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This here looks like the work of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus various)! Sapsuckers are a type of woodpecker. They make these neat rows of holes in tree bark called #sapwells. Then, they harvest sap from the sapwells along with any insects caught in the sap, yum!
WooHoo! The UF Entomology & Nematology Department will be joining this program and are bringing their SPIDER PETTING ZOO! 
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Barn Owl
Check out our barn owl on display here at the Education Center at Brooker Creek! Barn owls (Tyto alba) are the most widespread of all owl species; the only places they do not inhabit are New Zealand, Indonesia, and some parts of the West Indies. Instead of living in woods like most owls, barn owls enjoy open spaces, which includes farmlands, meadows, and towns. Its abundance near farms, especially barns, is how it got its name! For more information check out this fact sheet from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and keep an eye out for our #WildlifeWednesdays posts.
http://legacy.myfwc.com/bba/docs/bba_COBO.pdf
Dusky Pigmy #Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri) sighting today! This guy was right off the Ed Center trail catching some sun. This is one of the four #venomous snake species we have in central Florida. Can you name the other three?? #venomoussnakes #floridasnakes #herpetology 
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Did you know #FloridaArborDay is celebrated on the 3rd Friday of every January? To celebrate this day, Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center is ...offering an educational program called "A Tree Planting Imperative" on Saturday, January 21st...and all attendees will receive a FREE TREE! One tree can go a long way in the most densely populated county in the state 
:-) Hope to see you there. Please share this post with anyone who might be interested in attending. Thank you! https://flarborday.eventbrite.com - Lara M.
Yup, it's the dry season. Check out the water line on these #cypress trees! Did you know cypress trees can actually reduce flood damage and improve water quality?! 
💦 Learn more here: http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/…/environ…/cypress.shtml #plantmoretrees #treesarecool #benefitsoftrees
Screech Owl
Interested in seeing wildlife close up? Come check out our friends here at Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center. This Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio) is Florida’s smallest owl and can survive anywhere in Florida except the lower keys. This owl is a cavity nester, relying on abandoned woodpecker nests and natural tree cavities for a place to call home. If you have a dead or dying tree in your yard, consider leaving it standing as a snag to help our Eastern Screech Owls. For more information check out this fact sheet from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and keep an eye out for our #WildlifeWednesdays posts.
http://legacy.myfwc.com/bba/docs/bba_EASO.pdf
Want to help out other cavity nesting critters? Find out how with this factsheet: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw058
Florida #Native Plants Hike with James this Friday at 9:00am! 
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We're jamming till 4! 
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🎤#musicatbrooker #musicandnature
This Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) was out making the most of that Florida Sunshine! These snakes sometimes are mistaken for their non-venomous cousins, the Florida watersnake (Nerodia sp.). To learn how to tell the difference, check out this UF factsheet: http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/water_moccasin_watersnake_co…
Red Shouldered hawk
Come and check out our newest friend at the Education Center! This Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a great addition to our team, helping teach people about these maginifcent birds! Many of these hawks live in Florida year round. In fact, it is the most common hawk in all of Florida is the Red-shouldered Hawk. For more information check out this fact sheet from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and keep an eye out for our #WildlifeWednesdays posts.
http://legacy.myfwc.com/bba/docs/bba_RSHA.pdf
Come and see our Barred Owl at the Education Center at Brooker Creek Preserve! Generally living in areas near water such as a cypress swamp or along rivers and streams, Barred Owls (Strix varia) are some of the only owls that vocalize during the daytime! They get their name from the bars of brown and white on their chest, back, wings and tail. For more information, check out this fact sheet from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and keep an eye out for our #WildlifeWednesdays posts.
http://legacy.myfwc.com/bba/docs/bba_BAOW.pdf
