indian Manatee has been reportedfrom the Rocky Creek and Channel A and in adjacent coastal areas of the Rocky Creek watershed.8-34Rocky/Brushy Creek Watershed Management Plan
CHAPTER 8Table 8-9Protected Animal Speciesthat potentially occur in the Rocky Creek - Brushy Creek WatershedSpecies Common Name FFWCC USFWS ObservedAMPHIBIANSREPTILESAmerican alligator SSC T(S/A) XEastern indigo snake T T XGopher tortoise SSC - XBIRDSRoseate spoonbill SSC - XFlorida sandhill crane T XLimpkin SSC - XLittle blue heron SSC - XSnowy egret SSC - XTricolored heron SSC - XAmerican oystercatcher SSC - XWhite ibis SSC - XBrown pelican SSC - XSoutheastern American kestrel T - XSandhill crane T - XSouthern bald eagle T T XWood stork E E XMAMMALSWest Indian manatee E E XSherman's fox squirrel SSC - XFFWCC-Florida Wildlife Conservation CommissionUSFWS-United States Fish and Wildlife ServiceE = Endangered T= Threatened SSC = Species of Special ConcernC = Commercially Exploited T(S/A) = Threatened due to similarity of appearanceFloraOver 500 species of plants are expected to occur in the Rocky/Brushy Creek watershed. Thewatershed’s habitat quality, geographical location, and climate suggest that 83 species that arelisted as endangered, threatened, or commercially exploited by the US Department of Agriculturepotentially occur there. Both uplands and wetlands support protected species, but with theelimination of much of the native upland habitat, many of the protected species that may still bepresent in the watershed are species that prefer wetland habitats, for example orchids and ferns.8.5.9 Exotic SpeciesFlorida is particularly prone to biological invasions due to the widespread disturbance of nativehabitats as well as its semi-tropical climate, great expanse of waterways, and "island-like habitat"(bounded on three sides by water and the fourth by frost). This section discusses exotic plants andanimals that have been observed or have the potential of invading the Rocky/Brushy Creekwatershed.8-35Rocky/Brushy Creek Watershed Management Plan
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EXISTING NATURAL SYSTEMS CONDITIONSAvifaunaProtected birds that occur in the watershed include American oystercatcher, brown pelican,limpkin, little blue heron, Florida sandhill crane, southern bald eagle, southeastern Americankestrel, snowy egret, tricolored heron, wood stork, and white ibis. Of these, the limpkin, little blueheron, Florida sandhill crane, snowy egret, tricolored heron, wood stork, and white ibis requirerelatively shallow water habitats for foraging, although the white ibis and Florida sandhill crane alsoforage in pastures and lawns. Some of these species nest in estuarine habitats (snowy egret, woodstork, brown pelican), but freshwater habitats including cypress, wetland hardwoods, or shrubswamps are also important nesting habitats. Wood storks more specifically feed in shallowmarshes and wet prairies. Degradation of both nesting and foraging habitats has contributed topopulation declines in these species.The Florida sandhill crane and limpkin require shallowpickerelweed/maidencane freshwater marshes and adjacentopen, low herbaceous uplands (crane) or streams and ponds(limpkin). The apple snail, which may be found in lakes,marshes, broad swales, and impoundments is the mostimportant food limpkins that nest among tall grasses such asbulrush, between the knees of cypress, in vine-coveredshrubs, or in the tops of cabbage palms or cypress trees.Protected birds of prey that occur in the watershed include the bald eagle and southeasternAmerican kestrel. The bald eagle is found in a variety of habitats, but prefers high water-to-landedge ratios where prey is concentrated. The southeastern American kestrel is a secondarycavity-nester, nesting in cavities formed by woodpeckers in long-leaf pine, sand pines, turkey oaks,or live oaks, and requiring open fields for foraging.The American oystercatcher and brown pelican inhabit estuarine and marine shorelines and openmarine waters, respectively. These habitats are present in the lower reaches of the watershed inthe <strong>Rocky</strong> <strong>Creek</strong> estuary.MammalsListed species of mammals that may occur in the watershed are Sherman’s fox squirrel and theWest Indian manatee, both of which are documented as occurring in the watershed.Both the Florida mouse and Sherman’s fox squirrel typically inhabit areas of fire-maintainedlongleaf pine-turkey oak sandhills, and flatwoods (Humphrey, 1992). The fox squirrel was identifiedby Cox et al. (1994) as an indicator of remaining natural communities including sandhill, mixedpine-hardwood, dry prairie, and open pine flatwoods. The West Indian Manatee has been reportedfrom the <strong>Rocky</strong> <strong>Creek</strong> and Channel A and in adjacent coastal areas of the <strong>Rocky</strong> <strong>Creek</strong> watershed.8-34<strong>Rocky</strong>/<strong>Brushy</strong> <strong>Creek</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong> Management <strong>Plan</strong>