green cay nature center - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T09:56:29Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/green+cay+nature+centerLook Up: Favorite birdwatching spots in our neck of the woodshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/look-up-favorite-birdwatching-spots-in-our-neck-of-the-woods2023-01-03T20:54:37.000Z2023-01-03T20:54:37.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924354894,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924354894,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924354894?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></strong><em>Hundreds of European starlings, known as a murmuration, take flight at sunset at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge west of Boynton Beach. <strong>Photo by Susan Wasserman</strong> <strong>BELOW RIGHT:</strong> Five young gallinules huddle near the shore of Lake Ida in Delray Beach. <strong>Photo by Peter W. Cross</strong></em></p>
<p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924356668,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924356668,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="10924356668?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></a>By Rich Pollack</strong></p>
<p>Slip into the hidden Lantana Nature Preserve, sandwiched between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, and you might catch a glimpse of an American redstart or even a bay-breasted warbler. <br />Stroll the boardwalk at the Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands and there’s a good chance of observing a roseate spoonbill or maybe a least bittern or sora rail. <br />Stake out a spot on an aging wooden-planked dock along the eastern shore of Delray Beach’s Lake Ida and an osprey, red-shouldered hawk and — if you’re lucky — a bald eagle may soar in the sky above you. Sprinkled throughout southern Palm Beach County are a few parks, refuges and natural areas that have become favorite hangouts for resident birds as well as migrating species pausing as they flee the Northern chill for the warmth of South and Central America.<br /> Those places have also been a magnet for people who enjoy the challenge of spotting a rare species, as well as those who find joy just seeing birds in their natural habitat. <br />“South County has some excellent birding spots,” says Chuck Weber, a longtime Palm Beach County birder, who coordinates the Christmas Bird Count for Audubon Everglades, the local branch of the national organization.<br /> The Christmas Bird Count, held Jan. 2, encompassed an area 15 miles in diameter, including parts of the barrier island and a large chunk of South County.<br /> While the consensus is that the number of birds in North America is down, Weber says that too many variables make it difficult to determine if this is the case here, although it is likely. <br />Still, last season there were 146 species identified in the count, similar to previous years, with the likelihood that the numbers will be close this time around. <br />One reason South County and the whole of Palm Beach County remain popular among birds is the diversity of habitat, which provides food, shelter and safety for many species. <br />For coastal shorebirds, South County offers miles of beaches, including some that do not get a lot of human visitors. Songbirds can find homes in coastal hammocks, while wading birds flock to both natural and man-made wetlands. <br />Local government agencies, says birder Sue Young, deserve a healthy dose of the credit for ensuring that natural habitat remains accessible to wildlife — and to people who enjoy witnessing them in action. “When we preserve these areas, the birds are going to show up,” she said. <br />Tucked between condos, townhomes and residential neighborhoods throughout South County are also small nature preserves, including the Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area, Ocean Ridge Natural Area, the Seacrest Scrub Natural Area in Boynton Beach, the Delray Oaks Natural Area in Delray Beach, and the Pondhawk Natural Area in Boca Raton. <br />These spots provide habitat for many critters and don’t always have the abundance of birds found at more recognized locations, but they are on many birders’ lists of spots worth visiting occasionally. <br />Here are several popular birding spots in southern Palm Beach County.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924357485,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924357485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924357485?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A prothonotary warbler.<strong> Photo by Chuck Weber</strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Lantana Nature Preserve</span> <br /><strong>440 E. Ocean Ave.</strong></p>
<p>Drive too quickly along Ocean Avenue as you head west from State Road A1A and there’s a good chance you’ll scoot right past the entrance to the Lantana Nature Preserve, a 4.6-acre man-made oasis that has become a magnet for birds traversing the East Coast. <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358100,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358100,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="102" alt="10924358100?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>“We think of it as a migration hot spot,” says longtime Palm Beach County birder Chuck Weber. “It’s a beautiful little spot.” <br />Weber credits the town of Lantana for creating the preserve — just west of the Carlisle home for seniors — using mostly Florida trees and shrubs to transform a site that had been overgrown and strewn with litter into a peaceful refuge for birds and birders. <br />“They did a great job of creating a native coastal hammock,” Weber said. That’s important, he says, because birds generally prefer native plants and trees for shelter and food. <br /><strong>What makes it special:</strong> The Lantana Nature Preserve is small and easily accessible. You’ll find an abundance of native trees — from strangler figs and gumbo limbo to poisonwood and mangroves — that draw mostly smaller songbirds during migrations.<br /> <strong>What you’ll see:</strong> Many of the birds you’ll see at the preserve are usual suspects found in the area during migration periods, including blue-gray gnatcatchers, a variety of warblers and painted and indigo buntings.<br /> In the fall, you might see a chestnut-sided warbler.<br /><strong>Rare sightings:</strong> A red-legged thrush was sighted there a few years back, and so was a La Sagras flycatcher. “For such a small place, it has an impressive list of rarities,” Weber said.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358676,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358676,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924358676?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A roseate spoonbill. <strong>Photo by Sue Young</strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands</span> <br /><strong>12800 Hagen Ranch Road, </strong><strong>Boynton Beach</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Wakodahatchee Wetlands</span><br /><strong>13270 Jog Road, </strong><strong>Delray Beach</strong></p>
<p>When Sue Young wants to show off Florida wildlife to visitors from the North, her first stop is typically Wakodahatchee Wetlands. <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358898,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924358898,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="102" alt="10924358898?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>“The sheer spectacle of nesting birds there blows everyone away,” she says, explaining that wood storks, great blue herons and great egrets have created close-up rookeries hard to find anywhere else in the area. <br />Like its neighbor Green Cay, Wakodahatchee is a man-made wetland filled with water from nearby county-operated water treatment plants. Both have boardwalks winding through them that escort visitors up close to avian visitors as well as an occasional alligator. <br />“They’ve taken Florida habitat and shrunk it down to a manageable size,” Young says. <br />While Wakodahatchee is smaller and may have birds in greater concentrations, the 100-acre Green Cay has a bigger variety, partially because it includes a larger woodland habitat. Young has seen as many as 50 species in one day there. <br /><strong>What makes them special:</strong> The boardwalks bring visitors close to the birds, and over time, the wildlife have accepted people passing by.<br /> “You have a chance to see natural behavior from a bird that would normally get spooked and fly away,” Young said. <br /><strong>What you’ll see:</strong> Both locations have a similar assortment of wading birds and ducks, while pied-billed grebes, common gallinules, tricolored herons, great blue herons and great egrets are abundant. At Wakodahatchee, you’ll see more wood storks and great blue herons, while at Green Cay you’re likely to see more warblers in the woodland areas.<br /> <strong>Rare sightings:</strong> Green Cay has had barred owls and eastern screech owls visit, and a pair of Chuck-will’s-widows have taken residence this season. In the past, Green Cay has seen a La Sagras flycatcher, a least grebe and a reddish egret. At Wakodahatchee, a golden-winged warbler — normally seen in South or Central America — was spotted several years ago, creating international interest among birders.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359461,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359461,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924359461?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A piping plover. <strong>Photo by Kenny Miller</strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Spanish River Park</span> <br /><strong>3001 N. Ocean Blvd., </strong><strong>Boca Raton</strong></p>
<p>There are few remaining places for birders in Palm Beach County the size of Boca Raton’s expansive Spanish River Park.<br />Coastal shore birds are in abundance east of State Road A1A, and migratory songbirds find shelter in the old Florida growth on the west inside the oceanfront sanctuary. <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359658,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359658,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="102" alt="10924359658?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>Not far offshore you’ll find seabirds such as gannets, and on the west side of the park mangroves will attract an occasional egret or great blue heron. <br />“Spanish River Park is a great place to see birds because there’s so many different species, both on the beach and in the park, on any given day,” says birder Kenny Miller, who can be seen many mornings on the beach before sunrise and in the park shortly thereafter. <br />He is always on the lookout for hard-to-find species. During an October visit, he counted 49 bird species, including a rare, white-crowned pigeon. <br />The nearly 95-acre park — which has three tunnels, making it easy to navigate between the two habitats — also includes two trails winding through the coastal hammock. <br />There is a $35 daily charge for parking inside the park and metered parking is available on Spanish River Boulevard at $2 per hour. <br /> <strong>What makes it special:</strong> Spanish River Park attracts a diversity of wildlife found in two very different habitats. Several species of coastal shorebirds patrol the beach while the coastal hammock draws songbirds and others during migration. <br /><strong>What you’ll see:</strong> On the beach, you’ll see laughing gulls, herring gulls, royal terns, sanderlings and an occasional willet, as well as a handful of other species. Peering out over the ocean, you’ll see seagulls, gannets, perhaps a common loon and even a scoter. Migratory birds, including many species of warblers, can be found inside the park. <br /><strong>Rare sightings:</strong> The first Florida sighting of a hermit warbler took place at Spanish River Park several years ago. A mangrove cuckoo was discovered there, and piping plovers have been seen on the beach.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge</span> <br /><strong>10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach </strong></p>
<p>Susan Wasserman often walks along the levee and marsh trails of the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge just before the sun sinks over the wetlands. She searches the trees and wetlands for elusive birds. <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924361489,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924361489,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="101" alt="10924361489?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>Wasserman tends to avoid the boardwalk that twists through a small hardwood portion of the park where the Everglades meets urbanization, preferring solid ground instead.<br />“You’re not walking over the wetlands, you’re walking in them,” she says. “I don’t feel like an observer of the wildlife. I feel like I’m among it.” <br />A natural Everglades ecosystem, the refuge “is a mosaic of wet prairies, sawgrass ridges, sloughs, tree islands, cattail communities and a 400-acre cypress swamp,” according to the park literature. <br />To enter the refuge, a $10 daily entry fee per car or a $25 annual pass is required. The park offers a variety of recreational activities and includes a nature center. <br /><strong>What makes it special:</strong> This national wildlife refuge, covering over 225 square miles, is home to about 250 species of birds, including the Everglades snail kite, an endangered species. <br /> <strong>What you’ll see:</strong> Sandhill cranes, large pileated woodpeckers, wood ducks, monk parakeets and nanday parakeets are frequent visitors. Owls, including a great-horned owl and barred owls, also have been seen. <br /><strong>Rare sightings:</strong> Birders flocked to Loxahatchee a few years back when a vermilion flycatcher was spotted. But to make even a routine trip unforgettable, they can watch the hundreds, maybe thousands, of European starlings seemingly dance on cue through the sky — creating a murmuration at sunset. </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359500,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924359500,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924359500?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>An osprey carries off a largemouth bass for its breakfast. <strong>Photo by Peter W. Cross</strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Lakeview Park</span><br /><strong>1100 Lake Drive, Delray Beach</strong></p>
<p>It wasn’t until the pandemic that retired photojournalist Peter W. Cross started paying attention to the birds visiting this small park tucked into the Lake Ida neighborhood. <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924368880,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924368880,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="102" alt="10924368880?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>During early morning visits with his yellow Labrador retriever Roxy, Cross noticed common wading birds such as egrets and herons. But as he became more attuned to the bird life around him, he recognized other species, including woodpeckers, warblers and even raptors. <br />“When the pandemic happened, all this wildlife came out,” Cross said. “You’ll see just about every type of bird.”<br /> The park is easily accessible on the eastern edge of the natural lake and since the water is home to several species of fish — including peacock and largemouth bass — it is a favorite for birds, including an occasional raptor, Cross said. <br /><strong>What makes it special:</strong> The park is a hidden gem, where visitors can stand on a dock at the water’s edge and see several species of resident birds, as well as a few migrating species. <br /><strong>What you’ll see:</strong> Osprey, red-shouldered hawks and Cooper’s hawks are frequent visitors, as are many types of warblers and woodpeckers common to the area. Limpkins pulling apple snails from their shells are often seen, and a roseate spoonbill may make an appearance. <br /> <strong>Rare sightings:</strong> The park has attracted a spot-breasted oriole, and Cross has caught a glimpse of a bald eagle soaring over the lake, hunting for a morning meal.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">More images from Lake Ida</span><br /><strong>Photos by Peter W. Cross</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362268,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362268,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924362268?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A juvenile gallinule creates an image of itself as it takes off from the lake’s placid waters.</em><br /><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362663,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362663,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924362663?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a>A red-eared slider turtle fends off a curious great blue heron.</em> <br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362894,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10924362894,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10924362894?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A spot-breasted oriole glows in the early morning light as it searches for a meal. </em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p></div>Health & Harmony: Book touts nature’s power to soothe and renew childrenhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/health-harmony-book-touts-nature-s-power-to-soothe-and-renew-chil2022-05-31T16:08:47.000Z2022-05-31T16:08:47.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10527524295,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10527524295,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10527524295?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></strong><em>Sandi Schwartz of Boca Raton has written a new book, </em>Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer<em>. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Joyce Reingold</strong></p>
<p>School’s out and the promise of summer stretches from one Florida coast to the other and back again. Children long-jump into boundless, homework-free days. It’s time for morning lie-ins and stay-up-too-late sleepovers. It’s wet bathing suits and ice pops pilfered from the freezer. <br /> For parents, well, it’s a bit more complicated. <br /> But not to worry. Boca Raton author and journalist Sandi Schwartz has you covered with her just-published book, <em>Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer</em>. This engaging and informative guide may become as essential as sunscreen to your family this summer and far beyond. <br /> In her book, Schwartz — the founder and director of the Ecohappiness Project — shares wide-ranging and persuasive research that confirms what she has long believed: Nature has the power to soothe and renew. And with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calling children’s mental health “an ongoing public health concern,” Schwartz’s work to connect children with nature feels timelier still.<br /> “Humans evolved to live in nature, not indoors staring at screens all day. We all have a powerful instinct to experience nature, so creating a daily nature habit can help us feel more balanced,” she says. “I have found in my own battle with stress and anxiety that connecting with nature can soothe anxiety, calm the mind and promote feelings of joy. I call this connection eco-happiness.”<br /> Richard Louv, author of <em>Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder</em>, calls her book “a prescription for reducing the loneliness of our species.” <br /> Schwartz had returned in mid-May from a Children & Nature Network conference, where she heard Louv speak. She quoted Louv as saying there are two types of people: the doers and people who write about them. <br /> “And I feel like my job was to bring together all of the science, the research, the knowledge, the examples from all these amazing people that are doing the work on the ground, so that parents have this toolkit. And not just parents. The book is for therapists, guidance counselors, teachers, camp counselors.”<br /> Schwartz introduces readers to the “nature tools” of mindfulness, awe and gratitude, outdoor play and adventure, creative arts, food and volunteering. Each gets its own chapter with lots of suggested activities and resources. <br /> “This is the toolkit I wish I had growing up,” she writes. “My goal is to give my children, and all children, the ability to turn to some simple natural tools when they feel distraught. The last thing I want is for anyone to get stuck in the anxiety quicksand like I did.” <br /> You can enjoy Schwartz’s book as a cover-to-cover read or dip into it on demand, thanks to its robust index.<br /> “I always say, start with what your family or your individual child already loves. If they’re already into art and painting, I would suggest taking the arts and crafts outside. This could be making a collage of nature elements you collect on a hike. … Or it could be taking a blanket to the playground and having the kids pull out their journals and their crayons or their paints. … So, if you have a kid already kind of doodling or making cartoons or something and stuck inside, get them outside to do their creating.”<br /> The good news is that you and your children can enjoy time in nature without spending a penny. Why not kick off your shoes and join the kids for “earthing” — a mindful walk across a patch of grass, soil or sand, when it feels cool enough?<br /> “The goal is to walk barefoot while paying close attention to the soles of your feet as they connect with the Earth’s surface,” Schwartz writes. “This practice provides several benefits for our kids. First, it feels good to them. It is freeing to walk around without feeling constrained by their shoes all the time. Next, it improves their senses as the bottom of their feet touch different types of textures, sometimes for the first time.”<br /> Of course, there are some necessary items for any outdoor excursion — particularly during a Florida summer — so don’t forget water and eco-friendly insect repellent. <br /> A bit of planning can mitigate any “too hot, too humid, too buggy” pushback from the kids. The beach is lovely in the late afternoon and Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands in Boynton Beach, one of Schwartz’s favorite spots, opens at 7. <br /> “I personally think any way a child is engaging with being outdoors in nature is great,” she says. “I think if we’re too specific or judging people on how they engage in it, that’s just not going to get us anywhere. … So, it’s finding what works for you and that’s going to also make you happy.”<br /> <em>Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer</em> is available online at IndieBound, Amazon, and wherever books are sold. For more information, visit ecohappinessproject.com.<br /> <br /><em>Joyce Reingold writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to joyce.reingold@</em><em>yahoo.com.</em></p></div>Outdoors: Green Cay a delight for wildlife — and humans who watchhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/outdoors-green-cay-a-delight-for-wildlife-and-humans-who-watch2021-12-28T18:09:31.000Z2021-12-28T18:09:31.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9962758268,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9962758268,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9962758268?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a></strong><em>Palm Beach County is preparing for a second phase at the Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands, west of Boynton Beach. Plans include a boardwalk, picnic area, playground and pavilion on 63 acres and connected to the current wetlands. Completion is expected in 2025. The orange lines show existing pipes.</em><strong> BELOW RIGHT: </strong><em>A mother bobcat and three cubs have been spotted at Green Cay. Some photos have made it onto Facebook.</em> <strong>Rendering and photo provided<br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Rich Pollack</strong></p>
<p>Alligators, owls and bobcats, oh my! <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9962749088,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9962749088,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9962749088?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="240" /></a><br /> No, they’re not at a zoo far away, they’re all here in our backyard at the Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands, tucked into a residential area west of Boynton Beach.<br /> And January marks the beginning of peak season for migratory birds, flocking to the 100-acre preserve to escape the cold weather up North and, in some cases, to make a quick stop and recharge on the way to South America.<br /> “At Green Cay you’re almost guaranteed to see something when you’re there,” says Jo Ann Ricchiuti of South Palm Beach, a wildlife photographer and a frequent visitor to the boardwalk that winds through the wetlands.<br /> Throughout the year, bird watchers can find as many as 100 species — from hawks and great blue herons to least bitterns and ruby-throated hummingbirds. <br /> Then there are the seldom-seen birds that stop by for a few days. Each year is different and even the regulars never know what they’ll see. <br /> “Every once in a while, there will be a rare bird that draws a lot of attention,” says Bobby Seals, Green Cay Nature Center manager. <br /> The rare bird this time was a barred owl, or maybe two, that stayed at Green Cay for a couple of weeks. <br /> Green Cay has also been known to attract the Eastern screech owl, which is smaller and harder to spot.<br /> But the rare birds were overshadowed by the presence of a mother bobcat and three cubs, who had been seen for a few months dashing though the parking lot, snoozing on a berm or hunting for rodents. <br /> “Everybody’s been going nuts over the bobcats,” says Ricchiuti. <br /> Bobcats are migratory and somewhat reclusive. Seals says they had not been seen at the center for a while.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9962596072,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9962596072,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9962596072?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>Late afternoon light makes the display plumes on this great blue heron glow, while it stands in water near the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands on Dec. 4. </em><strong>Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Best times to visit</span><br /> For people looking for birds, the best time to visit Green Cay is early in the morning, or later as it’s getting dark, Seals says. This month and next are when visitors are likely to see the most birds.<br /> Not every Green Cay visitor is there to see the birds, however. Some come just to be in a calming natural environment, while others come for a daily walk. It’s also a great place to bring the kids. <br /> “We were there the other day,” Ricchiuti says, “and there were whole families all enjoying nature.”<br /> In addition to the 1.5-mile boardwalk that winds through a variety of habitats — from cypress swamps to hardwood tropical hammocks — Green Cay has an expansive nature center with a variety of displays. <br /> The nature center also holds meetings and environmental presentations, including Science for Seniors. <br /> The next Science for Seniors is 1 p.m. Jan. 21, when a presentation on camouflage in nature is scheduled.<br /> The Feb. 18 program will be about purple martins — frequent visitors. Programs are $5 each.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Major expansion coming</span><br /> First open to the public in 2005, Green Cay is built on farmland sold to the county by Ted and Trudy Winsberg at a very reduced price. In addition to attracting wildlife and tourists, Green Cay serves as a reclaimed water facility, naturally filtering millions of gallons of water each day. <br /> A new chapter in the evolution of Green Cay is about to begin as Palm Beach County plans a massive $40 million expansion that will include a state-of-the-art water purification facility, making it possible for fishing and kayaking in newly created lakes. <br /> This phase of Green Cay, to be built on 63 acres east of the wetlands, will include a boardwalk, picnic area, playground, shaded fitness area and a pavilion.<br /> Although the current wetlands will remain largely the same, the two phases of Green Cay will be connected. Now in the preliminary stages, phase two of Green Cay is expected to be completed in 2025. <br /> While the expansion will provide new recreational opportunities, it will all have an important positive environmental impact.<br /> “This next phase will combine some of the latest technologies in water reuse coupled with new environmental, recreational and educational opportunities for our community,” said Todd Bonlarron, an assistant Palm Beach County administrator. “The new purification facility will be the first of its kind in the state and provide the highest quality of water to a new 63-acre recreation park.” <br /> <em>For more information about Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands, visit <a href="https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Pages/GreenCay.aspx">https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Pages/GreenCay.aspx</a></em></p>
<p><em>Captain Willie Howard is taking some time off but will return soon.</em></p>
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