Alligator Nursery

We do not conduct any surveys of the alligator population within Audubon's Francis Beidler Forest. However, anecdotal observations point to a bumper crop of young alligators this year. No guarantee that those youngsters will grow to adults, but insects, frogs, and small fish should remain alert!

In the image below, four or five of the thirteen young alligators can be seen floating at the surface of the water along an old logging road that was built into the swamp. All were basking on the sunny road prior to our arrival.

Young alligators - Image by Mark Musselman

On another day along our canoe trail, a young alligator attempted to hide below the water's surface directly below our canoe. We were touring the property with Carolyn Davis, who was down on an inspection visit from the National Natural Landmark's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania office. As Carolyn was not getting a quality image for her report, we literally offered a helping hand.

Young alligator - Image by Carolyn Davis

In the 1960s, logging roads built in the swamp were created by "borrowing" soils and piling those soils onto non-target timber logs laid out like railroad ties. In most areas, the disconnected borrow pits remain alongside the roads, appearing to be ditches, and hold water throughout the year. The deeper water offers security for larger alligators, which go to the bottom to wait out any threat, as well as younger alligators, by offering a relatively predator-free environment with a protective mom always lurking within the pool.

The image below shows a pit forming a portion of a "ditch" along an old logging road. Note the clarity of the water within the pit. There was likely no large alligator activity within that pit.

Borrow pit - Image by Mark Musselman

The image below shows the same pit (right) from the above image and the adjacent pit to the north. Note the lack of clarity in the water in the pit on the left. Prior to the dozen or so young alligators entering the water from their basking areas on the road, a large alligator was heard launching into the murky water.

Borrow pits - Image by Mark Musselman

The image below shows the pit containing the adult alligator (somewhere below the water) along with the dozen or so young alligators, some of which can be made out floating near the surface below the cane at the bottom left of the pit. At the far end of the pit, a hole, sometimes called a den, dug into the bank has been exposed by the dropping level of the water.

Borrow pit - Image by Mark Musselman

 The image below shows a closer look at a den dug into the bank similar to the image above. 

Alligator den - Image by Mark Musselman

During the winter, alligators are usually safely below the water. They rise to the surface periodically to breath, but are generally inactive at our latitude. If the temperatures drop below freezing, alligators may retreat into the depths of a den they have dug. Earlier in the summer, some of the young alligators were observed retreating into the den for safety as we approached.

Although alligators in our area are generally inactive in the winter, that does not mean they are never active. On December 16, 2014, an alligator was encountered basking on an old logging road and blocking our path back to the truck.

That alligator probably got its start in a nearby borrow pit...maybe even the one it now calls home.

Camp Boardwalk Scavenger Hunt

Yesterday afternoon, summer campers at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest headed out onto the boardwalk for a scavenger hunt.  Items to locate included various reptiles, a nut, a berry, a insect-chewed leaf, a bone, a deciduous tree, an insect with wings, an animal track, scat, etc.  This week's group of campers was loaded with sharp eyes and nearly every items was discovered.

One of the winged insects that we saw was a Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros) caught in the web and being eaten by a Golden Silk Orbweaver (Nephila clavipes).  The next largest spider in the images is the male Golden Silk Orbweaver.  He tends to stay behind the female and out of the way, though he did move in closer as she was feeding and possibly distracted.  The smallest spiders on the web appear to be a separate species and may survive on the scraps left in the web after the larger spiders have fed.

A bright green Carolina Anole (Anolis carolinensis) moving across some orange fungus made it easier to spot.

After the recent rain, fungus of all varieties was plentiful around the boardwalk.

Although the campers did not have time to reach the section of the boardwalk where water has finally begun to pool, we headed out after camp to #5 and beyond.  If water continues to flow downstream from areas that had greater rainfall, we should have plenty of water for a swampy feel during tomorrow's walk.  Out at Goodson Lake, we saw an alligator enjoying the sunshine and discovered a Great-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) on a nest across from the tower.

Images by Mark Musselman

Dry Swamp

The old-growth swamp at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest is dry except for water trapped in the various holes like Goodson Lake.  No significant rain has fallen in the last two months and any water that did not drain into the Edisto River has evaporated or been drawn into the thirsty vegetation.  Muddy remnants of the numerous creek channels have cracked open as moisture continues to escape.

Aquatic organisms in ever-diminishing pools of water become easy prey or they become stranded on the mud.  As the summer campers made their way to Goodson Lake, we saw an Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) scavenging pieces of a large fish left behind by another predator.

Although the American Alligator in Goodson Lake is not in danger of losing its watery habitat, the lower levels have altered its basking sites.  Though normally not seen close to the observation tower, the summer campers caught the alligator basking directly across from the tower on a partially-submerged log.

Elsewhere in the swamp, wildlife are doing what they can to survive the dry, hot (100+F) conditions.

 Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)

Southern Black Racer

 White-tailed Deer

Eventually, the rains will return and Four Holes Swamp will look more like a swamp.

Images by Mark Musselman

Spring Hints

Although today's weather at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest has turned gray and cool with rain on the way, the last few days have hinted that spring is on the way!  Hang in there!

SPOILER ALERT - this is a reptile-heavy blog entry!

One of the first animals spotted by a student from the Trinity Montessori School was a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).  Remember that dead deer?  Well, the falling water level has finally allowed the deer to soften sufficiently for vulture access.  Depending on the direction of the wind, there is also now a hint of deer on the warm air.

The warm air (only in the low 60Fs, but warmer than the water) also lured some of the reptiles from there winter hideouts.  The alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) made its first appearance over the weekend, but gave the students a show yesterday by swimming to the middle of Goodson Lake and hauling its great bulk up and over a log.  Plenty of "Ooooooohs" from the crowd!

Around the corner by the other platform, an Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) was sunning outside of its cypress tree den, a Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota) was sunning on a cypress knee, and a Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata fasciata) was sunning on a fallen cypress limb.  Along the edge of the swamp near #14, a trio of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) were basking on logs, including one showing the identification notch from Dr. Jackie Litzgus' research.

After the school group's departure, we headed back onto the boardwalk to collect several bottles that had recently floated in on the high water.  Although the sun had disappeared behind the low clouds, several more snakes had ventured from their winter shelter.  An Eastern Cottonmouth was coiled under the piece of boardwalk left at #4 to show damage caused by Hurricane Hugo, while a Banded Water Snake was on a log on the opposite side of the boardwalk.  Near #5, the Greenish Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta x quadrivittata) showed itself in its cypress tree den.  Just beyond #6, another Banded Water Snake was out on a log.

The Yellow-throated Warblers (Dendroica dominica) are singing, the Red Maples (Acer rubrum) are pushing out red, the Dwarf Trillium (Trillium pusillum) have pushed through the pine straw, and the reptiles are showing themselves!  Spring is coming!

Images by Mark Musselman