Birdsong Nature Center

Birdsong Home

Wildlife Management Notes

February 16, 1999

Weather We've had another two months of warm weather with just two hard freezes, but so far no temperatures into the teens. The rains are in short supply - under four inches so far when we would normally have ten. So there is much to study and then try to balance our management plans for variety of habitats.

Controlled Burning Is it too dry to burn the hardwood strip south of the Holly Woods? Might there be cambium damage even though we have raked flammable material away from the trunks of many of the trees? Conditions are squeezing us: we need the right wind, humidity, temperature and a large enough crew to do the job. These requirements don't seem to coalesce on weekends! Plus we've had a very full schedule of programs and visitors. At least the different burns of different ages we have done so far are proving very instructive.

Purple Martins Larry Herring and his crew of volunteers serviced the gourds and hung them on January 21 and the first martin arrived on January 27. So we celebrated St. Martin's Day and Happy Birthday with great joy! (Editor's Note: Betty's 85th birthday was January 29th.) Since then martin numbers have increased to twelve on February 2 and now we have a full house.

One is always tempted to put up more poles, but since 1939 we've always had one pole up and carrying on the "seed". In two seasons we lost our martins to predation, once by a Cooper's hawk and second by a barred owl. The pole has been moved to different locations around the back yard over time. It started out near the well, close to the house, and was moved when a site became too closed in by surrounding trees and shrubbery.

Neighboring control burns have been furnishing the martins with insects to eat, as did our small burn near their pole (see article on page 8). We'll burn the House Pasture, if needed, to provide them with food if a true cold snap occurs.

Beaver We have had to contract with Gary Fain to overhaul the entire Upper Pond Dam. Beaver have made extensive tunnels all through the center section, causing water to run through, threatening the stability of the entire dam. We were lucky not to get the rain we wanted for purposes of control burning. The dam would have blown even though Peter Wright got the siphon working and the pond was very low.

So Gary has brought in a backhoe and we are planning to broaden the dam to twelve feet wide with a good slope on both sides. The beaver seem to tunnel more when the slope is very steep, or maybe their tunneling cut the slope! Ha!

Historically, Upper Pond Dam was the old ford for the Meridian Road that went past the Birdsong schoolhouse in Big Pasture. Sara Wells told me she walked it to school every day from Beachton.

Also, we have to always keep in mind the pond on the present paved Meridian Road, which drains under the road into Upper Pond. Several years ago the road department cut through a beaver dam on that pond and 1 1/2 feet of water rushed down into our Upper Pond.

Will have to keep a close eye on the water levels and beaver activity. Maybe we need a lottery to help us with expenses. Who do you want to bet on? Beaver? Or humans?

Big Bay Dam The wood storks have enjoyed the lowered water levels but the wood ducks are not as numerous as usual, but that could be caused by peripheral shooting. Beaver have also been damming the drain intermittently.

Bluebirds The bluebird boxes have been winterized and are experiencing a lot of use. The birds crowd together inside the boxes on cold nights to keep warm and leave evidence of their presence.

Big Pecan We lucked into an ideal day for burning the remaining pieces of the Big Pecan that Peter and Bill Waite had placed in the left vista. They did a good job of placement and packing the huge pile and on Thursday, with a heavy morning fog I lit one back fire at 9:30 and it eased into the pile with very little fire escaping into the surrounding mowed grass. By night it was one glowing mass. The next day it was still hot, but reduced to a big beautiful mass of ashes which we can scatter over the garden as needed for fertilizer. Have to go lightly on azaleas, camellias, and other acid-loving plants. We have so much more pecan wood to burn but we can leave it unless the itch to clean up gets us or our expected tenant shows up (i.e. rattlesnake) but we must always watch where we put our hands and feet.

Meadowlarks There is a large flock in the Gin House - they've been seen in the Star Pasture, trails, and contour lines. Lyn Desautel and her Early Morning Birding group observed them up in the pine trees.

Butterfly Garden There are always jobs to do, especially mulching and weeding. We are blessed with congenial volunteers who enjoy being out-of-doors. The butterflies have been appearing even after the cold: cloudless sulphurs, gulf fritillaries, swallowtails, buckeyes, skippers, and wood nymphs.

Pittosporum in the back yard near the covered well. Several deer have pruned back this large shrub all around the sides - saw five of them there one evening. Smell and taste the leaves! Wonder how they could enjoy them with all the clover near by. Why! Look down under the pittosporum and see the gorgeous miniature garden of bluets.

Bird Window Most visitors have been seeing around twenty species of birds. Volunteer Gail Menk added to our sightings list with his backyard observations, using both sight and song. I remember sitting on the back porch and making a list of forty one morning. At the Window many robins, catbirds and hermit thrush still enjoying the yaupon and cherry laurel put out for them - but gleanings are getting scarce. Luckily, the catbird and hermit thrush have moved to the suet cake on the window. There have been many goldfinches and chipping sparrows. The hawks, however, are making hourly visits. Thought all of them were sharp-shins but a Cooper's hit the window, was stunned, and I got a good look at it. On warm days the bath and mist are very attractive to all.

Come out and enjoy all the miracles. Nothing but beauty and questions!

Blessed Be
Praise and Thanks
- bbk

"Wildlife Management Notes" appears regularly in our bi-monthly Newsletter . Below is an index of links to previous issues of "Notes".

• December 1998

Copyright © 1999, Birdsong Nature Center
Revised -- May 2, 1999