Wakodahatchee Field Guide, Page 1

Introduction

Palm Beach’s Wakodahatchee Wetlands is a 50 acre artificial wetland that was created by the Palm Beach Water Utilities department on unused utility land to provide a wetland habitat for wildlife and migrating birds as well as a natural way to return purified water to the aquifers. It’s name is derived from the the Seminole language and means “created water”. Wakodahatchee is one or two artificial wetlands in Delray Beach, and offers a much smaller and more intimate setting that it’s sister site, Green Cay. Wakodahatchee features a 3/4 mile elevated boardwalk trail so patrons can observe and photograph the wildlife within the wetland areas. Due to it’s size, and the boardwalk’s location in the heart of the wetlands, Wakodahathcee provides a very intimate environment for observing and photographing wildlife.

Female Alligator lies motionless in glassy early morning water.

The wetlands attract over 140 species of birds, snakes, turtles, alligators, and other wildlife. Wakodahatchee is open from sunrise to sunset, providing great access during “golden hour” for photographers. The refuge features a verity of different wetland environments, from open water areas used by fishing birds to emergent marsh areas and shallows for wading birds, to small islands and lightly forested areas. There are even small grassy areas where it’s common to see rabbits, raccoons and other small mammals.

Wildlife

When visiting the wetlands, the resident wildlife will vary depending on time of day and year. Wildlife typically seen consists of waterfowl, wading birds, fishing and diving birds, birds of prey, small mammals like rabbits and raccoons, and reptiles such as turtles, snakes and the alligators. Moorhens, egrets, herons and various birds of prey as well as many smaller birds like Palm Warblers are seen year round. Activity picks up during the winter as migratory birds start arriving. In addition during the winter months, Red-winged Blackbirds, Purple Gallinule and Double-crested Cormorant become more visible.

Peak season is in the late winter and spring, which the majority of birds are nesting or rearing young. Things settle down more in during the hot summer with the exception of Tri-colored herons, who are quite active rearing their young at that time. The fall is probably the quietest season, offering only limited opportunities with resident birds, Anhinga, Heron, and Egrets dominate the limited population during this time.

The resident reptile population consists of American Alligators, and several species of turtles. The alligator population is quite strong for such a small area, including breeding. Alligators can be found in all sizes from fully mature adults to freshly hatched juveniles depending on the time of the year.

A Green Heron standing on the boardwalk rail streches its neck

Wakodahachee Map

Wakodahachee Map