Great Pics...

Hopefully those over grown lizards will stay south of the border...LOL However, I think a few have been spotted in Chesapeake a few years ago...Maybe it's hard for them to migrate up this way...They probably need a lesson on how to work the locks in the Intercoastal Waterway!!! LOL

Great Pictures....Hey all of you up there in NY...those pics of your lizards that you all posted a few weeks ago...this is what's coming to your neighborhood soon LOL!!!

We never had alligators or even Pelicans a few years back...now we have sightings of alligators and Pelicans are everywhere...global warming!!!

Laura in VB

Wow, I didnt knwo alligators actually lived in the Virginia Beach area (even if they arent common). Can they actually live in the winter. It gets pretty cold even in VB during the witner (defiantely colder than FL)
They defiantely arent common here (but Im pretty sure there have been a few reports in NYC, but not in the sewers lol. The ones that were reported probably escaped from a pet store, or were released by pet owners who didnt have room for there baby alligator anymore (pretty sure pet alligators are illegal without a lisence, but that wont stop people!)
Also have been some dolphins in the area, but they have to be redirected southward or else they will die in the winter. I actually think one year (maybe summer 2008) dolphins were traveling north on the Delaware river and they had to stop boat traffic so they can lure the dolphins south. Also a few off the NJ and Long Island coast, but Im sure they return them down to Florida when possible.

I can live without the aligators, but pelicans would be pretty cool to see around here(the herons are always welcome). I dont think Dolphins will be living here long term though, at least not outside!

Also great pics dixieboy. That sabal is pretty huge, and they are very rarely grown from seed so its cool to see one actually get large from seed within a person's lifetime :)

Good luck.

I looked some things up about pelicans and find out they are around here too. Brown pelicans breed from coastal maryland southward, but they apparently are sighted in Deleware, NJ, and NY in abundance at times with increasing populations every year. They have attempted to breed here too, but are not known to have been successful (yet). It was only 20 years ago when they were near extinction and now they are off the endangered species list all together.

If we get even warmer 10 years from now who knows what the coasts of NJ, NY ,and even cape cod will look like.

That gator looked to be very healthy, i wondered if it had been gett'in into my wifes home made cheese biscuits!! lol

Our cycas was planted as a seedling also, it's the only plant here that i have to throw a tarp over every now & then.
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I had no idea there were gators in North Carolina! It's good to see palms growing so well that far north. Maybe that sabal is a Mexicana and that's why it grows so fast?

Very nice cycad! Well worth the occasional cover during those cold nights.

Oh yes, gators have always been part of the scene all the way up to the Va/NC border in the eastern part of the state.
Also there are two species of palms native to NC, sabal palmetto & sabal minor, surprise!! lol

Thanks, the cycas has been with us quite a few years now.

Someone let had pet gators get too large in Massapequa, Long Island in the late 80s (mild winters)and let them go in a lake that faced the Great South Bay. They survived a couple years until homes along the lake called 911 because the three gators were getting too large 6 feet or so and scaring people and eating all the foul.

Alligators actually dig underground (in the water) during cold periods (below freezing) so they probably could manage to live in our area, but I found out that it can take up to 20 years for an alligator to mature in NC because it must dig under the ground to survive (which means they arent eating as much). By 20 years alot of them are eaten and NY is alot colder than coastal NC so who knows how old an alligator would have to be before being mature enough to breed (if it even would live to that age). Its still cool to think they have the ability to survive in a cool place!

You can spot them sometimes alongside the road lay'in in a marshy area.
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Dear dixieboy your yard looks very good,you have a good eye for landscaping.It looks like most of the palms you have showed in your pics are some type of Sabal Palm,Ive seen your Butia Capitata and the Cycads in your pics.I wish I could find somebody here that has more of the Sabal family of Palms besides Sabal Minor,thats all I can find as for as Sabals go.Mostely here you find Trachycarpus Fortunei,BuitaCapitata,Rhapidophyllum Hystrix,Sabal Minor.Dont get me wrong Im not complaining,atleast I can get these palms.Im talking about buying them locally.I get some mail oder catalogs but they want between 15 to 30 dollars of a 24oz pot,then you got to pay shipping an handeling,by the time you do that you have paid alot of money for seedlings.Besides most have a minum oder of 40 dollars or more before S&H,and then you dont really know what kind of shape the plants will arrive in.I dont know about you but I like to see what Im buying in person.Well I hope mabey in the near future I can find more diffrent types of cold hardy palms at my local nurserys.Once again I like your design and creative layout of your yard,everything looks great.

Thank you for the compliments & fortunately there is a nursery nearby that cold hardy palms are over 50% of his business but more than that he don't see you as a big pocket book come'in but as another palm nut that he instantly makes friends with. It's Gary's nursery if you're ever in the New Bern,NC area but he doesn't ship.

Large pods of dolphins are very common summer visitors here on the Delaware coast. Have seen lots up on the Central NJ coast as well.

Pelicans are a bit more rare. Have seen small flocks or solo pelicans as far north as Long Beach Island, NJ. The northern most nesting colony of Pelicans is on Smith Island, MD in the Chesapeake Bay which was news maker about a decade ago. Their territory is indeed expanding northwards.

Had 3 confirmed roseate spoon bills here in Delaware two summers ago.

Dixieboy are you in zone 8 out there on the coast? I have been to plants delight nursery in Raliegh. But by looking at your yard I need to make the road trip to Garys and replace my Birminghams and Brazorias with some larger size ones. Just love your sabal minors!

Wetsuiter, ha, had completely forgotten about this post from 09!! Including a pic of wood storks that have extended it's range to the NC coast. Thanks

Chadec, i like to think our zone is maybe an 8+. Gary will fix you right up with whatever you need & is good people to boot! Thanks
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