Audubon South Carolina

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

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

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.