Baby Barn Owl Banding

Photo credit: Corie Smith

Not even the threat of downpours could dampen the excitement of a baby barn owl viewing. Ready with boots, raincoats and umbrellas, chapter members Corie Smith and Jenna Veazey ventured across the Potomac river to Maryland to support the Southern Maryland Audubon Society’s (SMAS) banding of baby Barn Owls on May 5^th.

Corie and Jenna joined a group of other volunteers and supporters that met on private property along the Wicomico River, which the group was instructed not to share the exact location of…for the safety of the owls. Barn owls are rare breeders in Maryland and are listed as In Need of Conservation. 

Mike Callahan, who also works as an interpreter at Caledon State Park in King George, is a member of the SMAS. The group had been closely monitoring an owl box on private property. Mike said there were only three known nests in Charles County, Maryland.

Their best guess was that this nest’s eggs had hatched the end of April. Barn owls incubate their eggs as soon as they the first one is laid, opposed to ducks, geese and songbirds which incubate after the last egg has been laid.  And when the owlets have grown enough feathers to maintain their body weight the parents don’t hang around the nest all day anymore. There appeared to be five owlets, but as siblicide is not uncommon the volunteers were cautiously optimistic we’d be able to tag all five on the banding day.

Photo credit: Corie Smith

Just as the rain abated, Mike climbed the ladder up to the owl box. He urged everyone to listen for the owlet’s hissing…which he said had been described as an espresso machine. Very accurate, indeed! It didn’t take long after the extraction of the first owlet for the hissing to turn into all-out shrieks. Five owlets were carefully removed one-by-one and placed into individual cardboard boxes for safe transport to the pavilion where they’d receive their ID bands. Mike then called out for an extra box…there was a bonus sixth owlet that had been hidden in previous observations!

Under cover of a pavilion, USGS licensed bird bander, Ken Smith was in charge of banding the owlets. He used size 7A aluminum bands specially gauged for barn owls, each with their own unique identifying number. He explained the owlets’ legs were already about as large as they'd get at this age and there was no worry that the bands would grow too tight over time. As he worked, he also said that while handling the owlets they had to be especially careful not to break any of their flight feathers.

Photo credit: Corie Smith

Mike pointed out that barn owls have one toe with a pectinate comb, which they use to groom the feathers on their facial discs.

Kerry Wixted, Maryland DNR Wildlife Educator and Outreach specialist was also helping out. She said that, “Barn owls are have been hit hard by habitat loss, especially in Maryland. Grasslands with abundant voles and other rodents are important for barn owls as well as open marshes.”

If you would like to support local barn owl conservation in Maryland, consider 'adopting' an owl or other species through the SMAS program: https://www.somdaudubon.org/adopt-a-raptor/

February Chapter Meeting - Upcoming Continuing Education and Volunteer Opportunities

To be certified and maintain certification every year as a Virginia Master Naturalist, volunteers are required to complete 8 hours of continuing education and 40 hours of volunteer work.  Here are some great opportunities

Announcements:

  Next Board meeting Thursday 3/7 @ Wegman’s 7 pm (open to all members)

  Next Chapter meeting Tuesday 3/19 @ church 7 pm

Master Naturalist Volunteer Opportunities:

• 3/9/19:  Mott's Nature Center Volunteer Orientation - 9-11 am.  Register with Alexa at Fredericksburg Parks and Rec.  
• 3/22/19:  Friends of the Rappahannock - Rappahannock County Tree Planting Project 9:30 - 1 pm, volunteers needed to plan trees, sign up at Friends of the Rappahannock Events page
• 4/1/19:  Homeschool Day at Montpelier (Orange County) - volunteers needed for "Noticing Nature Table and Walks" contact Madelyn from CRVMN
• 4/2/19:  Tri-County Aspen Grove Meaningful Watershed Educational Field Day (Rain Date April 4th -  contact Mariya at TriCounty Water
• 4/6/19: Spring Forest Stroll at Montpelier (Orange County) - volunteers needed to answer questions during the walk
• 4/13/19: Osprey Festival @ Caledon State Park. Opportunities to volunteer to give talking points/lead bird walk, native plant information, backyard habitat. Chapter can have a booth there. Caledon is coordinating event with Joyce from Colonial Beach.
• 4/22/19:  Earth Day at AP Hill volunteers needed Dahlgren has asked that an Earth Day education outreach take place on April 22 at the elementary school on base. It will be from 1-3 pm. Volunteers needed.  
• 4/27/19:  Earth Day at Old Mill Park on, rain or shine - volunteers needed
• 4/27/19:  Earth Day in Orange, VA - volunteers needed - contact Dena from CRVMN
• 5/18/19:  Eco Rodeo at Montpelier (Orange County) - volunteers needed for "Noticing Nature Table and Forest Walks" contact Madelyn from CRVMN

Ongoing Opportunities:

• Widewater State Park looking for volunteers  for monthly cleanups
• March Saturdays noon-2 pm - Salamander Survey at Jennings Farm - contact Dena with CRVMN

Continuing Education:

• 3/9/19:  VA Native Plant Society Winter Workshop - Our Changing Forests: Forest Health, Management and Restoration 
• 3/23/19:  Friends of the Rappahannock Wild and Scenic Film Festival @ UMW. 
• 4/11-12/19:  Spring Wildflower Identification Workshop - Blandy Experimental Farm
• 4/13/19:  Garden Symposium: Wild about Natives 8:30 - 3:30 pm at Belmont in Falmouth
• 4/27/18:  Montpelier - Orange County, VA - Native Plants and Animals in Harmony Exploration Walk - includes walk through the Landmark Forest
• Ongoing - VA Master Naturalists Webinars - Next March 28th on Maple Syrup Productions

Paleo Walk at Stratford Hall

Harry P. was able to arrange an opportunity for the Central Rappahannock Master Naturalists to visit the private beach area of Stratford Hall (located in Westmoreland County) to learn about and hunt for fossils.  I have to admit this has been on my bucket list for years.

We met fairly early at the Stratford Hall Visitor Center, where we were introduced to our guides.  There was a discussion on the types of fossils that have been found, including the favored Megladon teeth and some of the rare finds that have been made.  While a ticket to Stratford Hall will allow access to the beach, that access is restricted to a small area.  We had received special permission to walk past the ropes and head far up the beach.  To provide a more hands on experience the two guides split us into two groups and we heading in opposite directions.

Layers of clay with visible fossils

Clay layer

Armed with waterproof boots, bucket, small shovel and an inexpensive plastic colander I followed our guide Theresa.  The weather was perfect, a bit cool but not uncomfortable.  We walked along the beach at low tide, Theresa pointing out how to look for sharks teeth, bone, fossilized shells and the like.  She pointed out the cliffs (you do not want to walk too closely, a large piece fell while we where there) where you could easily see the stratification.  Each layer of clay was from a different time period, sometimes fossils or mammal bones were evident in each layer.  She spoke of the different animals the fossils came from.  At this point I really wished I had thought to write down everything as my memory is not what it use to be.  What looked like large gray rocks and boulders on the beach, were in fact compressed clay.  Theresa said the fossils would often be found in the clay.

Fallen clay

Denise is searching

Continuing to walk along the beach and crossing a stream, my fellow naturalists continued to look sharks teeth.  I stopped at the stream where it emptied into the Potomac River and decided to use my colander to shift through the silt.  One must readily admit, I could have stayed there all day for in a manner of minutes there were some interesting finds.  Fossilized top plates from a ray, young whale vertebrae (no protrusions on either end indicated youth), a chunk of clay with fossilized imprints, pieces of tree scallops, and a number of pieces of bone.  

Sharks Teeth

Fossilized impressions in clay

Rib bone, bone fragment, whale vertebrae

Like a small child, I went off to show our guide my finds.  She explained what each one was and that all were approximately 5 million years old.  As I looked out across the Potomac I could just imagine how different the landscape must of been.  A smile spread across my face and I walked back up the beach to my vehicle and left.  What a wonderful day.

Owl Prowl at Caledon was a Hoot

The Central Rappahannock Master Naturalists were able to participate in a special program for owls at Caledon State Park.  One of the park rangers, Mike Callahan, led a very fascinating program on local owls.  He taught us owl calls, their biology, food sources, habitat and other facts.  After the informative classroom session, we headed outside onto a wagon.

The night was clear, with thousands of twinkling stars.  Various constellations were easily identified and pointed out.  This definitely was not summer time, well bundled up with hand warmers, hot cocoa and blankets we left the warmth of the park visitor center into very chilly woods.

Our first stop was for the Barred Owl, Mike making his first call "Who cooks for you?  Who cools for you - all?" with the "all" dropping almost to a squawk.  After a few minutes, there was a response, a fly by, observation by the owl through flying from one tree to the next.  Then after a flight right over our heads he settled down on a tree not far from the wagon and responded to Mike's call.  The owl was quite vocal and with a quick light from a flashlight we were able to view him in all his glory.  

Our second stop, Mike called for Eastern Screech Owls. Their call is more of a whinny, not a screech.  Mike needed some moisture and tipped his head back to make a whistle/whinny sound.  A small owl, with color variants of gray or red do not usually reveal themselves due to predatory nature of larger owls.  While we did not see them, we definitely heard them.  Before long we were surrounded by three owls calling back and forth to Mike.   

Our final stop was out by the Potomac River.  Mike called for the Great Horned Owl, "Hoo- h'hooooo-hoo-hoo".  He called for well over five minutes.  About to give up, we heard a faint answer in the distance.  Mike continued to call, the Great Horned Owl continued to answer.  Although I am pretty sure if we could interpret owl he responded with, "hey great to hear from you, but it is cold, late and I am not flying all the way over there."  With that we headed back.

We were all pretty chilled by the time we arrived back to the visitors center.  Another cup of hot cocoa, new found knowledge and some owl calling skills we ended for the evening.  One of the most interesting things I have participated in, seeing these magnificent birds. 

On a final note, I have been practicing the owl calls at home.......much to the chagrin of my dog and husband. 

January Chapter Meeting: Continuing Education and Volunteer Opportunities

Announcements:

  Next Board meeting 2/7 @ Wegman’s 7pm (open to all members)

  Next Chapter meeting 2/19 @ church 7pm

Master Naturalist Volunteer Opportunities:

• Dahlgren has asked that an Earth Day education outreach take place on April 22 at the elementary school on base. It will be from 1-3pm. Volunteers needed.  
• Spotsylvania Courthouse Trash Pick Up February 9th - Meet at Gazebo 9AM.
•  Earth Day at Old Mill Park on April 27, rain or shine - volunteers needed
•  Earth Day at AP Hill on April 18  volunteers needed 
•  Widewater St Park looking for volunteers  for monthly cleanups- 1^st Sat in February next opportunity
• Mott's Nature Center Volunteer Orientation - March 9th - 9-11am.  Register with Alexa at Fredericksburg Parks and Rec.  
• April 13 Osprey Festival @ Caledon. Opportunities to volunteer to give talking points/lead bird walk, native plant information, backyard habitat. Chapter can have a booth there. Caledon is coordinating event with Joyce from Colonial Beach.

Continuing Education:

• Owl Prowl @ Caledon 1/26 @ 7:00 pm. There is space for 21 people on the wagon.** Bring a blanket and some hot cocoa to share. Arrive a little bit early. THIS EVENT IS FULL
• Bluebird program @ Stratford 1/26 10-noon. Doors will be open at 9am. There will be a bag lunch about 12:30. Some walking is anticipated, so bring your walking stick. This is a FREE program.
• Dinosaur Beach walk @ Stratford in February. Date & time and to be determined. More details will be given at a later date.
• Vernal Pool field training to happen in February. Harry would like to lengthen time of monitoring. Breeding time for Spotted Salamander is Feb/March. Usually, the time to go investigate is at night, when peepers are peeping. Harry will send out a “Hey, it’s tonight! Let’s go look!” email, so have your gear at the ready. A lead monitor is desired for the Lee Drive vernal pools
• Montpelier has revamped programs. There will be programs twice/month. The first walk will focus on the Working Woods. The second walk will have a specialized focus. Walks will take place in April, June, August, and October. Native plants will be the specialized focus on April 24. A mushroom walk will be in June. The Chief Horticulturist at Montpelier will have training for those interested in leading the Working Woods walks.
• FOR Wild & Scenic Film Festival March 23 @ UMW. More information on FOR website https://www.riverfriends.org/events/

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) – Nothing Sweet About It

This past Saturday a few of the Master Naturalists assisted Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) to remove Japanese Honeysuckle along Mabe’s Trail.  We assisted last year, and everywhere we had grubbed out the honeysuckle, spring ephemerals flourished.  Things like Dutchman’s Breeches, Virginia Blue Bells, May Apple, Trout Lily and the odd Spring Beauty.  

VMN Volunteers

The picture below is just a small pile of the bags pulled.  FOR received volunteers not just from VMN, but elsewhere as well.  It may have been a chilly day, but knowing the beauty hidden under the honeysuckle made it all worth it.  The honeysuckle can be found all along the trail and with so many other plants to protects, manually grubbing is the best.  

Bagged Honeysuckle

Happily Hand Grubbing

This time of year, it is just about the only thing green and a good time to grub it out.  Make sure you put it in trash bags for disposal.  You cannot recycle this plant as it will spread due to seeds being viable for an extended period of time.

Some Japanese Honeysuckle facts:

Japanese Honeysuckle along Mabe's Tr.

1. Native to eastern Asia
2. Introduced to North America in 1862, used for erosion control
3. You can still purchase it in many plant centers as an ornamental.  Any hybrids are equally as invasive.  DO NOT PLANT.
4. Considered a noxious weed in Virginia, and one of the highest ranked invasive
5. Grows rapidly and smothers everything else

Great resources at Virginia Native Plant Society Website.