VIRGINIA WORKING LANDSCAPES

Transcription

1 VIRGINIA WORKING LANDSCAPES MARE Center 2016 Biodiversity Survey Results

2 INTRODUCTION At Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL) our mission is to promote sustainable land use and conservation of native biodiversity through research, education, and community engagement. VWL formed as a partnership convened by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in 2010, from a growing desire of regional landowners, citizen scientists, and conservation organizations to conserve Northern Virginia s native wildlife on working lands. VWL staff and a team of SCBI scientists, graduate students, interns, and citizen scientists, now conduct Biodiversity Surveys on over 150 properties in the Northern Virginia region. These surveys help us better understand the factors that affect the region s biodiversity and develop the best land management practices for people and wildlife. In this report, you will find a summary of the 2016 VWL Biodiversity Survey for MARE Center. You may also check our biodiversity survey and landowner report pages on our website throughout the year to see results for all other properties and Photo by Jennifer Davis to access another copy of your report. We are grateful for your involvement in the VWL landowner network and appreciate your support of our program! For more information, please contact our Outreach Coordinator, Charlotte Lorick, at (540) , visit our website ( and Facebook page ( VirginiaWorkingLandscapes/), or us at SCBIVWL@si.edu. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Racetrack Hill. Photo by Rachel Meulman. 2

3 METHODS AND RESULTS Overview In 2016 we conducted surveys on 57 total properties spanning 14 counties from Augusta and Albemarle to Loudoun and Prince William. In grasslands, we conducted a total of 420 plant surveys, 68 bumblebee surveys, 252 breeding bird point counts, and 162 winter bird line transects. We also conducted 210 invasive plant transect surveys in forests, 8 salamander stream surveys, and set up 55 camera deployments for mammal surveys. In fields at the MARE center, we sampled breeding birds during the nesting season from May to July to record species and estimate occurrence. Additionally at the MARE Center, mammal surveys were performed from spring (May) to autumn (November). These surveys were conducted using infra-red sensing camera-traps placed at the edges of fields and within forest patches. Due to the nature of sampling methods, the species lists do not necessarily reflect all species that occur on a property. Photo by Amy Johnson Breeding Bird Survey Methods: The breeding bird survey was designed to investigate the relationship between grassland birds and both plant diversity and structure during the nesting season. We sampled breeding birds using a point count method for 10 minute intervals and identified each bird seen or heard within 100 m of each survey pole. One survey site was defined by three poles (labeled A, B, and C) which were placed at least 100 m from the forest edge and approximately 200 m from each other as shown in Figure 1 (page 5). VWL team members visited each site three times and conducted three point counts during each visit (totaling nine point counts for each site). 3

4 Mammal Survey Methods: emammal is a wildlife image program run by the Smithsonian Institution designed to study the effects of human activity on mammal distributions. Since 2014, the emammal team has surveyed large and small forests along an urbanization gradient (wild, exurban, suburban and urban) in Virginia. Virginia s forest fragments are mostly privately owned, so this season the emammal team partnered with VWL to detect mammals on select VWL network properties. Reconyx hyperfire cameras ( were deployed at each location (see Figure 1 page 5) for three weeks between May and November. Cameras were spaced a minimum of 200 m apart and were placed both within forest fragments and in old fields. After three weeks, the cameras were retrieved, the wildlife photos identified, and the images and metadata uploaded into a Smithsonian digital repository. The data from this effort will support the work of the Changing Landscape Initiative ( to understand how wildlife are impacted by land use. Results Summary: Breeding bird surveys at MARE Center recorded 62 species, 13 of which are species of regional or continental concern, and 13 of which are VWL grassland or shrubland target species (See Table 1). The top five most common breeding birds were Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), and Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). With our mammal survey, five mammal species were photographed at MARE Center, along with one bird species (See Table 2 and Figure 2). The most frequently detected species during the survey period were White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor). Citizen scientist conducting bird surveys. Photo by Amy Johnson. 4

5 SURVEY LOCATIONS Figure Survey Locations at the MARE Center. A total of one breeding bird and three mammal surveys were conducted. Color Survey Type Deployment Latitude Longitude Pole A Orange Blue Breeding Birds Mammals Pole B Pole C

6 BIRD SURVEYS Table 1: 2016 Breeding Bird Survey Results from MARE Center. Recorded as occurrence in rank order with a maximum of nine point counts per species. Common Name Genus Species Species of Concern* VWL Target Species** Occurrence (out of 9 point counts) + Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Regional Grassland 6 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Regional NA 3 Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Regional Grassland 3 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos NA NA 3 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus NA Shrubland 3 American Goldfinch Spinus tristis NA NA 2 Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Regional Grassland 2 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris NA NA 2 American Robin Turdus migratorius NA NA 1 Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea NA Shrubland 1 Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata NA NA 1 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater NA NA 1 Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis NA Shrubland 1 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea NA Shrubland 1 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura NA NA 1 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor NA NA 1 American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos NA NA Inc. Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula Regional NA Inc. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus NA NA Inc. Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata NA NA Inc. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea NA NA Inc. Canada Goose Branta canadensis NA NA Inc. Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis NA NA Inc. Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus NA NA Inc. Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum NA NA Inc. *Information on species of regional and continental conservation concern, or both (Reg./Con.), for both wintering and breeding bird species, was obtained from Partners in Flight ( **VWL target species are those that SCBI researchers have identified as dependent on grassland/shrubland habitats and therefore are important components of grassland communities. + Incidentals (Inc.) are species observed either before or after survey periods, outside the survey boundaries or observed as flyovers. Birds recorded as incidentals were not included in the final dataset for scientific analysis by SCBI. 6

7 Table 1: 2016 Breeding Bird Survey Results from MARE Center, continued. Common Name Genus Species Species of Concern* VWL Target Species** Occurrence (out of 9 point counts) + Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Regional NA Inc. Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina NA NA Inc. Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula NA NA Inc. Common Raven Corvus corax NA NA Inc. Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas NA Shrubland Inc. Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens NA NA Inc. Eastern Phoebe Sayornis pheobe NA NA Inc. Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus Regional Shrubland Inc. Eastern Wood-pewee Contopus virens Regional NA Inc. Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla Regional Shrubland Inc. Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus NA NA Inc. Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis NA NA Inc. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias NA NA Inc. Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus NA NA Inc. Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus NA NA Inc. House Sparrow Passer domesticus NA NA Inc. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus NA NA Inc. Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis NA NA Inc. Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Regional NA Inc. Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius NA NA Inc. Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus NA NA Inc. Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus NA NA Inc. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus NA NA Inc. Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus Continental NA Inc. Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus NA NA Inc. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis NA NA Inc. Rock Pigeon Columba livia NA NA Inc. *Information on species of regional and continental conservation concern, or both (Reg./Con.), for both wintering and breeding bird species, was obtained from Partners in Flight ( **VWL target species are those that SCBI researchers have identified as dependent on grassland/shrubland habitats and therefore are important components of grassland communities. + Incidentals (Inc.) are species observed either before or after survey periods, outside the survey boundaries or observed as flyovers. Birds recorded as incidentals were not included in the final dataset for scientific analysis by SCBI. 7

8 Table 1: 2016 Breeding Bird Survey Results from MARE Center, continued. Common Name Genus Species Species of Concern* VWL Target Species** Occurrence (out of 9 point counts) + Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris NA NA Inc. Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia NA NA Inc. Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor NA NA Inc. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura NA NA Inc. White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis NA NA Inc. White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus NA Shrubland Inc. Yellow- Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata NA NA Inc. Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia NA NA Inc. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Regional Shrubland Inc. Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Regional Shrubland Inc. *Information on species of regional and continental conservation concern, or both (Reg./Con.), for both wintering and breeding bird species, was obtained from Partners in Flight ( **VWL target species are those that SCBI researchers have identified as dependent on grassland/shrubland habitats and therefore are important components of grassland communities. + Incidentals (Inc.) are species observed either before or after survey periods, outside the survey boundaries or observed as flyovers. Birds recorded as incidentals were not included in the final dataset for scientific analysis by SCBI. 8

9 MAMMAL SURVEY Table 2: 2016 Mammal Survey Results from MARE Center. Recorded in rank order of relative abundance for wildlife detected with camera traps on your property. Common Name Genus Species Number of Detections* Relative Abundance** White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis American Black Bear Ursus americanus Woodchuck Marmota monax *A detection is defined as the event of a camera-trap being triggered by a passing animal. This does not represent total number of photos or individual animals at a survey site. **Relative abundance refers to the frequency in which a certain species was detected by the camera trap. The number represents the frequency of camera detections (sequences of photos) per 100 trap days. Figure 2: Mammal Photo Highlights from MARE Center. White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus 9

10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Our volunteers play a vital role in the success of Virginia Working Landscapes, and to them we are grateful. The following VWL volunteers contributed their time and expertise to complete the surveys at MARE Center: Deborah Schram on mammals, and Philip Kenny and Russell Taylor on birds. Our hardworking volunteers were coordinated by Olivia Cosby and Amy Johnson. We would like to thank MARE Center for contributing to the efforts of Virginia Working Landscapes by allowing us to survey your property. The data we collect will allow us to inform sustainable management practices in the Northern Virginia region and further protect native wildlife. We look forward to working collaboratively well into the future! 10

11 VWL TEAM Data Collection and Management The following VWL interns, fellows, and staff contributed to the field surveys this year: Tom Akre, Sally Bowers, Justin Cooper, Olivia Cosby, Craig Fergus, Brandon Hayes, Jackie Jennings, Amy Johnson, Iara Lacher, Charlotte Lorick, Sarah Macey, Claire Martin, Bill McShea, Rachel Meulman, Avery Parmiter, Kyle Rhodes, Caroline Roberts, Linnea Stewart, and Daniela Wilner. Report Compilation This report was compiled by Melissa Fuerst. Photo by Charlotte Lorick. 11