Field Notes

Monthly Weather Review

Monthly Rainfall Total: 0.39 inches
Highest Temperature: 62.0⁰F
Lowest Temperature: 31.3^oF
Highest Wind Speed: 6.8 mph

12/1/23

• Female Northern Harrier sighted hunting over Fireworks Prairie.
• Meadowlarks sighted in Fireworks Grass Field.
• Berries of Heavenly Bamboo (N. domestica) sighted in Fireworks pine stand.
• Henbit Deadnettle (L. amplexicaule) and Common Chickweed (S. media) found in flower in Fireworks Log Deck.
• Mockingbirds and Mourning Doves were sighted on and around the Fireworks fence line.

12/4/23

• Visited area where Thompson Creek meets the Pee Dee River. Erosion from Thompson Creek is evident, forming a large sandbank where the creek meets the river. Water from Thompson Creek was more turbid than Pee Dee water, can be seen mixing.
• Rock Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), River Birch (B. nigra), Post Oak (Q. stellata), White Oak (Q. alba), and River Oats (C. latifolium) all sighted along Creek/Riverbank.

12/5/23

• Sweet Everlasting (P. obtusifolium) found in flower in Halfmoon Trail, Solitary individual covered in aphids.
• Robins seen returning to property, gathering in small groups.

12/8/23

• 12 Hooded Merganser ducks sighted on Turtle Pond. Males and Females present.
• Cleaned Out Wood Duck Boxes, wood duck activity evident at BJ’s Pond.
• Cleaned out Bluebird boxes, all boxes were used this season except for one. Robin eggs found in one box.
• Initial growth of Hastate Leaf Dock (R. hastatus), Dogfennel (E. capillifolium), Rosinweed (S. asteriscus), and Geranium species all present in Firework, Francis, Steele, Halfmoon-2,5,6,7, and Dry Pond Prairies.

12/12/23

• Received 0.11 inches of rain. Creek water level is high, water is turbid. Beaver dam at Kyak Put-In broke, water now flowing through the area.
• Installed and Recorded 19 new Bluebird Boxes.
• Pileated Woodpecker heard calling ~3 times at Horsebones Hill.
• White Throated Sparrows sighted in Fireworks East Prairie. A pair of Mockingbirds were sighted nesting in an Oak Tree near Prairie edge.
• Field Sparrows with winter plumage sighted in Fireworks East Prairie.

12/14/23

• A Marbled Salamander found guarding eggs near Learning Center Ephemeral Pond. Hatched marbled salamander juveniles found in pond water.
• Green Anole, Box Turtle Shell, several Two Lined Salamanders, and two Dusky Salamanders found by Otter Pond. Two Lined Salamanders show two different reproduction techniques - searching males and fighting males.
• Chamberlin Dwarf Salamander, Red Spotted Newt, several Two Lined Salamanders, Two Dusky Salamanders all found by Shay’s Pond.
• Deer skeleton found in Woods near Shay’s Pond.

12/15/23

• Five doe sighted following female Deer in mixed hardwood forest.
• Male Wood Duck sighted at Turtle Pond.
• Solitary Dandelion (T. officinale) sighted in flower along edge of Block House.

12/20/23

• Received 0.19 inches of rain on 12/18/23. Beaver Dam at Kyak Put-In broke further.
• Coyote scat sighted in Turtle Pond Logging Deck Area.
• Canine tracks and deer tracks sighted in Turtle Pond Logging Area.
• White Lip Snail sighted in Turtle Pond Logging Area.
• Gulf Fritillary Butterfly found in road, released on flowering Baccharis (B. halimifolia) in Fireworks Prairie.

12/28/23

• Creek water level is high, water is turbid and flowing fast. Some puddles are present along Halfmoon Trail and edge of Prairies Two and Six.
• Prairies are overall brown with plants starting to fall over, forming warm pockets for wildlife. Mammal and bird activity is evident – birds seen and heard in prairies. Deer scat, beds, pathways, and grazing evident in prairies and along edges.
• Initial growth of Black-Eyed Susan (R. hirta), Common Yarrow (A. millefolium), Cudweed (Gamochaeta spp.) found in Prairie Five, Six and Seven.
• 7 Dandelions (T. offcinale) found in flower along Horse Paddocks trail.

Aerial views of 3 prairies showing December growth progression

Author: Brianna Bergamini