What a beautiful morning!! We began viewing birds at 825 in Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina. Within the forest we were near Forest Service Road 211, the weather was clear with no wind and the temperature was about 12 degree celcius. Our class began by investigating a Fire Managment area. This area was managed by prescribed burns to try to restore this area to it’s natural state which invloved fire in its regular ecological cycle. Due to fire supression movements in earlier years many areas of forest have not expereinced thier natural succession and reproduction cycles affecting the flora and fauna. This spot is known for sightings of the endangered Red Cockaded Woodpecker–the class was psyched!! The habitat consisted primarily of Long Leaf Pine. This woodpeccker is endangered because of habitat lost due to fire suppression efforts. As we explored the area we could see remants of the prescribed burn and Red Cockaded woodpecker activity such as small holes drilled around there cavities to allow for sap flow down the tree for protection against predators and the class also was able to see attempts to protect these woodpeckers’ cavities from other species by placing metal circles maintaining the cavity holes. The class finally quieted down and we were able to hear a white breasted nuthatch, a brown nuthatch and noticed that they were in the tops of trees feeding–confirmed by Dr. Miles. As we scanned the area we explored a more open pine area and I saw a woodpecker species flying to a tree –although I was not able to see any distinguishing characteristics such as a zebra back, black cap on head or white cheek to which is used to identify the Red- Cockaded Woodpecker. Dr. Mile and Lisa were able to see these characteristic on another woodpecker that flew onto a nearby tree. What a great sight in the morning. We also heard and ovenbird, carolina wren, northern flicker, and two red shouldered hawks calling. Lisa was able to identify a Blue Winged Warbler which landed in a tree for ashort period by its black line through the eye, its yellow color and two white wing bars. Dr. Miles also saw a pine warbler identified by it yellow breast, olive back, white wing bars, dimly streaked breast. We ended at 900. What an eventful forty-five minutes, it was great to know that the red cockaded woodpecker was nesting and doing well in at least one area, even though I wasn’t able to positively see one.
South Carolina -Oct. 9, 2009
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