Last week, I trapped and banded 1 hatch-year mourning dove over 3 days of trapping (if I had been attempting to capture mockingbirds or brown-headed cowbirds, I would have considered the week quite fruitful). To maximize dove captures and minimize bycatch, I measured the pronged openings of the two traps that have so far been successful for doves and adjusted the other traps to match. Hopefully, this week will see more banding progress.
An aerial spray for mesquite control was conducted early Wednesday morning in the southwest corner of the farm, so on Friday, Ryan provided me with training on how to safely and effectively mix and apply chemicals, specifically Sendero for mesquite control, and we half-filled a 25-gallon spray tank that was loaded on the back of the 4-wheeler. I spent the morning applying Sendero, using the leaf spray method on individual plants in sections not targeted by the aerial spray. This week will involve more individual plant treatment to fully cover the target area, as well as an assessment of the extent of coverage of the aerial spray (see photo).
I am in the planning stages of a reptile an
d amphibian (herp) sampling project that will start with coverboards, and will eventually include turtle traps and various nighttime surveys, and possibly some combination of other traps. To begin, I will be placing 4-board arrays at various points across the farm, with each array consisting of two plywood boards and two roofing tin sections of equal size, all set in a square formation and equidistant from each other. The sites will reflect the variety of habitats to be found at the farm, from bottomland waterways to upland grazing pastures, as well as areas that are expected to experience significant change over time, such as the pastures scheduled for native grassland reintroduction. I expect to start placing coverboards very soon and will include updates here accordingly.
Dani Miller
Wildlife Biologist
Stiles Farm Foundation