Florida – Page 10 – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Neovenator, teeth like steak knives

A selection from “Dinosaurs around the world,” McKee Botanical Gardens, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida

April 6, 2022April 3, 2022 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Neovenator was a very large, predatory dinosaur. Each hand and foot had three very sharp claws. Its teeth were thin, blade-like, and serrated like steak knives for cutting flesh. Short, horn-like projections above its eyes helped to recognize others of the same species. First discovered in 1978 on the Isla of Wight, United Kingdom. The fist and best-known specimen (70% complete) bears numerous injuries showing that these animals had rough and tumble lives. Perhaps such injuries were from trying to catch Iguanodons and other dinosaurs. Neovenator is derived from the latin words for “now” and “hunter.”

References: text is from the park placard with minor edits.

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Herrerosaurus, one of the first

A selection from “Dinosaurs around the world,” McKee Botanical Gardens, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida

April 4, 2022April 9, 2022 MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

One of the earliest dinosaurs, Herrerosaurus was a bipedal predator with a long and stiffened tail, three main fingers, two vestigial fingers, and sharp, serrated teeth. Its flexible lower jaw helped to grasp prey. Its long legs and hollow bones suggest it was a fast runner. Bite marks on skulls of these animals show they often battled one another, presumably over food or mates. The earliest forms were small, about 10-feet long; later ones were up to twice that length. This rare dinosaur was discovered in 1991 in the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.

This sculpture has a nictitating membrane, a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the **eye** for protection and to moisten it while maintaining vision.

Click me for the next dinosaur, Neovenator, teeth like steak knives

References: text is from the park placard with minor edits. Information on “nictating membrane” is from an eponymous Wikipedia article.

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Amargasaurus a “small” sauropod

A selection from “Dinosaurs around the world,” McKee Botanical Gardens, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida

April 2, 2022April 9, 2022 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Amargasaurus was one of the smallest sauropod dinosaurs at just 33 feet (its relatives could reach 140 feet!!). It had a quadrupedal stance. Using its neck, it could feed on plants low to the ground and up in trees. Its most notable features were tall spines along its neck. These spines were for display to fellow Amargasaurus, much like those seen on today’s reptiles. It is unclear if there was skin between the spines; this remains a topic of debate among paleontologists. Like most dinosaurs, Amargasaurus is know from a single specimen discovered in Argentina.

Click me to learn about one of the first dinosaurs to appear on earth.

Reference: text is from the park placard with minor edits.

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Iridescent Plumage

shiver me timbers

March 29, 2022March 28, 2022 MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

The third of my postings about the peafowl of Cape Canaveral…..we had our most intimate interactions on a Oak Lane, a small unpaved road off a Circle K (roadside convenience store). At one point a peacock approached Pam on the open windowed passenger side and almost pecked her.

The iridescent coloration is an illusion created by the structure of fine feather elements, called barbules. The impression on peahens varies with viewing angle, between 90 (head on) and 45 degrees to either side. The peacock will shiver his train when faced with a favored peahen.

Click me for the first post of this series, “Male and Female Peafowl.”

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Train of the Male Peafowl

And some history about the “Peacock Neighborhood” of Cape Canaveral

March 28, 2022March 26, 2022 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

February is Peafowl mating season and for Cape Canaveral the displays were especially fine. These were captured on a photography expedition via automobile, being especially fortunate in observing peacocks (male peafowl) on high perches oriented perfectly to display the magnificent train (trail).

Here is some information on Reddit from “Mr_mayhem77 “According to locals, the Eberwein family lived between Port Canaveral and what is now the Villages of Seaport. In fact a street is actually named after them (Eberwein Drive) at the northern edge of Cape Canaveral. They had the peafowl among many farm animals. The family moved in 1986 and abandoned the peafowls. Over the years the peafowl have slowly populated our community with the greatest concentration being north of Central Ave.”

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Male and Female Peafowl

Peacock Neighborhood, Cape Canaveral I

March 27, 2022March 28, 2022 MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

On a day February 2022 Pam and I decided to walk the beach starting from Cheri Down Park, Ridgewood Avenue, Cape Canaveral headed north toward Jetty Park hoping to catch a postponed rocket launch rescheduled for that afternoon. We were encouraged to find video news crew positioned near the park entrance as these professionals were in the know for the best spots to watch the spectacle.

We walked a mile or so, more than halfway to Jetty Park, when the word circulated the rocket launch was cancelled. Rather than turn around, we decided to explore the walkway that opens on “Peacock Beach” as Google Map listed a public parking space there, quite a bit closer to Jetty Park. This park charges a hefty entrance fee to non-residents, so we were parking at Cheri Down, we saved $10 for each mile walked.

Having leisure, we decided to walk back to Cheri Down the long way. In what turned out to be a 1.7 mile stroll we encountered these residents for which the beach is named. Then and there Pam and I decided to return for a dedicated photography expedition, the results of which I will share over several posts.