Wildlife happenings to look for in September. September brings the beginning of fall and the peak of the hurricane season, so we should be seeing some new species and activity as a result. If you do not already have information about hurricane preparedness, you can find great local information and even sign-up for alerts at LevyDisaster.com

Here are some interesting things to look for in September.

Birds

Get feeders ready for returning birds. UF/IFAS has some great information about attracting backyard birds. You can view this publication here.
Hawk migration begins at St. Joseph Peninsula in Gulf County.
Bald Eagles return to nest sites and begin courtship.

Wildlife Happenings – Mammals

Gray Bats migrate to Alabama caves for winter hibernation.
Start looking for Manatees concentrated in rivers, bays, and near power plants.
Deer breeding begins in south Florida flatwoods.
Manatees start to gather in freshwater springs near power plants.

Amphibians

Start listening for Spadefoot Toads after heavy rains.

Listen to this video by Dr. Steve A.Johnson to hear the sound of the toads.

Wildlife Happenings – Invertebrates

Blue Crabs migrate from the shallow panhandle coast to deeper water for the winter.
Blue Crab “jubilee” also begins along panhandle beaches.

Fish

Atlantic Sturgeon begin fall migration from the Suwannee and Apalachicola Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico.

If you are interested in more information on Florida Wildlife click here.
If you would like information on becoming a Florida Master Naturalist click here.

To see the August wildlife happenings click here.

Special Thanks to Florida Wildlife Extension for this information.

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