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Wildlife Management Notes

Wildlife Management Notes and Observations
The Abundance of Autumn
October 28, 1999

Woodland pond at Birdsong.

Wildlife and Grasses We've had very little rain this summer and fall, just a few showers in September and October, and with only two of them providing more than one inch of rainfall. Despite this, the fall wildflowers display has been truly spectacular. The Agalinis in the Gin House Field, although shorter than most years, turned the field pink, and there have been glorious purple and gold patches of Liatris, narrow-leaved sunflowers, goldenrods, and all kinds of asters everywhere on Birdsong. A multitude of grasses too are producing gorgeous gold and bronze seed heads. All this healthy vegetation is supporting a large crop of grasshoppers and other insects, attracting birds away from the Bird Window, and providing plenty of food for local and migrating birds.

Bird Window Few birds are feeding much right now, but it has been great fun to catch sight of migrants visiting the bath and feeders. Chipping sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers arrived this week, and over the last month we've seen white-, red-eyed, and yellow-throated vireos; eastern phoebe; catbirds; carolina chickadee; bobwhite quail; redstarts; indigo bunting; downy woodpecker; yellow-bellied sapsucker; wood thrush; Swainson's thrush; summer and scarlet tanager; veery; and parula, hooded, magnolia, Tennessee, prairie, and black-and-white warblers. Seen nearby on the grounds were: chestnut-sided and pine warblers, eastern bluebirds, northern orioles, blue grosbeaks, pileated woodpeckers, white-breasted and brown-headed nuthatches, northern flicker, and rufous-sided towhees. Our last sighting of a hummingbird took place on October 2.

Controlled Burning The next area to be burned is the Gin House Field. We are hoping for a killing frost before the end of November to help dry out the grasses and the fuel so we can burn before the red clover starts to germinate. This is always a challenging prescription, especially since in recent years it has been rare to have an early frost.

Water Levels Because of the extended dry spell all our ponds and Big Bay Swamp are at the lowest levels seen in years. There have been no anhingas in the Bay for months, and right now you can almost walk across the bottom of the swamp. Little Bay Pond and the Frog Pond are virtually dry. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect this will have on food supplies, etc. for our usual aquatic inhabitants. On a positive note, the lack of flowing water has resulted in no beaver activity in the Upper and Farm Ponds. That, or perhaps our two alligator residents are establishing their seniority.

The Live Oak Hammock We didn't burn through the Live Oak Hammock this year due to scheduling problems with the drought. Instead, the Hammock has been mowed to help control the sweet gum brush. The trees have really grown and the area is looking really lovely. This winter we will need to do some more selective removal of trees to make growing space for those we choose to keep for their size, location or beauty. The Hammock's resident barred owl is occasionally seen by visitors.

Berries No wonder so few birds are at the Bird Window with the abundance of ripe berries everywhere: yaupon holly, American beauty berry, magnolia, dogwood, sumac, and wax myrtle.

Bluebirds The bluebirds had their best season to date on the Bluebird Trail. The Bluebird Monitors' next job will be to clean out the boxes, remove any wasps, and put a little pine straw inside. (See program schedule on page 3.) The boxes will make cozy roosting sites on very cold nights. We've been seeing lots of bluebirds on the place and there are two singing right now in the Pecan Grove near the garden. There are still lots of grasshoppers available and plenty of sumac and other ripe berries for them to eat.

The Butterfly Garden The Garden had a slow start this year due to drought, but the last few months it has been laden with blooms and butterflies. Right now it is alive with gulf fritillaries, cloudless sulphurs, zebra long wings, and countless long tailed skippers on the pentas. In this clear fall afternoon light the flowers are just glowing.

Mushrooms About three weeks ago, after a moderate shower, a sudden and effusive bloom of mushrooms appeared all over Birdsong. We haven't seen that many varieties in those numbers for several years. There were green-gilled fairy rings everywhere, plenty of Russulas, Lacterius, boletes galore, and even several showings of Caesar's amanita - the edible that emerges from a delicate white "egg" looking like a bright red cherry tomato and then turns orange as its cap expands. And that was right here in the garden! One extremely interesting, if somewhat revolting, mushroom also erupted in great numbers in the garden - right where staff parks and the Birdsong truck is kept. This area sprouted about thirty stinkhorns - a mushroom with a fascinating reproductive strategy. It emerges from an egg-like sac and develops into a coral-colored open sided chamber containing a brown foul-smelling patch of spores. Flies and other insects are attracted to it because it smells like rotting meat or worse and end up collecting spores on their feet which then get dispersed elsewhere by the insect. Fascinating, yet nauseating - the odor wafts far and wide. Staff took to parking as far away as possible and no lunch could be eaten at the nearby picnic tables.

Miscellaneous Observations We have two patches of Indian Pipes on the trails. Haven't seen these saprophytic plants for several years... A northern harrier has been spotted several times - like last year - lilting over the Gin House Field with its bright white rump patch... Bill Waite spotted a very handsome, very big rattler relaxing under a tree near Five Points... The camellia by the water at the Bird Window has bloomed... A house wren has been chattering for several days in a brushy area near the Butterfly Garden... The Withlacoochee Watchers, a birding club from Valdosta, observed a great-horned owl in a snag at fairly close range as it calmly consumed part of a 'possum... The big beautiful banana spider is still maintaining her golden web under the eaves of the Listening Place. She has been there all summer - very strategically located so her behavior could be observed from inside through the glass... This is a great year for pecan-fall - our student groups have really enjoyed collecting them. Some are excellent; some are dried-out, perhaps due to the drought... Several big beautiful silver-backed fox squirrels have been spotted near the Wildlife Woods... Ever since the fall equinox we've had some truly delightful weather, with much cooler temperatures and that clear blue sky and angle of light that evokes memories of other autumns.

We wish you and yours an abundant and beautiful fall and invite you to join us at Birdsong to enjoy nature's gifts.

From Betty
    Love to you all.
    Praise and thanks!
    Blessed be.
    - KDB

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

• April 1999
• February 1999
• December 1998

Copyright © 1999, Birdsong Nature Center
Revised -- November 21, 1999