Audubon South Carolina

GIS at Ft. Dorchester High School

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

In 2011, Mark Musselman, education director at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest was awarded a $1000 grant by the South Carolina Geographic Alliance (SCGA). The grant went toward the purchase of Geographic Positioning System (GPS) units that could be used to collect data for use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Not only is that a mouthful of acronyms, it is incredibly powerful technology!

Just about everyone is familiar with GPS technology, but GPS latitude/longitude coordinates for where you are and where you wish to go have little meaning without all the GIS layers that get lumped under “GPS technology.” The road map the shows on the navigator screen is a GIS data layer. All the buildings shown on the map, including the critical brand name coffee shops along the way, are part of GIS data layers. Picking a hotel that is within walking distance of your favorite coffee shop as well as a movie theater and a pizza parlor, is possible using data layers overlapping in a GIS database…and you thought you would never again use a Venn diagram.

On Tuesday, Mark Musselman took GIS data files for species and trails in the swamp and traveled to Dr. Michael Becwar’s environmentalstudies classes at Fort Dorchester High School. In the computer lab, students began creating their own maps using the www.arcgis.com/home/ site. With a satellite image as a base map, students could differentiate between the wetter and drier areas in the swamp based on the color of vegetative green. The wetter areas are dominated by bald cypress and tupelo gum trees, which show as a lighter green in the image, while the slightly higher, drier areas support oaks and other trees showing as darker green on the image. After loading the alligator sightings data layer, students discovered that alligators are not seen throughout the swamp, but found only in deep water areas where trees are not growing and sunlight can reach the Earth’s surface. Based on that knowledge and without ever traveling to the Congaree National Park, students were able to predict where in the park’s boundaries alligators would likely be found.

Image by Mark Musselman

Later, students loaded snake data layers and discovered that brown water snakes remain toward the middle of the swamp while cottonmouths tend to be found closer to the edges of the swamp. Referring to the free Beidler Forest app on an iPod Touch (initial units purchased with a previous SCGA grant), students learned that brown water snakes only eat fish, so they stay close to their prey in areas of deeper water. Meanwhile, cottonmouths eat fish, frogs, snakes, birds, and rodents, so they exploit larger areas of the swamp even when those areas become dry.

Image by Mark Musselman

Finally, a quick glance at a map showing a variety of Prothonotary Warbler breeding territories was all that was necessary for students to see that all territories, and therefore all areas of the swamp, are not equal. Territories around the nature center were shown to be exceeding large and isolated, while territories deep within the swamp at the eastern end of the boardwalk were small and densely packed. Why? A check of the iPod app showed that Prothonotary Warblers prefer to nest in cavities over or near water. The western territories around the nature center consisted of dry, upland areas and therefore elicited little competition allowing for preposterous land claims. On the other hand, territories at the eastern end of the boardwalk consisted of prime wetland habitat forcing males to settle for smaller (and quite sufficient) territories lest they exhaust themselves fruitlessly attempting to defend larger claims.

Students were able to make all of the swampy deductions noted above without leaving their school. According to Dr. Joseph Kerski, Curriculum Development Manager for ESRI and recent president of the National Council forGeographic Education, “Accelerating globalization means that we can no longer be complacent about increasing the amount of spatial thinking in the educational curriculum at all levels. We're also starting to realize that global issues, such as biodiversity loss, urban sprawl, energy needs, water quality and availability, natural hazards, and human health, are becoming increasingly complex and beginning to affect our everyday lives. Moreover, they all have a spatial component. To grapple with these issues for the 21st century requires a populace that's adept at using GIS and other geotechnologies.” Students at Fort Dorchester High School have begun moving in that direction!

You can interact with the map and all the data layers at http://bit.ly/ycL36U.

Nightmare on I-95

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:56:00 +0000

What goes bump in the night and could not give a hoot in the morning? A Barred Owl (Strix varia) wedged between sailboards and a truck's roof traveling at highway speeds from Jacksonville, FL to Summerville, SC! Talk about wind chill!

Last Thursday, Mike Dawson, director of the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, got the call when crows were observed attacking the weakened owl. Here is his account of the experience: Got to rescue an injured Barred Owl today. Apparently last night he was hit by an SUV carrying surfboards attached to the luggage rack. Unbeknownst to the driver, the “thump” he heard was a Barred Owl being jammed up between the roof and the boards. This happened around Jacksonville, FL last night. The owl rode there for 250 miles in the wind and cold to the Hampton Inn in Summerville. This morning, the owner found the owl perched and understandably dazed on the roof of his Suburban. I bought a fishing dip net at Wal-Mart and scrounged a cardboard box and was able to easily transfer him to the box, as he was pretty woozy. I called Janet Kinser with Keepers of the Wild and she picked him up to transfer to the Center For Birds of Prey. By the time she got here, he was doing much better, more open-eyed and moving more. Nothing appeared to be broken or messed up. So, odds are it will be just fine. One lucky owl... choosing an interesting way to migrate!

Image by Mark Musselman

Image by Barbara Thomas

Image by Mike Dawson

In the News

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:01:00 +0000

The winter season is the slowest of seasons in the swamp and at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. Some birds have migrated away, reptiles become inactive, and school groups are not interested in being out in the colder weather. However, just because thinks have slowed down one should not get the idea that news is not happening.

The Post and Courier newspaper reported that Diamondback Rattlesnakes are being relocated instead of killed to preserve the species. "The diamondback is a keystone species in the health of the longleaf savannah ecosystem, the pines that are the heart of the Lowcountry...and moving them to larger tracts of pinelands might be the best bet for conserving what is maybe the most hated native Lowcountry species -- a 6-foot-long, muscled arm-thick, venomous viper that people have stomped, chopped, shot and even dynamited for generations when they crossed paths."

We have several tracts of Longleaf Pine and plan to restore additional tracts as the land becomes available. We have made some cursory searches for Diamondback Rattlesnakes, but we have yet to detect any on Beidler Forest property.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources conducts a wading bird program. From their site: Researchers have placed metal bands, colored bands with engraved numbers and/or letters, wing tags, radio transmitters, and satellite transmitters on a small number of wading birds. We are interested in any sightings of marked birds. This information helps us to learn about the movement patterns and life spans of wading birds. More information about the purpose of banding birds can be found at the Bird Banding Lab website.

If you see a live bird with an engraved color band, we would appreciate it if you could attempt to read the numbers/letters on the band. Please also record the species of the bird, the color of the band, the color of the letters, which leg that band was attached to, and the location of the bird and send the information to wadingbirds@dnr.sc.gov. Photographs of the bird and the band are also very helpful.

If you find a dead bird of any species wearing a metal band, please report the band number to the Bird Banding Lab through their website or by calling 1-800-327-BAND (2263).

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources also issued a news release regarding the value of snags. The Post and Courier newspaper ran a brief article on the subject and used one of our images.

Using our image was appropriate as we have an ample of supply of snag in the old-growth swamp...

and as this Pileated Woodpecker shows, there is a bounty of food in the dead wood!

Using a Wasp to Catch a Beetle: The Quest to Save Ash Trees - The non-native Emerald Ash Borer arrived on a boat from Asia and is eating its way through millions of ash trees. We have plenty of ash trees at Beidler Forest, so we don't relish the thought of these beetles making their way here. The wasp technique described in the article was not used here when researchers checked for the Emerald Ash Borer two years ago. Instead, traps with the attracting scent of a female were hung from trees. Note: moving firewood to other areas is one way for these and other insects can reach and infest areas faster than they could naturally expand their range.

Images by Mark Musselman

Great Backyard Bird Count 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:53:00 +0000

The 2012 Great Backyard Bird Count will be held during February 17-20.
From the National Audubon Society GBBC webpage:

Bird enthusiasts across the U.S. and Canada are gearing up for the Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s not too late to participate in the February 17-20 event. It’s free to participate, and everything is available online. The GBBC is open to anyone, including novice bird-watchers and students. Participants don’t need to be able to identify every bird, and the online submission process helps check their accuracy and prevent errors. Out of excuses yet?

Here’s a quick guide to what’s involved:
1. Make a plan: You’ll need to count birds for a minimum of 15 minutes on one of the count days, but you can count all four days, and you can count for as long as you want. More counting = more data to show us where the birds are.

2. Know your place: Decide whether your count is a STATIONARY COUNT, like watching a feeder out the window, or a TRAVELING COUNT, such as birding during a hike. Print out a data form so that you’ll know what information to record, and a regional bird checklist to help with identification.

3. Count: Record the highest number of each species seen together at one time in stationary counts. For traveling counts, record the total number of individual birds of each species you see during the walk. For more info, visit http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html.

4. Report: Enter your findings through the website by clicking on “Enter Your Checklists!” and following instructions.

5. Spread the word: Tell others about your experience. Find out how to be a GBBC ambassador by clicking “Get Involved” on the website. Also, join the GBBC Facebook group, and tweet about the count (use #GBBC when tweeting).

Today, we received a report of Sandhill Cranes in a field between Beidler Forest and Harleyville. Even though it is not time for the Great Backyard Bird Count, Sandhill Cranes are only in the area during winter and always worth a short drive to see. When we arrived at the field, the cranes had moved on for the day. We'll stop by in the morning and try to get some images.

Although the Sandhill Cranes were absent, we saw plenty of Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackles along with several Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, Northern Flickers, Eastern Bluebirds, European Starlings and the Loggerhead Shrike shown below.

Loggerhead Shrikes use the hook at the end of their bill to kill a variety of prey from large insects to mice, lizards, and even birds! Shrikes also impale their prey on thorns or barbed wire to impress a potential mate or to hold the prey in place while it is torn apart and consumed.

Attack dive

You do not need to know any such delicious avian facts to participate in the GBBC nor do you need to drive out to the country. Stay in your backyard, visit someplace new, or join a group like the following:

Mark Musselman, education director at the Francis Beidler Forest, will be birding at various sites around Summerville on Day 1 (Friday, February 17th). The count will begin at the parking area near the tennis courts in Azalea Park at 8:30 a.m. Other stops may include the nature trail at Ashley Ridge High School, The Ponds community, and Middleton Place. Anyone can join him for all or part of the day, especially those looking to learn about birding or improve their bird identification skills. Anyone wishing to join this group or simply to follow the progress can check @TheSwampThing (http://twitter.com/#!/TheSwampThing) on Twitter.

Though a pair of binoculars will be useful to help with the GBBC, only a healthy curiosity is required!

Images by Mark Musselman

Gone Hog Wild!

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:54:00 +0000

Actually, they are Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa), but either label congers images of a mess. Wild pigs are in Four Holes Swamp and have begun to frequent the area around of the boardwalk. We have noted the negative effects of this issue before in this blog and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Clemson Extension have dedicated substantial resources toward the increasing problem...and it's not just a problem in South Carolina as a quick Google search reveals.

Signs of pig activity can be seen around the southern leg of the boardwalk, which traces a path along the edge of the swamp. Pigs root through the soil in search of food, which can turn the soil up to three feet deep, disturbing the habitat sufficiently as to make it unsuitable for native plant and animal species.

Pigs also create extensive wallow areas, think large mud puddles, to help cool their bodies and rid themselves of parasites. This makes the swamp quite attractive to the pigs.

A major obstacle to the removal of invasive pigs is the inability to be at the same place at the same time as the pigs. We have set up cameras to see if there is a pattern to the pigs' mainly nocturnal movement, but have yet to capture images showing that species of mammal. However, we have plenty of images for the ubiquitous Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

We have also set a trap in the upland area beyond sight of the boardwalk. Significant damage has been done to that habitat as pigs have rooted around in search of plant and animal meals.

The gates at the front of the trap swing to allow access into the trap, but cannot be pushed in the opposite direction to allow pigs to exit the trap. So far, the corn bait has only attracted hungry raccoons (Procyon lotor) and passing interest from a wary pig or two.

Finally, even the beavers (Castor canadensis) are likely tired of their invasive mammalian kin. During a recent swamp stomp, we noticed that pigs had been rooting within the beavers' dam and had created numerous breaches along the structure.

Images by Mark Musselman

Other Wildlife at Ashley Ridge

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Last week, we reported on the Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus) foraging in the flooded forest along the nature trail at Ashley Ridge High School. Rusty Blackbirds filled that blog, so now it is time to report on the other things we saw during our walk.

The first thing we noticed once we hit the trail that runs parallel to the water-filled drainage ditch was the abundance of otter scat marking their territory! There appears to be copious amounts of crayfish, frogs, and fish in the water.

Upon inspection of the scat, both old and recently-deposited, it appears that the otters have an easy time finding crayfish.

While watching our step to avoid slipping in a pile of odoriferous otter scat, we found a portion of shed snake skin. We did not attempt to positively identify the species of snake, but based on the abundance of aquatic and semi-aquatic prey, we bet the skin belonged to one of the water snakes.

Approximately halfway along the trail, we came upon a fallen tree that showed signs of excavation at the root end. A variety of animals might excavate the soft interior of a fallen tree in order to find shelter, but that was not the purpose if this excavation. Food had been deposited within the fallen log. The turtle that laid the eggs had not meant for them to become food, but a raccoon's sensitive nose likely alerted the mammal to their presence during its nocturnal stroll along the trail.

Turning from the pilfered nest, we spied a praying mantis moving along a stake standing in the middle of the ditch. The mantis has wings, but it made no attempt to fly from the stake to dry land. By inspecting the mantis through our binoculars, we noted that one wing appears damaged and protruded from its body at an odd angle.

The praying mantis may be looking at its own reflection and contemplating its predicament or it may be assessing risk of fish predators might pose during a short swim to the ditch's edge.

Meanwhile, a Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) flew high patrol waiting for death to take its next victim and call the bird to dinner.

Images by Mark Musselman

Rusty Blackbirds at ARHS

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000

We have previously highlighted the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) in this blog, buy on December 14, 2011, we caught a quick glimpse of eight Rusty Blackbirds by #6 along the boardwalk at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest! Last week, we had lengthier observations along the nature trail at Ashley Ridge High School. Although the nature trail is but a quarter mile long through a small wooded wetland, the habitat continues to offer excellent wildlife observation opportunities! More on that tomorrow, but today's focus is on the Rusty Blackbird.

From eBird:

A century ago, the Rusty Blackbird was an incredibly abundant bird. Accounts from the period detail spectacular spring migrations between the species' wintering grounds in the bottomland forests of the southeastern United States and its breeding grounds in the forested wetlands of North America's vast boreal forest. Ornithological reports from New England and southern Canada describe waves of tens to hundreds of thousands of Rusty Blackbirds blackening the earth and clouding the sky in the spring. In many communities, the migration of Rusty Blackbirds was likened to the year's first chorus of tree frog--a sign that spring had finally arrived in the thawing countryside.

Today these reports seem unbelievable since Rusty Blackbirds populations have suffered one of most staggering population declines of any bird in North America. An understanding of the Rusty Blackbird's habitat requirements is urgently needed to conserve its remaining populations. This is especially true during spring migration when Rusty Blackbirds congregate in large flocks which may be particularly vulnerable to habitat losses, blackbird control programs, or other disturbances.

Russell Greenberg, director, Migratory Bird Center on the Great Backyard Bird Count (coming Feb. 17-20, 2010!) webpage:
It is particularly disturbing to monitor a decline and not have a specific, definitive underlying cause. But considering the distribution and ecology of this elusive species, the search for the culprit becomes almost like the Agatha Christie novel where all the suspects were guilty.

So this is what we know. The Rusty Blackbird has a geographically extensive breeding range from New England to Alaska throughout the boreal zone in forested wetlands. The species is strongly associated with wooded wetlands in the winter as well, although foraging birds can be found in agricultural settings, particularly in association with livestock. The species is more insectivorous than other blackbirds, often foraging in single species flocks, not associated with blackbirds, and (based on experiments by Claudia Mettke-Hofmann) is more averse to novelty when feeding than other blackbirds. The last observation suggests the bird may be less adaptable in the face of rapid environmental changes.

From this we can suggest a number of factors leading to the decline: Winter habitat loss due to conversion of wooded wetlands to agriculture. At least 80 percent of the bottomland hardwood habitat has been converted since European colonization. Habitat loss may have caused the Rusty Blackbird to feed in more open habitats where it is more exposed to competition with birds such as Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. Wintering ground problems could have been exacerbated by large losses during blackbird control programs in the 1960s and 1970s. It should be noted that the species is still listed as a pest species in a number of states and thus still subject to more modest control programs aimed at blackbirds.

Breeding habitat loss and degradation, including boreal wetland drying and changes in water chemistry due, directly or indirectly, to global warming. Birds associated with boreal wetlands have shown consistent cross-species declines. Global warming is suspected in causing major changes in the extent of boreal wetlands, the chemistry of the waters, and the structure of invertebrate communities. Peat production, logging and reservoir formation have contributed both to direct loss of boreal wetland and profound changes in hydrology, particularly in the eastern portion of the species range.

The eastern portion of the range is where, historically, the species may have achieved the highest breeding densities and is also the region where it has shown the greatest decline. Acid rain and mercury accumulation (an only recently detected problem in songbirds) may be differentially affecting boreal wetlands in the East. The Rusty Blackbird may be at higher risk for accumulated mercury than other blackbird species because of its preference for feeding on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Its preference for wetlands with acidic soils may also make the effect of acid rain on calcium loss particularly great in this species. (see our blog for mercury-related entries)

Once again, conservation of habitat is critical to the survival of a species. We too have habitat requirements. By protecting critical habitat for other species, we benefit ourselves.

Images by Mark Musselman

Bird-A-Day Challenge Begins New Years Day 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:29:00 +0000

Bird-A-Day Challenge Begins New Years Day 2012

Whether you are an expert birder or a casual backyard observer, you can have fun playing this free birding game beginning January 1st!

It’s called “Bird-A-Day.” The objective: Count how many days in a row you can find a “new” bird. (New = recorded for the first time in this game.) The rule: You must never repeat a species, nor go a day without seeing a new one. If you do, you are out of the challenge.

Rene will be blogging about the adventure here on “The Perch,” and posting daily Bird-A-Day updates and quizzes on Facebook and Twitter. Whether you join in, or just follow along, the goal is the same: Have fun!

Wild Pigs Worldwide Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:48:00 +0000

As we have reported in the past, Wild Pigs(Sus scrofa) are an invasive problem at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest.

Today's Washington Post article reports that wild pigs are a major and increasing problem in Pakistan. A quick search on the Internet will reveal that the problem with pigs and habitat destruction is worldwide.

Image SCDNR

What can be done to control the problem? South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources' news release describes the issue and regulations, including recent legislation passed to control the transportation of wild pigs throughout the state.

DNR encourages those who have wild hogs on properties they own or hunt to lethally and legally remove every hog they have the opportunity to remove...Feral pigs have been called by some an "ecological train wreck" and the destructive nature of this invasive species lends itself easily to such a description. All feral pigs share an unbridled appetite and can destroy hundreds of acres of farmland as well as native plants and wildlife habitat in just a few short nights. Free roaming pigs reproduce at a prodigious rate and are capable of producing two litters of up to a dozen piglets a year.

As noted in the Washington Post article, ignoring the problem does not make it go away and in fact as the exact opposite effect!

Christmas Bird Count - Initial Report

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:21:00 +0000

All the precincts have yet to be counted, but early returns suggest that this year's Four Holes Swamp Christmas Bird Count (CBC) numbers will be significantly lower than last year's. With three of the 13 areas yet to report, the comparison to last year is 86 versus 100 species, and 7700 versus 17,300 individual birds. The lower numbers were unexpected, since last year's weather rose to a high (read that as HIGH) of 34F and was blustery, while this year's weather quickly rose from 34F into the upper 60Fs and was sunny and calm. Maybe the birds did not get the email specifying the date and time of the count. Thank you to the 22 volunteer counters who turned out to help six members of the Audubon South Carolina staff.

While overall numbers are certainly lower, some groups had busy days, including team #11 counting in Harleyville and The Bend of Four Holes Swamp.

We had a great count yesterday. We had 15 Sandhill Cranes, about 100 American Pipits, and 7 Wilson's Snipe as highlights for us. We had not previously recorded pipits or snipe in the past 3 years on this territory. The pipits prevented us from reaching Giant Cement on time, so you can blame them! The Giant Cement property did prove fruitful, giving us some wading birds, Bald Eagles, and Fox Sparrows.

Keith L. McCullough

Taken Feb. 2011 near Harleyville

Keep watching this space! We'll post the results of the CBC as soon as the counters of the remaining three areas send in their data sheets.

Image by Mark Musselman

Beidler Forest Hotspot

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:10:00 +0000

The Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest is an eBird hotspot! From the eBird webpage: A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.

eBird documents the presence or absence of species, as well as bird abundance through checklist data. A simple and intuitive web-interface engages tens of thousands of participants to submit their observations or view results via interactive queries into the eBird database. eBird encourages users to participate by providing Internet tools that maintain their personal bird records and enable them to visualize data with interactive maps, graphs, and bar charts. All these features are available in English, Spanish, and French. A birder simply enters when, where, and how they went birding, then fills out a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during the outing.

You can record your bird sightings anywhere you travel. If you are someplace new or visiting your favorite old-growth swamp, you can use the eBird option on the Audubon Birds app. The eBird option allows you to see what birds are being reported near your location, especially at hotspot locations. If you are in our area, the Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center & Sanctuary is designated as a hotspot. A quick look at the bar chart shows how abundant a species of bird is at Beidler Forest and when that species is present. For example, in the images below, Carolina Wrens are frequently seen throughout the year, while Prothonotary Warblers are abundant when present from the end of March to September.

The Christmas Bird Count for Four Holes Swamp will be held on Monday, December 19th. We can still use you help counting birds! Call 843-462-2150 to join the count!

Expeditions with Patrick McMillan will feature Francis Beidler Forest at 7:00 pm (new time) on January 1, 2012. With plenty of distractions on New Year's Day, we understand if you record the show for later viewing! We have yet to see any of the video, but we were there live when it was captured and you won't want to miss what we experienced. It was a typical day in the swamp, but typical here is always magical!

Images by Mark Musselman

Focus on Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:11:00 +0000

Winter does not conjure within most people thoughts of birding. However, the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest will certainly be focusing on birds over the next few months.

First, from the Lowcountry Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Youth Grant Committee, we received $2000.00 to purchase 26 pairs of 8x40 binoculars. The binoculars will be used to launch a program to develop young birders.

Image by Mike Dawson

This birding program will enhance the boardwalk experience for students by allowing them to see and identify birds that would remain elusive to the naked eye. Albert Einstein said, "Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift." We can provide the old-growth forest in which a density and variety of birds exists throughout the year. However, we cannot bring the birds close enough for young (or old) eyes to see sufficiently in order for the observer to appreciate a bird's beauty or the subtle field markings necessary for proper identification. Lightweight, yet powerful binoculars allow students to use their observation skills to obtain the information necessary to identify a bird using a field guide like the one loaded to all of our iPod Touches.

With the ability to look using binoculars, students will have the tools necessary to move toward comprehension, which we believe leads to appreciation and a desire to conserve the resource for future generations.

Next, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is rapidly approaching. We will be conducting the Four Holes Swamp CBC on December 19th. 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.

From David Yarnold, Audubon president:
Both Audubon and the CBC trace their roots to the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The Audubon movement grew out of public outrage at the slaughter of wild birds, killed so that their feathers could be used to decorate the hats of fashionable women. This was the case with the magnificent Great Egret, hunted to near extinction in the early 1900s, and now the symbol of the National Audubon Society.

The Christmas Bird Count, proposed by one of Audubon’s founders, Frank Chapman, began in 1900 as an alternative to bird-hunting competitions. In these contests, called side-hunts, hunters would choose sides to see who could kill the most birds. Chapman challenged birders to count rather than kill birds. This “new kind of hunt” became the Christmas Bird Count.

Please donate to the National Audubon Society’s year-end campaign. From now until December 31, your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

Finally, it is not too early to begin thinking of the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 17-20, 2012)!

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes or longer, if one wishes, on a single day or on each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

Mark Musselman, education director at the Francis Beidler Forest, will be birding at various sites around Summerville on Day 1 (Friday, February 17th). The count will begin at the parking area near the tennis courts in Azalea Park at 8:30 a.m. Other stops will include Ashley Ridge High School, The Ponds and Middleton Place. Anyone can join this group for all or part of the day, especially those looking to learn about birding or improve their bird identification skills. Anyone wishing to join this group or simply to follow the progress can check @TheSwampThing (http://twitter.com/#!/TheSwampThing) on Twitter.

Go forth and bird!

Images (#2, #3) by Mark Musselman

Ripped From the Headlines!

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:13:00 +0000

The staff at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest hopes that everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving...everyone and every thing!

Image by Mark Musselman

While enjoying our days away from the swamp, we had extra time to peruse the printed and online news. Here are a few noteworthy selections:

In a callback to our post from last week, we spotted an article by Bo Petersen in The Post and Courier regarding an award nomination of local conservationist George Rabb for his lifetime of work protecting wildlife and their habitats. Why are frogs disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate? Mr. Rabb can tell you. "He drove research that identified a deadly skin fungus literally being carried frog to frog as local species were transported around the world. Because of that work, a global effort is under way to find ways to diffuse the crisis and conserve healthy captive species as a fallback."

Next, work continues with Ashley Ridge High School and the new nature trail. Last week, we were on campus to teach the basics of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation. Students quickly got the hang of the technology and found various objects like a manhole cover, a specific palm tree, white traffic arrows, and a bench. All objects that could have been located with verbal directions, but it likely would have devolved into something akin to the old game of telephone. With their newly acquired skills, students will be able to capture the coordinates of various locations along the nature trail, including wildlife sightings! Using the data they collect, students will also be able to create their own maps. You can read more about the day in the Summerville Journal Scene's article.

Images by Emily Cavell

Finally, "one of the world's rarest and most valuable books is out of the vault and on public view." You can read the rest of Joann Loviglio's article regarding John James Audubon's "The Birds of America" in yesterday's Post and Courier.

Master Naturalist Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:22:00 +0000

Last Monday, the participants in the Master Naturalist program at the Lowcountry Institute on Spring Island visited the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. This time of year, wildlife along the boardwalk can be scarce. Many of the birds have migrated to southerly locations, reptiles are less active and often hidden from sight, and deer are literally gun-shy.

During our walk around the boardwalk, we did see a variety of birds, Yellow-bellied Sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta) at the lake, a Greenish Rat Snake sunning on a tree branch, and this likely-born-this-year Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) basking in a patch of sun next to the Yellow Popular (Liriodendron tulipifera) sign.

After lunch, we moved to the bluff near Mallard Lake to inspect the seeps and see what might be living in the those moist habitats. While still above the bluff on the sandy, dry stretch, Tony Mills caught a male Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus) basking on a fallen log. Note the vibrant blue on the lizard's belly and throat!

Under a log, we found a female Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) with her eggs. Once the water level rises and floods the area, the eggs will hatch. Elsewhere we found Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera), Three-lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata), and Slimy Salamanders (Plethodon glutinosus).

Finally, hopping across the leaf litter, we found what we are identifying as an Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum). Variability in individuals makes this one tough to identify with only the image to examine.

Images by Mark Musselman

South Carolina's Wild Pig Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:46:00 +0000

At the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, we have previously reported on the wild pig problem in the old-growth swamp.

Today, The Southeast Farm Press published an online article regarding the general problem of the non-native pigs and the specific issue the animals pose for agriculture. The article is a fine summary of the problem, which affects us all directly or indirectly. It is worth the quick read!

Images by Mark Musselman

The Elusive Wood Duck

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +0000

If you have never seen a male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), then you are missing one of nature's works of art! In fact, hunting this bird for its plumage and as food brought the species to the brink of extinction by the early 1900s.

male

Wood Ducks nest in cavities, natural or made by other animals, so they are often found in swamps and bottomland forests. Loss of habitat and some forestry practices eliminated the nesting cavities sought by this species, which is the reason Wood Duck nest boxes became ubiquitous in some areas. While the practice of placing nest boxes helped the species recover, more is not necessarily better as female Wood Ducks increase their habit of dumping eggs into other birds' nests as the density of cavities or nest boxes increases. Clutches of 15-50 eggs can result from 2-10 hens contributing eggs to the nest. Cavities may be quite high in a tree, but 24 hours after hatching, the ducklings will exit the cavity and free fall. Their light weight and landing zones of soft leaves or water results in few injuries.

female behind male

Over the last two weeks, Wood Ducks have gotten our attention at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest as their noisy courtship has begun. The female's vocalization, heard at the end of this audio, is what can be heard most often from the boardwalk and our offices. Displays will continue into the spring as groups of a dozen birds, more males than females, gather to court and eventually split into monogamous pairs. These displays occur mainly on the water. The heavy weight of ducks relative to their wing area requires continuous flapping and makes aerial maneuvers and displays difficult to impossible.

male

The wet area behind a portion of the beaver dam (small portion shown in blue) near #1 along the boardwalk is where the Wood Ducks have been located. As our Wood Duck images consist of distant blurs or the ones above taken inside at the South Carolina Aquarium, we wanted to try and capture some clear images in the swamp. Down the hill from the outdoor classroom, there was a screen of large trees between us and the ducks. We moved slowly and quietly while frequently checking with binoculars the location of our quarry. Occasionally, a duck would swim out from behind the screen of trees and we would freeze until the duck returned to a position out of our view. Quite pleased with our stealth, we arrived at a position close enough for our long lens to provide a quality image. Alas, there were no ducks! Scanning with the binoculars, we located a male watching us from a position 50 meter to the south. Upon further inspection, we saw additional ducks silently swimming south down the channel. As the trees screened us from the ducks, or so we thought, so too was the ducks' exit screened from us. Visitors passing along the boardwalk caused the ducks to flush to flight, which revealed the presence of at least a dozen ducks when we had seen no more than five. Obviously, we were not as stealthy as we thought and had been under careful observation the entire time, which allowed for the ducks' silent withdrawal.

The elusive ducks won again. However, trips into the swamp would be less exciting if we did not have plenty of targets still on our image wish list!

Images by Mark Musselman

Final Bridge at ARHS

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Yesterday, the final bridge was cemented into place across the west end of the drainage ditch that parallels the majority of the Ashley Ridge High School nature trail. This project was funded by a TogetherGreen grant, which is a joint effort by the National Audubon Society and Toyota that aims to inspire environmental leadership and community-based action.

During last month's workday, students were able to complete the first ditch-spanning bridge, build multiple smaller foot bridges, lay down a gravel trail through a low area, construct an outdoor classroom, and continue trail clearing. Unfortunately, two of the four power poles generously donated by South Carolina Electric & Gas could not be moved into place before the workday. Yesterday, the heavy poles were dragged by truck to a location close to the west end of the trail.

Once the poles were as close to the ditch as they could be moved by truck, staff from the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, environmental studies teachers from Ashley Ridge High School, and several environmental studies students used rope and handles to carry the poles down the slight incline to the ditch. More ropes and some muscle power got the poles to span the ditch. Students used post-hole diggers to dig into the ditch bank, then attached some anchoring lumber, and finally filled the holes with cement to securely set the power pole supports in place.

Later this month, students will conduct a mini-workday to attach the decking to the bridge, which will allow safe access across both the east and west ends of the ditch and complete the nature trail! Even though the trail has yet to be completed, a math class was already walking the trail and using the outdoor classroom space.

As we prepared to depart, we noticed that some of our trail leveling work had uncovered the nest site of an Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum). The four young turtles had hatched from their eggs, but had not yet departed the cavity in a high ground that had become part of the trail. With plenty of oohs and aahs, we removed the turtles from the cavity and released them in a nearby low, wet area.

Maybe while studying all the other plants and animals along the trail, students will come across the turtles they helped get started in the world just south of the campus.

Images by Mark Musselman

Oh! Deer!

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been a common sight around the 1.75-mile boardwalk at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. Maybe it's all the hunting going on outside of the sanctuary or maybe it's simply easier to see through the swamp now that many of the leaves have fallen from the trees. Whatever the reason, visitors have been able to view the deer at close range and capture images to take home!

Images by Mark Musselman

Christmas Bird Count 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:57:00 +0000

The Four Holes Swamp Christmas Bird Count will be hosted by Audubon South Carolina on Monday, December 19th, 2011! Have you been wracking your brain for a gift to give nature? Well, what would be better than joining 112 years of tradition by volunteering in a worthy and enjoyable citizen-science project for the better understanding of birds and their habitats?

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) eating Flowering Dogwood fruit

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society that began 112 years ago as a method for 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.

Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)

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 CBC veterans. Volunteers will meet at the nature center at 8:00 am to begin and return to the center at 4:30 pm to wrap up the day with some refreshments.

If you are interested in participating in this valuable citizen-science opportunity, please contact Mark Musselman at 843-462-2150. There is a $5/person charge to cover costs associated with compilation and dissemination of the CBC results. You can see previous results here.

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Female Eastern Towhee (Piplio erythrophythalmus)

(Although this species is said to forage on the ground, this female was pulling fruit off the Flowering Dogwood.)

Images by Mark Musselman

Wildlife Along the Boardwalk

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:05:00 +0000

With few visitors enjoying the cool, sunny day in the swamp and with our necks getting stiff from sitting in front of computers at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, we decided to take a stroll along the 1.75-mile boardwalk to count birds for our weekly entry on the eBird web site. What birds we saw or heard are listed below.

Although the time of year and the breezy conditions were not conducive to great birdwatching, we were able to catch glimpses of some other swamp residents. Near #136, we were observing three Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) soaring just above the treetops unable to find any rising warm air. As we were about to continue our walk, we detected the subtle motion of a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsing quietly 20 meters north of the boardwalk. The first section of the video below shows a portion of our time with the deer.

As soon as we reached Goodson Lake, we noticed the water rippling along the far bank. A quick look through the binoculars revealed a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) using its extremely sensitive paws to probe for food in the shallow water. As the small animal was too far away to effectively video with the iPod Touch in our pocket, we made a video through the binoculars. The second section of the video below shows the foraging raccoon.

Finally, we used the iPod Touch/binocular combination to show the main threat to the raccoon in and around the holes (deep spots) like Goodson Lake...the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)! It may be cool enough now that the alligator will not eat again until spring, but is it worth the risk?

Video by Mark Musselman

TogetherGreen Youth Fellows

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:09:00 +0000

This past weekend, the TogetherGreen (There's a Birding the Net Whooping Crane here!) Youth Fellows from four cities (Charleston, San Antonio, Seattle, and Columbus) met at the National Conservation Training Center outside of Shepherdstown, WV. Each city had youth working on high school student-driven projects in conjunction with a local Audubon center, a local aquarium or zoo, and a local U. S. Fish and Wildlife affiliate. The retreat gave the young grant recipients the chance to met each other and share the projects they have been planning and implementing.

Image by Eddie Gonzales

We have previously reported on the projected facilitated by Emily Cavell out of the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. Jim Tatum's article on Emily's Ashley Ridge High School project ran in today's Summerville Journal Scene. The other projects for the Charleston area are floating wetlands at West Ashley High School facilitated by Marzio Gillis through the South Carolina Aquarium and native plant identification/uses trail at the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge facilitated by Sam Buzuleciu.

Not only wast the trip to West Virginia the first airplane ride for several participants, Saturday's snow storm was the first snow experienced by several participants, including one of the first plane riders! Fortunately for everyone, the snow was gone from the roads and Dulles airport before travel on Sunday.

Images by Mark Musselman

The early snow was exciting, but the enthusiasm and passion emanating from the young men and women driving the variety of projects was inspiring!

ARHS Nature Trail Workday

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:11:00 +0000

The nature trail construction workday at Ashley Ridge High School was a tremendous success!
The National Audubon Society and Toyota have joined forces to launch TogetherGreen, a nationwide initiative that aims to inspire environmental leadership and community-based action. Details for this project can be seen here.

Image by Emily Cavell

Students from the environmental studies classes of Ms. Minde Wheeler and Mr. Jerry Kociuruba helped plan the workday by forming committees for the construction of small footbridges, a 26-foot footbridge, benches, outdoor classroom, and trail enhancement (clearing, gravel, pine straw). The poles for the 26-foot footbridges were generously donated by South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G).

Image by Jim Tatum

More photos by Jim Tatum of the Summerville Journal Scene can be seen here.

With the help of staff from the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, students were able to complete one of the two 26-foot footbridge (the other poles were not yet in place), all the smaller footbridges, the outdoor classroom, and the gravel trail from the parking area down to the ditch spanned by the bridge shown in the above image.

Image by Emily Cavell

With the outstanding work by the students and Audubon partners, access is now available to the natural areas on the Ashley Ridge High School campus. Not only will the students in the environmental studies classes be able to use the trail and continue to make improvements to the trail, but other students and teachers have the opportunity to work trail visits and exploration into their studies!

Hermit Thrushes Are Here

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Although the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest is closed today, there is still plenty going on outside the office window! The other day, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were clearing the fruit from the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) trees. Today, it was the Hermit Thrushes' turn.

These are the first Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) we've seen this winter and they are wasting no time harvesting the available fruit. Hermit Thrushes have a relatively spotted breast and a reddish tail that contrasts with their brown back.

Although eating plenty of fruit in winter is typical Hermit Thrush behavior and not indicative of a impending cold winter, the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) outside the back door appeared to be preparing for a winter worthy of an extremely dense nest. In the few minutes we were on the back porch, the squirrel made no fewer than twenty trips to prune small branches full of leaves and then carry the insulating material back to the nest in the crook of a Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa).

Images by Mark Musselman

Migrant Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Although the cooler weather has limited the sightings of wildlife along the boardwalk at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, there are still jewels to be found!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus) were seen again outside the office window eating Flowering Dogwood fruit. Black-throated Blue Warblers (Setophaga caerulescens) were spotted in several places around the boardwalk (#4, #14) and in the parking area.

Male Hooded Warblers (Setophaga citrina) are still being seen regularly around the boardwalk, especially near the swamp edge between #2 and #3 and along the return loop at #14.

An Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) was spotted walking under the Dwarf Palmettos near #1.

Today, the first Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) was spotted moving low at the swamp's edge behind the outdoor classroom.

Other residents like the cool weather just fine as well as the sanctuary from those with guns!

Images by Mark Musselman

Rosebrock Park

noreply@blogger.com (Swampy) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:23:00 +0000

There is a new park in Dorchester County! The park entrance is located at the intersection of Hwy 61 and Hwy 165.

From the Dorchester County Parks and Recreation webpage:

Richard H. Rosebrock Park is 76 acres including 2.4 miles of walking trails and also has picnic shelters and an outdoor classroom. Future amenities include a canoe/kayak launch and a fishing pier on the Ashley River. Park hours are 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Standard time and 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Daylight Savings time.

See trail map here.

Audubon South Carolina contributed some of the images shown on the kiosk at the trail head. During a recent visit, we saw or heard a variety of birds including Gray Catbird, Pine Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Veery, Northern Cardinal, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Belted Kingfisher, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-eyed Vireo and American Redstart.

Ashley River under Hwy 165

We'll look for you on the trail!

Images by Mark Musselman