Christmas is for the Birds

This year is the 120th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. It began December 14th and runs through January 5th. The tradition started in 1900 in at the beginning of the conservation movement. Since the beginning, citizen scientists have used the information gathered to track trends in bird populations.
I took part on December 15th and had an eventful and cold day. Once again, I put my discomfort aside for the sake of nature. The day began at 4 AM with three hours of owling. My partner Chris drove us around to a few sites where we'd listen in the dark for owl calls. In an attempt to draw them out, he played owl calls on his phone. We heard a screech owl at one location and a pair of great horned owls in a duet at another place.

Great horned owl

After a pit stop around 7 AM we picked up the third member of our trio at sunrise and began our visual observations with nearly three dozen turkey vultures overhead near a roosting site. I happen to know about this roost because I drive past it on the way to and from work, and depending on my schedule I see the vultures either leaving for the day or returning for the night. Right away my presence paid off. In past years, Chris and John start their count headed the other direction.
Over half our time was spent in the car. Much of what we saw was from the road. We did some walking though, and it was tough in some places. Recent rain meant soggy ground. It's December and Pennsylvania, which is rarely a good combination. In addition to the cold, it was windy. The wind made for great raptor conditions, but bad for everything else. It was difficult to hear bird calls over the sound of the wind. Watching for motion in the trees and bushes was confusing because everything was moving.

Turkey vulture

This year we counted 47 different species, and a total of 735 birds. In 2018 we counted 38 species and 754 birds. Canada geese were the big winners this year, coming in at 266. However, they were mainly in two flocks. The birds we spotted the most times were turkey vultures and house finches. I look forward to counting more birds in 2020!

Canada goose

Species of the Month

With Halloween right around the corner, October's Species of the Month is another creepy crawly. You might be afraid of spiders or bats, but no one wants to see a rat in the house. This month we profile the ubiquitous black rat (AKA house rat, AKA roof rat, AKA ship rat), destroyer of crops, chewer of things, and spreader of plague. 

Halloween rats from Pintrest

Scientific name: Rattus rattus
Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class:  Mammalia (mammals)
Order: Rodentia (rodents) 

Range: Worldwide; native to India and Southeast Asia
Habitat: Almost anywhere
Lifespan: Average 1 year, up to 4 years

Black rat (Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel)

Diet: Omnivorous, but mainly plant-based (fruits, grains, seeds)
Predators: House cats, birds of prey, foxes, coyotes
Conservation Status: No special protection
Other facts: The black rat was spread around the world by travelers. They are also called ship rats because if their affinity for sailing to new homes on distant shores. The moniker roof rat comes from their climbing skills. They are an invasive pest everywhere outside of their native range, ruining food stores by soiling what they don't consume. They were a disease vector during the plague outbreaks of Medieval Europe, carrying fleas that hosted the virus. While plague is not as serious a threat as it was in the Dark Ages, the fleas on a rat can still spread other diseases to humans and livestock. A similar species, the Norway rat, is just as widespread and will kill the smaller black rat. Despite the headaches caused by both rats, they are important links in the food chain now that they've become established. Hawks, owls, coyotes, and foxes are among their main predators.

Black rat (Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association)

This month's information comes from the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web once again.

nm1: 
nm2: https://www.aepma.com.au/PestDetail/96/Black%20Rat

Animal 911

In spite of humanity’s destruction of the environment over the last few centuries, most people believe in helping out in ways that don’t require a drastic lifestyle change. One way that people can feel good about the world is wildlife rescue. Every year thousands of good Samaritans encounter orphaned, sick, or injured animals that they deliver to or are picked up by professional wildlife rehabilitators. The goal of wildlife rehab is to provide medical care to the animal and release it back to the wild.

Orphaned raccoons

Many times, an injury is so severe the animal would be unable to return to the wild. In those instances, the animal usually moves to a wild animal park or some other educational organization where it works as an animal ambassador. Animal ambassadors are a way to connect the public to critters they wouldn’t normally get to encounter, especially up close. They work to raise awareness about the wild world around us and offer a glimpse of how these critters live. Many times they can shed some light on the daily challenges they face, in addition to having to deal with people.

Eastern screech owl working as an animal ambassador

I recently visited a wildlife rehab center. Animals are separated by species, although there may be several, such as raccoons, sharing living quarters. The raccoons are quarantined on arrival to check for rabies. All enclosures are covered to keep birds from escaping, or getting in and eating the patients. On the day of my visit, there were raccoons, a beaver, owls, hawks, vultures, squirrels, crows, baby opossums, and songbirds in treatment. In the past, they have rehabbed deer. There is no animal too great or too small for these people to help.

Great horned owl

Orphaned opossums

Blue jay on the mend

Everglades Flora and Fauna

Last week we explored some of the different habitats in the Everglades. This week we’ll look at some the plant and animal residents, then wrap up with some of the many challenges facing the region.

So many different kinds of animals live in the Everglades. They range from tiny biting flies to giant mosquitoes that can carry you back to their dens and every size of mosquito in between. There are also birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fishes, crustaceans, and arachnids. Many threatened and endangered species call this place home. Some of the highlights: Florida panther, eastern indigo snake, American crocodile, West Indian manatee, five species of sea turtle (leatherback, loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Atlantic ridley), snail kite, wood stork, piping plover, and red cockaded woodpecker.

Florida panther (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

West Indian manatee

Other critters you can find there include alligators, black bears, deer, marsh rabbits (which is a capable swimmer, gray foxes (which can climb trees), pilot whales, dolphins, several bat species, the gulf toadfish (which is audible to humans), roseate spoonbills, flamingoes, owls, parakeets, shore birds, waterfowl, owls, and birds of prey.

Roseate spoonbill (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

American crocodile (NPS)

Marsh rabbit (North Carolina State Parks)

Plant life in the Everglades includes sawgrass, named for its serrated edges; Simpson’s applecactus, an endangered night-blooming species; wildflowers like climbing aster, coralbean, devil’s potato, and duck potato; several species of orchids that can be found in nearly all of the Everglades habitats, including treetop canopies; and a wide variety of trees. Among the many trees are three mangrove species, West Indies mahogany, live oak, slash pine, bald cypress, gumbo-limbo, buttonwood, royal palm and sabal palm.

Sawgrass (Florida Department of State)

Applecactus (USDA)

Coralbean (NPS)

West Indies mahogany (University of Florida)

Sabal palm (USDA)

Like any other natural area, there is damage caused by humans. Some is recent, but some goes back decades. As development came to Florida, much of the water was diverted by canals. Wetlands were filled in and built over. The diminished flow and water fouled with agricultural runoff and sediment has had far-reaching effects, even today. The current red tide on Florida’s Gulf Coast is likely a result.

Invasive species, especially the Burmese python and boa constrictor, are of increasing concern. These snakes eat just about any native species in the Everglades, including the alligators. With no natural predators, their populations are able to grow unchecked. Although snake hunts are held throughout the year, they are very well camouflaged and are able to escape detection. Another species of concern is the melaleuca tree, which shades out native plants. At least a tree is easier to find than a python. Lionfish are an exotic species that eats the native populations. Increasing demand for them as a food fish is having limited success in eradicating them.

In the marine habitat, propeller scars form when boaters in shallow water mow submerged vegetation or even scrape the sea floor. Scraping bottom is far worse because it kills vegetation directly. It also kicks up sediment, which shades nearby vegetation, indirectly killing more.

The amazing biodiversity of the Everglades leaves quite a lasting impression on visitors. Unfortunately the human impact leaves an even bigger mark on the landscape and wild residential population. While government agencies from the local level up to federal are spending a lot of money to restore the ecosystems, paradoxically, those same governments are allowing more destruction in other parts of the Everglades. It’s a tragic lesson in how our lifestyle choices have consequences most of us never see or think about.

This week's information, like last week, comes from the National Park Service.

Species of the Month

January has been a snowy month for me, so it seems fitting that the Species of the Month be equally snowy. A few weeks ago we learned about the snowy owl, but now we’ll look at another white bird from the cold, snowy north- the snow goose.

Scientific name: Anser caerulescens

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class:   Aves (birds)

Order: Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans)

Range: Summer range is eastern Arctic Canada and Greenland; winter range is Gulf Coast and Midwest states. They don’t fly nonstop, so there is migratory habitat in between.

Habitat: Tundra, marshes, tide flats, prairies, farmland

Lifespan: 20 years, on average

Diet: Roots, grasses, sedges

Predators: Arctic foxes, jaegers, eagles

Conservation Status: No special conservation status

Other Information: The snow goose has two color morphs, white and dark gray (known as blue goose). Blue goose was originally considered a separate species. Snow geese are a popular game bird. Due to rising populations, they are considered an agricultural pest in some areas. The black mark on the bill is sometimes referred to as lipstick or the grin patch. They mate for life. The female incubates the eggs while the male stands guard over her. They sometimes nest near snowy owls, which may deter predators. Nesting colonies can contain tens of thousands of birds. The snow goose is model for the National Wildlife Refuge System's logo.

National Wildlife Refuge System's logo

This week's information comes from University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. Photos are from Missouri Department of Conservation, except the logo.

Snow goose

Blue goose color morph

Thousands of snow geese in flight

Snowy Owl Irruption

If you happen to see a white owl flying around, odds are you haven’t been accepted to Hogwarts. This winter, the northern US is being treated to a snowy owl irruption. What’s an irruption? It’s a sudden population increase followed by a mass dispersal.

Snowy owls typically inhabit the Arctic: northern Canada, Alaska, even Russia and Scandinavia. When there is abundant prey, there is more reproduction and higher offspring survival. That population increase makes things a little crowded though. When the young are ready to fledge the nest, they will migrate farther than usual from home in order to establish their own territories. Established owls, feeling the pinch, might also spread out. The higher the population, the farther they fly to get away from other owls. 

Snowy owls are used to open, treeless areas in the Arctic
(US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Areas that don’t normally see snowy owls are reporting a sudden influx. Depending on where, just two or three owls might count as a sudden influx. New York, New Jersey, and Michigan are just a few of the places that I know of that getting these visitors from the Great White North.

I thought about driving to the Jersey shore to try my luck at finding the snowbird recently seen at Island Beach State Park. Reason quickly returned, as I decided against spending hours waiting in bitter cold temperatures for something that might not happen. I don’t expect good odds of seeing one at home with. During the week, I waste my daylight at work and on weekends it’s been too cold to leave the house. Unlike snowy owls, I prefer a warmer climate. 
This week's information comes from the Audubon Society and UM's Animal Diversity Web.

Snowy owl in flight (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Snowy owl I found in Washington (in captivity at Northwest Trek)

Species of the Month

October’s Species of the Month is another Halloween-related critter, just in time for the spooky holiday. Last year it was the little brown bat; this year we profile the great horned owl. Because they are primarily nocturnal, you are most likely to see one perched in the branches of a bare free, silhouetted against a full moon on a window cling or cardboard cutout decoration. 

Scientific name: Bubo virginianus

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Aves (birds)

Order: Strigiformes (owls)

Range: North and South America from northern Alaska to southern Brazil

Habitat: Nearly universal in their range: forest, grassland, desert, swamp, and urban areas

Lifespan: 13 years in the wild, on average

Diet: rabbits, rodents, insects, amphibians, crustaceans, reptiles         

Predators: crows, raccoons (egg depredation)

Conservation Status: No special protection

Owl in a tree, Eatonville, WA

Other Information: The great horned owl is specially adapted for night hunting. The large eyes make efficient use of low lighting, and the round face funnels sound to the ears. The ears are offset, one higher on the head than the other, allowing the bird to locate prey by sound with pinpoint accuracy. Feathers have special edging that make for silent flight. The “horns” are feathers, not ears, and may serve as camouflage. They mate for life, and find each other during hooting rituals. While males hoot all year, females only hoot during mating season. A clutch of one to six eggs per season is the norm, although the number of offspring is dependent on prey density. Great horned owls are one of the most widespread birds, ranging from the polar regions to the tropics. As such, individual diets vary depending on specific habitat and location. Nests generally are someone else’s abandoned nest, such as a squirrel’s. The owls I saw in Washington flew out of a barn when I approached it, and I observed pellets (undigested feathers and bones that are coughed up) and droppings but no nest.

Information on owls comes once again from University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web. 

Owlets (Missouri Department of Conservation photo)

Adult great horned own (Missouri Department of Conservation photo)

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Next time you head into nature, try to tune in to the sounds you hear. It can be hard to shut out the human world, especially in the urban wild. The sounds of nature can be quite soothing. I enjoy sitting by a river and listening to the water swirl over and around the rocks, each passing H₂O molecule making those rocks a little bit smaller and contributing sediment to the sea. I also enjoy the sounds of the sea: a chorus of gulls providing backing vocals to the endless roar of the ocean.

As relaxing as sounds may be for me, they are vital to the survival of the critters. Predators, especially owls, rely on the sound of their prey to find their next meal. Prey species rely on the sound of predators to make an escape. Both predator and prey use sound (among other signals) to communicate to each other. A whistling marmot might warn others of death from above, while the howling wolf warns others to stay away from the pack’s territory. Many different animals use sound to attract a mate.

Buzzing insects, bird song, and rolling thunder are all part of the natural soundscape. Like all things in the natural world, it is vanishing. Even in national parks, noise from traffic and the devises people haul into campgrounds drown out the natural soundscape. A hike into pristine wilderness, despite its seclusion, is not impervious to intrusion from commercial airliners passing overhead.

Song sparrow getting ready for his bug number

What does this mean for the critters? It’s too soon to say. A pair of National Park Service biologists are recording the soundscapes of our national parks as a catalog and for research. The goal is to find out of our noise is diminishing our enjoyment of the parks. I am willing to bet that the average person won’t even notice the noise we take into nature, but it’s a different story for the critters.

Kurt Fristrup and Bill McQuay capturing the natural soundscape of
Great Dunes National Park in Colorado

Another group of researchers is using sound recordings to determine the effectiveness of conservation projects. These researchers, working in Papua New Guinea (north of Australia), are trying to find a cheap and easy way to tell if their work is working. In a species rich ecosystem like a jungle, getting sound recordings of the many critters coming and going may be the answer. The monitoring system is relatively inexpensive and easy enough that the semi-primitive natives can do it, giving them a role in protecting the ecosystem around them.

Setting up acoustic monitoring in Papua New Guinea

Comparison between the soundscapes of continuous and fragmented
forest cover in Papua New Guinea

Next time you head into Nature, close your eyes and take a minute to listen to your surroundings. How many natural sounds do you hear, compared to man-made ones?

This week’s stories come from NPR (National Parks sound recording) and Cool Green Nature (Papua New Guinea research).

Species of the Month

This month’s Species of the Month is a rarity on this blog. It has no seasonal connection to anything that is happening right now. This little critter is chunky, cute, and will fight you. It’s one of closest neighbors but we hardly ever see it because it is mainly nocturnal. The raccoon lives among humans, eating our garbage and is generally considered a nuisance in spite of its cuteness.

Procyon lotor

Scientific name: Procyon lotor

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

Range: Southern Canada to northern South America, introduced to Europe and Asia

Habitat: Woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, urban areas

Lifespan: 5 years on average, less than 2 years is the norm but may live to be 16

Diet: Omnivorous opportunist. The raccoon will eat just about anything from nuts, berries, and fruit to insects, rodents, and amphibians to garbage and roadkill.         

Predators: Coyotes, wolves, hawks, owls

Conservation Status: No special protection

Other Information: The raccoon will eat just about anything. The black eye mask is fitting, because its front feet function much like a little human hand, making it easier for these bandits to break into secured items than for most other animals. The raccoon is a good climber and can also swim if necessary. This little chunkster may be up to 50% body fat in the northern extremes of its range. They are normally solitary but babies (up to 7 in a litter) will live with mom until the end of their first winter. Babies are born blind. A male may spend a few weeks living with a female prior to mating. Raccoons do not hibernate, but during extended cold snaps they may sleep in as a way to conserve energy- a sort of mini-torpor. They are notorious carriers of rabies.  

This week’s information comes from University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web: http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Procyon_lotor/

Raccoon

Front footprint, hand-shaped

Raccoon scat, looks like cherry pits

Vanishing Prairies, Part 2

Today’s prairies are home to a dazzling array of wildflowers, as well as birds, butterflies, and mammals. Endangered prairie species, besides the golden paintbrush, are the Mazama pocket gopher, streaked horned lark, and Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. They all depend on the prairie plants. Some critters that I’ve seen at the prairies include the osprey, northern harrier, and Puget blue butterfly. Bats and owls are also common, but I haven't seen them because I haven't gone there at night.

Golden paintbrush

Mazama pocket gopher (from US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Puget blue butterfly

The gopher is endangered because it eats the plants that inhabit the prairie. No prairie, no plants, no gopher. The butterflies use the prairie plants as host plants for their caterpillars. No prairie, not plants, no butterflies. Streaked horned larks nest on bare ground. In western Washington, pretty much anything that is not forested is either oceanfront or developed, with the exception of the prairies (US Fish and Wildlife Service).

Northern harrier (from New York Department of Environmental Conservation)

Streaked horned lark (from US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Taylor's checkerspot butterfly (from US Fish and Wildlife Service)

How did a region known for its forests wind up with this little-known prairie? The geology is fascinating and mystifying all at once. The prairies formed on glacial outwash, but the origins of the mounds remains a mystery to this day. The soil around them is dry and gravelly. The mounds, however, are made of black sandy loam mixed with gravel. There are several theories as to how they formed.

Mounded prairie

Cross section of a mound (from Washington Landscape blog)

One theory is that the mound soils collected on top of glaciers in pits, then settled as mounds after the glaciers melted. Another is that they are wave peaks caused by soil that liquefied during earthquakes. Another theory is that following floods caused by a glacially dammed lake, sediment deposits collected when water flowed around vegetation, forming the mounds. There is a theory that the mounds were formed by erosion. My favorite theory is that pocket gophers built the mounds (Washington Department of Natural Resources). A lot of very industrious pocket gophers.

There are some prairies that are open to public access for hiking and wildlife viewing. Glacial Heritage Natural Area, where I took last week’s pictures, I owned by Thurston County and open only on Prairie Appreciation Day in May. Others owned by the State of Washington, such as Mima Mounds Natural Area and Scatter Creek Wildlife Area (also in Thurston County) are open year-round.

This week's references:

US Fish and Wildlife Service: https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=B0B3

Washington Department of Natural Resources:  http://file.dnr.wa.gov/publications/amp_mima_mounds_mistery.pdf

Gopher: https://www.fws.gov/wafwo/articles.cfm?id=149489588

Harrier: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7090.html

Horned lark: https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/articles.cfm?id=149489450

Checkerspot: https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/articles.cfm?id=149489449

Mound cross section: https://washingtonlandscape.blogspot.com/2012/05/mima-mound-cross-sections.html

Species of the Month: Eastern Cottontail

Peter Cottontail is hopping down the bunny trail with April’s Species of the Month. The eastern cottontail rabbit is among the most common wildlife. I frequently saw them in my grandparents’ back yard and was a little jealous that rabbits didn’t come to my house. Although they almost never reach six feet tall at the ears, they are closely related to the Easter Bunny (Lepus pascha). Rabbits in general are associated with Easter because they symbolize abundant new life. For more on that topic, keep reading to see just how abundant these little critters can be. Once again, this month’s facts come from University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web.

Scientific name: Sylvilagus floridanus

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, pikas)

Range: Eastern and central Canada south through eastern and central US, Central America, and northwestern South America

Habitat: Interface between wooded and open areas; meadows, orchards, farms, hedges, and second growth forest areas

Lifespan: 3 years

Diet: Herbivorous. Grasses primarily during spring/summer, with some clover and garden plants. Winter diet consists mainly of woody plant parts. They must ingest feces to reabsorb nutrients that were broken down during initial digestion but not absorbed completely. 

Predators: hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, weasels

Conservation Status: No special protection

Other Information: Rabbits really do multiply like rabbits. Females can have as many as 7 litters of up to a dozen bunnies in a single year. The next litter is usually born just after the last litter leaves the nest. Reproductive age is 2-3 months. A first-time mother could conceivably become a grandmother or great grandmother the same year her first litter is born. Eastern cottontails molt twice a year. A spring molt leaves a short summer coat of brown fur, while a fall molt produces a thicker gray coat. Deer have the same seasonal coloration. Babies are born hairless and blind, in contrast to hares, which are born hairy (good way to remember the difference) and with open eyes. They receive little care, weaning between 16 and 22 days old. The litter disperses at around 7 weeks old. Cottontails avoid predation by freezing or flushing, the zigzagging leaps you’ve probably seen.

UM Animal Diversity Web: http://animaldiversity.org/

Species of the Month: Garter Snakes

March’s Species of the Month is actually a genus containing species. To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, Nature Minute will take a broad look at the many different garter snakes, which likely did not immigrate to America after being driven out of Ireland. We’ll also explore the myth of Patrick’s divine snake charming. Information and picture this month come from University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web and Gartersnake.info. Our history lesson on Saint Patrick comes from National Geographic.

Scientific name: Thamnophis species

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Reptilia (reptiles)

Order: Squamata (lizards and snakes)

Range: Subarctic Alaska and Canada to Central America

Habitat: Varied. They can be found in forest, grassland, desert, and marshy areas. Commonly found near water.

Lifespan: 2-3 years on average, 6-10 years in captivity

Diet: Varied. May include amphibians, small rodents, small birds, small fish, insects, worms, snails, and slugs.

Predators: Fish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, larger snakes, raccoons, great blue herons, hawks and falcons, foxes, skunks, weasels, squirrels, owls, house cats, coyotes, and crows.

Conservation Status: Dependent on species. Butler’s garter snake is listed as threatened in Canada and Wisconsin and listed as endangered in Indiana. Narrow-headed, northern Mexican, and giant garter snakes are threatened throughout their ranges and San Francisco garter snake is endangered. Eastern ribbon snake is threatened or endangered in the US and Canada. The two-striped garter snake is protected in California but not yet listed as threatened or endangered. The checkered garter snake is listed as threatened in Kansas.

One of three near-identical species of garter snake in the Northwest

One of three near-identical species of garter snake in the Northwest

Mountain garter snake (from California Herps)

Red spotted garter snake (from California Herps)

Other Information: There are 35 species of garter snakes and many have numerous subspecies. On the whole, garter snakes are very numerous, in spite of the above listings. Like all other snakes, garter snakes swallow their prey whole. They do not squeeze their prey (non-constricting). Most garter snakes are semi-aquatic and will likely be found in or near water. They are cold-blooded and require less food energy to regulate their body temperatures than mammals, birds, and other warm-blooded animals. However, that requires them to bask in the sun or on hot rocks to keep warm. This is why most snakes you encounter are just sitting idly. Here in Washington, there are three species of garter snake: The western terrestrial, northwestern, and common. All look very similar and come in a variety of colors. The only way to tell them apart is by counting scales.

The legend of Saint Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland stems from the absence of snakes on the Emerald Isle and ties in nicely with the Christian image of the serpent as an agent of evil. The myth of driving snakes from Ireland is likely a metaphor for Patrick’s Christianizing the people, driving paganism out of Ireland. Snakes were driven, or rather kept from Ireland by the last Ice Age. It was too cold for snakes to live there and by the time it became warm enough the sea level rose to the point that they could not slither there from England.

UM Animal Diversity Web: http://animaldiversity.org/

Gartersnakes.info: http://www.gartersnake.info/

National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140315-saint-patricks-day-2014-snakes-ireland-nation/

California Herps: http://www.californiaherps.com/index.html