Urban Wetlands and Wood Storks, Urban Wetlands Restored by Nature

Scientific name : Mycteria Americana

Wood Stork, Tantale d'Amérique

Family/Famille : Ciconiidae

Urban Wood Storks

Botanical name : Acer rubrum

Red Maple, Erable rouge

Family/Famille : Aceraceae

Urban Red Maple in Bloom

Urban Red Maple in Bloom

Many urban areas have been built where wetlands once stood.  And nature always reverts away from the fill and extra dirt over time, restoring native hydrology and creating the ecosystems that truly belong.

The above photos are of Urban Core Jacksonville areas where fill was brought in to cover the wetlands yet over time the original wetland plants came back.  Along with the wetland plants came the wetland dependent wildlife.  Wood storks, to me, look like prehistoric birds.  They are beautiful and can be occasionally seen foraging in these Urban Core wetlands nature is restoring.

Mycteria americana, Cocoa Beach Golf Course

Mycteria americana, Wood Stork

The majestic wood stork, Mycteria americana is a great bird.  Prehistoric in appearance, wood storks are an endangered species due to wetland habitat loss from real estate development.  However, as we most always see Nature respond and adapt, wood storks are acclimating to the Urban Infrastructure.  Seen here, the wood storks are taking advantage of the minnows, frogs and small fish prey on a golf course.