Wildlife Monitoring

In This Site: Uncategorized — admin @ 2:43 pm   March 11, 2010

Ozaukee Washington Land Trust surveys and monitors a variety of wildlife species including; turtles, snakes, salamanders, frogs and birds. Wildlife diversity is a good indicator of a healthy habitat and Mequon Nature Preserve is a great example of how our restoration efforts have increased species richness and abundance.

In 2006, the Northern Leopard Frog returned to Mequon Nature Preserve. This species is an indicator of healthy wetlands systems. In 2008, the Common Garter Snake, which is another indicator species was observed. Currently, Crayfish are in abundance at the Mequon Nature Preserve. In pre-settlement times a healthy wetland ecosystem would include; crayfish, frogs, snakes and salamanders.

The remaining piece of the puzzle is salamanders, come join us in our search!!

Below is the information we use to help train our citizen scientist, come help us in our efforts to survey and monitor our sites.

Frog Calling Surveys:

Surveys are run just after dark, with a 5 minute listening period at each stop. Observers must learn to identify the frog calls (about 11 species) by taking an online quiz (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/frogquiz/). Observers stand at a wetland, pond or lake edge while listening, and must take a water temperature when finished listening. A minimum of 6 surveys must be run between March 15 and July 15, but no more than one survey per week. Surveys should start as soon as frogs start calling after ice out (listen for wood frogs, peepers, and chorus frogs), and can end after 2 surveys have been completed while bullfrogs are calling (the last species to call). Sites will be provided or selected with OWLT staff. Some equipment will be provided by OWLT.

Equipment needs: frog call CD, flashlight, watch, thermometer, data form, pencil, recording device (optional - many digital cameras can record audio), bug spray or bug shirt (optional), night bird call CD (optional).

Salamander Surveys:

These surveys use minnow traps in ponds to capture salamanders and tadpoles. Traps can be checked any time of day, but must be checked every day while set. A minimum of 2 sessions of 6 days each (5 trap nights) are required. The first session should start in late March, after the first warm rain following ice out. The second session should start during the next warm rain event. An optional third session may follow with the next rain, and/or additional sessions may be run in May or June for capturing salamander larvae and tadpoles. The early sessions must include a rain event during the trapping. Observers will also visually scan for amphibian eggs while checking traps. OWLT staff will provide traps and help set them the first time. Aquatic insects and leeches are also frequently trapped. Sites will be provided or selected with OWLT staff. Some equipment will be provided by OWLT.

Equipment needs: amphibian field guide, waders, appropriate field clothes (for wet, cold or hot conditions), polarized sunglasses (fishing glasses with light lenses are preferred), bucket (white or light colored works best), watch, digital camera, thermometer, data form, clipboard, pencil, partner (strongly recommended), bug spray or bug shirt (optional), frog call CD (optional), aquatic insect guide (optional), bird call CD (optional).

Snake Surveys:

These surveys use boards to attract snakes. Observers tip boards up and capture snakes underneath, then release them after identifying and measuring them. No squeamishness allowed for this job! Boards must be checked in the evening, within 3 hours before sunset. A minimum of 8 surveys are required, between May 1 and July 15 (about 1 per week). OWLT staff will provide boards and help set them into the habitat. Sites will be provided or selected with OWLT staff. Some equipment will be provided by OWLT.

Equipment needs: snake field guide, cloth sack, watch, thermometer, data form, clipboard, pencil, rule, digital camera, appropriate field clothes (long pants, sturdy shoes, hat, etc.), partner (recommended), bug spray or bug shirt (strongly recommended), scales (optional), mammal guide (optional), hand sanitizer (optional).

Turtle Trapping:

These surveys use baited hoop net traps in ponds and lakes to capture turtles. Traps can be checked any time of day, but must be checked every day while set. A minimum of 2 sessions of 5 days each between mid-May and mid-July are required. Observers will also visually scan for turtles before checking traps. OWLT staff will provide traps and help set them the first time. Large snapping turtles are frequently trapped, so observers must be physically capable of handling these. Turtles are removed from traps, identified, marked (by harmlessly filing a notch in the shell), and released. Sites will be provided or selected with OWLT staff. OWLT will also provide traps, baits, some equipment, and training on proper turtle handling techniques and strategies.

Equipment needs: turtle field guide, chest waders, appropriate field clothes (for wet, cold, or hot conditions), watch, digital camera, thermometer, file (for marking shells), data form, clipboard, pencil, partner (required), bug spray or bug shirt (optional).

Visual Surveys:

These are walkBthrough surveys recording every critter heard or observed along shorelines. Animals typically recorded include basking turtles, frogs, and birds. A minimum of 5 surveys between mid-May and mid-July are required. Observers slowly walk shorelines with binoculars, listening and visually scanning for turtles, frogs and birds. Sites will be provided or selected with OWLT staff.

Equipment needs: field guides, appropriate field clothes (for wet, cold, or hot conditions), watch, digital camera, thermometer, data form, pencil, polarized sunglasses (recommended), bug spray or bug shirt (optional).

Breeding Bird Surveys:

These surveys are early morning Apoint counts@, where an experienced birder listens and observes for 10 minutes at a predetermined point. The point counts are repeated 2 times (30 minutes apart) on each of 4 mornings in June, between 2 hour before sunrise and 9:00 AM. Birders must be able to identify local breeding birds by songs and calls.

Equipment needs: Data forms, property map with survey locations, clipboard, binoculars, watch or stop-watch with second hand (or timer), bird field guide, WSO bird codes list, thermometer, pencils (dark, soft lead) or pen (dark ink), bug spray (optional), appropriate outdoor clothing.

Ebird:

Visit our properties and watch birds! All OWLT properties are Hot Spots on eBird, and visitors may enter their bird observations directly into eBird at www.ebird.org/. Click on ASubmit Observations@ and either sign in or sign up (it=s free), then find the property and enter the data.

Forays and Blitzes:

OWLT maintains a list of interested area birders to call when we schedule bird surveys such as Blitzes (group sweep of a property recording every bird seen), migratory surveys (counting migrants), or other organized bird watching events. Same with other forays for such things as butterflies, wildflowers, trees, etc. Sign up with Maggie (maggiet@owlt.org) stating your interests!

Other Checklist and Monitoring Projects:

OWLT encourages volunteers to visit our properties and make notes on any wildlife observed. This helps us build checklists of species observed on the properties. These notes can be submitted to: Wildlife Notes, OWLT, West Bend, PO Box 917, WI 53095, or by email to Maggie Tarasewicz, maggiet@owlt.org. Submissions to other checklist or monitoring sites will not necessarily be discovered by OWLT, so please copy us or send us a note if we should be checking for data from our properties you submit elsewhere (i.e. Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey, Wisconsin Herp Atlas, etc.).