Our First Adventure

Moccasin Lake Nature Park
Date: 27th of August, 2015
Temperature: 78 ° F
Outside Conditions: Cloudy day, with overcast. Cool outside, with little to no breeze.

As a class, we took our first official field trip to this lovely park that is practically in my backyard. When arriving, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had an intricate nature center inside. We were asked to read and study about a few of the reptiles and amphibians as well as the birds that were outside.

One of my favorite birds was the Red Tailed Hawk. As I was taking the photo it was as if he was posing. This species Buteo jamaicensis has a wingspan of 42-52 inches and can weigh up to 46 ounces. The have a diet of mice, squirrel, and rabbits, and a habitat of nests within tree trunks. They are here in Florida year round.






After moving further down the path we had spotted a very interesting plant. The Caesar Weed created an enchanted air to the forest, however, it was actually an invasive species. The Urena lobata uses secondary succession to decompose what lives under it to use for nutrience, while also taking over an entire habitat.

Another interesting species we encountered on our trip was the Lantana plant. The plant is in the mint family, so when you take its leaf and smash it you are able to smell a fragrance similar to mint. This plant is nonnative to Florida.















Overall, we had a wonderful time seeing what all this park had to offer, and I am excited to see what's next.