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Archive for '1996 Journal' Category

November 07 1996

Caretaker's note: The format of the watersto_jennystone activities reports has changed over the years. The earlier reports often consisted of observations from the entire year without reference to when they occured. These reports are logged in the Journal around the time they were submitted. Over time, activities were documented more precisely with regard to season, or month and often to the exact day. The process of logging activities, fosters a deep connection to and respect for nature that inspires greater understanding of this unique ecosystem.

The goal of Wildlife Management is maximum diversity. These lists document the base line of species found at watersto_jennystone during 1996. The plant and animal species list should continue to grow over time as a result of Wildlife Management implemented at watersto_jennystone.

Posted in 1996 Journal

November 06 1996

watersto_jennystone Flora Observed in 1995-96

Trees

  1. Cedar Elm - abundant large
  2. 'Cedar' Juniperus virginiana - abundant, a few mature tress, good cover for all wildlife
  3. Live Oak - abundant, deer like these, resprouts in April, cage seedlings from deer
  4. Post Oak
  5. Bur Oak
  6. Mesquite - coming up at pasture well
  7. Bummelia - large one below, smaller ones on edge smell good
  8. Bald Cypress - 60-80 ft. tall at river front
    cypress cones
  9. Texas Persimmon - abundant black berries, attracts birds, raccoon
  10. Spanish Oak - red leaves in fall at lower road (cut cedars away from these)
  11. Black River Ash - below
  12. Hackberry - scattered
  13. Mexican Buckeye - on rock bluff, propagate elsewhere
  14. American Elm
  15. Box Elder - 3-leaf, maple-like, many below, found chewed stick, beaver teeth marks
  16. Pecan - large below, transplant elsewhere, near draw sprouting from fallen tree
  17. Red Mulberry - below, propagate elsewhere
  18. Chinaberry - remove
  19. Sycamore - at water's edge
  20. Leatherleaf Dogwood - more!
  21. Ashe Juniper - a cedar tree, single trunked
  22. Escarpement Black Cherry - sprouting many trunks from fallen tree in Red Oak grove, propagate
  23. Black Walnut - below
  24. Basswood - below, big round leaf, reseed up top
  25. Dollar Ash
  26. Wafer Ash
  27. Skink Ash
  28. Hill Country Redbud
  29. Mexican Plum
  30. Kidney Wood - deer like???

Wildflowers

  1. Baby Blue Eyes - many blooming in early spring below
  2. Blackfoot Daisy - likes rocky ground
  3. Bluebonnet
  4. Columbine - red, late April bloom, on slopes in shady sites, on rock bluff
  5. Heart shaped leaf - vine scattered near draw
  6. Indian Blanket
  7. Mexican Hat - pasture well
  8. Mullein
  9. Nettles - below
  10. Pink Primrose
    pink primrose
  11. Prairie Verbena - short, purple flower cluster
  12. Purple Coneflower - planted seed below
  13. Purple Thistle - pasture well
  14. Rain Lily - good smelling white flower, pops up after rain, scattered throughout
  15. Sunflower - below
  16. Turk's Cap - red flowers and fruit for hummers and birds, collect seed for planting up top
  17. Two-leaf Senna - single yellow flower, daisy-like, quail and dove eat seeds, deer don't eat
  18. Yellow Columbine - planted seed below
  19. Wild Onion
  20. White Water Lily
  21. many other wildflowers unidentified

Grasses

  1. Big Muhly
  2. Bushy Bluestem - extra fluffy, lone plants on river island, reseed in draw up top
  3. Curley Gramma - teensy gramma
  4. Drop seed - seeds tucked in sheath
  5. False Tridens
  6. Tall Gramma - scattered throughout (NE)
  7. Hairy Hexmonia
  8. King Ranch Bluestem - exotic, pull these out
  9. Little Bluestem - red stem, fluffy tops, for turkey area
  10. Love Grass - note 'braided' seedhead
  11. Paniculum - 'witch grass'
  12. Seep Muhly - single seed head
  13. Sideoats Gramma - throughout
  14. Silver Bluestem - silver, hairy, elongated seed tops (looks similar to KR Bluestem)
  15. Slim Tridens
  16. Three Awn Caristida - throughout
  17. Windmill grass - pasture well

Other Flora

  1. Agarita - abundant, attracts birds and bees
  2. Cenizio - creosote bush
  3. Elderberry Bush - below along river's edge, help propagate at other river fronts for birds
  4. Four O'Clocks - jungle below, bees, butterflies, hummers
  5. Frostweed - throughout, tall like ragweed but square stemmed
  6. Giant Ragweed - large plants at river bottom
  7. Greenbriar - below, in Cedar thickets near well
  8. Maidenhair Fern - below on bluff face
  9. Mushrooms - large variety, orange half moons on fallen logs, ruffled cream colored etc.
  10. Passionflower Vine
  11. Poison Ivy - deer, scattered
  12. Possomhaw Holly
  13. Prickly Pear Cactus
  14. Rainbow Ice Cactus - pretty pink flowers
  15. Western Soapberry - in lower clearing
  16. Virginia Creeper - 5-leaf vine, turns red in fall, abundant below
  17. Wild Grape - propagate these throughout
  18. Yaupon Holly - bluff area
  19. Yucca - scattered throughout

Posted in 1996 Journal, Habitat

November 06 1996

watersto_jennystone Wildlife Management Animal Census 1995-96

  • anole - green lizard, male with puffy red neck
    • at cypress stump below
  • armadillo
    • under tree stump at bottom of stairs below
    • walking near rain barn
  • bass
    • in river
  • bats
    • seen and heard near bluff
    • summer nights
  • beaver
    • found chewed twigs in river
    • seen swimming away at big rock in the river
  • catfish
    • in river
  • cricket frogs
    • cricket like croaking
    • only frog that makes noise during the day
  • deer - buck, doe, fawn
    • near pasture well
    • all seasons
    • tracks at river bottom
  • fox
    • running away from north pasture
  • rabbit - gray
    • at water trough
    • dead carcass found at river
    • at dirt road
    • bunny patch
  • raccoon
    • evidence from getting into food
    • ate Sarah's Reeses
    • opens food containers
  • road runner family
    • in water well pasture
  • snakes - water snake and moccasin - previous owner reported copperhead
    • in river
  • toad
    • at river
  • turtle
    • in river

Possible sightings

  • bobcat
  • mountain lion
    • BEWARE! biologist reported sighting two miles upstream
  • porcupine
  • ringtail cat
  • skunk

Posted in Census, 1996 Journal

November 06 1996

watersto_jennystone Wildlife Management Bird Census 1995-96

  • blue gray gnatcatcher
  • bushtit
  • cardinal family
    • at river bottom and up top
  • Carolina chickadee
  • crow - a pair
    • in tall trees at water's edge
  • dove
    • in cedar thickets - flocks spook away when approached
  • falcon
  • geese
    • flight overhead
    • north-bound in spring
    • south-bound November 22
  • great blue heron
    • sitting in tall cypress at water's edge
  • hawk - redtailed
  • kingfisher
    • at river front
    kingfisher
  • mallard duck - a pair
  • owl -screech and great?
    • heard at river bluff and at tipi site
  • purple martins
    • seen and heard at twilight
    • pasture well March 15
  • robin - large flock
    • feeding and drinking at river shallows on March 1
  • scrub jay
    • at tipi clearing
  • sparrow
  • titmouse
  • turkey
    • heard gobbles at dusk, south side, mid-March
  • turkey vulture
  • warbler - yellow throated
  • many more birds to be identified

Posted in Census, 1996 Journal

November 06 1996

watersto_jennystone Wildlife Management Insect Census 1995-96

  • fire ants
    • mounds throughout
    • treated camping site with Logic in spring \'95
  • other ants - carpenter, Texas red ant etc.
  • bumblebees - large
  • butterflies - many varieties
    • throughout
  • crickets
    • throughout
  • chiggers
    • in pasture near well
  • dragonfly
    • at river
  • garden spider
    • at stairs
  • grandaddy longlegs
    • throughout
  • grasshoppers
    • mostly at pasture well
  • firefly
    • summer nights below at river
    • scattered up top
  • moth - many varieties
  • red wasp
    • stung Sarah from well house
    • trying to build nest in tipi
    • in barn
    • at stairs
  • stink bug
    • below near river
  • tarantula
    • at steps
    • saw one attracted by fire ants at well
  • many more insects unidentified

Posted in Census, 1996 Journal

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