Sweetwater Wetlands Sheetflow Project field trip
April 2015 |
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Lightning and thunder did not deter 39 nature enthusiasts and birders from the Lake Santa Fe and Alachua Audubon Societies from exploring the Sweetwater Wetlands Park before it was opened to the public on May 2, 2015. The park is part of the Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project and designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from water entering Paynes Prairie and to restore hydration of more than 1,300 acres of formerly impacted wetlands. Already one of the premier birding spots of north-central Florida, the park is also an outstanding habitat for other wildlife.
The field trip started with a brief downpour but the rain subsided quickly and the group explored the park without getting wet. Almost 50 species of birds were observed during the 3-h trip including several migratory and rare species such as the bobolink, peregrine falcon, stilt sandpiper and Wilson's snipe. Other highlights included the sighting of a banded water snake.
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