Shaking the Trees

Birds Flora and Fauna Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Clyde Camp – Hunter, the Red Morph Screech Owl, returns [again].

Hunter, the Red Morph Screech Owl, returns [again].

Since the beginnning of October, I’ve powered up the two nestcams just to see if there’s been any. action. The side/kitchen box remains empty, but the front box has what appears to be a red-phase female (based on the size) snoozing away. The leaves indicate a squirrel has been there in the past and the color is off because it’s a gray overcast day outside. The photo shows that she’s hunkered down over the remains of a pretty large rat.

She spends a day or two in the front box and then is gone for a week or so. This cycle has repeated 3 times now since early October. Last time she was here, she gorged on three, maybe 4, largish rats that she hauled in over 3 days.

Curious George (below) arrives at about 20 seconds and settles in for the day. He’s verbally accosted by a couple of jays and a squirrel about midway through the video. George is the male of the last breeding season (spring, 2020) – a grey-phase Eastern Screech Owl. His mate then was a red-phase female named Hunter. Their breeding attempt was unsuccessful with two clutches of eggs, neither of which hatched. They are both visiting the box off and on again and probably staking their claim on it in late fall 2020.

You can read about, with photos and videos, that attempt (as well as the 2018/19 attempt by a different pair) at http://crcamp.com/owls

Connemara Flora and Fauna Native Grasses Prairie Restoration Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Al Blaume – Beck’s Prairie @ Connemara Meadow

We rescue Little Bluestem here and transplant it in the Connemara Meadow. Beck’s is a native prairie remnant, never been plowed. I believe this grass was grazed by American Bison. In those days there would not have been any cedars, just knee high grass as far as you could see.

After the event at the Connemara we spread the? Deb should there be more text here, no more in doc provided.

Clymer Meadow Flora and Fauna Native Grasses Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Tom Shackelford – Clymer Meadow

While certifying as a Master Naturalist in 2018 a field trip was offered to Clymer Meadow. I enjoyed the experience and ended up volunteering at Erwin, The Heard and The Heritage farmstead. I met knowledgeable and passionate individuals who were leading these restoration efforts and were willing to share their ideas on how to restore and preserve these natural areas. I still volunteer at these but returned to Clymer to focus on this large remnant prairie restoration. The road has been bumpy (literally and figuratively) but feel it is headed down the right path.

Thank you to the Volunteers at all of our Chapter Projects!
Tom Shackelford

CLYMER MEADOW

Clymer Meadow Preserve contains some of the largest and most diverse remnants of the Blackland Prairie; the Texas version of the tallgrass prairie that once stretched from south Texas to south-central Canada. The preserve is portion of a larger conservation area (1400 acres) that includes land owned by The Nature Conservancy of Texas and other private owners. Clymer Meadow serves as a center for study of the Blackland Prairie and has been the site of more than a dozen scientific investigations ranging in scope from inventories of prairie invertebrates to noxious weed control. Universities, private research organizations, public and private primary and secondary schools have used the meadow as a teaching site.

Two globally imperiled prairie plant communities are represented here: little bluestem-Indiangrass and gamagrass-switchgrass community series types. Other important grasses include big bluestem, meadow dropseed, sideoats grama (The State grass of Texas), and Canada wildrye. Wildflowers, such as rough-leaf rosinweed, purple Indian paintbrush, prairie clover and American basketflower are abundant.

One of the more unusual features of the preserve is a microtopography called “gilgai” by soil scientists. You may have heard it called “hogwallows”. Gilgai may be irregular shaped or round, shallow basins, often arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern on level, heavy clay soils. They tend to retain water and this influences the composition of the plant communities. Moisture-loving species such as eastern gamagrass and spikerush occupy the microlows, while drier-adapted species such as sideoats grama and little bluestem are common on microridges.

The Blackland prairie is made up of rich soils that have been converted to agricultural cultivation. The result is that all that remains in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada is now between 1 and 4 percent of the original 19 million acres. Dependent upon the study; there is no question that the tallgrass prairie is the most-endangered large ecosystem in North America.

Recently we had the largest group we have had there at one time. Eight volunteers who accomplished a lot. We were there from 10- 2.30. We all brought snacks or lunch and had a break at 12ish. We were outdoors the entire time and were either socially distancing or wearing face masks when that was not practical. This group was comprised of the following: James King, Jay Wooldridge, Lissa King, Duane Mortensen, Janice James, Jean Suplick, Tasha Patterson, Tom Shackelford.

We broke into 2 groups and some did seed collection in the area near where the wildflower tour takes place. This was done both by hand and also with a mechanical picker that is towed behind an ATV. Others removed barbwire, fenceposts, brush. A handful swapped tasks after the break at noon. We cleared ¼ mile of fence line and also invasive trees sporadically growing in the fence line. This opened up two remnant sections (previously burned) that will allow for cross pollination between the two areas.

We are making a difference and the project is headed in the right direction.

Clymer is not open to the public. This is a volunteer project of the Blackland Prairie Chapter and we have scheduled dates to volunteer there each month. Master Naturalists may also contact Brandon Belcher to schedule additional volunteer opportunities. This may entail remnant prairie restoration, removal of invasive species, seed collection, and other seasonal tasks. You will need to sign a TNC waiver and bring a face mask, gloves, water, and keep in mind that restroom facilities are limited. They do offer a Wildflower tour late spring each year.

Option 1 – You may be asking – How do I get there? It is a 32 mile / 45 minute drive from the Heard. I usually drive 75 N – (exit 44) TX 121 N – R on FM 545 E Melissa Rd – You will drive through Blue Ridge – turn L at 78 Bus N – turn R on FM 981 (if you drive past a cemetery you missed the turn) – you will continue on 981 for 5+ miles – Continue straight at FM1562 for approximately 4 miles. There is frequently a black and white dog greeting traffic at the house just before the Nature Conservancy office, which is a tan farmhouse on your left. It is just past the squiggly road sign on the right.

Option 2- Drive to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. This preserve encompasses almost 11,000 acres and is the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in North America. This tallgrass prairie covers over 17 square miles. There are multiple spots where the view is 100% tall grass and wildflowers stretching to the horizon. The grasses and wildflowers are the same or similar to those seen in Texas – except Porcupine grass (Stipa spartea). This prairie is also managed by the Nature Conservancy. It is the only site within the National Park Service dedicated to the rich natural history of the tallgrass prairie. It is open to the public as a National Park Service site.

Typical Tom Side Notes: Food for additional thought

1. Park Hill was completely burned – If you went there now; expect to see a lot of black. Springtime should bring a spectacular wildflower display.

2. I found a Cemetery on left side of road to Clymer. It is about 7-8 miles east of Blue Ridge on FM981 and just before you enter Hunt county. There is a barely visible arch over a gate that says “ Old Richard 1866-1966”. I walked the front fence. I looked it up later and found it listed as the location of a ghost town, Richard, Texas. There was a photo taken in 2007. It was maintained then and it now looks like that might have been the last time the area had been maintained. It is not large but completely overgrown with just the tops of grave markers visible. I have driven by this numerous times and this was the 1st time I noticed it. Probably not visible when brush and trees are green

Members Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Deborah Canterbury – Susan Smith We Will Miss You

We hate to announce that Susan Smith is moving to be closer to family. Still in Texas but too far to commute. Susan has never been one to be in the limelight in the front, but always has had every members back when it comes to membership issues, chatting about Master Naturalists at meetings with class members, calendar updates, mailing out pins, reporting to AgriLife, working on fossils, bird banding, collecting seeds or making sure folks feel comfortable with the hours entry process.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
Edward Abbey

General Members Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Deborah Canterbury – Congratulations new Board Members!

Congratulations and thanks to our new board members.

Laura Ragan, Vice President-class of 2014 : Look for her at the Heard taking care of business and volunteers. She is also often seen at the Holifield.

Michelle Connally, Secretary-class of 2018 : Bright face at Heard Plant Sales and the backbone of our website.

Liz Brown, Membership-class of 2018: She takes seriously getting rid of trees at Erwin Park is ready to trail guide at Raptor Center.

Rhonda Sanchez, Outreach-class of 2019: Can be seen at Heard, Farmstead and Outreach booths. (Rhonda Sanchez with a waaay too big plant.)

Dave Powell, State Rep- class of 2007: Where isn’t Dave? Father of Erwin Park restoration, Wylie Prairie, Heard, State advisory board, past president, Outreach, sound system expert at meetings, special projects. Where a project is in Collin County, Dave is there. (Dave Powell, always in the middle of a project.)

General Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Deborah Canterbury – TMN Educators in Action

Two of our tribe are serving in leadership roles with Native Plant Society. Congratulations to them as they take our mission and our local mission of “Education, Restoration, Preservation to other communities of like-minded people. Pictured are: class of 2014 – Lorelei Stierlen (and Sorca), past president of NPSOT and moving into treasurer role; and class of 2018 – Valerie Dalton who has taken on the mantle of president. Congratulations, y’all.

Valerie Dalton – NPSOT President (Class of 2018)

Lorelei Stierlen – NPSOT Treasurer (Class of 2014)

News Paddling Trails Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Linda Nixon – Congratulations to the Trinity Coalition!

The Trinity River Paddling Trail was one of the 30 trails approved as a National Recreation trail! Great news for DFW and all those will learn about this wonderful outdoor recreational opportunity as a result of this designation.

Yesterday U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced 30 new national recreation trails in 25 states, adding more than 1,275 miles to the National Trails System.

Thank you to Trinity Coalition and photographer Teresa Patterson for the photo of one of the newly designated trails, the Trinity River Paddling Trail.

Check out all the trails here:https://www.americantrails.org/resources/30-new-national-recreation-trails-have-been-designated

General Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Jim Dulian – Crowning the Heron

INTRO

On Jun. 18, 2019, I found a rather large light blue egg shell in our back yard. I didn’t know what kind of bird it had come from, but I didn’t think there was anything that large in our back yard, so I assumed that it had blown in during a recent storm and didn’t think anything of it. But 3 days later, there was another shell in the same place as the first. This is when I had the inspiration to actually look up, and there, 32 feet above ground, was a large nest with a yellow crowned night heron sitting on a branch nearby. I found a third shell the next day and began watching the nest regularly.

I first spotted one of the fledglings on July 1, and by July 4 they had started sitting up on the side of the nest. We went out of town later that month, and the nest gradually deteriorated over the winter, so I didn’t really expect anything the next year, but they came back in 2020 and built a new nest in exactly the same place as the previous year. What follows is a time line of my observations from 2020, along with some other information about this species from various sources.

HERONS

Herons belong to the family, Ardeidae, along with egrets and bitterns. This family consists of 63 species worldwide, and cover the globe outside of the polar regions. The yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) ranges throughout eastern North America, as far north as southern Minnesota. While most herons’ diets consist mainly of fish, the yellow-crowned night heron feeds almost exclusively on crustaceans, which accounts for its greater population in coastal areas. In north Texas they eat mainly crayfish, which are abundant in places like Conamera and Oak Point Park, both within 3 miles of the nest site. This becomes readily apparent by examining the droppings on the ground under the nest, which contain lots of pieces of broken up carpace.

The black-crowned night heron is a closely related species that also inhabits the North Texas area. However, black-crowned night herons are almost exclusively nocturnal, and therefore less likely to be observed. (The yellow-crowned night heron is “partially” noctural.)

2020 TIMELINE

Mar. 27–first sighting of 2020. The pair of adult herons were actively engaged in building their nest. One of them stayed on the nest while the other would fly to a nearby tree (a bald cypress in this case), break off a stick from a dead branch and bring it back to the one on the nest. The one on the nest would then work the stick into the nest, and not until they were both satisfied would the first one fly off to get another stick. This whole process took 2 – 3 minutes per stick.

The Cornell website, allaboutbirds.com, states “Initially the male carries sticks to the female, who begins the nest. Later, both gather and place materials on the nest.” I did not observe any occasions of building that did not consist of one heron passing a stick to the other.

Apr. 10–They appeared to have completed the nest.

Apr. 15–First observed one heron sitting on nest for long periods of time, presumably incubating the eggs.

Apr. 30–They appeared to be working on the nest again after it had suffered some storm damage the night before.

May 2-4–Found 4 egg shells under nest.

May 18–First sighted nestlings.

May 26 & 28–Observed adults giving sticks to the nestlings. The nest also expanded somewhat during this period, which suggests that these herons learn nest-building skills while still living in the nest. This is the one behaviour that I observed that I have not been able to find referenced anywhere.

May 29-Jun. 15–During this period, the fledglings gradually moved farther from the nest to perch on other branches in the same tree during the day, usually accompanied by one of the adults.

Jun. 16-24–The nest appeared to be abandoned, but several times an adult and one or two of the offspring would show up for a feeding time. They probably return to the nest for this because, unlike other birds, yellow-crowned night herons feed their young by regurgitating into the center of the nest. When all the fledglings are feeding, it makes a clicking/buzzing sound, which abruptly stops when they finish.

This species generally only raises one brood per year because the young must be taught to hunt. Thus, the family group stays coherent even after abandoning the nest. This may account for the difference in the timing of the nests between 2019 and 2020. (First egg shell found Jun. 18 in 2019 vs. May 2 in 2020.) If they lose a brood while there is still time to raise another, they will do that. I’m guessing that they lost their entire nest earlier that year and moved to our tree instead to start over.

Herons tend to use the same nest for several years, and we hope to see them again next year.

General Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

David Powell – Wylie Portrait

A Great Golden Digger Wasp joined our saunter through the prairie.

New Signage, Blooming Gama Grass, Golden Digger Wasp and Six Monarchs checked out the scenery as well.

General Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Greg Tonian – Time Passages

Time Passages, reflections on a solo hike on the Eagle Rock Loop, Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas

“all around, the day was going down slow. Night, like a river, beginning to flow. I felt the beat of my mind go, drifting, into time passages.”- Al Stewart 1978

300 million years ago, give or take a few million, tectonic plates pushed together, buckling thick layers of sediment deposited during preceding millenia in ancient seas in an area now part of north central Arkansas. This began a process of mountain building and mountain unbuilding. Today, these ridges make up the Ouachita Mountain range. During the Labor Day weekend in 2019, a friend and I hiked the Eagle Rock Loop (ERL), a 26.8-mile trail that fords several streams including the Little Missouri River and climbs a half dozen steep ridges with a net gain of 4000 feet. I vowed to return to the area as too many secrets lay hidden its deep forests, amongst the mosaic of stones scattered like jig saw pieces on the trail and creek banks and lurking within the ethereal soundscape of the rushing waters.

What is it about places that have a complex geological history that draw us? Over vast swaths of time, relentless forces have left us monuments of stone with a unique assortment of lifeforms adapted to every nook, cranny and crevasse. Succumbing to the pull of gravity, slipping fault lines, wind blasts, and the multi-pronged attacks of fickle water both providing life giving sustenance and acting as a relentless chisel, these crags stand as time tested testimonials of endurance.

On Friday September 25, 2020, Year of The COVID 19 Pandemic, at approximately 7 a.m. I departed The Colony and headed toward Arkansas once again. I had spun around the sun one more time, and was now entering the 60^th autumn of my life. My “long weekend” trip, made possible by strategically allocating 7.5 hours of PTO (personal time off) would account for 56 hours of my life. I was on a tight agenda to live in the moment!

It is important to have goals:

Return to ERL and complete the loop again.
Hike solo (much to the trepidation of Laurie, my wife).
Catch a smallmouth on the Little Missouri River on a fly.
Solve the mystery of the mostly hidden flora and fauna of the Ouachita National Forest and hopefully see more of it on this visit.
Commune with the trees again. Those majestic giants.
Cool off and skinny dip in a cold mountain stream again.
Avoid injury (see #2), falling in a creek and all unforeseen disasters.
Stay dry (lots of wet crossings) and sleep well and warm in a tent for 2 nights.
Avoid hunger and dehydration.
Gawk at all of those beautiful rocks.
Escape the constant media feed of current event mayhem.
Be one with the Universe (Is that too much to ask?)

I am happy to report that many of these goals were met.

The weather was perfect, not too hot or cold and no rain. I did complete the ERL in approximately 15.5 hours of walking, 10 ½ hours on Saturday alone, a day with steep 6 ridge climbs. I did fall and bash open my right knee on an innocent small creek crossing an hour into Saturday’s hike, but thankfully, no derangement of ligaments occurred! (Trail Wisdom: When a stream crossing involves more than 3 steps, it is likely you will lose concentration and fall. Even if you step on the rock you have selected, there is no guarantee it’s not as slick as black ice. Either step in the water or take the time to switch into your water sandals).

Since I went as a Naturalist seeking a closer glimpse of the endemic species of the area and this audience is likely interested in such matters, I will briefly summarize what I observed.

Flora:

The most prominent features of the area along the ERL are the endless stands of trees, some of which must be 50 to 100 years old or likely older. Roots snake like boa constrictors over rocks and down steep, mossy slopes, resulting in uneven footing on the rocky trails. A dominant tree is the Beech with a distinct patina of subtle patches of lichens, living beauty spots. Other key species are pines, oaks, both red and white varieties, hickory, sweet gum, and holly. One memorable tree, was a majestic sycamore, perhaps 30 years old and over 60 feet tall, observed with a tangled mass of exposed roots anchored to a small rocky island in the Little Missouri River itself. How it had managed to survive the relentless periodic flooding is beyond me.

Because the forest exudes moisture and the creeks volatilize moisture in the air, lichens, mosses and ferns abound, providing a soothing carpet of green. Close inspection of this lush landscape reveals a complex world within a world as the lichens, themselves symbiotic biospheres (as I learned over the weekend during the TXMN virtual convention), mosses and ferns provide micro habitats for all sorts of life forms. The fungi were abundant, more so than I remember from my last visit. All colors, shapes and sizes were seen. Scalloped shelf fungi, hiking boot tall white mushrooms with a 10-inch diameter top disk, clusters of yellow domes, 2 pink, slobbery gumballs on the side of a tree, a pale blue capped mushroom that seemed to glow in the misty dawn, orange pustules puffing spores on a pine stripped of protective bark and countless others poked out of the loam and leaf litter.

Fauna:

On my last visit to the ERL the key animal sighting was a bobcat my friend spotted at the edge of the creek which quickly morphed into the forested slope and vanished.

This year, as before, I saw virtually no mammals other than a perhaps one or two squirrels. During two long weekend visits, I never saw one deer. I crossed paths with no skunks, raccoons, bears or even a mouse or vole, nor did one sneak into my camp after dark to feed on the trail mix or other snacks stored in my back pack. (The din of the Little Missouri at my campsite Saturday was so loud that a grizzly could have uprooted the tree where I hung my backpack and I would not have heard it.)

As for birds, the same elusiveness prevailed. I did not get a clear look at one bird with the possible exception of a flitting titmouse. I heard familiar calls and based on this evidence; I can conclude that Carolina wrens are relatively common. I heard a few chickadees. I also heard the distant cries of a pileated woodpecker on several occasions, but did not catch a glimpse of one. I did not have my binoculars and the lighting was poor on Saturday morning when I did hear and see quite a few birds high up in the canopy and I suspected that there may have been a few interesting birds such as warblers or vireos on hand. I heard no night birds after dark such as owls or whippoorwills. I did not see or hear any raptors other than perhaps a brief glimpse of a vulture rising on a distant thermal. I may have heard an occasional crow, but even then, they were far off.

I saw two species of lizards, a brown fence lizard and a dark, bluish gray fence lizard that may have been endemic. I had never seen a lizard of that color. I saw a small toad and a juvenile banded water snake as well. I did see some fish in the clear waters of the Little Missouri, but did not hook any. On Friday, I camped by a small stagnant vernal puddle and during the night I heard some possible frog or toad species.

The key sightings on this trip as the last time, were invertebrates. Countless daddy longlegs dodged my descending boots. Funnel spiders and wolf spiders and even a jumping spider which mimicked the black and red velvet appearance of a velvet ant were observed, the latter at the Eagle Rock Ridge.

I saw a few butterflies, not one was a Monarch. There were many grasshoppers darting across the trail and lighting on it. I saw a black walking stick and several large beetles, caterpillar hunters. I found a Spice Bush Swallow Tail caterpillar, its fake eyes staring at my when I unfurled a rolled-up sassafras leaf. It was in the very same area I had encountered one the year before.

Rocks:

So many colors. So many shapes and sizes. Crumpled, slanted striated outcrops, massive boulders, one looking like an Easter Island Head standing like a sentinel next to the trail in the golden afternoon sun.

On Saturday night, I plunged into the surging flow of the Little Missouri as it swirled by a boulder, I felt its urgent push downstream. I felt its chilling fingers remove the sweat and grit from my skin. At some point, a silver ring slipped from my finger and tumbled away. I did not notice its absence until the next morning. Who knows how long before it will be found, if ever? Time slipped away as my ring did on this trek. As always, we cannot possess time. Nor can we stop its flow as it rushes us along, like a river.