Good Walk Spoiled

Mark Twain referred to golf as a good walk spoiled, but today it was the rain that spoiled our good walk across the swamp in Audubon's Francis Beidler Forest.

Once again, we were trying to complete the painting of the cross-swamp internal boundary line. Previously, the futility of painting in the rain caused us to abandon our work. At least then, the swamp was relatively dry and the occasional creek channel was only ankle-deep. With the recent rains beginning to fill the swamp, we knew that we would encounter some deeper water in the creek channels. Additionally, today's high temperature was only forecast to be in the low 50Fs. Based on our wholly unscientific water depth equipment, we report the creek channels as being SOPRANO high!

Although we were unable to complete the boundary painting job, the final creek crossing was more distressing. It wasn't the cool air or the creek's depth, but the fact that we crossed the deep creek just before our lunch break and the rain began to fall steadily as we finished lunch. As paint won't dry in the rain and remain on the trees, we had to head back to the truck, which was on the other side of that deep creek.

As Maxwell Smart was wont to say, "Missed it by that much!"

Four Holes Swamp Christmas Bird Count

On December 14th, Audubon South Carolina will host the first official Four Holes Swamp Christmas Bird Count. Last year, we conducted a test run, which you can read about here.

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society that began more than 100 years ago as method of monitoring winter bird populations throughout North America. Each year thousands of volunteers across the United States, Canada and 19 countries in the Western Hemisphere participate in the CBC.

To conduct a count, CBC volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 15-mile (24-km) diameter circle, counting every bird they see or hear all day. It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day. All individual CBC’s are conducted in the period from December 14 to January 5 each season, and each count is conducted in one calendar day.

The Four Holes Swamp CBC will encompass most of the Audubon's Francis Beidler Forest, Brosnan Forest, and neighboring lands (see the map). Anyone is welcome to participate in the count as we will organize the groups so that inexperienced observers are always out with seasoned CBC veterans. Volunteers will meet at the nature center at 8:00 am to begin and return to the center at 5:00 pm to wrap up the day with some refreshments.

If you are interested in participating in the count, please contact our Director of Bird Conservation, Jeff Mollenhauer at 843-462-2150. There is a $5/person charge to cover costs associated with compilation and dissemination of the CBC results.

Hermit Thrush image by Mark Musselman

Calm After the Storm

On Wednesday, downtown Charleston flooded (not really breaking news), tornado watches were issued, lightning struck, heavy rain fell...not what you want to see the day before a field trip to the old-growth, cypress-tupelo swamp at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest! No worries! Yesterday, the third graders from Orangeburg Christian Academy in the upper third of Four Holes Swamp's watershed had blue skies, mild temperatures, water in the swamp and more wildlife sightings than the last four groups combined! The weather definitely matters.

We saw an Eastern Cottomouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) before we even reached #1 on the boardwalk. The snake was in the Dwarf Palmettos (Sabal minor), which delineate the transition from the wet swamp to the dry upland. The snake was likely moving to the upland in search of a den site for the winter. One of the sharp-eyed students spotted the motionless snake while the veteran naturalist spoke of the indicative qualities of the Dwarf Palmetto. Not surprisingly, the students found the snake to be of greater interest. In the second image, the entire 3+-foot snake can be seen, but you need to look closely as the snake's yellow-brown-black patterning is perfect camouflage in the broken sunlight.

Once in the swamp, students spotted a variety of woodpeckers, an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) and a Praying Mantid, possibly a female Carolina Praying Mantis. The female praying mantis will mate with a male, if he is able to gain position on her back before being eaten. Even if the male begins the mating process, the female may turn and devour his head before he completes his task. The male's body can complete the mating duties without the previously-consumed head. Once mating has been completed, the female consumes the remainder of the male's body without so much as a thank you! As the female in the image is without a mate, she is likely looking for a suitable site to lay her eggs, which will overwinter in the case of hardened froth. After laying her eggs, the female too will die.

At Goodsen Lake, we were treated to the first alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) sighting in the last three weeks. The warm weather also lured another Cottonmouth out of its cypress-trunk den along the lake's edge. Nothing like a little December sunshine to bring out the cold-blooded reptiles.

The sharp pain in the sinus cavities was a call to check today's weather radar...looks like the swamp's in for another dose of rain.

Images by Mark Musselman

Seasons Are Changing

The seasons are changing here at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. The day began with a brilliant blue sky, temperatures in the low 60Fs, and a gentle breeze coaxing leaves from the rapidly-diminishing canopy. The sky has turned gray and the high temp for the day has already been registered. The weather forecasters are confident that tomorrow will be a windy, rain-filled day. Although these same forecasters have been repeatedly errant over the last few weeks regarding the possibility of precipitation (note soggy school group visits to the swamp or cancellations), a look at the radar image reveals the cause of their supreme confidence. More than a few leaves are destined to lose some feet in elevation tomorrow.

As the temperatures get cooler, there is less food available in the swamp. Some animals migrate to areas with more food, some become inactive or less active (many snakes find a den, alligator will hide on the lake bottom or along the shallow edges), and some cache food for later. The Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on the boardwalk handrail has a hickory nut that it is gnawing open, while another chattered nearby as it searched for the perfect burial spot in which to hide its hickory nut.

A Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) swooped onto a low perch nearby and intently studied the forest floor. From our office windows, we have seen these birds catch various species of lizards and quickly consume the prey. However, our proximity was a distraction and the hawk flew to a much higher perch atop a snag. From there, the bird exchanged calls with another of its species...possibly commenting on the lack of reptilian activity.

Stirred to action by a raucous flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets (Regulus calendula) in the understory, a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) easily sang over the noise generated by the diminutive kinglets. Unfortunately, the wren did not sing loud enough to mask the call beckoning us to return inside.

Based on the radar, it looks like we'll be spending tomorrow inside yet again.

Images by Mark Musselman

Project PROTHO Intern Position

Always wanted to work with the National Audubon Society, especially in South Carolina? Here's your chance!

Description: Audubon South Carolina is seeking a field technician from March 1 – August 15, 2010. The technician will be assisting Audubon South Carolina’s Director of Bird Conservation with Project PROTHO, a citizen science project targeting Prothonotary Warblers at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest in Harleyville, South Carolina. The technician’s main duties (>80% of time) will consist of monitoring 300 nest boxes for Prothonotary Warblers, mist-netting and banding Prothonotary Warblers, conducting point counts, and data entry. Other duties (<20%) education programs for students and adults; boardwalk, trail, and visitor center maintenance; and assisting at the front desk in the visitor center.

Qualifications: Must have a valid drivers license. Must be comfortable working alone in remote areas. Must have a willingness to work in tough field conditions. Experience with banding, mist netting, point counts, and identifying eastern birds by sight and sound is preferred, but not necessary to apply.

Salary: $7.25/hour. 40 hours per week. On-site housing is provided.

To apply please send a cover letter, resume, and 3 references no later than January 4, 2010 to:

Jeff Mollenhauer
jmollenhauer@audubon.org

or

Audubon South Carolina
336 Sanctuary Road
Harleyville, SC 29448

Image by Mark Musselman

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest is closed today, but we wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey is a key component to many Thanksgiving dinners, but the turkey is also a key component of Four Holes Swamp and the surrounding habitat. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) often flock together and roost in trees at night. They are non-migratory and often live for only 1.5 years. In 1987, 8 hens, 5 gobblers were reintroduced by Audubon South Carolina, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the Hoover family. The wild birds were were caught in the Francis Marion National Forest and released in the Francis Beidler Forest the same morning. It is not unreasonable to attribute the bulk of local Wild Turkey population to the progeny of the thirteen reintroduced birds.

Occasionally along the boardwalk, Wild Turkeys can be spotted where the boardwalk runs through higher, drier forest (markers 101-116) or where the boardwalk runs parallel to the swamp's edge (markers 154-181). However, as the image shows, the birds are not opposed to walking through the swamp, especially when a crop of acorns have fallen to the ground. If you miss seeing the birds while on the boardwalk, you might see them moving through the fields on either side of our driveway or the roads approaching Beidler Forest.

Enjoy your turkey dinner and we will continue protecting the birds' wild cousins!

Images by Mark Musselman

iPods on the Boardwalk

Over the last two days, Knightsville Elementary School's 4th graders visited the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest and they brought along some of their iPod Touches.

Using fundsfrom a South Carolina Geographic Alliance (SCGA) grant, we purchased two iPod Touches and accessories. With the two iPod Touches brought by the school, each of the four groups had an iPod Touch as they rotated through the animal (mammal) track activity, an iPod bird call activity and the tour around the 1.75-mile boardwalk. Additionally, two groups used our Flip video cameras to record their experiences in the swamp.

During the animal track identification activity, students used the paper track identification sheet, but also had the option of using the iPod Touch to peruse the various animal track drawings. Images of each animal appeared next to the appropriate track drawing. Even on the best of days, which would not describe either of these two cold, damp days, mammals are not likely to be seen during a walk around the boardwalk. Gray Squirrels are plentiful, but the other mammals (Raccoon, Opossum, Bobcat, Gray Fox, River Otter, White-tailed Deer, Coyote, Beaver, Marsh Rabbit, Feral Hog, rodents, and recently-arrived Nine-banded Armadillo) are mainly nocturnal, secretive, or sufficiently alert to move away from the boardwalk when humans approach. The image of a track and scat was at the Black Bear stop. Although Black Bears are not known to be in Four Holes Swamp, they are in the nearby Francis Marion National Forest and one was hit on I-26 near Jedburg several years ago.

A bird calling station was set up in each of the rain shelters along the boardwalk with each group stopping at one of the stations. Speakers, published bird field guides, Beidler Forest-specific field guides, and other bird identification-related materials were staged at the rain shelters. Using the iPod Touch and speakers, students played an Eastern Screech Owl call attract other bird species within range for visible inspection. Students could use the six S's to narrow the bird species possibilities. Additionally, our two iPod Touch devices contained the National Audubon Society bird field guide app that provided images, content plus a variety of audio for each bird. Once the coding issue is resolved for our Beidler Forest boardwalk-specific app, the same information will be available for use by students and other visitors without the clutter of plants and animals not present or likely to be seen along the boardwalk.

During the tour around the boardwalk, students accessed the extensive library of images showing plants, animals, and maps (boardwalk, watershed boundary, Beidler Forest boundary). With the poor weather and time of year, many animals were not present or not visible. However, as we talked about animals or as students asked questions, the student with the iPod Touch could be tasked with finding an appropriate image to share with the group.

Having the images, content and other data available on the boardwalk when the questions are being asked or the students are looking at the plant, animal, or habitat is a powerful learning tool. It is our desire to obtain additional iPod Touch devices so that we have an iPod for every four students.

Images by Mark Musselman