Spotted Turtle Research

Previously, we have posted on spotted turtles and Jacqueline Litzgus' research.

Dr. Jacqueline Litzgus, Ph.D. returned to the Lowcountry this week for the Turtle Survival Alliance's 2017 Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. She brought along some current and former Laurentian University students when she visited the old-growth swamp at the Francis Beidler Forest. Not only did Jackie want to revisit the site of her spotted turtle research (and marriage ceremony), she was hoping to locate one of her former subjects...and she did!

In her words:
That female spotted turtle we found is quite a special one!  I have my
PhD data on my laptop, so I looked her up when I got to my hotel room.
She is notch code 1R2L = 6F, and she is the same size and mass as she
was 17 years ago.  She was part of the mark-recapture study for 5 years,
2000-2004, I radio-tracked her for 3 years, 2000-2002, and she is the
first turtle I found nesting during my PhD research - see attached pics
- she is the one that taught me to look on the tops of rotten logs for
nesting turtles.  In 2001, she produced 3 clutches of eggs, which had
never before been reported for wild spotted turtles, so that prompted me
to publish the attached paper about multiple clutching in the species.
Unfortunately, all 3 clutches were eaten by predators that year.  But in
2002, I had the privilege to meet her 3 babies that hatched from her 1st
nest that year (she produced 2 nests, 2 weeks apart). 

(More from Jackie's perspective at Audubon South Carolina website)

6F's measurements - Image by Mark Musselman

6F's nest in 2001 - Image by Jacqueline Litzgus

6F's nest in 2001 - Image by Jacqueline Litzgus

Jackie Litzgus holding 6F on 8/5/2017 - Image by Mark Musselman

6F on 8/5/2017 - Image by Mark Musselman

American Oystercatchers on South Carolina's Coast

          This summer, Audubon South Carolina has teamed up with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and a number of other state and non-profit organizations to work on the South Carolina Shorebird Project. One of our target species for monitoring was the American Oystercatcher.

Two adult American Oystercatchers cooling off in the surf. Notice that the closer one has an auxiliary band.
Photo courtesy of Janet Thibault.

Oystercatchers are common to seacoasts in temperate to tropical parts of the world, and the American Oystercatcher is one of two species of oystercatchers that breed in North America. They nest along most of South Carolina’s less human populated beaches and as far north as Massachusetts. This species, deemed a “Species of High Concern” by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, is fascinating and easily identifiable by their long orange bill and bright yellow eyes among all the “peeps” that also inhabit SC beaches. They lay their eggs directly on the ground in well camouflaged scrapes in the sand and decorate the edges of their scrape with little bits of shell. South Carolina has approximately 400 pairs of nesting Oystercatchers.

As American Oystercatcher nesting season came to an end, we were amazed at the difference in the number of fledgling chicks on various beaches in South Carolina. Our Oystercatcher friends have a lot to contend with during nesting season. There are many factors that can affect a nest’s success (meaning if eggs hatch or not). High tides can wash over nests and scatter or damage eggs, their nests can be disturbed causing damage to eggs, and increases in humans’ real estate decreases the real estate available to birds. Additionally, predators such as raccoons, dogs, and even other birds will opportunistically eat Oystercatcher eggs and chicks if the parents are off their nest. American Oystercatchers are very finicky birds because when something they perceive nearby as potentially predatory, their strategy is to get off the nest and attempt to draw away the predator. This can be an effective but risky strategy because it exposes eggs to deadly summer heat and keen-eyed predators. This is why it is vital to be mindful of nesting areas and respect posted areas during your visits to the beach. Even a dog on a leash or under voice command can scare parents off their nest from a great distance away.

What a cutie! An American Oystercatcher chick waits for mom or dad to bring back food.
Photo courtesy of Janet Thibault.

When chicks hatch, it only takes 24-48 hours before they are up, running, and hiding from predators in wrack and beach brush. Then, after 35 days, the chicks can fly, yet still depend on their parents for food for at least two months after hatching.

American Oystercatchers are the only shorebird in South Carolina that feed on shellfish and need to teach their chicks how to hunt and feed. They are named for their distinctive bill which is built like an oyster shucking knife. As the tide lowers, it exposes oysters allowing the Oystercatcher to take that chance to slip its beak in, open the oyster and steal the oyster meat. Adults will bring back single oysters to their chicks to show them how to use their beak! Maybe the term “bird brain” should be a positive one.

Score! This Oystercatcher successfully grabbed a chunk of oyster out of its shell.
Photo courtesy of Janet Thibault.

So while you’re out enjoying the sun, salty air, and fascinating wildlife, remember to share the beach with our feathered friends. If you see anything you want to share with us, take a picture and tell us about it! We love to hear your stories. The most interesting photos are the ones where birds are acting natural, unaware of your presence, not photos where birds are flying away because they were flushed, or staring at the camera from their nests.

Have questions, comments, cool stories you want to share? Email nschillerstrom@audubon.org for more information.

The Educator's Week at Hog Island (by Matt Johnson)

What happens when you mix together the Maine coast, a 300-acre island owned by Audubon, a dozen expert staff, several dedicated volunteers, and 57 science teachers and informal educators? The answer: one of the most exciting and educational camps for adults held anywhere in the country!

This is the best way that I can think of to describe the Educator’s Week camp at Hog Island. Organized and directed by Pete Salmonsahn, the Education Coordinator for Audubon’s Project Puffin (http://projectpuffin.audubon.org/), this five-day camp focuses on reaching educators from around the country who teach kids and young adults about science and the outdoors. Attendees this year ranged from elementary and middle school teachers, to Girl Scout instructors, nature center educators, and Audubon naturalists.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the attendees this summer, and I loved every minute of it. I've been working as the Education Manager at Francis Beidler Forest for about 14 months, and I am so thankful that my Audubon colleagues agreed to send me to this camp.

Below are some of the photos that I took during my stay at Hog Island. I will caption each with a brief description and some details about my favorite parts of the week.

The reason for this post is not only to showcase one of Audubon's most prized assets, but also to let YOU know that there are scholarships available for ANY science educator to attend this camp. Several of the attendees received scholarships that covered half or all of the tuition costs for the week. IF YOU ARE A TEACHER OR INFORMAL EDUCATOR, CONSIDER REGISTERING FOR THIS CAMP IN 2015 - you will not regret it! See more information here: http://hogisland.audubon.org/ 

 

            Our view from the dock at the Todd Audubon Sanctuary, looking across the water at Hog Island. Access to Hog Island requires a short ferry ride from the mainland.

 Arriving on the dock at Hog Island. The camps made available each summer are among the oldest and longest-running environmental education camps in the country. The island can accommodate about 80 people at a given time.

 Plaque displayed in the "Fish House" auditorium on Hog Island. The Todd family played the most important role in the designation of the island as an Audubon sanctuary.

Our boat for the week: the Snowgoose III. This vessel took us on two harbor tours, one of which featured the bird that everyone was hoping to glimpse: the Atlantic Puffin. In the background of this photo is the mainland.

On board the Snowgoose IIII for our first voyage off of the island and around Muscongus Bay. Wildlife seen on this trip included Harbor Seals, Osprey, Black Guillemots (neat little relatives of puffins), Common Eiders, and Harbor Porpoises. Binoculars and a camera are helpful, so bring em if you've got em, and sunscreen is a must!

The first afternoon on Hog Island we spent in the intertidal area. We seined for marine critters and found quite a bit of neat organisms. The staff that led our little excursions were amazing - all lifelong educators with incredible knowledge and patience!

 Campers checking the seine for intertidal life.

Our haul from the seine net. Critters included Green and Hermit Crabs, shrimp, sculpin (fish), limpets, and much more!

A hiking trail through the spruce-fir forest on Hog Island. There were several miles of hiking trails, and plenty of time in between programs to explore. I thought that the flexibility of our schedule was great - plenty of programming with built-in breaks.

Sunset at Hog Island. Coming from a South Carolina summer, the weather we had at Hog Island was incredible! Highs in the mid-70s and lows in the low-60s with lots of sunshine.

Our second excursion into Muscongus Bay off the Maine coast. This was an all-day trip to Eastern Egg Rock (the island in this photo), one of the few breeding locations for Atlantic Puffins in the United States! This island is a featured location for Project Puffin, a multi-decade effort to reintroduce this species into its historic breeding range. Not only did we get a very interesting history of this project while on this boat tour, we also got to see puffins!!

Puffins in view! I neglected to bring my nice camera (bad mistake), so all of my images are with my smartphone. So...the small dots on the left-middle of this photo are indeed Atlantic Puffins, with the edge of Eastern Egg Rock in the background. We were lucky enough to see at least 50 puffins that day, plus several other rare/unusual seabirds!

While we did spent a significant chunk of time exploring the island and surrounding area, much of our programming on Hog Island was designed to help us better engage our target audience (aka students, visitors, etc.) regarding environmental issues. Pictured here is Trudy, one of the AMAZING educators that led us through several different mini-workshops during the week. These mini-workshops featured such things as: birds and bird-watching, water/watersheds, geology, photography, wetlands, sensory exploration, arts/crafts, and a whole bunch more.

 A simple, fun craft idea that we learned while on a nature hike one afternoon. This is just reversed tape with natural "items" that were collected while on the hike (leaves, sticks, etc.).

On our last night, we were treated to a lobster cookout, and we had Cream Puff-ins for dessert! The food on Hog Island was incredible. Let me repeat that - the FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE! Not only was every meal delicious, but every meal also featured a vegetarian and gluten-free option. I was so impressed by this, and by all of the volunteers who gave up their time to prepare and clean up from meals.

Leaving Hog Island. It was an incredible five days - a trip that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready to take the environmental message back wherever you're going. Like I mentioned earlier, please consider applying when scholarships become available for camp in 2015!

Summer camps at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest were completed last month and we were able to avoid the rain during the 9am-2pm window.  However, plenty of rain fell outside of that window and continued through the first two weeks of July while we were away on vacation or attending conferences, ESRI International User Conference (view presentation) and the Audubon Convention.

Here are some images from the camp weeks:

Cotton Mouse - Mark Musselman

A pair of Cotton Mice (Peromyscus gossypinus) were hiding in the storage box at the #6 rest area.  They could come and go from under the boardwalk and between the deck boards.

Cotton Mouse - Mark Musselman

Cotton Mouse - Mark Musselman

This pair built a nest in the left corner of the storage box.  Unfortunately for the mice, Greenish Rat Snakes (Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata) also have no problem entering the box from below.  We do not know their fate, but the mice are no longer in residence.  Then again, their average lifespan is 4-5 months, with few living a full year.

Cotton Mouse - Mark Musselman

With the water level above normal for June, we had no problem navigating to all points along the canoe trail.  Unfortunately for the anglers of the advanced summer camp, the fish also had access to the entire swamp and nary a nibble was detected on any wet line.

Advanced camp fishing/canoeing - Mark Musselman

Advanced camp fishing/canoeing - Mark Musselman

Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest - Mark Musselman

Though we tempted no fish, Matt Johnson made a tremendous catch when he spotted a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) returning to her nest on a locust branch hanging above the water.  Even with her presence disclosing the general location of the nest, the nest was extremely difficult to detect and photograph.  The lichen on the nest's exterior and the nest's low profile provided outstanding camouflage.

Eastern Cottonmouth - Mark Musselman

During the advanced summer camp's Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided swamp stomp, we encountered a large Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus).  Although the snake was alert and kept us in focus, it never moved and we proceeded with our walk.

Bronze Frog - Mark Musselman

Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoides forficatus) are likely nesting in the Francis Beidler Forest, possibly near the east end of the boardwalk.  The advanced summer campers selected trees from Google Earth imagery that appeared to rise above the canopy, a nesting preference for Swallow-tailed Kites, and loaded the coordinates into GPS units.  While navigating through the swamp to visit those selected trees, we came across a variety of creatures, including a distinctively patterned Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans clamitans).

Bronze Frog - Mark Musselman

Young Nine-banded Armadillo - Mark Musselman

A family of Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) moved in under the ramp leading into the nature center.  We noted their arrival in 2008 as they expanded their range from the south.

Young Nine-banded Armadillo - Mark Musselman

Armadillos always give birth to quadruplets, which we observed.  A single egg is fertilized and the embryo divides in two before each embryo again divides in two.  Thus, each young armadillo is genetically identical to its three sisters or three brothers.

Young Nine-banded Armadillo - Mark Musselman

Armadillos forage with their snouts for grubs, ants, termites, beetles and other arthropods.  They can also use their powerful legs and claws to expose a meal.  With a low metabolism and limited fat stores, the armadillo is highly susceptible to cool weather, which will eventually limit their range expansion to the north.  In the image above, a young armadillo found an earthworm, which it slurped up like a strand of cooked spaghetti.

Beaver - Mark Musselman

Having successfully navigated a 1.5-mile loop through the swamp during the advanced summer camp, we joined the boardwalk near #6 and headed to the nature center for lunch.  Near #4, there was the smell of death in the air and a camper spotted the source...a nearly hairless beaver (Castor canadensis) carcass.  The image above shows the only signs of injury, but the wound may have been the result of a scavenger.

Beaver - Mark Musselman

Turtles and fish likely nibbled at the beaver's feet exposing bone.

Beaver - Mark Musselman

American Carrion Beetles (Necrophila americana) and various fly species took the opportunity to lay eggs on the carcass.  The resulting larvae will quickly consume the decaying flesh.

Beaver - Mark Musselman

A young Eastern Cottonmouth sought refuge from the high water by sliding up the frond of a Dwarf Palmetto.

Eastern Cottonmouth - Mark Musselman

Bronze Frog - Mark Musselman

Several Bronze Frogs, appearing to both be males, stared at each other from perches on neighboring fallen trees.

Bronze Frog - Mark Musselman

Bronze Frog - Mark Musselman

A Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata fasciata) kept tabs on us from its dry perch on the buttress of a Bald Cypress.

Banded Water Snake - Mark Musselman

In the end, we had three successful summer camps and participants left with plenty of stories to tell of wildlife and adventure in the swamp!