Yesterday I received my official permit to begin collecting fishes in Cape LaCroix Creek. My first collection day will be this Friday. I can take no more than 50 specimens so I will be releasing all individuals that I can identify in the field.
Updates will soon follow.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Concluding Research and a New Project
It's been a while since I have posted on this site.
My first field season of research on lark sparrow breeding biology is nearing completion. I visited Sand Prairie today and neither saw nor heard any of the birds. I will be visiting again but I think it is safe to say that outside of possible behavioral observation, my data for this summer is complete.
Overall I would consider it a successful first field season. I located 10 nests, 8 of which held eggs at one point, and 4 of which held young. Only 1 nest successfully fledged. I was able to observe a plethora of behavioral activity as well as note a definite pattern of habitat preference in nest selection. I was only able to obtain several vocalizations from two spring males, largely because my work schedule did not permit me to arrive at Sand Prairie for the dawn chorus. Next spring I will do my best to adjust my hours and place a strong emphasis on recording vocalizations. I have over 500 hours of flash card memory, so I am in good shape! Over the course of the fall I will also gain experience using a plant press. Due to a multitude of factors I decided to collect and press plant samples next year.
My next task will be to compile the data and begin to write my thesis. In the meantime I will be conducting another research project unrelated to my thesis. Under the guidance of Dr. Michael Taylor and with the assistance of fellow graduate student Andrew Braun, this research will be a general survey of the fish species found in Cape LaCroix Creek. Since I first moved to Cape Girardeau I have been fascinated by this creek. It runs through the center of the city and in my opinion looks both controlled and polluted, but there is abundant fish life, and aquatic insect life as well. As a volunteer for a nearby nature center I helped conduct a stream survey in the creek and found both mayfly and caddisfly larvae, evidence of a healthy creek. I have identified longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus) from the shore, in addition to a myriad of unknown species. I am enrolled in ichthyology this semester as well, which is fitting.
I will post updates of this research as it takes place. I mailed my application for a collector's permit tonight, so I probably will not begin until early September. Because I have not yet taken ichthyology, I will be assisting my friend Andrew Braun in his research first to learn the finer points of seining. He is conducting a similar survey at a conservation area whose name escapes me.
That is all for now.
My first field season of research on lark sparrow breeding biology is nearing completion. I visited Sand Prairie today and neither saw nor heard any of the birds. I will be visiting again but I think it is safe to say that outside of possible behavioral observation, my data for this summer is complete.
Overall I would consider it a successful first field season. I located 10 nests, 8 of which held eggs at one point, and 4 of which held young. Only 1 nest successfully fledged. I was able to observe a plethora of behavioral activity as well as note a definite pattern of habitat preference in nest selection. I was only able to obtain several vocalizations from two spring males, largely because my work schedule did not permit me to arrive at Sand Prairie for the dawn chorus. Next spring I will do my best to adjust my hours and place a strong emphasis on recording vocalizations. I have over 500 hours of flash card memory, so I am in good shape! Over the course of the fall I will also gain experience using a plant press. Due to a multitude of factors I decided to collect and press plant samples next year.
My next task will be to compile the data and begin to write my thesis. In the meantime I will be conducting another research project unrelated to my thesis. Under the guidance of Dr. Michael Taylor and with the assistance of fellow graduate student Andrew Braun, this research will be a general survey of the fish species found in Cape LaCroix Creek. Since I first moved to Cape Girardeau I have been fascinated by this creek. It runs through the center of the city and in my opinion looks both controlled and polluted, but there is abundant fish life, and aquatic insect life as well. As a volunteer for a nearby nature center I helped conduct a stream survey in the creek and found both mayfly and caddisfly larvae, evidence of a healthy creek. I have identified longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus) from the shore, in addition to a myriad of unknown species. I am enrolled in ichthyology this semester as well, which is fitting.
I will post updates of this research as it takes place. I mailed my application for a collector's permit tonight, so I probably will not begin until early September. Because I have not yet taken ichthyology, I will be assisting my friend Andrew Braun in his research first to learn the finer points of seining. He is conducting a similar survey at a conservation area whose name escapes me.
That is all for now.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Quick Update
I haven't updated this blog in a long while, so this is just a quick update.
I completed the vegetation surveys around the nests and also for the random plots. Nest #10 survived for at least two days, at which time I was able to obtain measurements to show the growth of the young. Unfortunately it was empty after three more days, a likely victim of predation. Nest success is indeed quite low for lark sparrows at Sand Prairie.
Starting tomorrow I will be visiting Sand Prairie for four straight days, hoping to record the vocalizations of singing birds. I already have some songs of post-breeding males but not nearly as many as I would like.
I completed the vegetation surveys around the nests and also for the random plots. Nest #10 survived for at least two days, at which time I was able to obtain measurements to show the growth of the young. Unfortunately it was empty after three more days, a likely victim of predation. Nest success is indeed quite low for lark sparrows at Sand Prairie.
Starting tomorrow I will be visiting Sand Prairie for four straight days, hoping to record the vocalizations of singing birds. I already have some songs of post-breeding males but not nearly as many as I would like.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
More Nests
I haven't updated this blog in a while. I have still been kept busy, however, conducting vegetation surveys and searching for nests. I completed three more random plot surveys last week, but thanks to today's discoveries, it looks like I will be conducting a few more.
My main focus today was to record the songs of post-breeding males, a rather difficult task considering the inconsistency with which birds sing in the middle to late summer months. Before hiking to check on nest #5, I decided to explore the dunes near the parking lot, where my friend Whitney and I had seen a lone sparrow egg sitting in the sand the week before. The egg was still there, the shell intact but the contents within no longer present. A clump of panic grass was nearby and I lifted it to reveal an abandon lark sparrow nest, nest #9. I will be conducting a survey of the surrounding vegetation this Thursday.
Nest #5 still held two eggs. Nevertheless I still fear that the nest has been abandoned, simply because of the amount of time they've been there. Upon my return to the sand washes I observed a pair of birds copulating and decided to follow them to see if they were nesting. Assuming the birds to be territorial (which all available evidence leads to), I had been seeing this pair for the past month and their last nesting attempt had failed. One of the birds led me to its new nest, a soft green caterpillar in its beak ready to feed the newborn chicks. They weighed less than 3 grams and were likely only 1-2 days old. An egg also remained unhatched. I am holding out hope that these birds survive and fledge.
My main focus today was to record the songs of post-breeding males, a rather difficult task considering the inconsistency with which birds sing in the middle to late summer months. Before hiking to check on nest #5, I decided to explore the dunes near the parking lot, where my friend Whitney and I had seen a lone sparrow egg sitting in the sand the week before. The egg was still there, the shell intact but the contents within no longer present. A clump of panic grass was nearby and I lifted it to reveal an abandon lark sparrow nest, nest #9. I will be conducting a survey of the surrounding vegetation this Thursday.
Nest #5 still held two eggs. Nevertheless I still fear that the nest has been abandoned, simply because of the amount of time they've been there. Upon my return to the sand washes I observed a pair of birds copulating and decided to follow them to see if they were nesting. Assuming the birds to be territorial (which all available evidence leads to), I had been seeing this pair for the past month and their last nesting attempt had failed. One of the birds led me to its new nest, a soft green caterpillar in its beak ready to feed the newborn chicks. They weighed less than 3 grams and were likely only 1-2 days old. An egg also remained unhatched. I am holding out hope that these birds survive and fledge.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Relaxing Morning
Visited Sand Prairie this morning before work with no specific goals in mind. I hadn't been there in a couple of days and figured I would snoop around and see if I could find any new nests or observe any behavior. I have ordered two new compact flash drives on which to record songs, and it looks like I should be able to obtain some data. There were at least three birds still singing at 9AM this morning, following their usual habit of vocalizing from an elevated perch. Many of them seem to enjoy short persimmons no higher than my waist, and many seem to favor a particular tree.
I revisited nest #5 and was surprised to find a second egg in the nest once again. Just over a week ago I visited the nest (which initially had 2 eggs) and there was only a single egg. This would indicate that the sparrows laid another egg in spite of losing the first one to predation.
I also visited nest #8 and did not see any sign of the young sparrows. I am hopeful that their departure from the nest was a success.
On Monday I will surveying three new random plots and will be collecting plants to press.
I revisited nest #5 and was surprised to find a second egg in the nest once again. Just over a week ago I visited the nest (which initially had 2 eggs) and there was only a single egg. This would indicate that the sparrows laid another egg in spite of losing the first one to predation.
I also visited nest #8 and did not see any sign of the young sparrows. I am hopeful that their departure from the nest was a success.
On Monday I will surveying three new random plots and will be collecting plants to press.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Another Nest
It was very windy but I eventually saw a sparrow sitting atop a small tree, an insect in its mouth. It then became a waiting game as I stood patiently until the bird return to its nest. I was pleased to find a nest with three well developed young birds. I estimated them to be at least 9-10 days old.
I began to take measurements of the young when I was able to witness something quite incredible. One of the young birds hopped out of the nest and scurried across the ground, concealing itself beneath the surrounding panic grass. It began to chirp loudly and its parents would reply with a high-pitched note. They were quite restless, flying every few seconds and landing within 3-4 meters of me with food in their mouths. After I finished measurements, a second youngster also departed the nest, begging for food as it went. I imagine they will remain by the nest to be fed by their parents over the next couple of days.
I will revisit the site on Thursday to sample vegetation and to see whether the young birds are still in the vicinity. I will also be collecting plants then and using a plant press for the first time.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Disappoinment
I arrived at Sand Prairie today with my banding gear, only to find nest #7 completely devoid of any birds. I don't believe they fledged because they still had quite a lot of development to go and the unhatched egg had also disappeared from the nest.
It feels like quite an unlucky streak, but in fact my results are not too unexpected. Some previous studies of lark sparrow breeding biology revealed a nesting success rate of only eight percent, which is fewer than one in ten. I would imagine predation is quite high in a habitat like Sand Prairie.
There is a male bird in the far northeastern portion of the refuge that continues to sing. I will try to record his vocalizations within the next week. I have also seen a pair in that area but saw no indication of any nests. The sheer remoteness of the pair has limited my exposure to them, however, so they may well be nesting. I will be checking on them quite frequently in the coming weeks.
My focus will now shift to vegetation surveys. There are currently no successful nests for me to monitor, and outside of the aforementioned pair I have seen no definitive parental action. I will keep my eyes peeled while I collect the plants, however.
It feels like quite an unlucky streak, but in fact my results are not too unexpected. Some previous studies of lark sparrow breeding biology revealed a nesting success rate of only eight percent, which is fewer than one in ten. I would imagine predation is quite high in a habitat like Sand Prairie.
There is a male bird in the far northeastern portion of the refuge that continues to sing. I will try to record his vocalizations within the next week. I have also seen a pair in that area but saw no indication of any nests. The sheer remoteness of the pair has limited my exposure to them, however, so they may well be nesting. I will be checking on them quite frequently in the coming weeks.
My focus will now shift to vegetation surveys. There are currently no successful nests for me to monitor, and outside of the aforementioned pair I have seen no definitive parental action. I will keep my eyes peeled while I collect the plants, however.
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