*** This cache is part of the Taking Flight GeoTour. Anyone can claim this cache, but to be eligible to receive a Taking Flight GeoTour prize tag, geocachers must complete the activities in this survey for at least 12 caches on the tour.***
Welcome to Leffis Key! Once a spoil island overgrown with non-native plants that greatly reduced its habitat value, Leffis Key is now a healthy estuary with a flourishing diverse ecosystem. One of the unique features of the design is a 26-foot high hill in the center of the restored area. This upland feature offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The hill was planted with native dune and coastal ridge plants such as sea oats, beach elder, dune sunflower, southern red cedar, green buttonwood, sea grape, gumbo-limbo, Hercules' club, Jamaica dogwood and strangler fig. In addition, over 20,000 marsh grass plants, such as smooth cordgrass, saltwater cordgrass and salt jointgrass, were installed along the banks of the tidal ponds. The plant installation was accomplished with volunteer labor that included hundreds of school children, local environmental clubs and citizens.
Photo by: Dotty Motta
The abundance of native trees and plants at Leffis Key provide the perfect stopover location for migratory songbirds. Birders flock to this lush refuge to spot warblers, vireos, and buntings! Can you hear any birds singing? Songbirds, which make up almost half of the world’s bird species, are named for their ability to create beautiful music. Each songbird species has a unique repertoire of songs used to communicate with their mates, offspring, or other members of their flock.
Photo by Linda O'Connor-Levy
Many birders can use these songs to identify a bird when it cannot be seen. Though many bird songs are diverse and complicated, birders have developed a simple system called Bird Mnemonics to decipher some avian melodies. Bird Mnemonics are verbal phrases that match the sound, rhythm, and syllables of a bird song to help the listener identify the bird using only their ears. Using Bird Mnemonics, the haunting call of a barred owl may sound like “who cooks for you”, while the cheerful chatter of the Carolina Wren sounds like “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle”.
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Use this list of common Bird Mnemonics to solve the riddle below. The answer to this riddle will bring you one step closer to unlocking the birdhouse.
Northern Cardinal - “What Cheer! Cheer, Cheer, Cheer!”
Common Yellowthroat - “Witchity, Witchity, Witchity”
Eastern Meadowlark - "But I Do Love You, Spring Of The Year"
Eastern Towhee - “Drink Your Teee”
Indigo Bunting - “Fire; Fire; Where? Where? Here; Here; See it?”
As the cardinal says, "What Cheer"
This bird says, "Spring of the Year"
Birders love to hear this bird talk,
Use the last four letters to open the lock!
Once you have the code word, use this cipher to find the combination:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Visit the sites along the Taking Flight GeoTour (TFGT) and learn about Manatee County's wild spaces and the amazing feathered friends that live in them. Along the way, you will be challenged to become a citizen scientist, a preserve ranger, a detective, a historian, an excellent geocacher. Caches are located in birding hot spots throughout Manatee County's publicly accessible conservation Preserves. Each one highlights a specific bird species or aspect of bird life providing you with opportunities to learn more about these creatures and what we can do to help them survive. Caches also focus on protecting the region's waterways, bays, natural watersheds, and habitat areas for many of our area's feathered friends.
The Taking Flight GeoTour launched August 20, 2012 and includes 18 caches within Manatee County.
To be eligible to receive a Taking Flight GeoTour prize tag, geocachers must complete the activities in this survey for at least 12 finds on the tour. Keep this survey open in your browser, only click submit when at least 12 finds have been completed. Survey responses will be automatically sent to Manatee County staff. Prize tags can be redeemed on Saturday mornings from 9am - 12pm at The NEST at Robinson Preserve located at 840 99th St NW, Bradenton, FL 34209. If you are unable to collect your prize tag in person, please contact ecoevents@mymanatee.org to arrange for your tag to be sent in the mail. Tags will be available while supplies last.