Feature Article May 5, 2004
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The Dry Tortugas
About 113 km south west of Key West, Florida, are a group of seven small keys or islands, composed of coral reefs and sand, called the Dry Tortugas. The islands consist of 39 acres of land, but add to that over 64,000 acres of coral reefs and shoals and you have the Dry Tortugas National Park. An amazing sight is Fort Jefferson, covering almost all of Garden Key, and surrounded by a moat. As well as providing protection from potential invaders, the moat helps protect the walls from the relentless pounding of the surf. The construction of this fort started in 1846 with the walls reaching their final 45-foot height in 1862, and construction dragging on for another 30 years, but the fort was never completely finished, and now needs millions of dollars to prevent its decay.
I recently spent 3 days visiting there, staying on a boat, as there is no accommodation on the island. Why? To see the birds! During migration many birds that have flown north from South America or some of the Caribbean Islands land on the islands. Flying mostly by night, as daylight approaches the small islands provide a welcome rest area to the birds. And yet, for some it will be a death trap. There is a limited supply of insects and other foods with which to replenish the energy reserves they have spent in the long flight, and if those reserves are too low the birds may not be able to cross the miles of water remaining before reaching the mainland.
The islands do not have a source of fresh water, except for rainwater collected on the roofs of the fort walls and held in cisterns, and the Park has built a small fountain which sooner or later almost all the birds will visit in their brief stays on the islands. Sitting near the fountain we watched dozens of warblers, grosbeaks, and other small birds as they drank or bathed. Of the warblers there were dozens of Palm, Cape May and Blackpoll, with smaller numbers of Black-throated Blue, Northern Parula, and Prairie, and one or two Magnolia, Orange-crowned, Yellow, Black-and-White, Hooded, Ovenbird and Yellow-rumped. Rose-breasted and Blue Grosbeaks were looking for water, and a couple of male Summer Tanagers, an Orchard Oriole, and several Indigo Buntings added to the colour of the location. There were two or three Gray Catbirds, and one Gray-cheeked Thrush. A Purple Gallinule, two or three Green Herons, and Cattle Egrets were present. Overhead, Turkey Vultures were circling looking for any source of food. One very secretive Swainsons Warbler stayed in a small clump of trees, seeking food by overturning dead leaves - at times disappearing under the leaves as it hunted. A special treat to see was a Chuck-wills-widow resting on a cactus. Along the shoreline there were a few shorebirds - Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willets, a Whimbrel, and a small flock of Ruddy Turnstones.
How many of these birds would survive? For the Peregrine Falcons or Merlins that were present, some would be their source of food. How long would it be before they reached their breeding grounds? Would any of them reach here? For those nesting near here or in the boreal forest, a long, dangerous journey lay ahead.
Next week I will tell about some other birds that make these islands their homes.
Observations: Robert Griffin, Lavant Road, says his wife, Deanna, on April 26, almost stepped on an American Woodcock on its nest before it flushed. There were three eggs in the nest. Anne Hamilton in Ardoch had an Eastern Towhee (formerly called Rufous-sided Towhee) on April 26. On April 29, Helm, Oconto, reports the Dutchmans Breeches in bloom, and an Eastern Garter Snake. The Early Saxifrage is blooming near McGowans Lake, and on April 29 I heard a Pine Warbler. Milan Konecny at Thirteen Island Lake had Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Baltimore Oriole on May 1, and on May 2 a Black-throated Blue Warbler. Helm, Oconto, had a Tree Frog calling on May 1st. Share your sightings; call Jean at 268-2518, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
(Perhaps the most unusual national park in the national park system is Dry Tortugas. It's one of the smallest, one of the most remote, and one of the least visited. But it's nevertheless a wonderful park, comprising seven small islands, coral reefs and other undersea attractions, and nesting areas for a variety of wild birds. The park includes some 64,657 acres of land above and below the water line.)
