June 24, 2010, Area 4

Area 4, like areas 2 and 3, is totally overgrown with Bahia grass, weeds, and blackberry brambles. The photo shows just 2 scrub oaks barely sticking their heads out above the grass. The view here is east  towards Highland Lakes. The area is just off the scrub jay trail behind the southern cul-de-sac of Blue Savannah. No scrub jays were sighted.More blackberriesThe house in the background is at the cul-de-sac of Illumination Lane in Legacy.Overgrown area 4 to the left, dead scrub oak below.At the southern entrance of the scrub jay trail. This area is part of the enhancement area, but no scrub oaks were planted here. Scrub jays usually hang out here, especially after the Bahia grass to the right is mowed. We saw 5 scrub jays on June 13 and 3 on June 24th, 3 again on June 25, one of them definitely a baby. Since sprinklers were on on June 24th, other birds like cowbirds and a European starling had moved in to pick on worms and bugs flushed out by the water. Scrub jays prefer drier conditions.

June 24, 2010, Area 3

Area 3 at the eastern edge of Scrub Jay Pond is tiny and next to a tall tree. The view here is from the trail next to homes on Greenfly Orchid towards the east and across Scrub Jay Pond. The homes in the background belong to our neighbor Highland Lakes. Area 3 lies to the left of the tall tree. We did not see any scrub jays in this area. Close-up of area 3. Luckily, the oaks survived here because the soil is moist next to the wetlands. However, the oaks are still too small to be of value to the birds. The Bahia grass is much too high.This sand live oak stands at the northern entrance of the scrub jay trail. Sand live oaks are the scrub jays' favorite nesting treee, however, this tree is much too big for scrub jays. Still, its acorns are a valuable food source. You may notice that sand live oaks look like a smaller version of the live oak and are therefore a suitable tree for smaller lots.

The car happens to be on the trail because a handicapped resident needed to unload fertilizer in his backyard.

On June 23, three scrub jays came out of the bushes where the photographer is standing. On June 24, no scrub jays were sighted. On June 25th, we saw two scrub jays who did not bother to come down to look at us. Obviously, they knew that we had no food for them

June 24, 2010, Area 2

Area 2 lies between the cul-de-sacs of Discover Court and Nostalgia Drive. The survival rate of scrub oaks there is  an estimated 5 %.

No scrub-jays were sighted in the planted area whereas 3 were counted at the southern edge of  the area on June 23, 2010. They flew in from the wetlands to the left of the photo above which was taken at the access corridor between Nostalgia Drive and Nostalgia Pond. 

The stick to the right is a dead scrub oak. Despite the rainy winter season, this once green scrub oak below now is dead.Dead scrub oakBlackberries encroaching onScrub oak close to blackberry

View of the area facing towards Discover Court. Almost no scrub oaks have survived. The Bahia grass and weeds are knee-high and blackberries encroach from the wetlands to the left.

View of the access corridor from Nostalgia Drive. The view faces west. The three scrub jays mentioned above sat on the bushes straight ahead. According to birding neighbors, the scrub jays fly in and out, disappear for weeks but show up again later. They could very well be part of a family that we counted in a different area.