Native Grasslands

Kentucky’s native grasslands have almost disappeared by the 21st Century, but it is important to restore and protect these areas. Early settlers found vast forests, except in south-central and western Kentucky, where they rode for days on horseback without being able to see over the top of the grass.

Controlled Burn

The Indians had repeatedly burned the forests that once covered the region as a means to stampede and kill big game. These fires created an open savanna that in turn drew all types of wild game to feed off its lush grasses. Buffalo herds migrated eastward across the Mississippi to Illinois, and then to Kentucky. These herds came to the Barrens and multiplied, providing food and clothing for the Indians. Settlers found the treeless areas easy to cultivate. Originally the pioneers thought the treeless grasslands infertile because of the lack of forestation. They soon found the soil to be some of the best that they had encountered. Farms and communities soon began to cover the area.

Northern Bobwhite

Native grasses provide many benefits, such as shelter and nutrition to wildlife and birds, which non-native grass and crops do not. Native bunch grasses grow upright with spaces between each bunch. This growth form makes them ideal wildlife habitat—providing protective cover, quality nesting areas, and open travel lanes. In addition, once established, these grasses are more nutritious for wildlife than nonnative grasses such as fescue.  Animals commonly found in such communities include quail, deer, rabbit, turkey, migratory songbirds, and small mammals such as voles and mice. The rabbits and small mammals in turn attract larger predators such as fox, coyote, and raptors. 





Most of the grass we see today is not native.  We plant fescue and bluegrass in our yards, but bluegrass came from England. Native grasses include Indian grass, little and big bluestem, prairie dropseed, and side-oats grama.



Big Bluestem and Native Flowers

Native grass communities provide other environmental benefits, including filtering sediments and chemicals from runoff, dispersing water flow, and reducing erosion. Most native grass species develop a strong root system that contributes to an increase in soil fertility, recycling nutrients while alive and returning vital nutrients to the soil as the roots decompose.  They also recover quickly after fire or drought. Because many native grasses are adapted to survive in almost any soil conditions, they require no fertilizer or irrigation after planting. Thus, over the long term, planting native grasses and wildflowers can reduce maintenance costs.

Bobwhite Nest in Grass

Grassland birds adapted to these areas, and cannot live elsewhere. These birds eat a variety of foods found in the grasses ranging from grass seeds to crickets, grasshoppers and worms; and in the case of grassland raptors, such as the Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl, small mammals such as meadow voles, small birds, and even small reptiles and amphibians.  Grassland birds nest on the ground rather than in trees, using the structure provided by grasses both for the construction of the nest and as cover from predators. Ground nesting behaviour leaves grassland birds vulnerable to disturbances such as mowing or haying during the breeding season.  Nest predation and destruction, coupled with loss of habitat, are causing grassland bird populations to drop without a good chance of recovery. 

Field Sparrow

After leaving the nest, and later in the life cycle, grasses provide these birds with cover and protection from prey as they often do not fly from a predator, but run through the grasses to escape danger. Native grasses growing in clumps allow these ground runners to escape through passages between the clumps. This Field Sparrow will perch on a waving grass stem to look around, then drop down into invisibility.

Dickcissel

Loss of habitat has lead to decline of grasslands bird populations by 60 to 80% in the last 40 years, according to the Audubon Society's recent list of  Top 20 Birds in Decline. Plowing the grasslands for crops, then planting one kind of crop (such as corn) in large areas, creates less diversity, food and shelter. 40 years ago, there were more pastures and fields that birds found acceptable. Since then we have turned farmland into industrial or residential areas, paving over much land entirely,  changing and redirecting the amounts of water available.


Invasive Johnson Grass

Invasive plants take over remaining space, grow faster than native plants, and inhibit the growth of native plants. Native animals do not eat these plants, so they spread even more, and the animals have less to eat. Fragmentation of habitat areas is a factor in the decline as well. Although grassland birds may use very small grasslands (under 40 acres, sometimes even under 10 acres) for foraging or other habitat needs, managing areas of at least 40 acres will provide most habitat needs for a diversity of grassland birds. The grass areas we have now may simply be too small for the birds to successfully breed and raise their young.

Big Bluestem and Goldenrod

Creasey Mahan is working to restore the native grasslands on the Preserve at Meadowlark Meadow. Grasslands are being planted with native grasses and wildflowers. The primary grasses are prairie grasses, known as “warm season” or “bunch” grasses. All of these grasses provide food and shelter for wildlife, and help retain water in the soil and prevent erosion.

Black-eyed Susans

Native wildflowers have been added to Meadowlark Meadows to provide food for wildlife and add a scenic quality to the grassland. Primary wildflowers are black-eyed Susan, partridge pea, Illinois bundleflower, common and butterfly milkweeds, purple coneflower and New England aster.

Partridge Pea

If you build it they will come, or so we hope.  By planting native grasses and managing them to control invasives, we hope to encourage these declining birds to live on the Preserve where we can all enjoy them. As you walk across these areas at the Preserve next year, keep your ears open for the song of Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrows, and maybe the more rare Dickcissel or Grasshopper Sparrow.

Naturally yours,

~denapple and Tavia

Empty Nest

Robins: 4 Eggs, 4 Weeks from Fred Margulies on Vimeo.

An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Only 25 percent of those fledged young survive to November. From that point on, about half of the robins alive in any year will make it to the next. Despite the fact that a lucky robin can live to be 14 years old, the entire population turns over on average every six years.

Females build the nest from the inside out, pressing dead grass and twigs into a cup shape using the wrist of one wing. Other materials include paper, feathers, rootlets, or moss in addition to grass and twigs. Once the cup is formed, she reinforces the nest using soft mud gathered from worm castings to make a heavy, sturdy nest. She then lines the nest with fine dry grass. The finished nest is 6-8 inches across and 3-6 inches high. The process from egg laying to fledging lasts about a month.

The parents feed their chicks 3-4 bites every 30 - 60 minutes, and robins often raise more than one brood during the season. I've seen studies which conclude that the red inside the chick's gaping mouth, along with the "feed me" chirp, stimulates the adults to feed the babies.  This is lucky for birds since they foster chicks which aren't their own quite easily.

She does look surprised to find the chicks have left the nest, doesn't she? I enjoyed this great summary of the effort the birds put into raising their young and hope you enjoy it too.

Naturally yours,

~denapple

Happy Ending for Tortoise

It's always nice to have a happy ending to a story, and here is ours. The sulcata tortoise who appeared in a ditch at the Preserve this week has officially been named Radar because of the pink flag we put on her back so she won't get lost again. Although Buddy Freckles did not like her walking around his kitchen at first, they have become tolerant of each other.

Mike and Radar

Our calls to the Kentucky Herpetological Society were answered by one Mike Connor, an officer of the  Society who rescues snakes and turtles. He is our hero, since he does this out of the kindness of his heart. He already has three sulcata tortoises, so Radar will be joining a family.

Alfred, Althea, Radar and Tulip

In fact, Radar not only found a new home and new family, she learned to speak English and type to send emails, all in one day!  Here is the message we received from her:

Hi everyone, thanks for all your help finding me a new home. I just got unpacked and met my new family. Dad, Alfred is little ruff around the edges and thinks I need some sun to put some color in my shell but I think we’ll be getting along. Mom, Althea is cool! Not much on conversation but she knows the best grasses to munch on and I have a little sister named Tulip. It’s going to be fun being a big sister.

Terrapin Station

We live in a place called Terrapin Station. I don’t know what a terrapin is. It must be like a tortoise. Mom said it’s named after some Thankful Dead people’s song. There is also this big green and white thing I was told it’s a pond for people. People are weird. Anyway got to go, supper is growing. I’m sending some pictures.

The family portrait gives you a good idea of the size these animals can get, but I bet they'll grow even larger before they are through. Radar does look a little pale compared to the others, but with good care and sunshine, she'll do well.

Alfred

Radar asks a good question though.  What is the difference between  turtle, terrapin and tortoise?  According to PetEducation.com, if it has a shell and is a reptile, then it is going to fall into the order Chelonia, which includes 244 different species. For most Americans, the term 'turtle' describes the Chelonians that are aquatic or semi-aquatic. The term 'tortoise' describes a Chelonian that lives primarily on land. 'Terrapin' can describe some freshwater or saltwater turtles, but is a term not often used. In general, tortoises live on land and eat a primarily vegetarian diet, and turtles live in or near the water and eat a meat-based diet or a combination of meat and vegetation. Scientists believe that turtles first appeared during the Triassic era, making them as old as the dinosaurs!


Best wishes to Radar in her new home!

Naturally yours,

~denapple

News on the Tortoise

One of the herpetologist contacted yesterday says that this is a sulcata tortoise from northern Africa. Obvious it was acquired as an exotic pet, and either escaped or was released at the Nature Preserve. Once again, the Internet is a wealth of information, particularly http://www.sulcata-station.org/ and http://www.anapsid.org/sulcata.html.  Here is the best advice:

Please, do your research before you bring home a sulcata tortoise. Like most exotics, these are not easily-kept pets. These tortoises get VERY large, VERY quickly, and they can live well over 50 years. They DO NOT hibernate in winter so you must keep them warm, feed them, and clean up after them year-around.

Reptile rescue organizations nationwide are overwhelmed with rescued sulcata tortoises. If you don't plan to keep the tortoise forever, don't get it in the first place.

Sulcata tortoises evolved in the semi-arid regions of Africa just south of the Sahara Desert. Their digestive tracts have evolved to handle low-nutrient, high-fiber foods like dry grasses and weeds, which are the only sources of nutrition for much of the year in that region. The best way to feed a tortoise is to provide it with a safely-enclosed yard or pen where it can graze on a variety of grasses, grass hay, and certain safe edible weeds like dandelion, plantain, and chickweed. Upon realizing this, many new tortoise owners freak out and reply, "But we live in (somewhere with cold and snowy winters) and it's impossible to let him out to graze!" Specimens can easily reach 24 - 30 inches long, weigh 80 - 100 pounds, and live to be fifty years old.

Since it's the middle of summer, we let her go out in the fenced back yard today, and you can see how she enjoys eating grass in the warm sunshine. David fastened a pink flag around her shell so we can find her when she wanders off.  We have not determined who she belongs to yet. However, the Kentucky Herpetological Society meets next week, and we hope to get some advice from them. They do work to find homes for reptiles that have been abandoned by their owners.

Naturally yours,

~denapple

Mystery Tortoise

At today's summer camp session, David Wheeler, one of our top-notch groundskeepers and knowledgeable about almost everything, walked up to the campers with a large tortoise in his hands. We are in the process of laying water lines in various places around the grounds, and David found it trapped in the ditch, unable to climb out.  "It's a gopher tortoise," David announced confidently.

We all examined it carefully, taking photos, and watched it move through the grass when we put it on the ground. You expect turtles and tortoises to be slow animals, but this one is a real speedster, especially since it just wanted to escape from us.

The front legs look like flippers at first, but closer examination shows sharp nails, and extra edges useful for digging, while the back legs resemble elephant legs and feet.

The bottom of the shell, called a "plastron" was smooth and flat, so this one is a female.  The male's plastron is concave, so it can climb up on the female's back for breeding without tipping off. Look at the distinct, almost rectangular markings.

She seems to have a hook on her mouth that looks like fangs, but I don't think there is such a thing as a vampire tortoise!  All through the examination, she moved her legs, trying to get away from us. David washed the mud off with a hose, and released her in our fenced in yard behind Mahan Manor, and 15 minutes later, I was unable to find her.

The Internet is the first place to research a new animal before putting a post on the blog, right?  Gopher tortoises are native to Florida, and other states in the far south, and they are actually on the endangered species list!  Wait a minute.  What would one be doing in Oldham County, Kentucky???  If someone had it illegally and released it, we shouldn't just let it crawl off on the preserve.  We don't have the right habitat for it, and how could it possibly survive a Kentucky winter?  David found her again, and we put her in a box for a more thorough identification. 

In fact, one of our volunteers, David Singewald, is a marine biologist, so we put him on the job.  (And he thought we only wanted him to mow the grass!)  Photos of our mystery tortoise are on their way to herpetologists around the country. If, in fact, this is an endangered gopher tortoise, we need to get it to the proper authorities so it can be placed in the right habitat.  So stay tuned.  We'll let you know as we learn anything more about her.

Naturally yours,

~denapple