More Snakes Encountered Under Cover Boards

This summer’s second round of checking snake cover board grids yielded great results. At every grid, except two, James Fischer and I found snakes hiding under the piles of wood trying to escape from the hot and humid weather. We encountered Red-bellied snakes at three of the piles, which were not present last time we removed the boards. All the Red-bellied were small in size (about 7 inches), meaning that they were probably males, likely waiting for the larger females to arrive. We also came across many more Garter snakes, especially at the Ongley Pond site, where there was a total of six counted Garter snakes, one juvenile and five adults. We saw only one Ring-necked snake at the Apple Hill Lower Field, which was where we spotted one two weeks ago. At the two grids where we did not have snakes, Wamogo Field and Laurel Hill; we did find a Red-backed vole and a fairly intact snake skeleton approximately 12 inches long.  

Red-bellied snake
Ring-necked snake


Garter snake

Garter snake








Southern Red-backed vole
After checking all of the cover boards and noticing the dramatic increase in snake encounter rate we wondered if this could be due to the recent hot, humid weather, which would cause the snakes to seek cool coverage under the wood piles. Although it could also be due to the time of day we checked the grids. This time we started at 2:00 pm and received our highest snake numbers at the end of the day, around 5:00 pm. In my last blog about snake cover boards, we had the most snakes in the morning and I hypothesized that changing the time of day when the grids were inspected might reveal different abundances of snakes. Today’s result does develop this hypothesis that perhaps mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check cover boards. Since we will be checking the cover boards many more times this summer, we can further test this question.

Increasing Amphibian Cover Boards at White Memorial

Over the past five days two more amphibian cover board grids have been added to White Memorial’s property. This will make a total of ten cover board grids located around the property. We plan on adding even more grids over the next couple of weeks to locations around the Catlin Woods and the Cranberry Swamp area. By adding more cover boards we can expect our amphibian encounter rate to increase, as well as our chances of encountering Connecticut’s endangered Blue-spotted x Jefferson hybrid Salamander.


Red Eft life stage of a Red-spotted Newt in Catlin Woods

We experimented with one of the newly assembled cover board sites by removing leaf litter underneath every other cover board, exposing the bare, damp soil. When a piece of wood or any heavy object is left on the forest ground, the leaf litter that it shields eventually breaks up and decomposes, therefore becoming part of the soil. We wondered whether by accelerating this process, so that only soil meets the cover board, the salamanders would be more likely detected because there isn't any leaf debris that can cover them. This observational experiment will help us see if there is a noticeable pattern and tell us if we should develop an experiment with more replicates. We will check the plot every couple of weeks noting if salamanders were more often discovered under removed leaf debris cover boards. We need to be especially thorough when checking the uncleared cover boards because salamanders are more difficult to spot when there are layers of leaves that they can hide in. By not counting all salamanders present, this may result in a false correlation in our experiment.

James Fischer marking the cleared leaf debris cover boards.

Wildflowers In Bloom

As temperatures warm up and rain showers become more regular; I have noticed beautiful spots of bright colors dotting open, grassy fields and trail edges. It’s that time of the season for wildflowers to emerge and bloom. In my opinion, the occurrence of wildflowers officially marks the start of summer. Not only are wildflowers aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide medicinal uses, food, habitat, erosion control, and ecosystem stability for fish and wildlife. There are approximately 215 species of wildflowers listed in Connecticut, each with a distinctive appearance.

Since not everyone, including myself is a professional botanist; when identifying wildflowers you should try to observe the following characteristics. First, count the number of petals, which is usually three to seven or more. Next, note the flower arrangement. Is it a single flower on a stem or several flowers on a stem? The most obvious flower characteristic is color. Wildflower colors usually range from shades of blue, white, yellow, pink, purple, or green. Also, record the date that the flower blooms; although flowering time can vary based on weather fluctuations. For instance, last week, James Fischer and I spotted Mountain Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium montanum) flowering at Apple Hill. When we discovered its correct identification, we learned that it typically flowers during June and into July. Finally, measure or estimate plant height and flower size. Also note the leaf margin (entire, serrated, wavy), and arrangement; meaning whether they are compound (many leaves per stem) or simple (one leaf per stem). If possible, take a photograph, but try not pick or trample the flower.
The Connecticut Botanical Society website (http://www.ct-botanical-society.org) is an excellent source to use when identifying Connecticut’s native wildflowers. Also, the Peterson Field Guide to Wildflowers is a handy book to own when out in the field. As wildflowers continue to bloom throughout the next several months, identifying them can be a fun way to get outside and learn about Connecticut’s flora.
The following pictures are some of the wildflowers that I found at various locations around White Memorial’s property. I walked through wetlands (Little Pond and Cranberry Swamp), grassland (Apple Hill), old growth forests (Catlin Woods), and even stopped the truck several times along curbs to take a photo or two of a roadside wildflower.
Yellow sedge
Carex flava
Robin-plantain
Erigeron pulchellus



True Forget-me-not
Myosotis scorpioides

Yellow Goat's-beard
Tragopogon dubius
Blueflag
Iris versicolor

Heart-leaved Alexanders
Zizia aptera



Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum

Rail Callback Survey

On Wednesday, May 23rd James Fischer and I did a Rail Callback Survey for the CT D.E.E.P. at seven locations in White Memorial. The Rallidae family consists of predominately small to medium-sized wetland birds that are often seen walking along muddy areas or shallow water. The expression “thin as a rail” comes from the rails’ body form, which is laterally compressed, allowing them to escape into dense grass or reeds making them extremely difficult to visually spot. Recent wetland habitat loss and degradation has resulted in population declines in many wetland dependent species. In order to protect these birds and their habitats, biologists need to know which wetlands are being used by the birds. The survey that we conducted was targeted towards nine species of wetland birds that can be found in Connecticut. The species include Black Rail, Least Bittern, Sora, Virginia Rail, King Rail, Clapper Rail, American Bittern, Common Moorhen, and Pied-billed Grebe. The survey must be performed either during sunrise or sunset, which are when the rails are most vocal. Due to a forecast of unfavorable weather in the afternoon it was decided that sunrise, 5:26 a.m. would be best to take the survey. We could not have asked for better rail surveying weather; calm wind, temperature in the 60s, and foggy. Prior to the survey we mapped out possible locations at White Memorial to conduct the callback. The callback is a pre-recorded tape, 12 minutes long of each of the previously listed species calling for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds of silence in-between calls. During the 30 second silences we tried to listen for any calls. Wetlands birds are typically secretive and difficult to study, and it has been discovered that the callback method provokes a vocal response from them if they are in close proximity.
Collecting data at the first Little Pond survey point.

Three survey points were conducted at different parts of the boardwalk surrounding Little Pond. One of the points gave us our first response of a Virginia Rail, which is a wheezy, and accelerating wep wep wep grunt. Two other points, at Mallard Marsh and Cranberry Pond also had a callback from Virginia Rails. An individual Sora was heard multiple times as well at Cranberry Pond. The Sora call sounded very close to us, but we were still unable to see it, emphasizing its stealth. Other locations that were not successful for rail callbacks were Miry Brook and the North Bay observation tower. There are many other marshy rail habitat locations on White Memorial’s property, so hopefully before the breeding season is over we can conduct surveys there to get the most accurate population abundance and location of these elusive birds.
Virginia Rail
Photo by Gerry Ellis
http://ridgefieldnwr.wordpress.com

Sora
Photo by Gerry Ellis
http://ridgefieldnwr.wordpress.com

Introducing Our Seasonal Technician -- Erin Caruso

Erin Caruso, WMCC Seasonal Research Technician

I am pleased to introduce to you our Seasonal Research Technician for the summer 2012 season.  Erin Caruso graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources program and concentrated her studies in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation.  Erin grew up in Granby, Connecticut where she developed her interests in learning about animals, hiking, and traveling.  Erin will be contributing to the Wildlife Monitor while working at White Memorial, so check back here to see what she is accomplishing this summer.

Results of Monthly Snake Cover Board Inspection

Currently there are twelve snake cover board sites on White Memorial Conservation Center’s forested land. Over the next couple of weeks we plan on multiplying these cover board sites in order to really discover snake diversity and population status of established species at WMCC. Also, by setting the cover boards in varying habitats, such as at high elevations or sandy fields we can learn more about snake habitat and areas with high snake density.

The cover boards typically consist of about 45 pieces of 3-4 feet long hard or soft wood boards that are layered loosely on top of one another. The stacking of the boards creates a cool, dark, and damp habitat that snakes typically prefer to live in. The wood also attracts many insects, such as earthworms, slugs, and beetles, as well as salamanders that the snakes consume. 
Typical snake cover board pile.
On Thursday May 17th, Jamie Fischer, Jared Franklin, and I went to every pile and gently removed each piece of wood in hopes of finding snakes. The weather could not have been any more perfect, with clear skies, little wind, and temperatures in the upper 60s. Three of the cover board piles were successful and had snake inhabitants. The first cover board pile that we checked at the Apple Hill Lower Field had both an adult common garter snake (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) and an adult ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii). At the Solnit Parcel we discovered one adult garter snake, one juvenile garter snake (less than 15 inches long), and pieces of an adult garter snake that was likely a leftover meal from a short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) that we found scurrying in the pile. Finally, the cover board pile at Old Camp Townsend generated one adult garter snake.

Adult common garter snake
Adult ring-necked snake
It is noteworthy that the piles we found snakes at were all checked between 9:30 and 11:30 am, when the air was cooler, in the low 60’s. The next time we check these piles, we thought it would be interesting to reverse the order, and check the piles in the mornings, that were checked this time in the afternoon. If we yield any snakes, then it can be hypothesized that time of day or temperature may affect the encounter rate of snakes. 

Blue-spotted x Jefferson Salamander Population Monitoring

Blue-spotted x Jefferson hybrid Salamander

Blue-spotted x Jefferson hybrid Salamander is protected and listed in Connecticut as an endangered species.  This species inhabits White Memorial and due to it's protected status we monitor this population using a couple of methods.  We document breeding in vernal pools and other water bodies that this species uses for laying their eggs.  Cover boards are placed in or near appropriate habitats.  Finally, we record all other observations because every observation of this species tell us more.

I wanted to share with you some analysis from the cover board monitoring program in this post.  Caitlin MacGinitie and her mother Mary Gendron checked the cover boards each month between April to September from 2007 - 2010.  We have a total of 8 cover board plots located around the Museum, Duck Pond, and Windmill Hill vicinity.  Caitlin and Mary checked the cover board plots a total of 152 visits over 4 years.  Thier dedication was remarkable and we thank them for it.  I also want to acknowledge Faye Curran for her help with collating the data so that we could conduct this initial analysis.

The average number of salamanders observed per cover
board plot increased each month from April to September.  

I computed the average number of salamanders observed per cover board plot for each month through the 4 years.  An interesting pattern emerged from the data.  The number of salamanders increased as the summer season progressed.  When we check the boards in the later part of summer, most of the salamanders are young of the year animals emerging from the breeding habitat.  This indicates that cover boards might be a useful tool for monitoring Blue-spotted x Jefferson hybrid Salamanders productivity of breeding habitats.  This will give us the ability to monitor how many juveniles are added to the population each year.  Currently, our encounter rate is quite low.  We need to increase our survey effort so that we can measure the proportion of animals that survive each winter to reproduce the following spring.

Caitlin and Mary have done their part and decided to retire when it came time for Caitlin to pursue a Bachelor of Science at Vassar College.  Now we need your help to carry the torch.  If you are interested in helping with this project please contact James Fischer, WMCC Research Director.