Ripples 8/26/21

Posted on by August 26, 2021

By Nancy Nabak, Communications Coordinator

I felt brave yesterday. I took a hike in the forest, where the mosquitos are mean, and the numbers are plenty, but I’m so glad I did. For my courage, I was rewarded with an exquisite multi-colored bouquet of fungus forms.

photo of violet coral funi

violet coral fungi

Different nature goals were in mind when I first set out, but with these beauties popping up everywhere, I surrendered to their look-at-me demands. Had I been thinking about this prior to my hike, I would have expected the elaborate fungus show considering how much rain, sun, and heat we’ve had lately.

In the spring, my eyes scan for the migrating songbirds carrying their fresh, bright courtship colors. Yesterday, in the depths of the woods, I found them again in the form of fungus. Bright reds reminded me of the Scarlet tanager. Lemon yellows paired with the bright Yellow warbler. Oranges matched that of the Baltimore oriole, and incredible purples reminded me of the iridescent purple sheen on a Common grackle.

The show stopper was the clavaria zollingeri or the violet coral. This purple coral-looking stunner is found in both broad-leaved and coniferous forests with a wide territorial range; however, it’s considered a rare find. (Exciting!) There was also another bright purple mushroom nesting in sedge grasses that was just too beautiful to disturb. I believe it was a cortinarius violaceus (don’t you just love how Latin names roll off your tongue?), or violet webcap. I left it untouched, but had I checked below the cap for gills, it would have confirmed or denied my identification.

With all of these colors, mixed with a few tans and browns, I wanted to shut off the sun and just let them be the landscape palette.

To that end, there are a variety of mushrooms that actually do become the star when the lights are out. Certain forms of fungi become bioluminescent when the sun goes down. Researchers believe that they have this magical glow for a couple of different reasons. One may be to attract insects such as beetles, wasps, flies and ants to the cap, helping to spread the fungal spores. The Armillaria mellea, one of the most prevalent bioluminescent mushrooms, glows in the mycelium portion, the bottom part of the mushroom that isn’t usually visible. The reason? It may be to discourage animals from eating it.

You can witness this glowing phenomenon by going into your backyard with a black flashlight after dark. If you have certain forms of mushrooms in your yard, shine the black light on them. Not all will glow, but you may get bright pinks, greens and yellows that you would not notice in the daytime. I did this with a co-worker last year and we were awestruck. How magnificent to witness this nocturnal communication.

We’d like to remind you that if you hike trails at Woodland Dunes or any other nature preserve, please leave all fungus and other forageable treats of nature right where they are. Let the fungi- feast be for your eyes only, maybe snap some photos, but please get out there and enjoy the fungal cornucopia that’s going on right now.

photos by Nancy Nabak

 

 

Ripples 8/19/21

Posted on by August 19, 2021
One time-honored tradition at Woodland Dunes is the summer bird survey.  We don’t refer to it as a nesting survey because we don’t actually document nesting as was done for the Wisconsin Bird Atlas- rather it is a series of counts done each summer during the nesting season to document what species and to some extent how many birds are present in the Woodland Dunes Preserves.  They were begun about 50 years ago by Bernie Brouchoud, who went on to found the Woodland Dunes organization, and who tirelessly counted and banded the birds found here.
 
Bernie’s early summer counts were traveling counts. He had more than a dozen routes that he walked in and around what was photo of deep woods later to become the main preserve, counting every bird heard or seen.  The routes took him (later us) cross country- sometimes through challenging mucky swales, sometimes along roadways.  Some of the routes took us far off trail into the heart of the State Natural Area through swamps covered with countless red maple and green ash forest, with white pines and hemlocks on the drier ridges.  The deep forest at 5 am was a misty, magical place where orchids were encountered along with unusual birds (for eastern Wisconsin) like Acadian flycatchers, brown creepers, white-throated sparrows, hermit thrushes, broad-winged and red-shouldered hawks, and other unexpected residents.  Old fences and ancient farm machinery deep in the woods reminded us of a busy past where the forest and adjacent fields were utilized more for people than birds, making us wonder how many grazing cows became stuck in the mucky soil, and what it must have taken to free them.  Mosquitoes were abundant, and our hip boots protected us not only from the swale’s waters but hundreds of little biters.
 
A problem with the traveling counts in the forest was they were hard to duplicate.  At the time GPS was only moderately accurate, and only Bernie knew where his wandering routes took him in the forest, and even he varied from year to year.  We then adopted a series of about 30 point counts, with points located at places that were easy to find from year to year.  So, going forward, we can compare birds encountered at specific places over the years.  We can still compare overall species numbers over that time, and fortunately they haven’t changed too much.  Bernie used to record about 110 species in the summer at Woodland Dunes, and this year’s counts yielded 102.  We think that’s a remarkable diversity of bird species in one location during a non-migratory period and speaks to the diversity of habitats found here.  Some birds formerly encountered are sadly missed, like upland sandpipers, yellow-headed blackbirds, and black terns.  Some are still present but not as common, like white-throated sparrows, scarlet tanagers,  grasshopper sparrows, and black-throated green warblers.  Still others seem to holding their own, like redstarts, yellow warblers, and eastern meadowlarks in the grassland areas.  And some, like dickcissels and Henslow’s sparrows are variable and hard to predict.
 
The summer bird surveys at Woodland Dunes, even though they are time-consuming, require us to interact with nature in an intense and personal way.  They give us an opportunity each year to assess what’s going on in the preserve at the height of the growing season.  They force me to be aware of all of the living beings, plant and animal, that surround me as I survey their world.  And as I travel through it I am forced to face the fact that even though I am present, I am separated from it through my use of my car to access it, my repellent to keep unwanted insects away, my phone to record checklists rather than my memory- so many things.  My entanglement with nature is incomplete, but I hope that I can experience and document enough and carry enough of the experience with me, that I can help these birds and the environs they depend on working as they should a bit longer than they otherwise would.  As another wonderful change of season unfolds and wildlife is rearranged, I hope that you can experience a sense of belonging in the world of the birds and continue to find ways to help them as well.
 
photo- deep in the forest at Woodland Dunes by Jim Knickelbine
 
 

Ripples 8/12/21

Posted on by August 12, 2021

By Frances Meyer, summer land management intern

While working on rebuilding a fence, my fellow interns and I took a water break and went on a walk down cattail trail. We saw the usual birds, red-winged blackbirds singing their “vote for me” calls and dabbling ducks flying overhead. Near the end of the trail you could hear the horse-like trill of a sora and see the rustling of plants from a marsh wren. From the kayak launch, we could see a bird that none of us recognized. It had black feathers with bright white bill. The bird seemed like it could be a duck, but also reminded us of a hen. After further research we learned that this chicken-like bird is an American coot. 

photo of American cootThe American coot is chicken-like with a dark grey to black coloring. The bird has a rounded head and a sloping white bill, with yellow-green legs. At closer range a small patch of red can be seen on the forehead. These birds can live in various aquatic habitats such as ponds, marshes, and along the edges of lakes. During the breeding season they are usually found in shallower water with marsh vegetation. Coots are tough, adaptable birds, and swim out in the open like ducks despite being related to the secretive rails. Even though they swim like ducks, they have lobes instead of webbed feet. On land they walk like a chicken, which gives them the nickname “marsh hen” or “mud hen” because of the way their heads bob. 

These mud hens are very territorial, using their strong legs and lobed toes to rear up and attack each other. They may attack a coot that has wandered into their territory by taking a running start and flapping their wings to furiously chase them off. This term, called splattering, is also used to help them take flight and become airborne. Coots usually hang out in flocks where they can be noisy and aggressive, making a variety of calls throughout the day. A group of these birds are called many different names such as commotion, fleet, and swarm of coots. Their diet consists of plant material that include: stems, leaves, pondweeds, and others. They also eat tadpoles, insects, and even eggs of other birds. Coots are kleptoparasitic, which means that they will steal a meal from other birds if they don’t feel like hunting for their own food. 

As global temperature increases, the American coot’s range may be affected. Audubon’s scientists have used bird observations and climate models to predict the possible effect from the increase. If there is a 1.5 degree celsius increase, 14% of the bird’s range will be lost and spring heat waves may endanger young birds in the nest. If the temperature increases another 1.5 degrees, 19% will be lost since wildfires could destroy the coots habitat, and even prevent it from recovering if the fire burns repeatedly. Climate change can affect the birds’ range of migration as well. In Ohio, studies have shown that coots move to their breeding range a half month earlier than they did 100 years ago. An increased amount of coots are staying year round in their northern range as well. The long-term impacts are unknown, but it is up to us to help curb climate change and protect these chicken-like water birds.

photo- American coot by Casey Klebba

Ripples 8/5/21

Posted on by August 5, 2021

Ripples From the Dunes by Nancy Nabak, Communication Coordinator

I usually expect the kids to be home around the middle of May. For the most part, they’re usually on time. It’s not college they’re migrating from – it’s South America. My “kids” are actually the Chimney swifts that are nesting in our chimney at Woodland Dunes.

This year, they got home on May 17th. I know this because my office desk is near our chimney and I can hear when they’ve made it back and are ready to nest for the season.  

photo of swift and baby in nest in chimney

Chimney swift in nest with baby

My office partner, Jen, and I have been documenting their activities by sound for the last four years. We try to record each time  we hear them, whether it sounds like twitters, chirps or wings flapping and hitting the pan that seals off the old pipe hole. By doing this, we’ve started to learn about their nest building activities, how long they go between “noises” in the chimney (out foraging?), and when there’s food begging activity of baby swifts. We’ve even witnessed them vocalizing after being startled from a loud thunder clap during a storm this summer. It’s like nothing else I know and pure music to my ears.

On July 21st we heard no more swift music. My babies fledged and all of my kids were gone again. The house is silent.   Selfishly,  my daytime company has left me and I miss it. However, the good news is that this means we had another successful year of Chimney swifts nesting at Woodland Dunes.

Now is the time that Chimney swifts start forming up in communal gatherings before migrating south. This gives us an excellent opportunity to gauge their population numbers and try to assess trends for this species. Unfortunately, according to the latest North American Breeding Bird Survey, the Chimney swift population has declined by 72% in the past 50 years. By monitoring it, we might learn more so we can find ways to help protect it.

Woodland Dunes and Two Rivers Main Street are asking bird watchers and local community members to help count swifts entering chimneys at dusk in the next two to three weeks. If you can count, you are capable of helping. This is part of a continent-wide program called Swift Night Out held to raise awareness about this declining bird species. Main Street has wonderful historic structures that are home and habitat to swifts, so a wonderful place to look for them at dusk.

photo of swifts flying near chimney at dusk

Chimney swifts flying near chimney at dusk

Great spots to watch in Two Rivers that have been successful in the past are: Cleveland Cycle Works and Two Rivers Christian Thrift Store on Washington Street and the old vacant florist shop on Mishicot Road. Two years ago, over 200 swifts were documented entering the Two Rivers Water & Light Utility chimney. When sites are this active, it’s like watching a “tornado of birds” funneling into the chimney – an amazing sky show that you’ll never forget.

Any evening now through early September is a good time to watch and record sightings. To request a tracking form, please contact Nancy Nabak, nancyn@woodlanddunes.org.

Chimney swifts nest in eastern North America in the summer and migrate to South America in the fall. Before European settlement, the birds nested in old-growth forests. As these forests disappeared, the birds discovered that brick chimneys served as an abundant replacement. Brick chimneys work well for the birds because the chimneys provide enclosed areas with a rough, vertical surface the birds can cling to, much like a hollow tree. Unlike most birds, chimney swifts do not perch on branches but use the sharp nails on their tiny feet to cling to the sides of their roost.

Tips on how and where to look for chimney swifts

Identification: Chimney swifts have slender bodies, with long, narrow, curved wings and short, tapered tails (look like a flying cigar). They fly rapidly, with nearly constant wing beats, often twisting from side to side and banking erratically. Often, they give a distinctive, high chittering call while in flight. They are the only bird that will roost in a chimney, dropping inside, at night.

Because chimney swifts congregate in communal roosts before migrating in late summer/fall, it’s relatively easy to count them. Here’s how to count:

Look for tall brick chimneys that are uncapped. Watch to see where swifts are feeding and congregating. Pick a night to monitor around the second week in August. Observe the roost starting about 20 minutes before sunset until 10 minutes after the last swift enters the chimney. Count (or estimate) the number of swifts as they enter the chimney. It’s useful to count in groups of five or 10 when they enter quickly in large numbers. Contact Nancy Nabak for a tracking sheet and to turn in monitoring results.

More information about chimney swifts and how to help protect them locally, go to: http://www.wiswifts.org/swift-night-out/

For more information about Swift Night Out, please contact: Nancy Nabak at nancyn@woodlanddunes.org.

photos by Nancy Nabak

 

 

Ripples 7/29/21

Posted on by July 29, 2021

 by Sydney Herman, summer education intern

One of the highlights of my internship at Woodland Dunes this summer has been the summer camps, especially the recent Little Wings Exploring Water camp. Each of the summer camps have been extremely fun and fulfilling, but the combination of weather and seven eager campers made this particular day one of my favorites.

The night before camp, Two Rivers had just received about five inches of rain. When Jessica Johnsrud and I arrived early the morning of camp to survey the area around the Nature Center, we were met with extremely high water levels in the pond and on the beginning of Willow Trail.

We intended to have the campers dip for pond critters on a small dock off of Cattail Trail, but the inclement weather from the previous night made it difficult and dangerous for four- to- six-year olds to pond dip; therefore, we had to improvise. Taking a look around the corner at Willow Trail, there was about six inches of water that had risen above the normal water level of the small creek that runs perpendicular to the trail, which sparked an idea. Instead of pond dipping, we would teach the kids how to navigate across a small creek!

Sydney and campers

When the beginning of camp rolled around, our seven happy campers walked in with rainboots and stories of the storm from last night. We started off by introducing some fun water experiments to help understand the properties of water, which included counting the number of water droplets we could drop on a penny and painting with watercolors on frozen watercolor paper. Along with each painting came intricate background stories of planets, spiders, and other imaginative tales only four to six-year olds could fabricate out of watercolors.

With the overcast sky and a slight mist above us, we took a break from sitting to hike a portion of Cattail Trail, where we listened and called for red-winged blackbirds with their signature call that sounds like “vote for me!” We also couldn’t help but call back to the green frogs as we passed and marveled at the floating duckweed.

Following a snack of watermelon, appropriate for a water-themed day, we were ready to get our feet wet. Carefully, we shuffled our feet through inches of water. As we trudged further, shrieks and laughter filled the air when the water eventually flowed into our rain boots. Once we cleared the creek, leaping leopard frogs caught the attention of the campers. To end the morning, an inventive game involving a sopping sponge of water titled “drip, drip, drop,” formerly known as “duck, duck, goose,” ensured that no one would leave with a dry head!

Despite an initial plan for the Little Wings Exploring Water camp, the rainy weather made this camp unique in the essence of nature working in our favor to literally explore water with the campers.This day reminded me that careful plans can easily be tossed aside and replaced with an even more immersive and memorable experience.

 
photo- intern Sydney Herman and happy nature campers at Woodland Dunes