Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

It’s wonderful when teachers provide experiences to children that open them up to new ideas and broader perspectives.  That’s just what happened when local teacher, Natalie Pien, took her students to Limestone Branch stream for some stream monitoring. 

Two of her students were so moved by this experience and all that they’ve learned about the importance of riparian buffers that they created a YouTube video.  You can watch that video here: Smarts Mill Middle School Students Speak Out for Riparian Buffers

There’s been a lot of information in the papers on the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act  - some of it accurate, some of it not.

The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act is something we need here in Loudoun and we need it now. Over the coming weeks we’ll be posting more information that you can use.

A great resource available right now is the website for Loudoun’s Clean Streams Coalition, of which Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy is a part.  On this website you’ll find information on what the Act means for Loudoun, a history of the Act in Virginia and how it’s been applied in other counties like Fairfax, links to additional resources on streams and buffers, and more.

Additionally, members of our Board of Supervisors and County staff are out and about doing community sessions to hear citizen concerns, debunk myths, and answer citizen questions. 

I encourage you to learn more about this Act. Our streams across Loudoun need help. We’ve been monitoring our local streams for 14 years along with other organizations in Loudoun and we have the data to show that they are in trouble. We also know that preserving and restoring the buffers along streams helps improve water quality and the overall health of our environment.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) was one of the first native shrubs that I learned when I moved to Loudoun.  We have it in various places just growing wild through our back yard area and I was curious about their bright red berries.

It turns out, Spicebush is a wetland plant that often grows alongside Sassafras in moist soils, stream banks, floodplains and swamp forests (which we love for all their amphibian habitats!). When I read about this the first time, it helped me put together clues about the habitat that ran through our back yard.

The flowers come out very early in spring, even before the leaves. As the flowers are pollinated, green berries start to take shape and can be seen on the plant through the summer.  Then, just before the leave drop off, the berries take on their bright red color – a sure sign to the birds that food is here.

Spicebush is a really important wildlife plant. First, for the Spicebush and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies, it provides food for the caterpillars.  Spicebush is the host plant for this butterfly meaning that the caterpillar will eat this plant as it grows and transforms from caterpillar to chrysalis to beautiful butterfly. Learning this, I then understood why we had so many of this butterfly flying through our garden and forest area.

For mammals and birds, Spicebush provides cover and nesting sites. And then there are those beautiful red berries. They ripen in September and provide great nourishment to migrating and local birds.

Another interesting thing about this plant are that it is a member of the Laurel family and as such, it is remotely related to avocados, bay leafs, and cinnamon.

I often think of April as early spring since there are a lot of seasonal changes happening but there’s still some overlap with the slumber of late winter.

Of course by late April, the balance certainly is tipping with migrant birds coming through regularly and wildflowers popping up all over. But, since I’m writing this in the first week of April, I thought it’d be nice to stop to think about those early signs of spring that we see. 

Here are a few that come to mind for me:

- Violets popping up in the lawn, ready for the earliest of pollinators
- Frogs and toads on a rainy night, followed by tadpoles
- The dawn chorus, so much louder than in previous months, such that it wakes me before any alarm
- Dogwoods and Redbuds starting to bloom
- The sweet smell of viburnum through the air
- Black rat snakes warming up in the sun
- Spring azures, Commas, Question Marks and other first of season butterflies flying with purpose
- Cleaning out nestboxes so they’re ready for Chickadees, Bluebirds, House Wrens and others
- Chipmunks back to the ground-level seed feeder, filling up their cheeks
- Hummingbird feeders, cleaned and filled, ready for the first visitors
- Opening all the windows and letting the fresh air blow through

What are some early spring signs of the season for you?

Well this was the first time we tried planning a field trip without setting a date but we knew the Woodcocks would be around sometime in March.  Laura Weidner and Liam McGranaghan led this trip and this report from March is below. It was a great display!

From Laura:

After a few cool and windy evenings of scouting, Liam and I found a great spot for Woodcocks in Loudoun Co.  There were about 8-10 different birds “peenting” the first night we came upon them.  Then the rain moved in for a few days.  The rain didn’t seem to affect them at all. 

Monday, March 15th we ran out to do one more night of scouting (just to make sure they were still around).   Late Monday night I emailed everyone signed up for the first group and we met Tuesday pm and 13 of us carpooled out to the location. 

Like clock work~ 7:45 we heard the first “peent”.  We had only a few display flights and due to the “clear sky” it was hard to follow them.  All in all, we had about 6 woodcocks “peenting”. 

Wednesday night we met the next group and 12 of us went out.  What a difference a day makes!  This time we only heard 4 but WOW- the display flights were awesome!  Right over head.  What a great adventure. 

On a sad note~ the location we found them has been closed off and it looks like construction is going to begin soon.  If you have a location where you found woodcocks this year please let me know.  We will have to find a new location for next years outing.

Thanks to all those who joined us and we look forward to doing this again!
Peace,
Laura Weidner & Liam McGranaghan

Here’s a really nice resource for checking if a plant is native to Virginia: The USDA Plant Database State Search. Just enter either the common or scientific name of the plant and click on our state and it will come back with the list of varieties of that plant that are native to here.

Try entering Monarda, that’s the scientific name for Bee Balm and Bergamot - you’ll see all the different varieties that are in our state. The one shown here in this post is Monarda fistulosa. From the list that comes back, try clicking on a name that’s highlighted in blue and you’ll see photos and range maps for the plant. Pretty cool.

Of course, Virginia is a pretty big state with a variety of ecosystems that range from mountain to coastal, so you may need to do a bit more research to get species that are good for Loudoun (such as checking out our Gardening for Wildlife Plant List) but this  database provides a good reference.

Springtime is such a fun time to get out those gloves, knee pads and spades and dig in the dirt!  As you do, planting native flowers and shrubs is so important.

Plants and animals have evolved together — with plants blooming at the time when specific pollinators have come on the scene, and animals like hummingbirds, bees, flies, butterflies, ants, developing their bodies and seasonal rhythms to take advantage of what the locals plants have to offer at specific times throughout the year.

 Planting non-natives can disrupt this, not to mention that non-natives often require more water and other resources in order to get them to thrive in an alien environment.

In addition to the USDA Plant Guide database, you can also search and download our Gardening for Wildlife Plant List. Just click on the green button on the left side of the Gardening for Wildlife Plant List page to download the pdf or use the search buttons on the page.

Let’s do our part here in Loudoun to Bring Back the Monarchs!

I’ll be doing my monthly blog post on the state of the Monarch Butterfly population shortly but this is pretty urgent so I wanted to share the report below with you from Monarch Watch and ask that you jump on in and plant some milkweed as well as nectar plants in your garden this spring! You can also certify your garden as a Monarch Waystation though Monarch Watch and be recognized as being a part of this important effort! 

You can purchase milkweed seeds through online companies like Prairie Nursery (that’s where we buy our seeds for the waystation kits we put together) and you can also ask local nurseries to order and stock milkweed plants. Prairie Moon, another company that sells plants/seeds, is also having a sale right now on some of their Butterfly Weed milkweed plants.

Milkweed plants that are great for our local area include: Swamp Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Butterflyweed

Nectar plants that you should also plant as part of your waystation include: Ironweed, Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Purple Coneflower, Blackeyed Susan, Goldenrod, New England Aster

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will have Monarch Waystation seed kits at our fair booth at the Leesburg Garden Festival, Earthday@Loudoun, Arbor Day and other events in April. Check our programs calendar for details. I’m also doing a program on Monarch butterflies in June in the Ashburn area and it’s free and open to the public – Waystation kits will also be available at the program.

The number of Monarchs this year was already low before the devastating weather events set in. With only half of the remaining population still alive, our monarch waystations are more critical than ever in helping bring back the monarch!

The rest of this blog post provides the report from Monarch Watch:

Storms in Mexico
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There has been a disaster of extraordinary proportions in the heart of the monarch overwintering area. Unprecedented rainfall from 31 January – 4 February led to flooding and landslides that resulted in the loss of many lives and the near destruction of the towns of Angangueo and Ocampo, the two municipalities that serve as hubs for those visiting the monarch colonies at Sierra Chincua and El Rosario.

The community of El Rosario was also hit hard with a major landslide that buried more than a dozen residents and destroyed bridges and homes. The consequences of this disaster will be felt for years by some and for a lifetime by others. Angangueo will never be the same – the one we remember before the flooding is gone.

The monarch colonies were also strongly impacted by the rainfall but the monarch population will recover – how long this recovery will take is a question that can’t be answered at this time.

We have posted a series of articles about the storms in Mexico, the status of the monarch population, etc. via our blog:

http://monarchwatch.org/blog/category/mexico/

A few quick facts:
1) An unprecedented amount of rainfall in eastern Michoacan in the first four days of February led to landslides and massive flooding in Angangueo and the surrounding area. About 50 people lost their lives in landslides and Angangueo was severely damaged. The story of the storm and the aftermath are extensively chronicled on our Blog.

2) A series of storms in January and February have taken a toll on the monarch population. The final estimate on the mortality suffered by the monarchs is not yet in but it is clear that over 50% of the overwintering population died as a result the harsh winter conditions.

3) Because of the severe mortality at the overwintering colonies, the number of monarchs returning to the breeding areas this spring will be fewer than at anytime since the colonies became known to science in 1975. These numbers are so low that they are certain to impact the number of monarchs that return to Mexico next fall.

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Bring Back the Monarch Campaign
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In response to mortality suffered by the monarchs in Mexico we will be launching a “Bring Back the Monarch”campaign by encouraging a nationwide expansion of the Monarch Waystation Program and the planting of milkweed on private and public lands. This effort will be supported in part by the Monarch Joint Venture, a new nationwide program whose mission is to foster monarch conservation. We will post more information about these efforts in the coming months, in the meantime you can learn more about our Monarch Waystation conservation initiative at

http://monarchwatch.org/waystations

This is an excerpt from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Book series, “Bird Gardens.”  I came across it through the National Wildlife Federation’s Habitat Steward Program and it’s such a nice succinct checklist that I wanted to share it with you. I’ll also add my own commentary in brackets next to each tip, I just can’t resist.

As we head into spring, this is a great time to run through this checklist – both to refresh existing backyard habitat elements that you already have and to consider new ones for the coming year:

• Re-create the multiple layers of plant growth found in natural areas. [Take a look around your neighborhood where development has not yet occurred and see what the original habitat looked like and included. This will give ideas for creating what our native species need to thrive]

• Select plants to provide nutritional foods during different seasons. [Thinking through each season is important – whether it’s flowers from March through October or fruits from summer through winter, take a look at what your plantings offer different species through the year]

• Plant shrubs and small trees in same-species clumps for adequate pollination of fruits. [This is especially important for holly plants and others that require a male and female plant]

• Provide at least one clump of evergreens. [With the winter snows we got this year, you can see how important evergreens can be. They provide a nice shelter for wildlife during harsh weather. Additionally, they provide nice nesting sites for birds that can be well hidden]

• Leave dead trees, standing or fallen, to provide nesting and foraging sites. Consider topping dead trees rather than removing the whole tree if safety is an issue. [Snags play such an important role in our ecosystem. The insects that work to decompose them provide great food for various birds and they provide the right sort of wood for woodpeckers to make cavities that are used both by them and secondary users for nest sites]

• Leave vines, or plant native additions. [Vines like the Virginia Creeper, Trumpet Vine and yes, even Poison Ivy, provide great food sources for birds through the fall migration]

• Limit the size of your lawn for less mowing, less fertilizing, less watering, and less pollution. [Lawns have an interesting history in our culture and I’ll do a whole blog post on that at some point but for now, just a note that lawns are actually a wasteland when it comes to wildlife benefit and in fact because of all the things we do to make them look as they “should,” we pollute our environment and waste water]

• Avoid invasive exotic (non-native) plants. [Plants and animals evolve together and the introduction of non-natives impacts that web of life]

• Supply a source of water – dripping or running water is a better attractant than still water. [Bird baths and backyard ponds are wonderful features – the sound of running water is irresistible to many animals because it sounds so fresh and good]

• Provide and monitor nest boxes of various types. [This is a great way to learn more about our resident birds as you get to watch them use the habitat around them in raising their brood]

• Leave some leaf litter on the ground. [Leaf litter is excellent – both for overwintering butterflies and other insects that need to get through the winter. In addition, as leaves decompose they provide rich nutrients that enrich the soil and make a healthier habitat in general. Birds will forage through leaf litter in search for food]

• Stop using pesticides in your yard. [Pesticides disrupt the balance in nature, harm other animals and get into our groundwater]

• Use only organic, slow release fertilizers, preferably your own compost, if needed. [Similar to pesticides, fertilizers do far more harm than good – leaf litter and other natural compost is the best remedy if you need to fertilize]

Restoring habitat in our backyard is a great way to draw in wildlife and get to learn more about them. I saved a pdf version of this checklist here so you can download it and use it: Checklist for Creating a Bird Friendly Yard.

You can also find more resources for backyard gardening and creating backyard wildlife habitat on our Habitat Restoration page of the website.

No, I’m not talking about the pulls you get in sweaters or problems that crop up in your plans….no no, this is a snag of a different type…… A good kind of snag is a dead tree that’s been left standing.  I’m not sure where that term came from, but I first learned about snags when I took the National Wildlife Federation’s Habitat Steward class and picked up a flyer that simply said “There’s Life in Dead Trees.”

So what’s so great about a dead tree? Well nearly every aspect of that tree, as it goes through the different stages of decay, is used by someone for something. They’re a critical part of a healthy ecosystem. Here are just a few ways that wildlife use dead trees: 

Hollow cavities serve as homes for flying squirrels, raccoons, wood ducks and even grey tree frogs. And let’s not forget about Chimney Swifts – before we started “cleaning up” our neighborhoods and habitat, Chimney Swifts used huge old hollowed out trees for their roosts.  They only shifted to Chimneys when their natural tree homes ran out.

Woodpeckers are another big user of dead trees. They make holes more easily in them and create nesting sites that, after they’re done with them, are used by secondary cavity nesters like Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Nuthatches and Tufted Titmice and Screech Owls.

Insects working to decompose the wood provide food for woodpeckers, brown creepers and other birds that forage for insects in bark.

Bats, like the Silver-haired bat, roost under loose bark to rest through the night.

Dead trees that have fallen to the ground are called “nurse logs” which help young seedling trees and other plants take hold as they start to grow.

According to a paper written by the National Wildlife Federation, “the removal of dead material from forests can mean a loss of habitat for up to one-fifth of the animals in the ecosystem.” So, we should let our dead trees stand.

I love the dead trees in our yard – they are an absolute magnet for wildlife, great and small. And it’s so much fun to keep an eye on what happens with them through the years. We have an old Sassafras tree in our backyard that died a few years ago. First, I saw tunneling around part of the base. Now I’m seeing all sorts of woodpecker holes. As cavities are made, I look forward to seeing more and more animals use them for nesting and refuge.

So with all this snow, I got to thinking about signs of the seasons (I also got thinking about the snow storm of ’78 when I was a kid up in MA and the fun we had making tunnels! but that would be another blog topic all together).

In addition to snow, of course, there are other elements in nature that are winter through and through and when we think of them we may be brought back to some memory from younger days or think of some activity in anticipation.

So, I decided to make a list of things that make me think of winter and thought I’d share some of them here with you:

- Dark-eyed Juncos with those charcoal eyes and pink beaks
- White-throated sparrows calling “oh sweet Peabody, Peabody, Peabody”
- White-crowned sparrows so regal
- Wildlife tracks that I can clearly follow through a woods in snow
- Icicles forming on eaves
- Structures of trees without leaves
- Leaf buds on tree branches closed up tightly
- Crisp clear night skies with piercing stars
- Birds of prey hunting over farm fields and meadows and more easily seen in trees
- Leaves as insulation
- Roosting, flocking, sleeping in

What are some of the things that jump out for you in winter?