Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road

Delaware Delights

May 30, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Eastern Cottontail young (click to enlarge)

Another post about my trip last week to NJ, DE, and VA refuges….

After getting off the ferry from Cape May to Lewes, the first stop was Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The first critter seen, and one that would be seen over and over again in Delaware, was a bunny. So many rabbits along the refuge roadsides – where all all the predators? Surprisingly, in a week’s worth of refuge visits, I did not see the one mammal I would expect – White-tailed Deer. The mammal fauna, other than rabbits, muskrats, and a couple of Chincoteague species, remained hidden for the week. There was a clue though as to why warm-blooded critters might be hiding – deer flies and no-see-ums were out in force. So, after a quick walk around some refuge trails, it was on to Slaughter Beach to check on the Horseshoe Crabs, one of the main reasons I had made this trip at this time of year.

Horseshoe Crabs on Slaughter Beach (click to enlarge)

The tide was coming in and the moon close to full in May, perfect timing to see the annual spectacle of Horseshoe Crabs coming ashore to mate in Delaware Bay. I made a lucky stop at the DuPont Nature Center in Mispillion Harbor where I met some birders getting ready for a shorebird program. A couple gave me a tip on a local beach access where the crabs were mating in large numbers. A short drive and there they were, Horseshoe Crabs by the thousands lining the beach. There is so much to share I will do a separate post on this incredible phenomenon later this week.

The next day I spent a cloudy morning with the Horseshoe Crabs and shorebirds at Slaughter Beach and then headed to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge about 40 minutes north. The sun came out (eventually), the wind picked up, so life was good. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region. The refuge’s 16,000 acres are mostly marsh, but also include freshwater impoundments and a variety of upland habitats that are managed for other wildlife. Most visitor opportunities are located along the 12-mile Wildlife Drive so that was the main part of the visit.

Snapping Turtle (click to enlarge)

Instead of the cute bunnies seen at Prime Hook, the greeting committee at this refuge was a bit more formidable – a huge Snapping Turtle near the Visitor Center, the first of several to be seen along the roadsides here.

Baby Mud Turtle (click to enlarge)

Not all the turtles on the roads were quite as large as that snapper – this tiny baby Mud Turtle was crossing at a culvert between swampy areas. One of the ever-present deer flies stopped in for the pic as well.

American Redstart (click to enlarge)

I picked up a copy of the Delaware Birding trail map and guide (see also http://www.delawarebirdingtrail.org/). The description for the Boardwalk Trail at Bombay Hook reads – “the woods at the beginning of the boardwalk trail can be particularly good for migrant songbirds. The boardwalk trail itself is a great place to see breeding Marsh Wrens…” Talk about truth in advertising! Right after getting out of the car there were birds everywhere – Orchard Orioles, a Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, House Wren, Northern Flicker, male American Redstart, Tree Swallows, and the ubiquitous Gray Catbird.

Marsh Wren male singing (click to enlarge)

A walk out the short trail led to some shorebirds and the first Black-necked Stilt of the day. But it was the songs of the Marsh Wrens that caught your attention. A photographer coming off the boardwalk told me he had seen tons of “baby Carolina Wrens, and they had let him get close for photos”. Turns out the boardwalk over the marsh was instead full of the warbles and displays of male Marsh Wrens. Territorial males have an interesting behavior that makes them quite visible – they vigorously sing from one side of their marshy territory for a few minutes and then fly over to to the other side and sing there for awhile. Once in awhile they perform a so-called song flight display, where they fly up a few feet above the grasses, and then flutter down and straddle some plant stalks giving their song all the while. If you just stand within the territory boundaries, you will be serenaded and displayed to at close range.

Marsh Wren nest (click to enlarge)

Male Marsh Wrens construct several partially completed nests within their territory (much like our Carolina Wrens back home) in the hopes of seducing a female (or two – male Marsh Wrens are polygamous). The nests are readily visible as balls of grasses and reed woven together (about the size of a softball) a few feet off the ground with an entrance hole in one side. If a female finds one to her liking she will finish it off with soft liner materials. If not, she will make her own within a male’s territory. I could have definitely spent more time watching and listening to these energetic songsters (and hoping for some sunshine for photos), but there was still a lot of ground to cover.

Black-necked Stilt (click to enlarge)

Along one of the impoundments I saw the bold black and white of a Black-necked Stilt feeding in the marsh. This is one of my favorite shorebirds although I have seen them only a few times. They are just so boldly patterned and they look like they shouldn’t function quite right with those long skinny reddish-pink legs. They supposedly have the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird (flamingos are the winner in the proportional long-legged bird department). A couple of nests could be seen on the marsh flats and watching a stilt fold its legs up to sit on the eggs is entertaining. One pair aggressively approached a Great Egret that walked too close to their nest until the much larger bird shied away. I wish I could go back in a week and see the tiny speckled tan fluff balls on sticks that are the young birds.

Common Yellowthroat male (click to enlarge)

Eastern Kingbird (click to enlarge)

The marshes and impoundments along Wildlife Drive produced great views of a number of other species including Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Kingbird, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, and, of course, hundreds of Red-winged Blackbirds.

Eastern Wood-peewee (click to enlarge)

The woodland and forest edge portions of the drive were also productive – Eastern Wood-peewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, and a Northern Waterthrush.

Tree Swallow in nest box (click to enlarge)

The road through the open fields produced more Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, Blue Grosbeak, Northern Bobwhite, a Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, and Tree Swallows at almost every nest box.

Great Blue Heron in marsh along Wildlife Drive (click to enlarge)

Bombay Hook NWR is, indeed, a delight, and a place I look forward to revisiting.
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New Jersey Really IS The Garden State

May 28, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Okay, I admit it, I wasn’t that convinced that I would have a great natural history vacation in New Jersey. I had heard of the wilds of the Pine Barrens, but knew little of the rest of the state except what Jon Stewart and the southerners I grew up around joke about. I do know several folks from NJ (one even met up with me for this trip) and they love the outdoors like I do so maybe…Then I started reading The Freiday Bird Blog by Don Freiday about all of the great bird sightings around Cape May, NJ, so I decided to give it a try. The Garden State did not disappoint.

Black-bellied Plover in one of the impoundments (click to enlarge)

The first stop was Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge along the shores of southern New Jersey. Forsythe totals about 47,000 acres of mainly salt marsh wetlands and tidal coves and bays managed for waterfowl (especially Black Ducks and Atlantic Brant), migrating shorebirds and song birds, and other wildlife. The refuge has also created a series of fresh and brackish water impoundments to create a diversity of wildlife habitats.

Salt marshes and shorebirds along Wildlife Drive at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR

The easiest way to see wildlife is the popular 8-mile one way auto loop called Wildlife Drive. The loop passes by a series of impoundments in the middle with salt marshes along the outside and then finishes by passing through some forested habitats. Last week was about peak numbers for the migrating shorebirds so there were great views of many species such as Semipalmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, and Black-bellied Plovers.

Black Skimmer (click to enlarge)

A highlight was watching a pair of Black Slimmers feeding in the canal next to the road. Their strange bill, unusual feeding behavior, and striking colors make them one of my favorite coastal birds to watch. They drag the knife-like lower mandible of their bill through the water as they fly back and forth in search of prey. When the mandible touches a fish, the upper bill snaps down instantly to catch it. This bill is their most unusual feature – it is the only North American bird where the lower mandible is longer than the upper. At hatching, the two mandibles are equal in length, but by fledging, the lower mandible is longer than the upper.

Huge flock of shorebirds at Heislerville Wildlife Management Area (click to enlarge)

Next stop was Heislerville Wildlife Management Area which is renowned for its migrating shorebirds. Driving down the rutted dirt road it did not look promising, but up ahead a good sign – a group of people with spotting scopes. It was a Nature Conservancy outing scoping the tens of thousands of shorebirds for some unusual species. The vast majority were Semipalmated Sandpipers along with fair numbers of Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitchers.

Image of Curlew Sandpiper (the reddish shorebird) through the spotting scope (click to enlarge)

But the target of the day for the birders was a rare Curlew Sandpiper. This is a Eurasian species which nests on the tundra in northern Russia and winters in southern Asia, Australia, and Africa. But almost every year, a few end up somewhere along the coast of North America. The Curlew Sandpiper had just gotten lost amongst the thousands of other shorebirds when we arrived. But on a second pass later that afternoon, a knowledgeable birder (turned out to be Don Freiday whose blog I follow) kindly pointed it out. Luckily, it was in its brick red breeding plumage so it stood out in the afternoon light even at a great distance through the scope.

Shorebirds in late afternoon light at Heislerville (click to enlarge)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (click to enlarge)

The second impoundment at Heislerville also contained thousands of Semipalmated Sandpipers and the low angle light made for some great photographs as the birds fed, preened, and rested. The Semipalmated Sandpiper gets its common name from the short webs between its toes (“palmated” means webbed). This species is by far the most abundant shorebird during migration in these parts – they spend the winter in South America and are now migrating the thousands of miles back to their Arctic nesting grounds.

Rookery at Heislerville WMA (click to enlarge)

Double-crested Cormorant nests in rookery (click to enlarge)

Adjacent to one of the shorebird impoundments at Heislerville was a small island containing a rookery of what seemed to be hundreds of nests of Double-crested Cormorants, Snowy Egrets, and Black-crowned Night Herons. The guttural squawks and other non-stop sounds made me appreciate my quiet neighbors back home. When viewed through the scope, I was amazed at the striking bright blue color of the throats of the Double-crested Cormorants.

After a long day, I spent the night in the beautiful beach-side town of Cape May. The next morning was overcast and time was limited (had reservations on the ferry to Delaware in early afternoon) so I made several stops at local hot spots including Belleplain State Forest, Cape May NWR, and Cape May Point State Park.

Hawk Watch platform at Cape May Point State Park

I’m sure it is different once the summer beach season gets rolling, but during migration, Cape May is like Disney World for birders. Everywhere you look there are people with binoculars and vanity license plates with some bird-related moniker. It should be no surprise that the World Series of Birding is held here every May.

Yellow Warbler male at Cape May NWR (click to enlarge)

There were plenty of song birds in evidence although I think I missed the peak of warbler migration by a couple of weeks. The most common warblers seen were the beautiful Yellow Warblers. They were feeding in the shrub thickets at almost every stop and offered good views as they sang and foraged. Cape May is indeed a birder’s paradise in spring. And they say the Fall migration is even more spectacular as thousands of song birds, raptors, and monarch butterflies gather at the point before heading across Delaware Bay on their way south. I guess I will venture to the Garden State again this Fall and see what all the fuss is about.
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A Most Aptly Named Bird

May 24, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Red-winged Blackbird male on marsh grass (click to enlarge)

I think Delaware got it wrong. The Blue Hen is the official state bird of this fine state, but in both color and species they have missed the boat. My vote would be for the Red-winged Blackbird. Displaying males are the most common species seen at Prime Hook and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuges. They are much easier to approach and identify than the other most common birds, a couple of species of shorebirds, which number in the thousands for the next couple of weeks.

Male Red-winged Blackbird displaying (click to enlarge)

Male Red-winged Blackbirds have jet-black bodies with a bright red shoulder patch (epaulet) bordered by a yellow stripe at the bottom. And to make it even easier to find them, the males are almost always displaying this time of year. The most noticeable display is the so-called song spread where a perched male arches forward, spreads its wings to the side and exposes his red epaulets while letting out his distinctive song (usually described by a variation on the phrase konk-a-ree!). This display is meant to defend his territory from rival males and attract a female.

Red-winged Blackbird male displaying (click to enlarge)

I was also able to watch some other interesting behaviors: the sexual chase where a female flies erratically while being pursued by one or more males – this serves to bond the female with her mate; and the song flight – a slow, stalling flight by the male with epaulets exposed, tail spread, accompanied by his song.

Red-winged Blackbird female (click to enlarge)

While displaying males were everywhere along the refuge roadsides, the females were much harder to find. They could be seen briefly darting across the roads pursued by males as described above. And occasionally you could spot one skulking about in the reeds beneath the watchful eyes of the resident male. Once they start feeding young in a few weeks, they will become much more visible as they tend to be the primary caregivers of the nestlings and will be coming and going to the nest with beaks full of bugs.

Red-winged blackbird flock at Pocosin Lakes in winter (click to enlarge)

I now have an even greater appreciation of one of my highlight birds at my favorite North Carolina refuge, Pocosin Lakes, Each winter, Red-winged Blackbirds congregate on the refuge fields by the tens of thousands and put on an amazing display of synchronized take-offs and flights as they forage and elude the many raptors hunting the refuge. Now I know where at least some of those magnificent flyers get their training.
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Jersey Shore…birds

May 22, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Huge flock of shorebirds (click to enlarge)

A quick post to share a highlight of the trip thus far to New Jersey, Delaware, and the Virginia Eastern Shore – huge flocks of shorebirds seen at Heislerville Wildlife Management Area in NJ. How many species can you see?
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Refuges Revisited

May 17, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Spring scene along swamp boardwalk at Lake Mattamuskeet (click to enlarge)

Spent a windy, dusty day in the field with friends on Wednesday exploring my two favorite refuges in NC – Mattamuskeet and Pocosin Lakes. It has been two weeks since I was last down that way and things have changed dramatically – the heat is here as are the deer flies (both of which have to count as being among my least favorite things).

But, as always, these incredible wildlife hot spots did not disappoint. The day started with sightings of large numbers of wading birds at Mattamuskeet in the impoundemnts which have become more mud and grass flats than water-filled marshes. Lots of egrets and herons were concentrated out in the flats, undoubtedly feasting on fish and tadpoles. Looking out over the vegetation we could see some very large white birds and when they took off there was no doubt as to their identity – American White Pelicans! They are becoming more common in winter at Mattamuskeet (last winter I saw over 40 in one flock) but I have never seen this many in late spring (we counted 11). Their appearance in our state has increased greatly in the last decade. I also see them every summer in Yellowstone where they breed on islands in Yellowstone Lake, but, as of yet, they are not known to breed here. They are always impressive, with black wing tips on wings that, at nine feet, are the longest wingspan of any regularly occurring North American bird.

Reflections along swamp boardwalk (click to enlarge)

Other highlights at Mattamuskeet included an abundance of dragonflies, a walk on the swamp boardwalk, a large number of turtles out along every bank, and three gray foxes.

Rat Snake in road (click to enlarge)

Toward mid-afternoon, we drove over to the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge for bears and anything else we might see.We quickly encountered a snake crossing one of the sandy roads and got out for a closer look – it was a beautiful Rat Snake, and it quickly decided to turn and headed back for cover. When we got out in front it assumed the classic defensive posture that would keep almost any mammal at bay.

Rat Snake in defensive posture (click to enlarge)

Rat Snakes are a highly variable species with individuals in much of the Coastal Plain being a greenish or yellowish color with four dark stripes running the length of the body. In most of the rest of the state they tend to be blackish in color. This one was a little over three feet long but looked like it had retained some of the juvenile coloration consisting of some dark blotches instead of the cleaner dark stripes.

Driving through the refuge we saw a few bear (ended up with nine bears for the afternoon) and birds of various sorts including an American Bittern in the marsh where I had photographed them calling a couple of weeks ago.

American Bittern calling late last month at Pungo (click to enlarge)

After getting out and listening at various points along the marsh, we did not hear any calls or see any other bitterns, so perhaps most have migrated on toward their breeding areas further north.

Greater Yellowlegs in impoundment (click to enlarge)

Late in the day we decided to walk out toward the Jones Pond impoundment along the dike since it had produced so much wildlife a couple of weeks ago. This is where the deer flies decided to remind us this was their turf, but we plowed ahead and soon startled a small bear who made a quick retreat off to our right in the woods. As we walked we saw several deer, a Raccoon, two River Otter, and lots of birds feeding around the rapidly drying pools scattered across the impoundment. The refuge manages these so-called Moist Soil Units to maximize food availability to overwintering waterfowl and this is the time of year when the impoundments are drained so seed-producing vegetation can grow and supply a food source within reach of dabbling ducks next winter when the area is again flooded. These areas also provide a valuable resource for shorebirds (such as this Greater Yellowlegs) and waders as well as raccoon, otter, and hungry bears. The pools are teeming with tadpoles (and perhaps small fish) as they get concentrated by the dropping water levels, making for an easy meal for various predators.

And, as I always like to do, we ended the day spending some time with bears. First, a familiar group of three (mom and two yearling cubs with distinctive stripes on their sides – from lying in mud?), and then a single adult bear that was busy eating the emerging vegetation from the growing mud flats. Not sure what caused the bear to jerk its head back a couple of times while feeding – crayfish encounter, snake, bee??, but it was both fun and peaceful to watch.

Yet another satisfying refuge visit.

Species list for Mattamuskeet NWR May 15, 2013:

Mammals:

White-tailed Deer, Gray Fox

Birds:

American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, American Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy egret, Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer, Solitary Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Forster’s Tern, Common Tern, American Crow, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Brown Thrasher, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Summer Tanager, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Eastern Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Peewee

Herps:

Painted Turtle, Yellow-bellied Slider, Mud Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Southern Cricket Frog, Green Frog

Species list for Pocosin Lakes NWR May 15, 2013:

Mammals:

Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, River Otter, Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Birds:

Double-crested Cormorant, American Coot, Mallard, Black Duck, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, American Bittern, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Solitary Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Northern Bobwhite, American Crow, Pileated Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Orchard Oriole, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher

Herps:

Painted Turtle, Yellow-bellied Slider, Rat Snake, Southern Cricket Frog, Bull Frog, Green Treefrog
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A Black and White Spring

May 16, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
The question is not what you look at, but what you see.

Henry David Thoreau

The forest floor in early May at Elk Garden, VA (click to enlarge)

Winter is usually thought of as gray and stark. Spring is viewed as a time of color – the varied greens of leaf out and the splashes of color from the unfolding display of wildflowers. But there are times even in spring when something catches my eye – a pattern, a texture, a shape – and I stop and look at it in a different way, aim the camera, and focus on the essence of the subject, which is often best relayed through colorless glasses. Here are some examples from my recent trip to Elk Garden, Virginia:

Wake Robin trillium (click to enlarge)

Fern fiddlehead (click to enlarge)

Fern fiddlehead (click to enlarge)

Solomon’s Seal flower buds (click to enlarge)

Unfurling leaves (click to enlarge)

Violet (click to enlarge)

Squirrel Corn (click to enlarge)

Trout Lily (click to enlarge)

Mayapple leaf (click to enlarge)

Take a moment on your next stroll though the woods and stop and look with a new set of eyes and see what you see.
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Elk Garden

May 13, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
View toward Mt. Rogers from Elk Garden parking lot

My Dad’s birthday and Mother’s Day are both the second week of May so I try to get home each May for a visit. As it turns out, it is also the prime time for a visit to one of my favorite areas in Virginia – the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Covering over 200,000 acres in southwest Virginia, the Mt. Rogers NRA contains four wilderness areas, mountain balds, high elevation spruce-fir forests, 500 miles of hiking trails (including a portion of the Appalachian Trail), beautiful mountain streams, wild ponies, and is adjacent to my favorite Virginia State Park, Grayson Highlands. But in early May, the place to be is Elk Garden. Easily accessible via Rt. 600, Elk Garden lies between the two tallest peaks in Virginia – Whitetop Mountain to the west and Mount Rogers to the east.

Lush herbaceous layer in the forest at Elk Garden (click to enlarge)

Each May I always enjoy traveling back in time to early spring (relative to the Piedmont of NC) as we climb the winding road to an elevation of about 4400 ft. Climbing the trail from the parking lot toward Whitetop, the trees are just starting to leaf out and various neotropical migrant songbirds can be seen flitting through the branches. But the show is down below, in the rich herbaceous ground cover lying between the boulders and bordering the numerous small streams cascading down the mountain. This is one of the richest wildflower displays I know and I always love to spend some time with my camera capturing their beauty. This year, the cool weather delayed some of the flowers so the balance of blossoms was slightly different than past seasons. Here are some of my favorites seen a few days ago:

Wake Robin (click to enlarge)

Everyone seems to love trilliums. They tend to be big and often showy with bright colors. The name trillium refers to the “threeness” of these plants – three leaves, three petals, three sepals, and fruit with three ridges. The name, Wake Robin, refers to the blooming time of this plant (and other species of trillium) which often coincides with the return of robins in early spring. This particular species also goes by several other, less flattering names, including Stinking Willie and Stinking Benjamin, both of which refer to the unpleasant aroma of the blossom (go ahead, get down and stick your nose up to it the next time you find one). Lacking nectar, these flowers rely on deception to bring in pollinators which are primarily flies and beetles that are typically attracted to dead animals.

Wake Robin, red form

Wake Robin, yellow form

This species is primarily a red-flowered one, which, when combined with the foul odor, mimics decaying flesh which attracts the pollinators. Less commonly they have white flowers, and even rarer still, are yellow-flowered plants. The petals on all varieties tend to turn pinkish with age. The flowers of this species nod toward the ground making them somewhat less noticeable, although the distinctive leaves quickly draw your attention.

Trout Lilies (click to enlarge)

The bright yellow Trout Lilies cannot be overlooked – they stand out against the surrounding greenery for your attention as you hike. Only a small percentage of the plants usually flower in any season (some references say less than 5% typically). Flowering plants have two leaves whereas the vast majority in a population have only a single leaf. The upside down flowers close every night and the petals and sepals re-curve upward again every morning during their short blooming period.

Fringed Phacelia (click to enlarge)

High on my list of favorites is the Fringed Phacelia, a low-growing annual that can blanket the forest floor with a carpet of white that resembles a late-season dusting of snow. The delicate fringed petals reward any hiker that kneels for a closer look. Some species of Phacelia in the western U.S. apparently contain compounds that can itch and sting causing a skin rash similar to poison ivy and giving the plant the unkind name of Scorpionweed.

Spring Beauty (click to enlarge)

Spring Beauties appear to pop up from almost every available space in the ground cover at Elk Garden. They can be quite variable in the amount of color in the striped petals (this specimen was noticeably brighter than most).

Spring Beauty Bee with loaded pollen baskets (click to enlarge)

They have a tasty edible corm and are the primary source of nectar and pollen for the aptly-named Spring Beauty Bee. This foraging bee looked like it was wearing pinkish chaps due to its full pollen baskets (Spring Beauty pollen is pink).

Wood Anemone (click to enlarge)

Like most of the spring ephemerals (those woodland wildflowers that bloom before the trees leaf out reducing the amount of light that reaches the forest floor), Wood Anemone has a short growing season of only a couple of months. Plants spend most of the year dormant as an underground rhizome. Studies have shown that these and many other spring ephemerals are now blooming earlier than they did just decades ago due to warming temperatures associated with climate change. One study of Wood Anemone showed they bloom an average of 15 days earlier now than they did in the early 1970’s.

Violet

Violet

Violets are scattered all along the Elk Garden trail. In addition to the well known purple-blue colored species, there are white and yellow violet species in this rich cove forest. Violets have two types of flowers – open and closed. The closed flowers (called cleistogamous) are often partially hidden under the leaves and are self-pollinating, ensuring at least some seed production even in years of poor pollinator success.

Squirrel Corn (click to enlarge)

The plant that gives me the greatest delight when I find one along the trail is undoubtedly Squirrel Corn. The delicate, blueish-green foliage and unusual blossoms of this plant often occur in dense patches and immediately catch your eye.

Squirrel Corn (click to enlarge)

The flowers are somewhat heart-shaped with the upper lobes being more rounded than in the plant’s close relative, Dutchman’s Breeches. Squirrel Corn gets its name from its underground food storage structures, which look like corn kernels.

Blue Cohosh (click to enlarge)

A variety of other species carpet the ground throughout early spring along this section of trail including Blue Cohosh, Yellow Mandarin, False Hellebore, Jewelweed, Umbrella Leaf, Solomon and False Solomon’s Seal, Twisted Stalk, and many others. The region is so rich in wildflowers, birds, and other natural wonders that the local community center hosts an annual Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally each May with speakers, hikes and other programs. While this area is beautiful any time of year, spring in these mountains is truly spectacular.
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Wrens in the Yard

May 8, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Caroilna Wren in brush pile in the yard (click to enlarge)

While doing some chores yesterday (sweeping unbelievable amounts of accumulated pollen off the screen porch) I heard the resident Carolina Wrens scolding something. Since their new nest location is right off the screen porch I thought it might be me disturbing them, but it was so emphatic I decided to take a closer look. The nest this year is under the top of the propane tank, which sits off the screen porch.

Propane tank housing Carolina Wren nest

One wren was bringing a food morsel to the nest and was still scolding when I went out (that is a neat trick, your mouth full of bug and you still can screech and squawk at the top of your lungs). Now I am thinking snake. I looked around and didn’t see anything, but then noticed something move on the support column for the porch.

At first glance I thought it was a huge slug, but then realized it was the underside of a small loop of a snake’s body extending out from the other side of the support. I poked my head around and there was the cause of the wren’s concern – a young Black Racer. The snake was climbing down the support and quickly vanished into the pile of pipes and cinder-blocks stashed under the porch.

Carolina Wren nest (click to enlarge)

I looked inside the propane tank with my flashlight and all was well – I could see at least 4 baby wrens at the entrance to the nest. The sides of the tank may (I stress may) be too slick for the snake to climb on, or perhaps it just had not yet zeroed in on where the nest was located. At any rate, it will be interesting to see if the baby wrens make it another week or so until fledging after such a close call.

Caroilna Wrens have attitude (click to enlarge)

Carolina Wrens are one of my favorite birds – always energetic; exuding perkiness with their inquisitive attitude, bounce in their step and their slightly cocked tail. They are monogamous, and maintain their pair bond and territory throughout the year. In spring, males may build several nests and the female chooses one to her liking. As many of you may well know, nests can be built almost anywhere there is a somewhat protected place or cavity a few feet off the ground. I have seen them in boots on a porch, under the hood of a truck, in a football helmet hanging in an open garage, and in a milk jug with the top cut out sitting inside a shed that had a gap under the door just large enough to allow a wren to squeeze through.

Carolina Wren nest (click to enlarge)

Nests are dome-shaped with an entrance on the side. They are made with a variety of materials including dried grass, leaves, sticks, pine needles, mosses, feathers, paper, and string. Most I have seen also have pieces of shed snake skin (or of plastic film or wrap that resembles snake skin). Scientists speculate that snake skin use in birds nests (several species of birds routinely add snake skins) is a deterrent to would-be egg predators, especially mammalian predators such as flying squirrels, that might become prey to snakes. Elizabeth Medlin and Tom Risch of Arkansas State University conducted a study using artificial nests in a cavity (simulating Great Crested Flycatcher nests) and quail eggs with snake skins in some nests and not others. The results supported the notion that snake skins deter the locally dominant mammalian nest predator, flying squirrels, from entering a bird nest and eating the eggs. None of the 40 nests with snake skins were attacked. Of the nests without, 20 percent had eggs eaten by flying squirrels.

Carolina Wren at nest container from previous year (click to enlarge)

I guess more study is needed to know if the plastic is as effective. I can’t quite tell from this photo whether that is real or faux snake skin in this nest. I am hoping this nest makes it, as it is always fun to see the wren family moving about the yard.
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Another Great Day at Pungo

May 5, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
I guess it isn’t enough to be a mere observer. It’s turning to the person on your right, or left, and stating with an undiluted sense of joy and inquisitiveness, “Did you just see that?”

Mike McDowell

Bass Lake Photo Club members, Rosa, Steve, and Petra, capturing a bear (click to enlarge)

I had my first post-retirement outing yesterday with a great group of folks from the Bass Lake Photo Club. I gave a talk to their group in March and they saw an image of a bear on my desktop and asked where it was taken. Pungo, of course, and they said they wanted to go. While I have great luck getting good wildlife images on my own, and I have led several nature photography workshops over the years, there is a bit more pressure when folks are particularly interested in getting something like bear photos. I stressed there are no guarantees but that they would come away with some good information and a knowledge of the refuge and that seemed fine, so we set it up. I went down Friday afternoon to scout things out (even though I have been down twice in the past two weeks – hey, it is my favorite place in NC after all:).

The wind was howling Friday with lots of cloud cover, so not ideal for photography. In the week since I had been down the local farmers that tend the crop fields on the refuge had moved in their equipment and started plowing for this year. Not sure if that or maybe the cold windy conditions were to blame, but the few bears I did see were very skittish, and uncharacteristically sprinted for cover as soon as they saw my vehicle, even at great distance. Hmmm, not a good omen. And the bitterns from last week were nowhere to be found. Bummer, looking like it could be a tough weekend for a group outing.

Horned Lark (click to enlarge)

The one cool thing I did see was a small bird scurrying at the edge of one of the freshly plowed fields – a Horned Lark. This is the only native species of lark to nest in North America. I have seen Horned Larks before in winter in this region, but never this time of year, although the Birds of North Carolina (http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/ncbirds/view.php?sort_order=2870) reports them as a permanent resident in parts of the Coastal Plain of NC. It is always exciting to see one, and especially to be able to watch one forage (it was gulping down moth pupae that the plowing had exposed).

The next morning dawned windy, chilly, and completely overcast playing into my concerns for our group experience later that day. I drove over early to check things out and did see a Bald Eagle and lots of other birds, but no bears.

Yellow Thistle stalk eaten by bear (click to enlarge)

One thing I did see that intrigued me was a number of Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum) plants that had been eaten (just the stalks). After looking around it was obvious that bears had been feeding on the stalks.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Yellow Thistle (click to enlarge)

I photographed this plant last week on a warm day with butterflies on it, but here was evidence of use by another animal. I probably saw 30 or more plants that had the stalk completely missing with the flowers and seed heads laying on the ground next to the rest of the extremely spiny basal leaves. According to one resource, bears love the stalks of thistle, especially the newly elongated stalks. They can avoid the spiny-ness of the plant in several ways. Based on what I saw, they probably took off the top of the plant (they have been observed swatting it off with a paw) and then stripped the spiny leaves before consuming the tasty stalk (hope to witness that behavior some day).

Woolly Ragwort flowers (click to enlarge)

I drove back into Plymouth to meet the group and escort them out to the refuge. There were four: Rick, Steve, Petra, and Rosa, and they were all up for the day in spite of the weather conditions. Steve even mentioned he had rented a telephoto lens for the day to try to get some decent bear pics (Uh-oh, no pressure there). I gave the other car a walkie-talkie so we could communicate and off we went. I decided to stop and photograph other subjects of interest in case the bears were skittish again today. We got out to look at Spatterdock flowers and pads in the canals and Woolly Ragwort flowers that were blooming in abundance along the roadsides. The upward-pointing silky-haired leaves of Woolly Ragwort are adaptations to reduce water loss in the hot sun by reflecting sunlight (hairs) and reducing the surface area exposed directly to the sun (vertical orientation).

Corn Snake in defensive posture (click to enlarge)

Shortly after arrival at the refuge I was amazed to see a snake out in the chilly weather as it crossed the road. Jumping out of the car I cut off its escape and everyone got great shots of a beautiful Corn Snake. Later in the day we had a similar encounter with a cooperative Black Racer.

Virginia Chain Ferns in swamp (click to enlarge)

Driving along the south side of the lake you pass through a beautiful swamp forest with huge stands of ferns. The colors and patterns are gorgeous so we got out and spent some time looking around and got lucky with a few breaks in the clouds The large stands back off the road are Virgina Chain Fern (Woodwardia virginica), but close to the road were some easily accessible Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea).

Cinnamon Fern (click to enlarge)

Most ferns carry their reproductive spores on the undersides of the fronds; cinnamon fern (and other species of Osmunda) have separate and distinctive fertile fronds in addition to the typical sterile fronds. A close look reveals the tiny round brownish sori that release the spores.

Cinnamon Fern fertile frond tip (click to enlarge)

Folks seemed happy, but, we had come for bears. So, off we went again in search of them. Finally, I spotted one in one of the marsh management areas that had been drained for the summer. We drove as close as possible and got out and could now see two bears through the trees.

Black Bears in marsh (click to enlarge)

Not everyone was able to get a clear shot through the dense line of vegetation, but, we had seen bears! My self-imposed pressure was lifted. The two bears eventually wandered off into the woods and we continued down the road about one hundred yards and there was another one!

Black Bear foraging on mud flat (click to enlarge)

This one was a bit far off so I briefed the group on the finer points of stalking bears (crouch down and move quietly when the bear has its head down foraging and then stop when it looks up). Of course, having the wind in our favor (blowing from the bear toward us) was the only reason we could think about getting close enough for a picture. We moved forward stopping whenever the bear raised its head. Everyone was able to get several good shots until the bear ambled off into thicker cover. We were on a roll!

We then went over to the place I call New Bear Road due to its abundance of bear sign. It did not disappoint. As we walked down the grassy path, first one, then two, then three bears walked out of the woods and started heading towards us. I had everyone crouch off to the side of the path and we watched and waited.

Black Bear sow and two yearlings (click to enlarge)

The bears went back into the woods at one point and we moved a bit closer. They all three came back out and were grazing as they again walked our way. The wind was still in our favor but a group of five people is not an easy thing to hide and it started to look as though the female could sense something was not quite right.

Black Bear sow checking out the surroundings (click to enlarge)

She stood up a few times to look around and threw her nose in the air several times trying to catch a scent. But I don’t think she ever smelled us, so the group of bears continued to hang out and allow us to watch them feed, play, and just be bears. It was an extraordinary several minutes. She finally rounded up her yearling cubs and they headed back into the woods leaving our group with awesome memories.

One of our folks had to leave a bit early so we drove back to the entrance to his car. We then drove through the refuge toward our final hiking spot, seeing more bears along the way. In fact, what I had feared would be a tough day for spotting bears turned out to be a great one – 19 bear sightings!

Our last hike was along a dike out toward a wheat field where I had seen bears last week. I like this walk because you pass along a wetland management area that often has abundant wildlife. We saw plenty of shorebirds, egrets, herons, and one large raccoon. Then we saw three bears walking in the opposite direction from us on a parallel dike across the wetland area. We watched for awhile until they passed and then continued toward the woods where we had just seen three other bears. As w neared the trees I heard some low noises, and then what we assumed was the sound of suckling bears. Then we spotted them – a sow with two yearling cubs in dense vegetation below us. She looked our way, walked a few feet and the sounds continued. Black Bears nurse their young for about a year so I am guessing the two yearlings were still nursing and that is what we could hear. Amazing. The sounds stopped and we assume the bears wandered back into the woods. Satisfied it could not get any better we headed back to the cars, scolded along the way by several Greater Yellowlegs feeding in the wetland area. Then we heard the snorts/barks of two River Otter swimming in the canal below us. What a way to finish an incredible day.

River Otter (click to enlarge)

I experienced some amazing things at Pungo the last couple of weeks, mostly by myself. But, as the quote at the start of this blog states, there is something magical about sharing an experience with others, especially others that appreciate nature and are willing to learn and to take whatever is dealt to us in terms of weather and wildlife. We were incredibly lucky to have been able, as a group of five, to experience our time with the bears just doing what bears do. I am so grateful that places like Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (aka Pungo) exist and are managed by dedicated staff so that visitors like us are able to have these experiences. I encourage everyone to support your local parks and refuges and volunteer to help them meet their needs (and make legislators aware of their needs) in these increasingly difficult budget times. It is important not only for the wildlife, but for us all to have such places.

Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man. Stewart Udall

Species list for Pocosin Lakes NWR May 3/4, 2013:

Mammals:

Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, Nutria, River Otter, Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, Hispid Cotton Rat (in talons of Northern Harrier)

Birds:

Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, Canada Goose, Tundra Swan, Wood Duck, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Wild Turkey, Northern Bobwhite, American Crow, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Orchard Oriole, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Horned Lark

Herps:

Painted Turtle, Yellow-bellied Slider, Corn Snake, Black Racer, Pickerel frog, Southern Cricket Frog, Southern Leopard Frog
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A Bounty of Bluebirds

May 3, 2013

Posted by

Mike Dunn
Male Eastern Bluebird (click to enlarge)

A friend posted a picture yesterday of bluebirds in her nest box. So I went out this morning and checked the one box I have that can be easily opened, and it looks like a good bluebird spring! The male and female were watching me as I went over to the box and opened it so I didn’t stay long and just took a shot with the iPhone instead of the usual gear, but it is always exciting to see the first babies of spring. These guys look like they are just a couple of days old at most and still in that reptilian stage of development. I am sure the cool, wet weather the past few days has made for difficult hunting for the parents but the sunshine today promises easier meals for these young.

Bluebird nestlings (click to enlarge)

I have four nest boxes scattered around the yard and garden area (three out in the open and one in the woods) and have seen bluebirds coming and going from all four, so this could be a very good spring for bluebirds. Looking forward to following the progress of these and the other local breeders during the coming nesting season.

How readily the bluebirds become our friends and neighbors when we offer them suitable nesting retreats!
– John Burroughs,1925

Bluebird nest box

Nest box

Nest box

Nest box
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