August

Monthly Weather Review
Monthly Rainfall Total- 10.36 in
Highest Temperature- 98.0 F
Lowest Temperature- 60.0 F
Average Wind Speed- 6.92 mph

Thursday August 8th

Thompson creek experienced some flooding from Hurricane Debby.
Anna placed a stop action game camera at TC behind the learning center to capture the different height levels from the flooding.
Anna put on waders and got to hip deep at kayak put in.
There was an Eastern Dobsonfly on the side of the office.

Friday August 9th

After the storm, Hurricane Debby, passed it was time to clean up the field station.
Anna began cutting trees that had fallen on the trails.

Saturday August 10th

Carolina Wildlands hosted the Carolina Butterfly Society event at the field station.
They found 40 different species of butterflies, including the only 3 species that live off river cane.

Thursday August 15th

Anna had a passenger on her mule today, a golden silk orb-weaver, also known as a banana spider.

Friday August 16th

Our water steward Anna launched Gia the water sensor from GaiaXus. The sensor calculated temperature, depth, turbidity, and salinity.
SCDNR came out to the field station to do a mussel survey. They are looking specifically for the Carolina Heelsplitter species. But any mussel species is welcomed.
The Carolina Heelsplitter has been federally listed as Endangered since 1993, only occurs in NC and SC. They are vulnerable to poor water quality, erosion and sedimentation of stream habit due to agriculture and urbanization.
Along with SCDNR we also hosted SCDES and U.S. Fish and Wildlife on the property for the mussel survey.
At the second survey site, Anna found a mussel that looked similar to a Carolina Heelsplitter. Hailey from U.S. Fish and Wildlife took the mussel to a hatchery in Orangeburg, SC for further genetic testing. The results concluded that the mussel Anna found was a Creeper (Strophitus undulatus).

Friday August 23^rd

Southern 8ths team trained in a SCDES Adopt a Stream workshop.

Tuesday, August 27^th

While driving to Fireworks Pond, Morgan and Anna spotted a Norther Harrier hawk hunting in an old hay field.
While sitting and observing the hawk, they were able to watch him swoop down and grab his prey.

Wednesday, August 28^th

Anna and Morgan visited Turtle Pond on Wednesday morning and spotted a Green Heron resting on a fallen limb.
There were also a group of four egrets at the pond.
The water was super calm and reflective that morning.

Thursday August 29^th

Benny the Barn Owl was released back to us from Black Creek Wildlife Center.
At first, he was reluctant to leave the safety of his transportation cage, but with a little assistance he flew straight to his new home in Half Moon.