2024 Nature Survey at Nelson's Spring, Nevis, KN

NOTE: This report is not finished yet -- it is currently still a work in progress.

During this year's 2024 visit to Nevis, I asked Miriam Knorr of NHCS (Nevis Historical and Conservation Society) if there was something I could do to be helpful around the time of Earth Day. Miriam replied that it would be great if I would go iNatting at Nelson's Spring in order to create a similar survey to the one that I carried out at Fort Ashby in 2022. These surveys are designed to help NHCS by gathering information that will advance their work on Nevis.

Here is the 2022 Fort Ashby report:
https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/64478

Nelson's Spring is a large freshwater spring on the eastern coast of Nevis in the Cotton Ground area. The spring has created a fairly large freshwater pond which, perhaps surprisingly, backs right up against the beach on the east side. Admiral Lord Nelson, the great British naval hero, while he was still a young naval officer stationed on Nevis, used the Spring to provision all British ships with freshwater as they were sailing past. The Spring is still used as a source of drinking water on Nevis.

I first saw Nelson's Spring more than 20 years ago when it was shown to me by the late Jim Johnson. It was one of the most glorious natural areas I have ever seen in my life, breathtakingly beautiful, and extremely rich in species. Jim first showed it to me from the beach side, where we opened a wall of living vegetation, like opening the curtains on a stage a little bit. The pond was bathed in dim light with a "ceiling" composed of the interior of the canopies of numerous coconut palms. It looked as you might imagine a fantasy nature church would look. The surface of the pond was covered in flowering waterlilies. The air between the pond and the "roof" was filled with numerous colorful butterflies and dragonflies in flight.

Unfortunately, many years after I first saw the pond, for some unknown reason, earth-moving equipment was brought in and all the trees and bushes were cleared from the entire area. Then, after that, cattle were brought in to graze the grasses. This resulted in the entire area becoming very degraded, trampled, disturbed and polluted. What a shame. Also a species of invasive cattail was introduced somehow, and it spread like wildfire throughout the entire area.

Finally, just a few years ago, NHSC decided to do what they could to try to rescue the area, to see if they could restore some of its original beauty and richness. It was my job to try to help out with this process by doing an iNat survey.

On Thursday May 2nd, Nikki and I went into town to go to The Market to buy fruit and veggies for meals for the final 10 days that Ed and I are here on Nevis. Then we went over to the beach at the RestHaven ruins to see if any interesting shells had washed up there since the last time we looked there. After that, we drove north on the main road until we came to Nelson's Spring. If you look towards the ocean there, the freshwater pond is clearly visible from the main road as the road curves around through a 90º bend. We parked the car on the southeastern side of the area not far from the Yachtmans Grill, and got out and started to walk around the eastern edge of the nature preserve, making observations of all various organisms as we went. After an hour or two I got tired and hungry, and the old injury in my left foot started to hurt, so we got in the car and drove back to the hotel at Oualie.

On this first iNat visit I was only able to survey a small part of the Nelson's Spring natural area. I intend to do at least one more visit before Ed and I leave Nevis on May 12th.

So, the next day, Friday May 3rd, both Ed and I got in a taxi and went to Nelson's Spring, this time starting making observations near the ocean on the south side. We stayed two hours.

And I am glad to say that Nikki and I made one more visit on Monday May 6th before all four of us ate lunch at Yachtman's Grill, which was excellent.

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RESULTS OF THE OVERALL SURVEY:
More than 83 species so far

First visit shown on this page:
https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/susanhewitt/2024/5/2

Second visit shown on this page:
https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/susanhewitt/2024/5/3

Third visit is shown on the lower half of this page:
https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/susanhewitt/2024/5/6

ANIMALIA:

BIRDS:
Gallinule -- one adult and three chicks
Magnificent Frigatebird -- two out over the ocean
Western Cattle Egret -- several
Red-talled Hawk -- one in immature plumage

MAMMALS:
Domestic Sheep -- droppings, and a live herd
Domestic Cattle -- droppings

FISH:
Fish in the small stream and under the duckweed in the main pond.

INSECTS:
Western Honeybee
Fly (very small)
Beetles: Omophoita albicolis I saw at least two of them
Conotelus sp -- living inside the trumpet of a morning glory flower
Spined Assassin Bug -- One got trapped in the insect net when I was trying to catch a butterfly. Nice bug!
True bugs:
Brachyplatys subaeneus I photographed one.

LEPIDOPTERA/BUTTEFLIES:
White Peacocks -- many
Small yellows -- many
Cloudless Sulphurs -- several
Blues -- several
Green and yellow caterpillar on unknown plant
Gulf Fritillary -- several near the ocean
Monarch -- several seen not far from the ocean
Straight-line Seed Moth -- one in rough grassland near the pond

ODONATA
Banded Dragonlets -- several
Also a clear-winged species of dragonfly, somewhat greenish in color, and larger than the Dragonlets.

Damselflies;
Rambur's Forktail, a mated pair

CRABS:
Land Crabs -- burrows seen
Atlantic Ghost Crabs -- burrows seen
Blackbacked land crab -- shed claw casing

MOLLUSCA:
FRESHWATER GASTROPODA:
Physidae -- alive in the pond right under the duckweed
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212968574

BRACKISH WATER GASTROPOD:
Virgin Nerite
Found an empty shell on the drive that goes beside the pond.
I remember many years ago this species lived by the pond.

MARINE GASTROPODA -- empty shells from the beach
Rosy Keyhole Limpet
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213281142
Lottia limpet
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213219369
Stocky Cerith -- maybe, very worn
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213219418
Moon Snails
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213820414

BRYOZOA:
Sargassum Sea Mat -- A little bit, on the beach washed up

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FUNGI

Agricales, gilled mushrooms -- one species
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PLANTAE

TREES:
Country Almond
Neem
Indian Mango
White Cedar
Coconut Palm
Royal Palm -- planted

BUSHES/SMALL TREES
Twisted Acacia
White Leadtree
Turkey Berry
Sea Grape
Castor Bean
Coinvine

SOFT PLANTS AND WEEDS
Coral Vine
Trailing Daisy
Tridax Daisy
Bellyache Bush
Herb of Grace, in the lawn in boggy areas
Creeping Tick trefoil
Turkey Tangle Frogfruit
Little Ironweed
Goatweed
Marsh Fleabane
Teasel Gourd
Asian Spiderflower
Giant Milkweed -- a few very young plants near the main road
Cuban Jute
Nodeweed
Dayflowers
Brazilian Bachelor's Button
Rough Cocklebur
Stinking passionflower