There’s no “Cutest Critter in Florida” contest but, if there were, I can name a few contestants. The diminutiveKey deer, for one. The seagrass-munchingmanatee for another. And, of course, the friendly Florida scrub jay.
You may not be familiar with the scrub jay. Contrary to what The Trashmen used to sing, not everybody’s heard about the bird. They’re classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, which means they’re not fluttering all over the state.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one, though, you’ll find it quite charming. I once visitedOscar Scherer State Park in Osprey accompanied by a ranger who knew how to summon scrub jays. One swooped in and landed right on my photographer’s head. It stood there as the photographer handed me her camera and I took the bird’s picture.
Not everyone is a fan of these little birds, though. While I was in Charlotte County recently, I heard about a lawsuit aimed at robbing scrub jays of their federal protection…