An Evening with Woodcocks (Saturday March 16)

On Saturday evening about 20 of us had a wonderful time watching the woodcocks perform their timeless display in the fields behind the farmhouse.   Our good friends, Michael Kieffer and Bull Run Conservancy members joined us for this annual event.  It was a perfect evening with mild temperatures and a clear sky.  For some, it was the first time witnessing this age old right of spring.

Source: Birds of North America Online http://bna.birds.cornell.edu

On Saturday, the "peent" call of the males started precisely at 7:41 PM, with full "sky dance" displays
following for half an hour.  There were four males displaying in our immediate vicinity.  Likely, they will continue to display at dawn and dusk for the next few weeks.

Last night (Monday) after plowing the road, I watched a male set up his singing ground in the open road, taking advantage of what seemed to be the only place to sing due to deep snow on the fields.  He seemed surprised to immediately attract a female and quickly started to utter his "tuku"sound.  He propped his wings up and forward and marched toward her twisting slightly back and forth as he approached.  The curious female slowly moved away, only mildly interested, and commenced probing the snow cover as if looking for something to eat.   This went on for a few minutes at which point the male abruptly gave up his pursuit, ran back to his preferred singing site and let out loud  "peent" calls to try to attract a more suitable female.   The female left the area, and soon the male was off on his "sky dance" once again.

wrapping up after seeing the display

If you missed our event last Saturday, we will be going out again this coming Saturday evening just after 7:00 PM again from the farmhouse.   Let us know if you would like to join in!

Winter storm Vulcan paid us a visit last night as we set out into the woods to find migrating Jefferson and Spotted salamanders.  We have one of the southeastern most populations of Jefferson salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum), and keep an eye on them as they are outnumbered by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) that have a larger range throughout the east coast.

A male Jefferson Salamander at the C1 vernal pool March 13, 2014

  

Each year we watch for the first cold, rainy night between mid February and early March when the salamanders leave their underground habitat (thus the name "mole" salamanders) and move to vernal pools to breed.  The males typically arrive first, followed a few nights later by females.  Most years on the field station, the Jefferson Salamanders seem to arrive first but the Spotted Salamanders arrive in larger numbers shortly behind.  Today, only Jefferson egg masses were present, although male Spotted Salamanders were in the vernal pools.

newly laid Jefferson Salamander egg masses (March 13)

 The other exciting amphibian visitor this time of year in the vernal pools are the spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) who started their calling this week, and the wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus).  There were about 100 wood frog egg masses early this morning in the ridgetop vernal pool.  They were under about 1 cm of ice on top of the pool, this might be a tough year for survival of these newly developing embryos.

Newly laid Wood Frog eggs in the Ridgetop vernal pool (today)

A very cold Wood Frog

The weather continues to be below freezing tonight, so the ice cover on the pools will continue through tomorrow.   It is amazing how tenacious these frogs and salamanders are in their struggle for life.   When one gets to know them, you can't help but respect them!

The soil temperature was near freezing early this morning at pool C1

Notes from the Nature Bound Director,

The Field Station Farmhouse, Feb 14, 2014

Occasionally someone will arrive here on the Field Station and inquire about the best thing to do out here, given a small amount of time to spend on that day.   I do my best to triage all of the dynamic things happening, however I can’t help to think of John Muir’s famous response to a time pressed visitor in Yosemite over 100 years ago.   To the tourist with only one day he replied, “I would sit on a rock and cry”.   To those who spend a great deal of time in the natural world, this quote needs no explanation.  The idea that one would miss the marvels going on around them by investing only one day in nature is profoundly sad.  There is so much good that comes from being outside, and so much bad from not taking time to learn what nature teaches.

So, after much encouragement I am embarking on a public display of the stories that unfold daily on the field station and that generally circulate among students and friends that are here regularly.   I must admit that I am doing this with some trepidation: I am much more comfortable on a deer trail than the information superhighway.  Nonetheless, I do have a deep desire to share opportunities to get people outside to learn what the natural world has to teach; and all of this takes more that a day.

Perhaps the slow thaw of winter is as good a place as any to start.   I have to admit to anticipating the renewing sounds of Spring, as a spring peeper chorus is easier to interpret than the stern lessons of Winter.  The unyielding cold has keep the soil at a shallow depth near freezing very late this year. Every day I put the soil thermometer 8 and then10 centimeters into the ground.  Unyielding, is reads just above freezing time and time again.

March 10, 2014

 Under these conditions, I admire the determination of the Mole Salamanders (Ambystomatidae, both Spotted and Jefferson) that are embarking on their annual migration to vernal pools to breed, somehow struggling out of and across the cold earth.  This year, like last, a few (4 in 2013, and 2 in 2014) early, ambitious spotted salamanders emerged too soon, and died under a sheet of ice that formed on our new breeding pool.

Feb 17, 2014

Feb 24, 2014

Typically, they migrate in large numbers on the first rainy night in February or early March.   This year, the migration is likely to happen in two days, on Wednesday when we are anticipating a good, cold rain.   I will be out with eager students, searching the ground and vernal pools in the cold, wet night with dim flashlights, cheering with each salamander discovered; all the while lamenting the poor soles on spring break in Florida who will miss out on the fun!