Observaciones de sanders_n_13

These two ducks were found relaxing in the Hillsborough River. Both ducks have the characteristic mottled black and brown feather pattern on the bulk of their bodies. They also have the classic singular black stripe through their eye on a otherwise mostly brown feathered heads. One duck has a hint of shiny green on the temple of its head suggesting that it is a hybrid mottled duck. They both were the average duck size around a foot long. These ducks prefer freshwater environments and can be found in the Hillsborough River and others like it around the southern part of our country.

https://ebird.org/content/ebird/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/eBird_Muddled_Ducks.pdf

This Gallinule was predominantly black with the characteristic bright red beak and face. It was medium sized around 10 inches long and had a thin, long neck and small beak. Its primary habitat is marshes and wetlands around the US and is also native to our country. This bird was observed swimming along the Hillsborough River.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Gallinule/id

This water plant was commonly found all along the Hillsborough River growing in the river in the water directly adjacent to the shores. Its flat green leaves are characteristic of freshwater growing grasses (growing about 2-3 feet above the water level) and although it had some flowers the majority of the plant that was visible was the leaves. The flowers were very small about 0.5 centimeter in diameter and grew in groups along a 4-5 centimeter long stem. The flowers themselves had a circular fused petal and had a pink base stem with a small white flower in color. The preferred habitat of these plants are freshwater environments and can be found all around Florida.

https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/smartweed/

This Great Blue Heron was seen in a tree right off the Hillsborough River. It is an immature Great Blue Heron because it has the classic grey feather color and because of the large size and long beak. It was about 2.5 feet tall and had a characteristic long neck and long legs. Great Blue Herons can be found all around the US, and in some parts of Canada and Central America in marshes.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/id

This flower was found in a lightly forested terrestrial area off the shore of the Hillsborough River. It had purple flowers that were about the size of two quarters (2 inches) and a green bush that was about a foot in diameter on the forest floor. The flowers show the classic Bluejacket purple with three petals and yellow anthers. They can be found all around Florida.

https://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/spiderwort_ohioensis.html

This moss was observed growing on the root of a nearby tree on the ground of a moderately shaded forest next to the Hillsborough River. I was growing partially on the root and along the ground as well. I saw this same type of moss all over the trees along the Hillsborough River and it commonly found all over Florida as well. It has a vibrant green (dominant) gametophyte and in the close up pictures you can clearly see the defining and much smaller sporophyte bodies on this bryophyte.

https://www.backyardnature.net/n/x/moss2.htm

This mushroom was found in a moderately shaded forest area near the Hillsborough River. One was growing directly on the ground (the larger first picture) and many more were growing on the decaying stump from an old tree. The bigger one was about 4 inches in diameter and had the classic fungus cap-like fruiting body. Upon observation one can clearly see that this particular mushroom species is the Turkey-Tail because of the unique alternating radial brown ring pattern on the top of the cap. Also due to the wavy nature of the fruiting body. The edges of the cap are more a tan color whereas the centers become a darker brown color, with a off white underbelly. These fungi have been found all over Florida.

https://www.mushroomexpert.com/trametes_versicolor.html

This flower was found growing wildly on the Tampa campus of USF. It shows the characteristic 5 white flower petals (1 cm in length) with the bright gold anthers in the center. The rest of the plant being green and growing all around as many such wildflowers do. It was found growing in direct sunlight with good quality soil. This particular plant can be found all over Florida and many parts of the US as well.

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3604

This beetle was found on the leaf of a fern plant growing along the Hillsborough River. It was about 0.5 cm long and was black and yellow. This was identified as an Alligator Weed Flea Beetle because of the body shape, classic black head and characteristic black and yellow striped exoskeletal abdomen. This beetles habitat was a shaded fern growing under a cypress tree along the Hillsborough River. This beetle is actually native to Brazil and Argentina. It can also be sound in many parts of the US.

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/beetles/alligatorweed_flea_beetle.htm