Magnolia Point

By Carolyn Newby

As a long-time resident of South Magnolia Avenue in Melbourne, the idea of a Magnolia Point Preserve thrills me. It is my understanding that with a combined underwriting by the state of Florida and the city of Melbourne, this could possibly become a reality.

My family and I have enjoyed the trees and the wildlife on this 22-acre parcel ever since we moved here when the children were small, and the neighborhood had neither street lights nor sidewalks. At that time, the woods extended through airport property on the west side of the East Coast Railroad all the way to Sarno Road, and my sons spent many happy hours exploring. They even caught fish in the little stream behind our home. There are still tiny mosquito fish in the stream, and once when I questioned a state biologist who was dipping water from a deeper pool, he told me there was a fish that existed nowhere else in the area. I don't know what kind of fish or if it still exists.

I have explored with camera in hand and photographed tarflowers, rose rushes, passion flowers, and many other types of wildflower. There are numerous species of birds that come to our backyard feeders all year. The painted buntings begin arriving in September, and by October we see them every day. Goldfinches come also during the winter, and we see brown thrashers, catbirds, warblers (palm, pine, yellow-rumped, and many I can't identify without my field guide,) oven birds, and during the spring migration, indigo buntings. Of course we have the usual--cardinals, blue jays, mocking birds, doves, grackles, woodpeckers (three kinds,) and hawks. Occasionally a bald eagle will soar overhead. I don't know where the nest is located. Other once-in-awhile visitors are herons, ibises, owls, and wood storks. My book tells me there is a difference between the chuck-will's-widow and the whip-poor-will. I'm not sure which one I hear calling from the woods at night, but it begins in the spring, and I love the sound. Gopher tortoises were once a bit of a nuisance, as they made holes in what was supposed to be a pristine lawn. Now I think of them as a vanishing treasure, something to admire and hold onto. If the lawn vanishes, so be it.

One of the most unusual critters I've seen really took me by surprise. I was trimming back some grapevines behind the fence when suddenly a bobcat appeared a few yards away and began drinking from the ditch. I stood as still as I possibly could, trying not to scare it away. In a few moments it was gone, taking off at lightning speed. For several days I carried my camera back there whenever working, and I did see it one more time, but not close enough nor was I quick enough to get a shot.

The attempt to get a good photo of an indigo snake was a tedious process. I followed it as it crawled along the back edge of our property for more than an hour. The uncooperative thing had no inclination to pose, but my mission was finally accomplished with several decent shots. The black snakes have been too quick for me; two that I've seen recently looked appeared as if they were racing one another.

We allow the wild passion vines to creep into our back yard. We call it the butterfly hatchery. Some mornings there will be quite a swarm of gulf fritillaries or zebra longwings just waking up. The big black swallowtails appear frequently as do both the large and small sulphur butterflies. I'm trying to attract monarchs, but with only an occasional one showing itself.

If the trees were to go and the habitat lost, the quality of life for the entire area would be greatly diminished. I'm hoping the people who have the power to make good things happen will see the value in saving one of Melbourne's last green spaces.