A Rare Encounter: The Florida Scrub-Jay and the Acorn

 

  

There are moments in nature that feel like pure serendipity — when patience, timing, and a touch of luck all align. Last Saturday, I set out on a quiet mission in southwest Florida: to finally spot one of Florida’s most iconic and endangered birds — the Florida Scrub-Jay.

I had parked in a small, unassuming area that I’d read might host a few of these elusive blue beauties. The sun was warm, the air still, and the pine scrub shimmered in that golden Florida light that makes everything feel alive. I grabbed my camera and began walking the block, scanning every wire, branch, and bush for movement.

And then, there it was. A flash of blue on a telephone line caught my eye. I raised my lens, zoomed in, and my heart leapt — I had found one! The unmistakable soft blue feathers and grayish chest confirmed it. But the real excitement came moments later.

As I continued walking, one of these stunning birds swooped down and landed right in front of me, clutching an acorn in its beak. It paused, as if curious about me, and for a few perfect seconds, we shared that quiet connection that only wildlife encounters can bring. I lifted my camera and captured this photo — a Florida Scrub-Jay proudly holding its prize.

Seeing a Florida Scrub-Jay in the wild isn’t just a photo opportunity; it’s a reminder of Florida’s unique ecosystems and the importance of protecting them. These intelligent birds are found only here — nowhere else on Earth — making every sighting feel like a gift.

This encounter was one of those unforgettable moments that fuels my passion for exploring the wild corners of Southwest Florida. You never know what’s waiting around the next bend — sometimes, it’s a rare bird with an acorn, watching you just as closely as you’re watching it.

🦅 An Unexpected Hunter at Rotary Park

 

Saturday’s visit to Rotary Park Environmental Center turned into one of those unforgettable wildlife moments that remind me why I love nature photography. I was quietly focused on a small warbler fluttering through the bushes — a lively little bird I hadn’t yet identified — when, out of nowhere, movement caught my eye.

Out from my peripheral view, a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk glided in and landed right on a limb in front of me. It was so close I could see every feather, the soft barring on its chest, and the intense yellow of its eyes. Suddenly, I realized — I wasn’t the only one watching that warbler.

The hawk perched silently, studying the same bushes where the warbler had darted for cover. Minutes passed in tense stillness — both hunter and hunted hidden in plain sight. Then, breaking the quiet, the hawk let out a sharp, piercing scream before launching itself into the air and disappearing into the trees.

A few moments later, the warbler emerged from the bushes, unharmed but certainly startled — and I exhaled without realizing I’d been holding my breath. I managed to capture several good photos of the Cooper’s Hawk during those few incredible moments, a reminder of how raw and unpredictable the wild can be.

It’s encounters like this that make every early morning and long walk with the camera worth it — when nature suddenly pulls you into its own story.

📸 What about you? What’s the most exciting wildlife encounter you’ve ever had? Share your story in the comments — I’d love to hear about it!

🌴 Florida’s Originals: Exploring the Endemic Species of the Sunshine State

 

When most people think of Florida’s wildlife, they picture alligators gliding through cypress swamps or herons wading in the shallows. But beneath the surface of those familiar sights lives a quieter story — one of species found nowhere else on Earth. These are Florida’s endemic species, uniquely adapted to the subtropical climate, coastal habitats, and ancient geology that make this peninsula unlike any other place in North America.

---

🐦 1. Florida Scrub-Jay – The Blue Jewel of the Scrublands

Meet the only bird species found exclusively in Florida. The Florida Scrub-Jay thrives in dry, sandy scrub habitats dominated by low-growing oaks. It’s incredibly social — living in family groups that cooperate to defend their territories.
Sadly, the same scrubland they depend on is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the state, making this curious, bold bird a living symbol of Florida’s fragile wild spaces.
📍 Best places to spot one: Oscar Scherer State Park, Merritt Island NWR, and Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

---

🐍 2. Florida Pine Snake – The Hidden Hunter

This large, non-venomous snake spends much of its life underground, hunting rodents in gopher tortoise burrows. With its pale tan body and dark blotches, the Florida Pine Snake blends perfectly into sandy soils.
It’s rare to see one in the wild — not because it’s aggressive or dangerous, but because it prefers a life of quiet seclusion beneath the surface.

---

🐢 3. Florida Red-Bellied Cooter – The Sunshine Swimmer

You might’ve seen this turtle basking on logs in freshwater ponds across the peninsula. The Florida Red-Bellied Cooter is often mistaken for other turtles, but its reddish plastron (belly) gives it away.
Uniquely, females sometimes nest in the mounds of alligator nests — a risky move that often works out, as mama gator keeps predators away from both her own eggs and the cooter’s.

---

🐦 4. Everglades Snail Kite – A Specialist in Survival

This raptor is a true Everglades specialist. The Snail Kite feeds almost entirely on apple snails, using its sharply curved beak to pry them from their shells. Its population rises and falls with water levels, making it a barometer for the health of Florida’s wetlands.
Watching one glide over a marsh at sunrise is a moment that stays with you — graceful, purposeful, and perfectly adapted.

---

🦎 5. Florida Sand Skink – The Subterranean Slider

Tiny, secretive, and nearly invisible, the Florida Sand Skink “swims” beneath the sand of central Florida’s ridges. Its limbs are so small they look vestigial, and its motion leaves S-shaped tracks across dunes.
It’s a living reminder of Florida’s ancient past, when this region was a chain of islands above a prehistoric sea.

---

📸 Tips for Photographers

• Use patience and distance. Many endemic species are threatened; respect their space.

• Go early or late. Cooler temperatures make animals more active and light more dramatic.

• Document habitats. Capture not just the subject, but the ecosystem that sustains it.

---

🌿 In Closing

Florida’s endemic species remind us that this state is more than beaches and palm trees — it’s an ecological crossroads, home to creatures shaped by millennia of isolation and adaptation. The next time you explore a scrub ridge, a freshwater pond, or the edge of the Everglades, remember: you might be standing among Florida’s true originals.