Gambusia Trail

A couple weeks ago I took a ride up to Sabine Pass to see what was going on in them there parts. I figured I would explore along Highway 87, stop off at Sabine Woods where a long-eared owl had been spotted, and then finish off with a trip to Sea Rim State Park.

As I was travelling down Highway 87 I spotted several red-tailed hawks flying over a field so I decided to pull over to the shoulder and watch for a while. There was a tree near the side of the road that was full of red-winged blackbirds, and ever so often they would drop to the ground below the tree to feed. One of the red-tails eventually landed in top of a tree that was about 50-60 yards away and began to watch the red-wings with intent. Even though their main prey is rodents, they’ve been known to “stoop” falconlike and attack other birds. (1) I sat there for about 30 minutes hoping that the hawk would eventually bust into the cluster of blackbirds on the ground, but it didn't so I moved on. Also in the area was a juvenile Northern harrier, (aka marsh hawk) which is a winter resident here, and was gliding low over the field. Bent gives a good description of its flight- “a lazy, loafing, desultory flight it seems, but really it is full of purpose, as it quarters low over the ground in a systemic search for its prey.” If you zoom in you’ll notice the “facial disk” on its“owl-like” head.

Impaled on the top row of wire of a barbed wire fence that borders this field was a lubber-type of grasshopper.

No doubt this was the work of a loggerhead shrike*. These insects are toxic to most birds, except for the shrike as I noted here. I went further down the fence and discovered another skewered item, this time a small frog. Not sure of its identity, because of its desiccated condition. Its posture had a gruesome appearance giving the image of an agonizing death.

Still further down was one more victim, either a large cricket or grasshopper that with a large ovipositor.

As I approached Sabine Woods I decided to venture on to Sea Rim and hit this spot on the way back. As I drove along the highway it was obvious how the drought and the brutish heat that we have suffered from this year had hit the marsh areas hard. All of these regions that normally are loaded with ducks of all types were bone dry and barren. I can't remember the last time I saw this environment in such a sad state. Once I arrived at Sea Rim State Park I noticed that the marsh areas surrounding the Gambusia Nature Trail there had suffered the same fate as the other marsh areas.

Named after the gambusia or mosquito fish, the Gambusia Nature Trail has a long boardwalk that negotiates this area allowing one to walk through the marsh to explore.

Normally this area would be flooded and teaming with life- alligators, mink, nutria, raccoons, opossum, skunks, river otters and muskrat are just some of the animals that make this area home. Not to mention the many ducks, shorebirds, marsh birds, crabs, fish, reptiles and amphibians that live here. Coyotes and bobcats* are also found in this area, so to see this is such a state is literally devastating.

I entered the park, paid my entry fee ($3.00) at the self-pay station and found a parking spot. I no sooner exited my truck when a park ranger pulled up behind me. He was just checking to make sure I had purchased an entry permit. We talked for several minutes about the dry conditions and then he let me go telling me to enjoy, that is, what there was left to enjoy. Well in my mind, even though the area was not in a “normal state”, not once did I think that there was nothing there at all to see.

On the contrary, I was thinking about how I now had access to roam in areas where normally there would be water. As I stepped upon the boardwalk I was presented right off the bat with a surprise- a pellet.

Not sure what bird coughed this jewel up, but is was a nice one. All of the items in this particular pellet (fur, bones), is what the gizzard in the bird was unable to break down. Pellets come from a number of different birds- herons, owls, hawks, terns, gulls, crows, grebes, flycatchers, shrikes, eagles, swallows to name a few. I think though it’s either from a hawk or an owl. I’m leaning more towards an owl, because it resembles the many owl pellets I have found below known owl roosts. From photos I’ve compared it to (3), it appears to possibly be a pellet from a barn owl, which are found in this area. It was 11/16" in width and 1 1/2" in length, which falls in the range of reported measurements by Elbroch, et al (3). What puzzles me though is the fact that there’s no perch. Most times pellets are associated with a bird’s nesting or roosting area and there’s no tree nearby and the walkway has no railing so did the bird land on the walkway itself and expel the pellet? Was it flying over when it expelled it and it happened to land here? I have seen gulls and kingfishers regurgitating pellets “on the wing” so I guess it’s possible for an owl. According to Elbroch, et al. (3) the stomach acid in owls is much weaker than that found in hawks. What this means is that when dissected if I find mostly whole bones, then the pellet is probably from an owl, whereas if it was from a hawk all that would be left of the bones would be fragments due to them being broken down by the stronger stomach acid. I picked it up and place it inside a Ziploc bag so that later my grand-daughter and I could dismantle it and check the condition of the bones within. I will report later on what we found.

I glassed the area ahead of me to see if anything was on the move. All that crossed my view was a small flock of sparrows and another northern harrier flying low over the marsh. The stiff winds coming off of the gulf aided at keeping the mosquitoes at bay, which was a blessing, because normally they would be viscious.

On the ground all along the edges of the boardwalk were the holes of fiddler crabs, which even though there is no water present are still active. The only live ones that I saw were just inside the quarter-sized entry hole and would immediately disappear into their tunnels upon seeing me. I jumped off of the boardwalk and began walking where once was not possible.

Scattered everywhere were the sun-bleached shells, claws, etc. of blue crabs that had once thrived here.

There were so many it gave the appearance of a bone yard. Some were still whole and intact, while other had been ravaged by predators that took advantage during this drought to feast on the stranded, exposed crabs. Seems I was not the only one that was taking advantage the dryness that surrounded me. I collected some of the more pristine ones to use as yet another educational tool for my grand-daughter.

As I walked I discovered a trail of tracks left by one of the local coyotes. I followed the trail which eventually led to one of the many areas of clustered reed that is found here. It would not surprise me at all if these canines, along with bobcats and other mammals were taking advantage of these spots for prey and to use as a hideaway for resting. Because when you think about it now that there is no water I’m sure that all makes a models of rodents that inhabit the surrounding fields are also trekking through here attracted to these reed beds, which in turn attracts predators.

I found one track that was large measuring about 3 ½ inches in length (from tip of claws to edge of rear pad) and about 2 ½ inches in width. Quite impressive.

I began to notice that the day was coming to a close and wished I had gotten here earlier so that I could explore even further. Hopefully in the coming weeks I will be able to return and take up where this post leaves off.

*(see my posts about bobcats in this area here, here, here, and here.)

*(see my other posts about the loggerhead shrike here, and here.)


References:


(1) Terres, John K. 1991. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. New Jersey.: Wing Books.

(2) Wheeler, Brian K. & Clark, William S. 2003. A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors. New Jersey. Princeton University Press.

(3) Elbroch, Mark with Marks, Eleanor 2001. Bird Tracks & Sign. Pennsylvania.: Stackpole Books.

JS112011

Random Notebook Scribblings 7

~ April 27, 2006-Sabine Pass, TX, HWY 87: about a quarter mile from Sabine Woods I found a live loggerhead shrike in the middle of the road. It must've been struck by a car as it flew low to the ground across the highway. It appeared to be stunned and didn't resist when I picked it up. I tried to get hold of a rehabber by phone, but was unsuccessful, so I placed it beneath some shrubbery hoping it would be ok.

~ "I spent a day by the river It was quiet and the wind stood still I spent some time with nature To remind me of all that's real."
Creed "Faceless Man"


~ July 1, 2006- Camp- Something travelled across the hayfield last night and left its mark in the sand at the camp's entrance. The tracks headed west down CR4850 towards the Pitcher Plant Trail. No claw marks seen (bobcat?). Measured 2 1/4" L X 1 11/16" W in soft sand. Tracks eventually veered off into the thicket.


~ July 2, 2006- Camp- Along a trail that runs parallel to the barbed wire fence along the west side of Mr. Adam's hayfield I found the remnants of a plucked bird. Collected feathers for possible ID. The feathers were on the ground scattered at the base of an oak tree leading me to the conclusion that it was either a hawk or an owl that had plucked and eaten the bird from the branches.


~ July 12, 2006- Camp. Not far from the camera site I found some bobcat and skunk tracks in a muddied area of the trail. Also found a few armadillo tracks on the trail. It should be noted that skunk tracks do not splay- the toes are partially fused (Elbroch p. 191).


~ April 24, 2006- Sabine Pass, TX- Sabine Woods. Deer flies are horrible today. I think DEET attracts them. Don't have a moments peace to observe anything but them. I would rather battle a horde of hungry mosquitoes than a single deer fly.....



~ "A pine needle fell. The eagle saw it. The deer heard it. The bear smelled it." American Indian saying.

Sabine Pass Trip

This past Monday (October 25) I decided to head over to Sabine Woods (formerly known as Grim’s Woods and owned by the Texas Ornithological Society), one of my favorite haunts, hoping to catch some of the last remnants of fall migration. As I approach the city limits of Sabine Pass I still catch glimpses of the carnage left by hurricane Ike. It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since it collided with our shores. When I arrive, I'm greeted by a stiff southerly breeze hurtling in off of the gulf, which I’m thankful for since it helps keep the hungry mosquitoes at bay, and allows my concentration to stay focused on the other wildlife.

I checked the website (on my Android) of a local meteorological station maintained by the National Data Buoy Center and it shows the wind direction coming in from the SSW at 16 knots, with gusts of 21 knots.

I check the log located under the covered area near the entrance to see what birdlife has been seen and find 14 species of warbler listed along with many other birds.

The main trail had at one time consisted of a wooden boardwalk, but hurricane Ike did away with that. Thanks to local volunteers whom have maintained the trails, birders still have a way to get around. I decide to head over to a particular area where a water drip is located.

I sit on the bench and watch as a number of warblers- Nashville, black-throated green, common yellowthroat, yellow-breasted chat bathe and drink from the ground bath that lies under the copper drip tube. Other birds such as a red-eyed vireo, blue jay, catbird, and a blue-gray gnatcatcher also visit. I also watched as a female ruby-throated hummingbird flew up to the tip of the tubing to get a drink on the wing. After about 45 minutes I decided to do a little exploring along the various trails that traverse these woods. Gulf fritillary, monarch, and sulfur butterfly species were present.

I came upon the bird box that I had written about back in March 2008 that had been consumed by honey bees. It had fallen from the tree it was mounted on and now lay on the ground. One of its walls had come off revealing the inside of the box that once housed a massive hive. A nearby hackberry tree was covered with old sap wells left behind by yellow-bellied sapsuckers that are winter residents here. Some of the wells had sap oozing from them which is also an attractant to butterflies and other insects as well as hummingbirds.

I came across a pair of lifeless, tattered monarch wings lying on the ground near the base of the hackberry tree. Most of the thorax and abdomen were gone leaving only enough tissue to bind the wings. Monarchs are in the middle of their migration towards Mexico as I write this, and the SSW wind I spoke of earlier is not conducive to their journey, but a cool front will be coming through from the north by the end of the week, which should help send them, along with the migrating birds, on their way. I look closely at the wings and notice that they belonged to a male, due to the presence of a distinct spot, known as the andoconium, found on each of the hind wings, which are responsible for emitting pheromones.

There’s a particular area of oaks in these woods that has a thick upper story known to be a good area for roosting owls. I’ve accidently spooked a few barn owls in the past from their daytime roost. On the ground lots of whitewash can be seen denoting an area where one had roosted, and after a few minutes of searching I came across an owl pellet lying in the ground litter. Note the portion of skull with tooth protruding on the left side.

Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus arboreus), aka- Drummond Wax-mallow, Texas Mallow, Mexican Apple, Red Mallow, May Apple, Wild Turk’s Cap, Bleeding Heart, is a native perennial shrub of Texas and is a favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees for the nectar it provides. Birds and other fruit-eating animals feed on the small red marble-shaped fruit that are mealy and have an apple-like taste to them. Livestock occasionally browses its leaves. The flower petals and fruit, I’ve read, also make a good tea.

A bobcat had left its presence in the sandy trail. I spotted one back in 2005 here that was strectched out on the walkway near the entrance.

I was able to get a nice photo as seen below, before it slowly rose from the ground and trotted off into the dense cover.

Not far from this track on the edge of the trail I find sign of another mammal that walks these grounds. At the base of a young pecan tree on one side is a swipe of dried mud. This rub was left by a feral hog right after it wallowed in the mud.

These swine pests are not native to this country and it is believed were introduced here way back in the late 1600's by Spanish explorers as domesticated livestock. They eventually became free-ranging and feral which led to their eventual control over Texas lands. Hogs rub to remove excess mud or just to scratch an itch caused by parasites such as fleas and ticks. They'll rub on whatever's available- trees, fence posts, utility poles, and rocks. Looking down at my feet I find the sign of yet another mammal.........a golfer ;-)

My journey home is finished of nicely by the sighting of a total of 14 scissor-tailed flycathers, doing what they do best- flycatching from power lines.

Stalked

Willow Pond Nature Trail (aka “The Willows”) is a small patch of woods that reside just past Sea Rim State Park in Sabine Pass, TX. A nice boardwalk traverses through salt cedars (tamarisk), large clusters of reed, willow and mulberry trees that grow there. I stop here each time I’m up this way especially during spring and fall migration since it is an effective migrant trap. On this day I had stopped off to acquire a photograph of a “toothache tree” (Hercules Club) for a future blog post. As I arrived at the area on the boardwalk near the toothache tree I stopped to set my camera for the photo when my peripheral vision picked up on some movement. As I slowly looked up I could see something walking leisurely on the opposite side of the tree. Moments later coming into view was a bobcat.
I was aware of a bobcat lurking in this area as describe in a prior blog entry (December 2005- A Cat in the Reeds) so each time I visit here I’m on the lookout. Other evidence includes large latrine areas I’ve come across on the boardwalk consisting of fur laden scat. At first it acted as if it had no idea I was there. Having the wind blowing at its back and into my face kept my scent from its keen nose. I could feel my heart in my throat as I fumbled with my camera only thinking of getting “the shot”. Slowly I began to kneel down for a photo when it detected my movement and froze. Its eyes were locked on mine as it tried to figure out what I was as we both stood still as statues waiting for the other to make the next move. Gradually it began to lower itself to the ground slowly taking one step at a time in my direction, and then I realized…….I was being stalked.
I took a photo through the limbs of the tree as it continued towards me getting closer and closer. Off in the distance I could here an approaching vehicle and as it passed us it spooked the cat and it fled towards the boardwalk and dove beneath it about five yards in front of me. It sat quietly watching for it to reappear, but just like in the past it simply vanished without a sound. I stayed in the area for another hour without seeing it again. My theory is that it uses the boardwalk area for shelter and hunts for rabbits, rodents and whatever else in the surrounding open fields. I came across several areas where the reeds had fallen up against the boardwalk creating a “walled” area beneath that would be perfect for holing up in. I will be looking closely at this area to find a suitable spot for a camera trap in which I’ll bait with sardines, lures (bobcat urine, catnip) and utilize the FurFindr. I’ve got a good feeling that this area will indeed get results. One final note- look closely at its left ear and you’ll notice that it is notched which will aid in my identifying it in the future. Anyone have any ideas for a name??

Trip to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

On my way to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) I spotted a large flock of geese whose numbers had to be well into the 1000’s. The flock consisted mostly of snow geese- white adults with a small mixture of dark morphs, and juveniles. Also in the crowd were some greater white-fronted geese. It was a spectacular sight watching them coming in from the sky and funneling down onto the field as seen in the short video below.

My day at ANWR turned out pretty good. This refuge consists of 34,000 acres containing bayous, floodplains, coastal marshes and prairies. If you love waterfowl this is the place to go, especially during this time of the year. I drove the 2 ½ mile loop that goes around Shoveler Pond and observed a large mixture of ducks- blue and green-winged teal, canvasbacks, shovellers, gadwalls, ring-necked, widgeons, and mallards. Also present were many American coots, moorhens, and pied-billed grebes. Normally you see tons of alligators, but I only came across one today and it was a biggin’. It was laying right off the edge of the bank stretched out in the sun, gazing intently at me as I photographed it.

The highlight of the day though was when I took the road towards East Bay and spotted a crested caracara preening atop a pile of brush that sat at the back of a tilled field. Also known as a Mexican eagle and the national bird of that country, it is truly a spectacular, but yet odd looking raptor with its long legs and dark feathering on top of its head that reminds me of a bald guy wearing an over-sized toupee. It’s not like your typical raptor as far as hunting goes. Instead of flying overhead and diving upon prey like say a harrier, it is an opportunistic feeder in that it more or less walks open fields looking for whatever to eat such as mice, lizards, insects, worms. It has also been known to feed on roadkill and has been observed committing the act of piracy- that is harassing other birds in order to steal the prey they’ve captured. I was able to observe it for a few moments before a black vulture came along and drove it off of its perch. Then about a hundred yards away I spotted a dark area high up on a snag. I spun my scope in that direction to find a peregrine falcon. In my opinion this is the king of all raptors. Reaching speeds of 200 miles per hour or faster in a stoop it slams into its prey on the wing killing it on impact. Also known as a “duck hawk” it would find much to eat in this area. The pesticide DDT (link) almost wiped out this bird until it was banned back in the 1970’s and through a process known as “hacking”, these falcons were reintroduced and their populations fortunately came bouncing back. A truly beautiful bird.

I also kept my eye out for bobcats which have been seen here numerous times. This area has high grassy sites perfect for a bobcat to blend in and aid in its stealthy way of hunting. There’s plenty to eat here- rabbits, ducks, other small mammals, and even a stray coot as seen in the photo above provided by Mr. William S. Hitchcock who photographed it here at the refuge back in 2005.

Game Camera Setup

I finally got around to setting up my game camera and FurFindr in a wooded area near our camp. I found out about the FurFindr from The Camera Trap Codger , which is a nifty tool for attracting wildlife. The muddy trail I followed had a plethora of tracks- deer, raccoon, armadillo, rabbit, and a nice coyote trail. In the past I have also come across bobcat tracks here. One of the coyote tracks was perfectly placed and I couldn't pass up the opportunity of casting it in plaster.It took me about 20 minutes to walk to the spot I had selected and once I got there I began setting things up. I strapped the camera to a pine tree about 3 foot off of the ground and set up the furfindr directly in front of it about 10 foot away and covered it with brush. After dark it will send a rabbit squeal through the forest every 30 seconds, an eerie sound to say the least. In between was an old rotted log in which I spritzed fox urine on to try and mask my scent and also act as another attractant. Also a water source was nearby which would be another draw for animals. I plan on leaving the setup out there for a week and hope to return and find some nice photos. I'll be sure and keep everyone updated.

A Senseless Killing

First I would like to state that I do not have anything against hunters or hunting as long as the rules are followed. Hunters have done tremendous things for conservation, but senseless killing I cannot tolerate. As an acquaintance of mine (who is a hunter) has said many times over "Don't kill it unless you're going to eat it". I continually hear time and again of hunters who kill just for the sake of killing. This past weekend was spent roaming the woods in southwestern Louisiana with friends while they hunted. On the evening of my arrival someone who had camped nearby stopped to show us a bobcat he had shot. While hunting for deer he observed it chasing a rabbit in which time he drew a bead on it and shot. The bullet of the high-powered rifle clipped the cat's spine tumbling it stone dead to the ground. It was very hard for me not to ask why he had done this, but out of respect for my friends who knew him, I said nothing. Instead I just stood there gritting my teeth as I ran my fingers through its soft fur feeling a hint of warmth left in its limp remains. I was feeling sad and at the same time disgusted thinking that when I had arrived today this beautiful creature was trodding through the woods full of vigor not knowing that its very life would end in but a few short hours. If it had attacked the hunter it would legitamize this act, but this wasn't the case. It was minding its own business, doing what came natural to it........hunting for food. Unlike the hunter though it wasn't killing just for the sake of killing.

An Unfortunate Find

Bobcats have always been a favorite of mine. I've set up remote cameras and hiked trails in search of this elusive cat in the Turkey Creek area of the Big Thicket which is perfect habitat for them. Rich in diversity it provides ample prey such as rabbits, voles, squirrels, deer and a million different ways to hide. I have found their sign in the way of scat, tracks, and scrapes, so I know they're there, it just that they haven't yet decided to present themselves to me. It's just a matter of patience. Then finally I come across one, but not in the way I had hoped. While driving down Highway 69/287 that courses through this area I spotted something along its edge. As I drove past I immediately knew it wasn't one of the usual road-killed animals I've come across. Not a raccoon, opossum, or armadillo. I instantly knew by the makings of its fur that it was something different....something elusive. As I turned around I could see the spotting on her belly and her "bobbed" striped tail and instantly knew what it was. I hate seeing any animal dead, but something such as this, something as stunning and secretive as this sincerely breaks my heart. What was she doing before she was killed? Hunting? Roaming? Did she have kittens to tend to? As we humans continue to effect climate change and encroach on what's left of their territory we will see more and more of this. I can only hope that the next one I come upon will be lazily alseep atop the limb of an ancient oak or padding its way through the thicket in search of a meal.

A Cat in the Reeds

Back in May of this year while checking out the birdlife along Highway 87 in Sabine Pass, TX, I decided to stop off at The Willow Pond Birding Trail aka "The Willows", a small marshy parcel of willow trees, bamboo reeds, and salt cedars near Sea Rim State Park. This area along with the Texas Ornithological Society (TOS) Sabine Woods about 8 miles up the road are well known migrant traps during the spring and fall. I was trying to get a photograph of a very active American redstart when I began hearing something treading through the thick bamboo near the edge of the 1/4 mile boardwalk that snakes through the area. Not 15 foot from me a bobcat hops up onto the walkway. The fur on its legs was damp from the marsh it had been trudging through and its trademark "bobbed" tail pointed skyward. I immediately froze where I stood fearing it would bolt as soon as it recognized what I was. I slowly began to raise my camera hoping not to miss this photo op. I began to take picture after picture as it remained static maintaining its intense glare in my direction. They are usually very secretive and wary, but this particular one seemed undisturbed by my being there, probably because it was accustomed to the presence of the many birdwatchers that frequent this area. After a few minutes it nonchalantly walked in the opposite direction down the walkway, stopping once to groom itself, then hopping silently back into the thicket of bamboo. I never heard it make another sound after that. I never even heard it touch the ground. I walked to the area where it had jumped and saw nothing. It was gone like an apparition....like it never had even existed.