* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:09] YOU CAN SAY, SO THIS IS A LITTLE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR. IT'S NOT A CROCODILE. OKAY. HERE WE GO. HERE'S A COUPLE MORE. IN FACT, ONE OF THEM JUST FLU DURING THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO DO A LOT OF THE TRAVELING THAT WE TYPICALLY DO WITH COASTAL KINGDOM. BUT WHAT WE FOUND IS THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF NEAT ANIMALS THAT LIVE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PICK UP SOME GREAT FOOTAGE AND STILL MAINTAIN STRICT SOCIAL DISTANCING. IN FACT, WE EVEN SHOT SOME OF THIS STUFF ON CELL PHONES. SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT LIFE IN A LOW COUNTRY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT LIVES RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. I'M RIGHT OUT HERE IN FRONT OF THE NATURE CENTER. AND I SEE A LITTLE ARMADILLO WHO JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THIS BUSH. WE CAN SNEAK IN. IT'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF THEM. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE'D BE MORE THAN TWO. WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY BEFORE RICHARD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE LEFT, BUT HERE'S ONE RIGHT HERE. LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS. WHAT HAPPENS IS ONE EGG CLEAVES TWICE. SO YOU GET FOUR IDENTICAL, YOUNG, FOUR COMPLETE CLONES IN EACH AND HERE THEY COME. I CAN GET HIM TO WALK OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. NOW, THESE GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR GRUBS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS. SO THE ROOTING AROUND IN THE GROUND, TRYING TO FIND EARTH, WORMS AND GRUBS AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF. YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL WITH ARMY DELOS BECAUSE TECHNICALLY THEY CAN CARRY HANSEN'S DISEASE OR LEPROSY, BUT PEOPLE TYPICALLY DO NOT GET THAT FROM ARMADILLOS. THESE ARE YOUNGSTERS FOR SURE, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABSOLUTE BABIES. WHEN THEY FIRST COME OUT OF THE BOROUGH, THEY'RE REALLY PINK AND SMALLER THAN THIS. IF THESE GUYS ARE NOT VERY BIG, NO ARMADILLOS WERE NOT HERE HISTORICALLY. SO PROBABLY OUR POPULATION OF ARMADILLOS CAME FROM OUT WEST AND WERE TAKEN TO FLORIDA AND THEN MOVED NORTH FROM FLORIDA HERE TO SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE WE ARE BECOMES THIS LITTLE GUY RIGHT HERE, BACK OFF A LITTLE BIT. MAYBE THEY'LL WALK LATER. HERE WE GO. SO WE'RE RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF THE WATER FEATURE AND PRESENT NATURE CENTER, MAN, THIS IS FUN. YOU KNOW, ARMADILLOS ARE TOOTHLESS MAMMALS EAT DEN TATES. AND SO THEY HAVE TEETH, BUT THEY HAVE VERY SMALL KIND OF TAKE SHAPE TEETH, VERY DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF OTHER ANIMALS. ANYWAY, ARMADILLOS, MAN, YOU RARELY GET A CHANCE TO BE THIS CLOSE TO THIS IS FUN STUFF. NOT, NOT EVERYBODY LIKES ARMADILLOS. I KIND OF AM FASCINATED BY HIM, BUT NOT EVERYBODY LIKES HIM, I GUESS. AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A NICE LAWN IN ARMADALE MAKES IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, BUT THEY DO SOME GOOD THINGS. THEY FIRE ANTS, WHICH IS GOOD. AND NO, THEY'RE NOT SO BAD THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT GET A REAL KICK OUT OF THIS. SO THIS IS A CORN SNAKE THAT I JUST CAUGHT, I MEAN, MINUTES AGO. AND I'D PUT HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE TREE BECAUSE I WANTED YOU GUYS TO SEE HOW GOOD A CLIMBERS THEY ARE. I'M GOING TO MOVE IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND YOU NOTICE HOW THE EDGE OF THE SCALES ARE SLIGHTLY CURVED. AND SO ON A CORN SNAKE, THEY CAN USE THOSE IRREGULAR SCALES TO GRIP ROUGH PARTS IN THE BARK AND GO STRAIGHT UP THE TRUNK OF A TREE. IT'S A GREAT TRICK. AND OF COURSE THIS WORKS REALLY WELL TO RAT SNAKES AND CORN SNAKES THAT CAN GET UP HIGH, WHERE THEY CAN CATCH MICE AND RATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND BIRDS AND YES, OCCASIONALLY BLUEBIRDS, ALTHOUGH YELLOW RAT SNAKES ARE GENERALLY THE ONE THAT GETS INTO TROUBLE FOR THAT. ANYWAY, CORN SNAKE, NON VENOMOUS. OF COURSE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING REALLY COOL. THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN MY PARENTS' YARD. YOU GOT TO CHECK THIS OUT. OKAY. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THIS BLUEBIRD BOX, THERE ARE SOME TELLTALE CHEW MARKS RIGHT AROUND THE OPENING, AND I'M PRETTY SURE I KNOW WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS. AND I SAW A HEAD POKING OUT JUST A MINUTE AGO. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS OPEN THE SIDE OF THIS. I THINK I KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE INSIDE. LET'S LOOK RIGHT IN HERE AND LOOK AT THIS GUYS. THEY'RE BABY FLYING SQUIRRELS, WHERE THEY ARE REALLY [00:05:01] CUTE, BUT REALLY AMAZING ANIMALS. SO THESE ARE ONE OF THE TRUE GLIDING MAMMALS THAT WE HAVE. AND SO THESE GUYS CAN RUN UP A TREE AND THEN JUMP OFF AND THEY SPREAD THAT FLAP OF SKIN THAT'S BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK LEGS AND FORM JUST A WONDERFUL LITTLE PARACHUTE OF SORTS. AND THEY CAN GLIDE OFF TO THE AIR AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, GLIDE COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET. SO THESE GUYS RAN OUT OF THE BOX AND I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE TREE RIGHT HERE. AND OF COURSE THESE ANIMALS ARE, CAN YOU SEE THEM RIGHT? AND TO SEE HOW CLOSE I CAN GET WITH THAT SCARING HIM THERE HE IS RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE TREE. THERE'S ONE OF THEM, MAN. THEY ARE AMAZING ANIMALS. YOU CAN SEE THAT SKIN THAT GOES BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK FEET. SO WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO IS RUN UP TO THE TOP OF A TREE AND THEN IF THEY GET STARTLED, THEY CAN JUMP OFF. AND, BUT YOU NOTICE THEY'RE REALLY CRYPTIC. SO THEY BLEND IN BEAUTIFULLY WITH THIS PINE BARK ON THIS TREE, JUST HOW BIG THE EYES ARE. SO THESE GUYS ARE NOCTURNAL OR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN SEE IN VERY LOW LIGHT, EARLY MORNING, LATE AT NIGHT. NOW THEY EAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING, ALL KINDS OF NUTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, PLANT MATERIAL, BUT THEY ALSO CAN EAT INSECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. SO I'M GOING TO LOOP BACK OFF AND LEAVE THESE GUYS ALONE REALLY? OKAY. SO HERE'S A MALE GREEN AND OVER THAT, I JUST CAUGHT THIS LIKE GOOD LUCK AND MALE. IT'S TRYING TO BITE ME A LITTLE BIT. DID YOU NOTICE THAT THROAT FAN IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE THAT DOULA AND THAT TELLS ME THAT IT'S A MALE AND IT'S A MATURE MALE AND IT JUST CAUGHT THIS GUY ON THE FENCE. THIS IS HIS TERRITORY. AND SO IF ANOTHER MALE SHOWS UP, HE'S GOING TO RUN IT OFF. ALSO, HE MAY HAVE A HAREM OF SIX TO EIGHT FEMALES THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA AS WELL. SO I'M GOING TO PUT HIM BACK DOWN AND LET HIM, LET HIM HEAD OUT AND GO ON WITH HIS DAY. SO GUYS, THIS LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO GREEN AND OLDERS. AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE TWO LIZARDS TERRITORY AND THE OTHER ONE DOES NOT WANT TO LEAVE. AND BACK OFF I NOTICED THE HEAD BOBBING, OH, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET UGLY. AND ONE OF THEM NEEDS TO BACK DOWN. OTHERWISE IT'S GOING TO TURN TO A NOAH'S EQUIVALENT OF FISTICUFFS. THERE WE GO FIGHT. WOW. IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. GENERALLY, THEY DON'T HURT EACH OTHER, BUT ONE OF THEM MAY FALL OFF THE FENCE. OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE HE CHASED THE OTHER GUY OFF. I GET A LOT OF WILDLIFE CALLS. YOU SAY SOMEONE HAS DISCOVERED SOMETHING IN THEIR YARD OR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY EITHER WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY WANT IT GONE. I LOVE THESE CALLS BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S SOMETHING REALLY UNUSUAL. THERE IS AN ALLIGATOR THAT HAS FALLEN IN THIS FOUNTAIN AND, UH, IT LOOKS PRETTY SMALL AND YOU NEVER KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME NEGATIVE CONNOTATION FROM THE WATER, BUT WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO GET HIM OUT. I'M SURE WHAT HAPPENED IS HE WAS JUST WANDERING AROUND LAST NIGHT AFTER THE RAIN AND THEN FELL INTO THIS WATER FEATURE. SO I'M GOING TO GET IN AND GET HIM OUT. OKAY. SO THIS ONE IS ABOUT, I THINK ABOUT THREE FEET LONG. FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS CHECK AND SEE IF IT'S MARKED BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME MARKED ANIMALS, ENTREPRENEUR ISLAND, BOY, THEY'RE SO STRONG. EVEN AT THIS SIZE, THE ABILITY TO FLEX THE BODY. IT'S JUST AMAZING. I'M HOLDING THEM IN A WAY THAT I WON'T HURT HIM AT ALL, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S FOOD HERE, THERE'S VOCALIZATIONS. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S A RESIDUAL CALL FROM WHEN THEY'RE BABIES AND WHEN THEY CALL THEM HOME ON THE BIKE BITE, EVEN AT THIS TIME SIZE WOULD BE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S TAKE THIS GUY SOMEPLACE ELSE AND LET HIM GO. ALL RIGHT, THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT SPOT. I'M GOING TO LET THIS LITTLE GUY GO, RIGHT? SO WE LET HIM GO RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE HOUSE. SO THERE'S A CHANCE HE'LL COME BACK, BUT I DON'T THINK HE WANTS TO FALL BACK INTO THAT FOUNTAIN. HEY GUYS, HERE'S A BAT THAT I JUST FOUND IN A HOUSE. NOW HE LOOKS REALLY FIERCE HERE CAUSE HE FEELS REALLY THREATENED. BUT KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS A BENEFICIAL ANIMAL AND IT'S REALLY NOT HARMFUL AT ALL. I KNOW, I KNOW THEY LOOK, LOOK DANGEROUS, BUT THEY'RE NOT A BIG. AND THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT BATS IS HOW SMALL THEY ARE. I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY THINK THEY'RE MUCH, MUCH BIGGER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE. AND I'M GOING TO PUT MY FINGER OVER HERE TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN IDEA JUST HOW SMALL THIS GUY IS. YOU LOOK FROM THE SIDES, YOU CAN SEE THAT MEMBRANOUS WING. AND OF COURSE THESE ARE TERRIFIC FLIERS. IT'S, IT'S THE ONLY TRUE FLYING MAMMAL BATCH OF THE ONLY TRUE FLYING MAMMALS THAT WE HAVE. UM, LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE NICK TO SEE US, WHICH IS, UH, EVENING BACK. [00:10:09] ANYWAY, BATCH LOOK FIERCE, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE AROUND A SINGLE BAT CAN EAT THOUSANDS OF FLYING INSECTS IN A SINGLE NIGHT. ANYWAY, I PUT THEM OUT TO YOU GUYS COULD SEE THEM, BUT I'M GOING TO PUT THEM OVER IN THIS BUSH AND LEAVE THEM ALONE. GUYS. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING REALLY COOL THAT A FRIEND OF MINE CAUGHT CHECK THIS OUT. SO TELL ME IF YOU KNOW WHAT THIS ANIMAL IS. I MEAN, IT IS REALLY ODD LOOKING IN THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A RACCOON, IT'S A BLONDE RACCOON. IT'S OBVIOUSLY MISSING SOME OF THE, THE BLACK PIGMENT OR DARK PIGMENT. IT MAY BE HYPO MELONIS TICK. I'M NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE, BUT I MEAN, IT IS A REALLY INTERESTING LOOKING ANIMAL AND UH, JUST REALLY, REALLY ODD LOOKING OF COURSE IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER RACCOON, JUST LIKE IN SOME OF THE PIGMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTICE IS LOOK AT THE HAND TIME, THIS RACCOON IS GROUND A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF COURSE HE FEELS PRETTY THREATENED IN THE CAGE, IN THE TRAP, BUT LOOK AT THE DEXTROUS. WOW, THAT WAS EXCITING. I GUESS I BETTER BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. THEY HAVE JUST TREMENDOUS DEXTERITY IN THE HANDS AND BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT PUTTING MY HANDS ANYWHERE NEAR THAT CAGE. HE LOOKS CUTE, BUT HE WOULD BITE YOU FOR SURE. AND YOU KNOW, RACCOONS, YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH RACCOONS. THEY'RE WILD ANIMALS AND THEY ARE TOUGH CUSTOMERS FOR SURE. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE. I MEAN, THEY ARE AMAZING CREATURES. THEY REALLY ARE. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS A LITTLE GUY AND LET HIM GO IN A GOOD SPOT WHERE HE DOESN'T GET INTO ANY TROUBLE. CUT THIS LITTLE BEAUTIFUL BIRD IN THE COUPLERS, UH, IS ACTUALLY IN THEIR FIREPLACE AND IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE CHIMNEY SWIFT BOY, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL, BUT JUST WHILE WE HAVE IT BEFORE I LET IT GO, I THOUGHT WE'D LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE LOOK AT THE WINGS, THESE ARE ACROBATIC FLIERS AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT, UM, MANEUVERABILITY FOR SURE TO CATCH INSECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, ALSO THE MOUTH IS BUILT FOR CATCHING INSECTS AND KIND OF OPENING IT UP VERY WIDE AND CATCHING, FLYING INSECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I'M GOING TO WALK RIGHT OVER HERE AND I'M GOING TO PUT THIS LITTLE GUY RIGHT ON HERE TO THIS TREE. THEIR FEET I NOTICED ARE REALLY INTERESTING. THEY HAVE GREAT FEET THAT ARE VERY GOOD AT GRIPPING SORT OF HER. THERE IT GOES, BOY, THAT WAS FANTASTIC. I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT IT, BUT BOY, IT FLEW OFF PERFECTLY. THAT'S A LOT OF FUN. THIS IS KRISTIN MATTSON AND KRISTEN'S A TERRIFIC NATURALIST. IN FACT, WE WORK TOGETHER AT THE LOW COUNTRY INSTITUTE ON SPRING ISLAND. KRISTEN, THANKS FOR LETTING US COME VISIT YOUR YARD. WELL, THANKS FOR COMING TONY. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE COOL STUFF THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN OUR BACKYARD. SO I CAN TELL YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WHOLE BUNCH TO MAKE THIS YARD ECO-FRIENDLY. SO LIKE WHAT SORTS OF THINGS HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? UM, IN GENERAL, WE TRY NOT TO USE A LOT OF PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'VE PLANTED MOSTLY NATIVE SPECIES. UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO ATTRACT POLLINATORS, UH, ATTRACT BIRDS, DIFFERENT KINDS OF FEED. SO WE HAVE A TON OF BIRD FEEDERS THAT ATTRACT ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS TO THE BIRD. PETER'S APPARENTLY NOT. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY THESE NATIVE PLANTS ARE SO IMPORTANT. WELL, THE NATIVE SPECIES THAT WE HAVE ARE ADAPTED TO OUR LOCAL CONDITIONS, SO IT DOESN'T REQUIRE FERTILIZER OR SUPPLEMENTAL WATERING ONCE THEY'RE ESTABLISHED. SO WE REALLY DON'T IRRIGATE AT ALL, WHICH IS REALLY NICE. AND THEN THEY ALSO ARE THE PLANTS THAT SUPPORT OUR NATIVE POLLINATORS, THAT SUPPORT UH CATERPILLAR'S THAT THE BIRDS LIKE TO EAT. SO I'M KIND OF DISTRACTED. I KEEP LOOKING AROUND, THERE'S LOTS OF BUZZING AND THERE'S LOTS OF INSIGHTS, BLIND, ROUNDED, BUTTERFLIES. I MEAN, THAT'S THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LIKE IS WE CAN COME OUT HERE AND YOU CAN JUST HEAR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, ANIMALS THAT ARE HERE IN THE YARD. AND WE HAVE THIS REALLY LIKE AN OASIS OF HABITAT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE REALLY IN THE SUBURBS OF THE CITY, FROM WHAT YOU'VE TOLD ME, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF A FAMILY AFFAIR IN IT. ISN'T EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE THING. ABSOLUTELY. UM, MY HUSBAND HAS DONE ACTUALLY A LOT OF THE WORK ON THIS. UM, BUT WITH THE INSPIRATION THAT I'VE HAD SUCH A PASSION FOR NATIVE PLANTS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. AND SO IT'S REALLY TURNED INTO THIS AWESOME PLACE THAT ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN STUCK AT HOME WITH QUARANTINE, WE'RE ABLE TO COME OUT HERE AND ENJOY THIS ALL THE TIME. AND THE KIDS WANT TO BE OUTSIDE, RUNNING AROUND THE YARD A LOT. THEY DO, THEY MAKE FORTS AND THEY HIDE IN THE BUSHES AND THEY TRY TO CLIMB THE TREES AND THEY FIND ANIMALS AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF FUN OUT HERE. WELL, DO YOU WANT TO GO CHECK OUT THE ART? SURE. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO, KRISTEN. I SEE YOU HAVE SOME NICE CHERRY TREES HERE. YEAH. ONE OF THE REALLY NICE THINGS ABOUT THIS LOT WHEN WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE WAS THAT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW MATURE TREES ALREADY HERE. AND [00:15:01] SO THIS TREE PRODUCES A TON OF FRUIT. UH, DURING THE SUMMERTIME, THE BIRDS, THEY MAY NOT COME TO THE FEEDER, BUT THEY CAN COME IN HERE AND THEY CAN EAT THE FRUIT. AND THEN IN THE SPRING, WHEN THERE'S 10, CATERPILLAR'S ALL OVER THE TREE, THOSE ARE ALSO FOOD FOR THEM. AS WELL AS WE WALKED UP TO THE SASSAFRAS, WE NOTICED THAT SOME OF THESE LEAVES ARE FOLDED OVER. AND I THINK WE KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE THOSE RIGHT, KRISTEN, THIS IS A HOST PLANT FOR ONE OF OUR BUTTERFLIES AND INSIDE THE ROLLED LEAF IS THE CATERPILLAR SPICE, BLUE SWALLOWTAIL, CATERPILLAR. YOU CAN SEE THE WONDERFUL ICE SPOT AND THEY ALSO HAVE THESE LITTLE OSMO TERRARIUM. SO IF YOU DISTURB THE CATERPILLAR, IT STICKS THOSE LITTLE ORANGE THINGS OUT AND THEY SMELL PRETTY BAD. SO WHATEVER IS BOTHERING, IT WILL HOPEFULLY GO AWAY. YOU KNOW, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A SNAKE TONGUE THE WAY IT POKES OUT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THE YARD IS THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE FLOWERS FOR NECTAR, FOR BUTTERFLIES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE FOOD FOR THEIR LARVAE AS WELL. YEAH, OF COURSE. THIS IS GOING TO METAMORPHOSE INTO ONE OF OUR MOST BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES. IT'S SPICE, BUSH SWALLOWTAIL. YEP. KRISTEN, I SEE THE ZIP LINE HERE FOR THE KIDS. I MIGHT GIVE THIS A TRY A LITTLE BIT LATER. WE'LL DO THAT. KRISTEN. THIS MEADOW IS AMAZING. YEAH. WE ACTUALLY PLANTED MOST OF THIS FROM SEED IN AN AREA THAT THE DIRT WAS ALREADY DISTURBED AND THE POLLINATORS ABSOLUTELY LOVED A LOT OF BUZZING AROUND A LOT OF THINGS FLYING AROUND IN THESE FLOWERS. YEAH. NATIVE POLLINATORS ARE ONE OF OUR GROUPS OF ANIMALS THAT ARE HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, DUE TO PESTICIDE USE AND LAND CLEARING HABITAT CHANGE. AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO TRY TO HAVE AS MUCH DIVERSITY IN OUR YARD AS POS. AND THE OTHER THING IS THESE, AREN'T THE TYPE IT'S NOT DANGEROUS TO HAVE THESE THINGS. NO, THEY DON'T. THEY REALLY DON'T SING AS LONG AS CERTAINLY AS LONG AS YOU DON'T BOTHER THAT. AND THEY DON'T JUST NEED FLOWERS, THEY NEED NATIVE PLANTS AND NATIVE FLOWERS, RIGHT. NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PRODUCING PAULA. AND A LOT OF TIMES THE CULTIVATED STUFF YOU BUY, IT'S BEEN BRED NOT TO REPRODUCE. AND SO THEY DON'T PRODUCE THE NECTAR AND THE POLLEN THAT THE INSECTS NEED. HEY FISHER, HEY DYLAN, HOW ARE YOU GUYS? SO THIS IS A REALLY COOL YARD. WHAT, WHAT SORTS OF THINGS DO YOU GUYS SEE HERE? WHAT KIND OF ANIMALS, MAN? I LOVE HOGNOSE SNAKE. SO THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL TO SEE IN THE YARD? CLEAN YOUR FLOCKS TREE FROG. YEAH. AND TREAT PRODUCTS. OF COURSE EAT BUGS TOO. SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE FUN. AND YOU SAID LEGLESS LIZARDS TOO, RIGHT? THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NEAT TOO. I LOVE THOSE THINGS. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN THE BACKYARD? KITCHEN. LOSER. YEAH. HE LOVES TO CATCH GREEN AND OLD. T-SHIRTS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO CATCH YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE MR. TONY TO SEE WHAT WE FOUND IN THE FRONT YARD. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO. SO WHAT'S IN HERE GUYS. I CAN SEE IT. YEAH. IT'S GOT THREE CHICKS STICKING THEIR HEADS UP. KNOW I SAW A BIRD FLY OUT JUST A SECOND AGO. IS IT? SO WHAT IS IT? WHAT KIND OF NEST IS IT? YEAH, SO IT'S A CARDINAL NEST. THE OTHER DAY. WE WERE OUT HERE IN THE FRONT YARD AND WE HEARD THE BABY'S MAKING ALL SORTS OF NOISE AND THEN SAW MOM FLY OUT. SO IT'S YEAH, THEY'RE GETTING PRETTY BIG. AREN'T THEY, THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FEATHERS ON THEM, BUT THAT'S REALLY NEAT GUYS. YEAH. WE GET TO SEE ALL SORTS OF COOL STUFF IN A YARD. LIKE IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO COME OUT AND WANDER AROUND YOU MAKE DISCOVERIES. WELL, SO THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL YARD AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR BIRDS, BUT IT DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T START LOOKING LIKE THAT. I MEAN, HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN HERE? WE'VE REALLY ONLY BEEN WORKING ON THE YARD FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS. AND WHEN WE MOVED IN, IT WAS PRETTY OVERGROWN BECAUSE IT HADN'T HAD PEOPLE LIVING HERE FOR AWHILE. AND WHAT THAT ALLOWED US TO DO WAS TAKE SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT WERE GROWING HERE AND LEAVE THEM IN PLACE OR EVEN MOVE THEM. AND THIS TREE ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE BACKYARD AND WE MOVED IT UP HERE AND IT HAD FOUR OR FIVE LEAVES ON IT WHEN WE, YEAH. IT, I MEAN, IT'S GROWN REALLY WELL. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB HERE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US COME VISIT. YEAH. WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND ACTUALLY I SEE THE MOM CARDINAL IS RIGHT OVER THERE, READY TO BRING SOME FOOD. SO WE BETTER GET OUTTA HERE. THERE ARE SOME SPECIES OF ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SEEM TO BE ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. THINGS LIKE BLUE JAYS AND GRAY SQUIRRELS ARE REALLY, REALLY COMMON, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME SPECIES LIVE IN YOUR YARD THAT ARE SO SECRETIVE. YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THERE GUYS HERE IS A ROSY WOLF SNAIL, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FASTEST SNAILS WE HAVE. IN FACT, THEY WILL CHASE DOWN ANY OTHER SNAILS AND LOOK AT IT, USING THOSE TENTACLES TO KIND OF TELL WHAT'S AROUND IT. IS THERE ANOTHER SNAIL AROUND COURSE, IT CAN FOLLOW A TRAIL OF ANOTHER SNAIL. AND YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS KIND OF STRANGE TO THINK OF A SNAIL. IS I JUST SCARED? IT UNFORTUNATELY SEEMS KIND OF STRANGE TO THINK OF A SNAIL IS CHASING DOWN AND CATCHING ANOTHER SNAIL, BUT SPEED [00:20:01] IS RELATIVE. SO YOU JUST GOTTA BE FASTER THAN THE OTHER SNAIL. NOW NOTE THAT I'M SCARED OF HIM. AND I PICKED THIS GUY UP. IF I TURN IT OVER, YOU CAN SEE IT'S KIND OF PULLED INSIDE. AND THAT'S WHAT A SNAIL SHELL IS SO GOOD FOR. IT'S REALLY GOOD AT PROTECTING THE, THE SOFT PARTS OF THE BODY. YOU GLAND IN A ROSEA AND VERY PINK, VERY PRETTY SNAIL FOR SURE. BUT THESE GUYS ARE REALLY GOOD AT KILLING AND EATING OTHER SNAIL SPECIES AND LEAD SLUGS SOMETIMES TOO. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TENTACLES, THERE'S ACTUALLY EYE STALKS AND THEN THERE'S SOME TENTACLES THAT ARE POINTING DOWN IN THOSE TENTACLES OR WHAT THEY USE FOR SORT OF ALL FACTIONS. IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE THEIR SENSE OF SMELL AND NAILS ARE REALLY GOOD AT PICKING UP ON CHEMICAL SIGNALS THAT ARE AROUND THEM. ANYWAY, REALLY COOL GUYS. I FOUND SOME KIND OF NEAT. IT IS A BLACK WIDOW, SPIDER FEMALE. I ACTUALLY FOUND THE EGG CASE. AND THEN I SAW THIS BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL. NOW OF COURSE, THIS IS A REALLY VENOMOUS SPIDER. SO THE BITE FROM IT IS REALLY, REALLY BAD. SO YOU DON'T WANT TO GET BIT BY ONE. THIS WAS UNDER SOMETHING AS THEY OFTEN ARE. SO GENERALLY YOU DON'T SEE BLACK WIDOWS, UNLESS YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT'S BELOW GROUND LEVEL, SOMETHING LIKE A WATER METER SOMETIMES SORT OF ON THE SIDE OF A DITCH AND A ROTTEN LOG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NOW I'M GOING TO FLIP IT OVER SO YOU CAN SEE THE BACK A LITTLE BIT. THIS ONE'S NOT REALLY COOPERATING, BUT THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL SPIDERS, BUT THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THESE IS DON'T HANDLE THEM, I GUESS LIKE I AM RIGHT NOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'VE GOT HIM SO THAT HE'S ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE STICK THAT I'M HOLDING ANYWAY, BLACK WIDOW AND THESE ARE PRETTY COMMON. THEY'RE JUST VERY, VERY SECRETIVE. I'M GOING TO PUT HIM DOWN HER DOWN ACTUALLY AND SEE IF SHE'LL CALL OFF. AND THERE SHE GOES. THE OTHER DAY I WAS WALKING AROUND THE YARD AND I FOUND THIS EGG SHELL. I HAD PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT IT WAS, BUT I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE. I KNEW IT WAS A REPTILE SHELL, BUT I KNEW WHAT IT MIGHT BE, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL MY WIFE FOUND THIS AND HE REACHED DOWN AND GRABBED THIS AND HERE IS A LITTLE BABY BOX TURTLE. SO THIS IS THIS YEAR'S HATCH. AND WHAT LIKELY HAPPENED IS THERE WAS A NEST IN THE BACKYARD AND ONE OF THE FEMALES LAID EGGS AND THE EGGS HATCHED PROBABLY IN THE LATE FALL AND THEN THE LITTLE BABIES OVER WINTER, DIDN'T THE NEST. IT DIDN'T COME OUT UNTIL THE SPRING. SO FAIRLY RECENTLY NOW WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD BOX TOTAL REPRODUCTION EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO, TO FIND ONE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL ADULTS. AND SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO THE PARENTS ARE, BUT I DO KNOW WHERE A MALE IS AND HE'S VERY CLOSE BY. SO I CAN, I THINK I CAN GRAB HIM AND WE CAN HAVE A LOOK AT HIM. SO LET ME PUT THIS GUY BACK IN. AND THEN IF WE COME RIGHT OVER HERE AND LOOK WHAT I FOUND, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOX TURTLES. THIS IS A BIG MALE TRY AND GET AHOLD OF NIKE'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST BOX TURTLES I'VE EVER SEEN. AND I KNOW HE'S A MALE BECAUSE IF I FLIP HIM OVER HIS BELLY, SCOOPED OUT THE PLASTIC WHEN IT'S SCOOPED OUT AND THAT'S CHARACTERISTIC ALSO, HE'S GOT BRIGHT RED EYES. FEMALES WOULD HAVE BROWN EYES ANYWAY. IT'S REALLY COOL. SO WE HAVE SHOVEL BOX TURTLES IN THE BACKYARD. NOW SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN IN CAPTIVITY FOR, I THINK 47 YEARS NOW. HE'D BEEN IN THIS BACKYARD FOR AS LONG AS WE'VE LIVED HERE AND I'VE HAD THEM IN CAPTIVITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS. NOW WE WOULD RELEASE HIM IF WE COULD, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY ORIGINALLY CAME FROM. ANYWAY, IT'S NEAT TO KNOW, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE BOX TURTLES, BUT THEY'RE REPRODUCING AND DOING WELL RIGHT HERE IN THE BACKYARD, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN. I MEAN, THIS WETLAND RIGHT AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THIS WETLAND IS A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO HABITAT. I MEAN, THE BIRDS COMING IN HERE ARE JUST ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. NOW, A LOT OF THESE BIRDS ARE IBIS. THEY'RE WHITE IBIS. YOU'D SEE SOME IMMATURES WITH DARKER FEATHERS, BUT THEY'RE WHITE BIRDS WITH BLACK TIPS ON THEIR WINGS. AND THESE BIRDS RELY ON THIS SPOT FOR NESTING. AND I'LL TELL YOU, WHAT'S REALLY COOL. THEY'RE NOT EVEN REALLY HUNTING HERE BECAUSE THE CHICKS FEED ON FRESHWATER CRUSTACEANS, WHICH ARE SOME UP HERE, BUT MOSTLY WHAT THEY'RE HAVING TO DO IS FLY ALL THE WAY TO THE ACE BASIN, WHERE THEY CAN FIND ENOUGH CRAYFISH TO FEED THESE YOUNG. NOW THEY'RE FIDDLER CRABS JUST RUN AROUND THE CORNER, BUT FIDDLER CRABS DON'T WORK FOR BABY IBISES BECAUSE BABY [00:25:01] IBISES DON'T HAVE SALT GLANDS, SO THEY CAN'T EAT SALTY SORTS OF THINGS. SO FOR A WHILE, THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COLLECT CRAYFISH AND OTHER FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES. NOW WHAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS INITIALLY ONE PARENT HAS TO STAY WITH THE CHECKS ALL THE TIME TO PROTECT IT FROM THE HEAT AND FROM OVERHEATING, BUT EVENTUALLY THE CHICKS GET BIG ENOUGH WHERE THEY CAN MOVE AROUND THE NEST AND THEY CAN KIND OF GET IN THE SHADE. AND BOTH PARENTS ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET OUT AND COLLECT CRAYFISH BECAUSE THE GROWING CHICKS NEED SO MUCH. ANOTHER REASON THIS IS SUCH A GOOD SPOT IS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T A LOT OF THE TYPICAL PREDATORS HERE. AND ALSO THERE'S A MOAT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY AROUND THE ISLAND. AND THAT KEEPS RACCOONS FROM GETTING THERE. IN FACT, IF A RACCOON TRIED TO SWIM ACROSS AND THEY CAN SWIM, AN ALLIGATOR WOULD GET IT. AND IN THIS CASE, THAT'S REALLY GOOD PROTECTION. THE ALLIGATORS OCCASIONALLY EAT A BABY IVIS OR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT THEY KEEP THOSE RACCOONS OUT OF THE ROOKERY. SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF COOL ANIMALS THAT THEY LIVE RIGHT AROUND YOUR HOUSE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET OUT, WALK AROUND A LITTLE BIT. YOU MIGHT JUST HAVE A HABITAT LIKE THIS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT PRISTINE, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HABITAT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE AN IVIS. THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTAL KINGDOM. THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR AS MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY. WE, UH, WE LOOK UPON THIS LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE DECIDED TO COME HERE, TO BEGIN WITH AND ALSO TO STAY AS LONG AS WE DO. UH, WE'RE FROM CANADA, EASTERN CANADA, NEWFOUNDLAND, AND LABRADOR. AND, UH, WE SEEK OUT, UH, LENGTHY STAYS EACH WINTER WHERE TO GO. AND IN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IN FACT, IT'S A RETURN TO OUR FOURTH YEAR, UH, WHERE WE CAN ENJOY AN EXTENDED PERIOD, BUT ALSO HAVE A FULFILLING EXPERIENCE. AND FOR US BEING MY WIFE AND I LYNN, UH, BEING AVID READERS, WE FIND THAT THIS LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE BEST EQUIPPED, UH, THAT WE'VE EVER RUN INTO. UM, IT IS, WE'VE NEVER YET NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN A BOOK THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. AND THIS LIBRARY, PERHAPS DOESN'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE ROLE THAT PLAYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ATTRACTING PEOPLE NOT ONLY COME HERE, BUT TO SAY LONGER AND, UH, THEN PROVIDE, UH, A WONDERFUL, FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO DO THAT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.