Author: Camilla Sherman

Weekly Wildlife Report, March 24th

By Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

This week has been a great week for herps! Snakes, turtles, lizards, skinks, alligators, and frogs abound (no pun intended) in the park. As usual, the most common snake is the Cottonmouth, but Brown Watersnakes are present as well. Ribbon Snakes and Rough Green Snakes are likely out also. Turtles can be seen basking just about anywhere on logs or vegetation. Species of turtle seen this week include: Common Snapping Turtle, Mud Turtle, and Yellow-bellied Slider. Carolina Anoles are everywhere, showing off their flashy red dewlaps ostentatiously. Species of skinks seen this week include Ground Skink, Broad-headed Skink, and Five-lined Skink. The alligators are, as always, in the Clarification Pond. This week at least 4 have been seen in the pond simultaneously, ranging in size from ~4ft to >10ft. Frogs can be seen and heard around Butler Creek and in the constructed wetlands, including species such as Green Treefrog, Bullfrog, and Cricket Frog.

Bird activity has not changed much since last week. Buffleheads, Lesser Scaup, and Blue-winged Teal remain in the Equalization Pond and Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Parula sing from the trees there and on Cattail Trail. White Ibis have been flocking at the oxbow with Great Blue Heron and Great Egret. Bitterns were seen on Cattail Trail. Concerning raptors, Kestrels, Barred Owl, Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, and Cooper’s Hawk, and Northern Harrier have been noted. Other birds of note include: Sora, Pileated Woodpecker, Marsh Wren, and Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Butterflies seen this week: American Snout, Eastern Tiger, Black, and Zebra Swallowtail, Broad-winged and Fiery Skipper, American Lady, Variegated Fritillary, Cabbage White, Cloudless Sulphur, and Common Buckeye. Damselfies seen this week: Rambur’s Forktail and Fragile Forktail. Dragonflies were seen as well, but not identified to species.

Weekly Wildlife Report, March 17th

By Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

Love is in the air. Breeding is occurring all over the park. Damselflies can be seen in tandem and the Ospreys are on their nest, likely incubating their eggs already. American Coots have been seen carrying nesting material as well. Birds are singing all over the park! The Equalization Pond is still quite empty. However, a handful of Lesser Scaup and Blue-winged Teal remain in addition to the pair of Buffleheads seen last week. Gadwall were seen for a couple days early in the week. Also present here was a Lincoln’s Sparrow – a rare migrant in the park, only seen a few times in Richmond County. Cattle Egret and Barn Swallow have returned and straggling Rusty Blackbirds are still at the Equalization Pond. On the Constructed Wetland Trail there are snakes: Brown Watersnake and Water Moccasin. American Alligators are present in the Clarification Pond and the Equalization Pond, as always. Spotted Sandpipers are hopping around in the clarification pond as well. Butterflies seen this week were Common Buckeye, Cabbage White, Zebra Swallowtail, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Weekly Wildlife Report, March 11

By Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

There have been many new arrivals this week. The very warm weather has brought all sorts of insects out. The first butterflies of the year are everywhere – Red-banded Hairstreak, Cabbage White, Zebra Swallowtail,and American Lady are just a few species seen. Damselflies and dragonflies have increased in occurance as well. Rambur’s Forktails, Eastern Pondhawk, and Skimmers are seen all over the park. A Longhorn Beetle was caught right outside the research building, and moved to the forest.

Herps are active. Green Treefrogs are commonly seen perched on bulrushes and other species of frogs can be heard calling in the wetlands. One very peculiar finding was a 36-inch Two-toed Amphiuma dead on Cattail Trail. It was retrieved by research, showing signs of a large wound on the head, but the exact cause of death is unknown. Alligators are out as usual in the Clarification Pond. One large adult, estimated to be around 9ft or more in length tends to bask on the front, left side of the pond. Snakes are out. Water Moccasins and Black Racers have been seen this week.

Birds have some new arrivals as well. Although most of the waterfowl have left the Equalization Pond, three Bufflehead (a drake and two hens) and a pair of Gadwalls have graced the pond with their presence. A few Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal, and Northern Shoveler remain. American Bitterns are still calling from the sparrow field and one was flushed by the 3 Ton Bridge. Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks are active, along with Osprey and Barred Owl. King Rail are calling from the wetland cells late in the day. Songbirds are on the move as well. Marsh Wren are singing in the bulrushes, Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Parulas are declaring their presence in the trees, Yellowthroats are calling from the brush, and other songbirds are foraging in the trees for food: Black-and-White Warbler by campus, Brown-headed Nuthatch by the Bridge Through the Woods, and Savannah, Swamp, White-throated, and Song Sparrow in the wetlands.

Weekly Wildlife Report – March 4th

by Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

Alligators are out in higher numbers. Although the two at the Equalization Pond weren’t seen this week, three or more have been seen at the Clarification Pond on the black tarp with Spotted Sandpipers. Turtles are out and an armadillo was seen on the impoundment by the Distributional Canal. As far as birds go, American Woodcocks can be heard at twilight, calling their “PEENT” calls and twittering courtship display in the Sparrow Field. Also heard in the Sparrow Field are American Bitterns and Common Ground-Dove. The rest of the swamp remains like last week. There are many ducks still in the Equalization Pond – Northern Shoveler, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, and Blue-winged Teal. Also on Pond Trail are Pileated Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, and Blue-headed Vireo. The Black-crowned Night-Herons have been seen off-and-on in Cell 3. Raptors are still active as well. Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture and Barred Owl have been spotted this week. Yellow-throated Warbler have finally arrived. Other birds of note include: Sora, Gadwall, Orange-crowned Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Wood Duck, Fox Sparrow, and Wilson’s Snipe.

Weekly Wildlife Report: February 26th

By Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

Despite the wind and storms we have been having, the wildlife has still been active. Some have even been enjoying the strong winds. Harriers and Vultures have been taking advantage of the drafts, tossing back and forth in the wind. Otters have been seen in the equalization pond and by the 3 Ton Bridge. Armadillos have been reported as well. Alligators are still out basking on the banks. Some are in the Equalization Pond and the Clarification Pond as usual, but a large one was seen in the Distributional Canal. Ducks are still present in large numbers in the Equalization Pond – Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal, and Northern Shoveler. One surprise find was a Ring-billed Gull sitting on the float in the center of the pond. This species is common here, but they are not usually found at the Equalization Pond. Raptors are still very active – Bald Eagles fly over the wetlands often, harriers glide low over the cells, Red-shouldered Hawks are in a frenzy, preparing for nesting, Ospreys are doing the same, and Red-tailed Hawks, Black Vultures, and Turkey Vultures are present too. The Kingfisher is still hanging around the end of the Distributional Canal, which still holds many coots and gallinules. Wood Ducks are inhabiting the wooded swamplands near the River Scar Trail. Passerines have been skulking in the bushes to avoid the wind, but House Wren, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireo, Black-and-White Warbler and Orange-crowned Warblers, and Eastern Bluebird are some songbirds of note seen this week.

Weekly Wildlife Report: February 19th

By Liam Wolff, Phinizy Research Intern

This week we have had incredible Spring-like weather. A small taste of what’s in store for the next few months. We aren’t the only ones enjoying the warm weather, though. Ectothermic animals have been much more active. Alligators have been seen basking in their normal spots in the far end of the Equalization Pond and on the tarp in the Clarification Pond. Anoles have likewise been active, warming themselves up in semi-exposed areas. Turtles have also become once again ubiquitous. Snakes are out, too. On campus, a little Brown Snake was found and Cottonmouths can be seen basking on the banks of many of the ponds and along Butler Creek. As far as birds go, waterfowl are, as always, inhabiting the Equalization Pond. Ducks in this pond include: Lesser Scaup, Northern Shoveler, Ring-necked Duck, and Blue-winged Teal. Also at the Equalization Pond are Brown-headed Nuthatches, Orange-crowned, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Rusty Blackbird, and Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets. One bird of note at this location was a black and orange songbird in the trees on the east side of the pond. The bird was first identified as a Western Tanager, but the observer conceded that the bird might be a Baltimore Oriole. The bird was not relocated. Birds of prey are active as well. Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Black and Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, and Barred Owl have all been spotted in the park this week. Tree Swallows have finally returned! Two were spotted over the Equalization Pond on Friday. White Ibis have been seen perching in the cypress by the boardwalk on Cattail Trail, napping and grooming. Other birds of note include Gadwall, Marsh Wren, Winter Wren, and Pileated Woodpecker.