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Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
ORCA volunteers walk
7 November 2009
Photos and Text by Janice Broda & Bob Montanaro
Page 1 of 3
Janice Broda, seen at right, led a walk for ORCA volunteers around Pete's Impoundment on a blustery and partly cloudy Saturday morning. The group had their walking shoes on for it is a 2 1/2 mile hike around the Pete's Impoundment loop trail.
One of the pair of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) living in the trees of the Centennial Trail parking lot. Susan Boyd examines the leaves of a necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa), so named for its constricted pods that resemble a (brown) pearl necklace.
Many common names are applied to Monarda punctata, a beautiful wildflower, including dotted bee balm, spotted bee balm & dotted horsemint.  The coloring of its flowers vary from creamy to purple.
Scenic vista of the Indian River Lagoon pointed out by Don Jackson.
The branches of black mangroves at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge are much darker than branches at ORCA.  Some conjecture that the increased saltiness of the water nearer to the inlet is the cause of this dramatically darker coloration.
The very variable leaves of white indigo berry (Randia aculeata) make ID challenging.  This plant frequently volunteers on the edges of mosquito control dikes.  Its white-skinned fruits (not pictured here) with indigo peeking make ID easy.

LEFT: Spurred butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum) is a twining vine with delicate foliage with beautiful lavender flowers during summer and fall.

BELOW LEFT: Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) butterfly on spurred butterfly pea flower.

BELOW RIGHT: A flash is used to illuminate the inside of the flower allowing for a detailed view of the butterfly's head with its proboscis extended feeding in the flower.

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