Endangered Animals of Florida Series: Red-Cockaded LbNA #50612
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Sep 24, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Crawfordville |
| County: | Wakulla |
| State: | Florida |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | Moo Poo  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | KaeganDragon |
| Last found: | Oct 24, 2010 |
| Status: | FFFFFa |
| Last edited: | Sep 24, 2009 |
ENDANGERED ANIMALS OF FLORIDA SERIES: RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER Letterbox
Created by: Moo Poo
Placed by: The Real Truth and Alekinda
Difficulty: Easy
Stamp: Hand-carved
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
One of the few bird species endemic to the United States, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a bird of mature southern pine forests.
This small black and white bird is about 7 inches long and is readily identified by a large white cheek patch, ladder-back appearance, and distinctive call. A small patch of red feathers on the cheek of the male, the red-cockade, is usually not visible. The species is nonmigratory and spends most of its life within a few hundred acres of its nesting site. Most red-cockadeds are found in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. The red-cockaded woodpecker has highly specialized habitat requirements, which account for its endangered status.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers sleep (roost) and nest in cavities (holes) of live pine trees. Cavities are built only in large, old pines. These woodpeckers live in family groups which may include the male and female, their chicks, and young adult "helpers". These "helpers", typically related young from previous nesting seasons, help build cavities and care for the future chicks. Pecking a cavity in a live tree takes a long time, since the wood is very hard. The birds peck the bark around the entrance to get the sap (resin) flowing around the hole. The sticky sap keeps predators like snakes away from the nest cavity.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are endangered because the open forests with big, old pine trees have been replaced by forests with younger, smaller pines. Also, periodic natural fires, which historically kept the pinewoods open, have been suppressed since settlement.
Florida hosts approximately 25 percent of the nation’s red-cockaded woodpecker population, with an estimated 1,100 active family groups. Many of Florida’s populations are carefully managed on public lands, the largest of which are Apalachicola National Forest and Eglin Air Force Base. FWC estimates 55-85 active groups reside on private lands, with the largest concentrations in the south-central and southern portions of the state. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are found throughout Florida.
Directions:
Cedar Ave. and Ochlockonee St., Crawfordville, FL
From Interstate 10 east-bound, take Exit 196 for Capital Circle/ FL-263. Turn Right at Capital Circle NW/ FL-263 and drive on it for a little under 10 miles. Turn Right toward Crawfordville Rd/ FL-369/ FL-61/ US-391 and then turn Right again onto Crawfordville Rd/ FL-369/ FL-61/ US-319. Continue on this road for 14.5 miles. Turn Right at Cedar Ave.
From Interstate 10 west-bound, take Exit 209A to merge onto FL-10/ Mahan Dr/ US-90 E toward Tallahassee. Drive on this road for 5 miles and then turn Left at Capital Circle NE/ US-319. Drive on Capital Circle for 9.2 miles and then turn Left at Crawfordville Rd/ Fl-369/ FL-61/ US-319. Drive on this road for 14.5 miles. Turn Right at Cedar Ave.
In Crawfordville, look for the large park on the west side of 369/319 (the main road through town). I cannot find the name of this park, so if anybody could help me out here, that would be great. The park is located between Cedar St. on the north and Dogwood Ave. on the south. There is a Chevron and a Sonic across the street from this park. Don't go to the other park, which is further north of this one.
Clues:
1) From the parking area, walk north, inside the park, next to the wooden fence closest to Ochlockonee Street.
2) In about 100 yards you will reach a large cedar tree. The black duct-taped pouch is attached to a limb of this cedar about 4' in and 4' from the fence. Please be discreet! Ochlockonee Street has fast drivers which can sneak up on you!
*****NOTE: As of June 26, 2010 - The velcro attachment has failed, which means there's no good way to attach it to a branch. Rehid it back on ground. Thanks to Kirbert for this update!!*****
3) When finished stamping in, please be sure to seal all bags completely. Be sure to put the baggie for the logbook and the baggie for the stamp in a 2nd bag, and then place back into the duct-taped bag.
4) Please re-hide the bag better than how you found it.
5) Please log your find in to either AtlasQuest.com or Letterboxing.org
Created by: Moo Poo
Placed by: The Real Truth and Alekinda
Difficulty: Easy
Stamp: Hand-carved
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
One of the few bird species endemic to the United States, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a bird of mature southern pine forests.
This small black and white bird is about 7 inches long and is readily identified by a large white cheek patch, ladder-back appearance, and distinctive call. A small patch of red feathers on the cheek of the male, the red-cockade, is usually not visible. The species is nonmigratory and spends most of its life within a few hundred acres of its nesting site. Most red-cockadeds are found in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. The red-cockaded woodpecker has highly specialized habitat requirements, which account for its endangered status.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers sleep (roost) and nest in cavities (holes) of live pine trees. Cavities are built only in large, old pines. These woodpeckers live in family groups which may include the male and female, their chicks, and young adult "helpers". These "helpers", typically related young from previous nesting seasons, help build cavities and care for the future chicks. Pecking a cavity in a live tree takes a long time, since the wood is very hard. The birds peck the bark around the entrance to get the sap (resin) flowing around the hole. The sticky sap keeps predators like snakes away from the nest cavity.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are endangered because the open forests with big, old pine trees have been replaced by forests with younger, smaller pines. Also, periodic natural fires, which historically kept the pinewoods open, have been suppressed since settlement.
Florida hosts approximately 25 percent of the nation’s red-cockaded woodpecker population, with an estimated 1,100 active family groups. Many of Florida’s populations are carefully managed on public lands, the largest of which are Apalachicola National Forest and Eglin Air Force Base. FWC estimates 55-85 active groups reside on private lands, with the largest concentrations in the south-central and southern portions of the state. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are found throughout Florida.
Directions:
Cedar Ave. and Ochlockonee St., Crawfordville, FL
From Interstate 10 east-bound, take Exit 196 for Capital Circle/ FL-263. Turn Right at Capital Circle NW/ FL-263 and drive on it for a little under 10 miles. Turn Right toward Crawfordville Rd/ FL-369/ FL-61/ US-391 and then turn Right again onto Crawfordville Rd/ FL-369/ FL-61/ US-319. Continue on this road for 14.5 miles. Turn Right at Cedar Ave.
From Interstate 10 west-bound, take Exit 209A to merge onto FL-10/ Mahan Dr/ US-90 E toward Tallahassee. Drive on this road for 5 miles and then turn Left at Capital Circle NE/ US-319. Drive on Capital Circle for 9.2 miles and then turn Left at Crawfordville Rd/ Fl-369/ FL-61/ US-319. Drive on this road for 14.5 miles. Turn Right at Cedar Ave.
In Crawfordville, look for the large park on the west side of 369/319 (the main road through town). I cannot find the name of this park, so if anybody could help me out here, that would be great. The park is located between Cedar St. on the north and Dogwood Ave. on the south. There is a Chevron and a Sonic across the street from this park. Don't go to the other park, which is further north of this one.
Clues:
1) From the parking area, walk north, inside the park, next to the wooden fence closest to Ochlockonee Street.
2) In about 100 yards you will reach a large cedar tree. The black duct-taped pouch is attached to a limb of this cedar about 4' in and 4' from the fence. Please be discreet! Ochlockonee Street has fast drivers which can sneak up on you!
*****NOTE: As of June 26, 2010 - The velcro attachment has failed, which means there's no good way to attach it to a branch. Rehid it back on ground. Thanks to Kirbert for this update!!*****
3) When finished stamping in, please be sure to seal all bags completely. Be sure to put the baggie for the logbook and the baggie for the stamp in a 2nd bag, and then place back into the duct-taped bag.
4) Please re-hide the bag better than how you found it.
5) Please log your find in to either AtlasQuest.com or Letterboxing.org