Birdsong Nature Center

Birdsong Home

Wildlife Management Notes

April 22, 1999

Weather
Severe drought conditions continue, with much high wind and low humidity. It has been very hard on all the plants; here near the house: the spruce pine by the back porch is dying. And these are very difficult conditions for controlled burning. In fact, the Georgia Forestry Commission is not giving out permits to burn right now.

Controlled Burning
Staff has been remarkably successful in using the tractor tank and sprayer to soak down the trails prior to burning to help prevent the crew from getting in the backfire smoke, but it has been tough. We've been burning relatively small sections at a time, and using the sprayer to put out all the flames and anything left smoldering so we can sleep well.

At this point, we've burned the entire perimeter of Birdsong including the Big Pasture, acid flatwoods, Linton's Corner, Big and Little Bay Fields south of the main trail, the Shortleaf Woods, and the east line from the farm dump all the way around to Roy's house. Most of these burns occurred in very low humidity conditions and burned quite hot; good for brush control, but we don't want to burn too clean or too much at one time. It is good to have different areas greening up at different rates, seeds sprouting at different times for wildlife habitat, food plant variety, and patches for cover and nesting. We have stopped all burning for now until we get some rain and suitable conditions.

It will be very interesting to follow the effects of these burns after this unusually dry season. This is what causes the great variations in evolution. With the drought, plant growth has slowed down: the Gin House and Farm Pasture clover and winter grass growth is much slower than most years. Yet all is very remarkable and we appreciate the variation.

Upper Pond
- has been well taken care of and hopefully we've done the last of the major repair work necessary, especially if the work continues to result in maintaining a low water level and discouraging the beaver. The dam will need continual attention.

Acid Flatwoods
A very good burn went through this area and its surroundings, so with returning moisture it will hopefully be ideal for seed sprouting and additional planting. This should be very interesting this year.

Snakes
Kathleen heard a disturbance in the garden from her office and walked out to find a mockingbird acting upset near the fronds of a palmetto accompanied by some very loud screeching. In the palmetto was a 3 foot long white chinned racer with a large tree frog partly swallowed. Kathleen called Kris over to see this and the snake raced away, head straight up six inches off the ground, frog pointing skyward, screeching. As Kathleen moved toward the snake to keep him in view, he abruptly changed direction, and here hopped the frog, apparently unharmed, set free in the confusion. The mockingbird continued to monitor the palmetto for the next fifteen minutes.

The land management at Birdsong is excellent for all kinds of wildlife, providing a rich and varied food supply. Snakes are a natural and valuable part of this food web and they are present all over Birdsong, even though we see them very rarely. We do not harm snakes out on the property and recommend to our visitors especially with children to stay aware when on the trails - in fact, stay ON the trails and don't put your hands or feet where you can't see what might be nearby, don't turn over logs, don't put your hands in holes, etc. Please never attempt to capture or harm a snake for any reason. They are part of the natural system. When the habitat is right for diversified wildlife no matter how many you remove there will soon be others to take up the niche. It is our responsibility to be aware and careful. They act as our current saber tooth tigers.

Bird Window
Volunteers and visitors are still making good lists of sightings - there have been a number of warblers including a hooded, black and white, yellow-rumps, pine, parula and palm warblers as well as a solitary vireo, white throated sparrows, hummingbirds, ground dove, hermit thrush, and lots of cedar waxwings. We also had an ovenbird visit for several weeks early in the year. There has also been a big buildup of common grackles. Indigo buntings and blue grosbeaks arrived this week. We are pleased to still have catbirds and wonder if they might be nesting - Sunday Ranger Mike Mapstone has a pair nesting near water near his home - if and when we see fledglings we'll know for sure. Most of the birds are off on the burned areas - flocks of them in great variety have been enjoyed by many visitors. It is wonderful to have people out there making good lists.

Butterfly Garden
Right now only the weeds are being helped by this dry weather, but the ongoing work of the garden volunteers has kept it very respectable. The memorial garden planting of Friday past will need regular watering under the current conditions.

The Garden
We've enjoyed camellia blooms from September last year to this week, April 21. This is the longest camellia blooming season I can ever remember - we're very thankful.

It's amazing that with this drought so few things are dying. Pruning will be very beneficial. We may transplant some young pyrecantha plants, to the board fence to the left of the oat patch vista. This will help keep the mockingbirds from claiming them too near the house and feeding area.

The saw palmetto is in full bloom now. I recall the time about ten years ago when there was a gorgeous display of hairstreak butterflies, including the Great Purple, all over the palmetto blooms. Will this be the second time in fifty years of such a display?

Peter apologizes for the very patchy mowing - he is leaving all the rabbit tobacco plants throughout the lawn for our painted lady caterpillars.

Purple Martins
The ten gourds are all occupied with martin pairs who have been a delight to watch throughout the courtship and nest building process. They are now apparently sitting on eggs and visitors have really been enjoying all the singing and chuckling and their flying antics. We look forward to the nestlings hatching and the feeding stage to begin. Come and see them from the bench near the pumphouse - they are very sociable all morning long and so much fun to watch.

Thanks to everyone for your extra eyes and ears and all your forthcoming nature stories. Enjoy and study!

Praise and thanks
Blessed be
- bbk

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

• February 1999
• December 1998

Copyright © 1999, Birdsong Nature Center
Revised -- May 18, 1999