Two of the four burrfish in my home aquarium. (photo: B. Morrison)

The striped burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfii) is striking in its appearance, with the body being light tan to yellow-brown above and white to yellowish and sometimes blackish below, and is covered with fixed and erect spines that give the animal the name burrfish.  The spines are sometimes bright orange.  Dark and wavy lines cover the sides of the body and most individuals also have large dark spots. Burrfish are in the diodontid family, along with other pufferfish.  The striped burrfish has a defense system in the form of an organ known as a buccal pump which allows it to inflate its body considerably when threatened to minimize the risk of predation.  These fish can be found as far north as Nova Scotia, although it is uncommon north of North Carolina.  To the south, it occurs throughout the Florida coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and further south to Brazil.  Individuals can grow to reach a body length of 25 cm.  As a species, burrfish are hardy and may persist in water with a salt content of less than 7 ppt to as much as 47 ppt and tolerate a broad range of temperatures.  Juveniles and adults have been collected far upstream within rivers and bays.  They can be easily found off docks and floating at the surface of tidal creeks as juveniles in the warmer months.  They are not as common in the pet trade as other puffers, but burrfish are excellent aquarium fish.  Striped burrfish are predators on a variety of benthic invertebrates, including crabs, shrimp, mussels, miscellaneous crustaceans, and even sea whips and amphipods.

(photo by P. Lourenco)

Pied-billed Grebes are a fairly common wintering bird on Little St Simons, and are often seen swimming and diving in the island’s ponds and creeks.  While grebes may superficially resemble loons, DNA evidence suggests they are more closely related to pelicans, petrels and storks, but at a very ancient point in their phylogeny.  Fossils of modern grebes have been found in Chili from as long as 30 million years ago.  Grebes are well adapted to swimming and diving, usually chasing prey underwater.  They have lobed toes rather than webbed feet like ducks, and rarely spend time on dry land. 

(Preening, shows lobed foot, www.aviansources.com)

 Small grebes, like Pied-billed Grebes, eat smaller prey such as aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans and little fish.  Interestingly, many grebes will also ingest their own feathers, although larger fish-eating grebes do this more often than others.  It is thought that the feathers may protect the stomach from damage by fish bones or other hard items that the bird may have consumed.   It is often common for Pied-billed Grebes to submerge themselves when they feel threatened.  They can literally sink themselves from a resting position by contracting their abdominal muscles, compressing their plumage and exhaling.  By adjusting their buoyancy, it is possible for them to remain below the surface with only their heads visible. 

Female grebe with chick, by Joe Kegley

Pied-billed Grebes are much more common in the winter, but some reports of breeding grebes have been documented in the coastal plain.  Nests are built on floating mats of vegetation in the spring, and they usually lay 5-6 eggs.  Both adults incubate the eggs but after hatching the chicks will often ride on the back of their mother, usually concealed by her wings.  The population of this species appears to be stable, but there is a concern of loss of habitats as many wetlands are developed and altered.

Aside from the blooming Muhley grass and the huge swarms of tree swallows we see in the fall, another exciting seasonal indicator is the return of the Northern Harrier.  These hawks are relatively easy to identify as they swoop low over the marshes, with long wings and a long tail.  A white patch just above the tail is often visible.  Male harriers are a pale silver color, while the females are dark brown and significantly larger than the males.  Interestingly, we tend to see many more females than males on Little St. Simons Island. 

Harriers hunt for a variety of animals including small mammals, birds, and reptiles and even eat carrion occasionally.  Unlike many other birds of prey, these hawks have owl-like facial disks which help them use sound to locate prey.  They also have very soft feathers to aid in quiet flight. 

Their breeding range extends throughout the most northern states and into Canada, where they nest on the ground in dense grass or thick vegetation.  Most birds migrate and spend the winter throughout the southern U.S. and into Central America.  While they have experienced some declines in population, the harrier is not considered a species of high conservation concern.

At first sight, most people would assume that any of the several species of glass lizards are actually snakes. In fact, another common name for these strange reptiles is glass snakes. They are also known, more accurately, as legless lizards.

The most immediately obvious feature of these critters is their lack of legs, which leaves them well suited to a lifestyle of burrowing and crawling through soil and leaf litter in search of invertebrates and other ground-dwelling animals. Indeed, they seem quite snake-like as they crawl around the forest floor. Closer examination, however, reveals a few key differences: for starters, glass lizards move with a stiffer motion, never quite able to master the smooth slithering of snakes. They also posses external ear openings, moveable eyelids, and a long groove along the length of the body, none of which are found in snakes. Perhaps their greatest difference, however, is their ability to break off and regrow their tails at will, allowing them to escape from predators with ease – provided they don’t get grabbed by the head.

 Of Georgia’s four glass lizard species, two – the Eastern and Island – are found on Little St. Simons Island. The Eastern Glass Lizard is the largest (up to 42 inches in length) and most commonly encountered. It ranges across the coastal plain and lower Piedmont of the southeastern US, but seems most abundant immediately adjacent to the coast. They can occasionally be found in good numbers along marsh edge and dune habitat.

Island Glass Lizard, Ophisaurus compressus, photographed on LSSI in April 2011.

While the Eastern Glass Lizard is secretive, the Island Glass Lizard can be considered truly rare. Only one or two are sighted on the island per year. It is a much smaller species, maxing out just short of two feet in length. Oddly, it has lost the ability to break off and regenerate its tail. It can be distinguished by the solid black stripe running the length of its otherwise unpatterned yellow body. Little St. Simons is one of just a few places where numerous Island Glass Lizards have been found, but it remains the most poorly understood vertebrate species on the island.

Muhlenbergia filipes, also known as sweetgrass or muhley grass, is a native, perennial grass found growing sparsely in the coastal dunes extending from North Carolina to Texas.  Sweetgrass prefers full sun and sandy soil, usually growing in bands about 50 to 75 m from the mean high tide line in undulating sand dunes behind the first dunes along the ocean.  Also, plants are found growing on well-drained, sandy uplands bordering brackish marshes and in open maritime forests.  African Americans from the Gullah tradition of the Lowcountry have used this plant for centuries to make their renowned sweetgrass baskets.  The baskets are nearly identical to those made hundreds of years ago in the West African rice culture whose traditions have been passed on in families from generation to generation, and is a glimpse into living history.  Muhley grass provides important food and habitat for much of the island’s small mammal populations including mice, rats, and marsh rabbits.  It is also an important area for birds, reptiles, and other plant species.  Due to coastal development, much of this habitat has been lost and has been designated a N2 (or imperiled) status by NatureServe.  This plant which flowers from September through November, but peaks in October, produces a beautiful pinkish-purple haze throughout much of the islands’ open grasslands.  Little St. Simon’s Island has great examples of this plant community along Sancho Panza and to the North and South of Beach Road.

Throughout most of the fall, we are treated to a spectacular show as thousands of tree swallows congregate during their migration.  Tree swallows, like all other swallows, feed primarily on insects captured as they fly.  They have short wide bills which open into gaping mouths, well suited for scooping insects out of the air.  However, unlike other swallows, the tree swallow will also eat berries.  On Little St Simons Island, their activity peaks during October, and we will commonly seen huge flocks feeding together on wax myrtle berries.  Berries and other plant material may make up to 20% of this species’ diet, especially during the winter when insects are scarce.  Tree swallows breed throughout much of northern North America and winter farther north than any other species of swallow.  Their wintering range includes coastal Georgia, Florida and south into Central America.  They migrate in huge flocks, primarily by day.  We will see them again as they head north in March and throughout the spring.  Keep an eye out for them along Beach Road and near Sancho Panza beach—anywhere there are dense stands of wax myrtle there may be clouds of tree swallows!

Fall migration has begun!  We’ve started to see many shorebirds returning to the beaches.  Some, like the American Oystercatchers, may spend the whole winter with us.  Other species may only spend a short period of time before continuing to move south.  The earliest of our migrating warblers have started to appear as well.  Yesterday several of us were treated to a flashy presentation by a male Redstart.  To celebrate the migration season, we are excited to announce our Fall Birding Days.  Every fall and spring, we invite all birding enthusiasts to join us on the island for several days focused primarily on migration and birding. 

This season we are hosting several great guest ornithologists, including Giff Beaton and Dr. Bob Cooper.  Giff is an avid birder from the Atlanta area, and has a gift for making confusing fall warblers much less confusing.  Going out  in the field with Giff will be an educational and fun opportunity.  Dr. Cooper will be on the island at the beginning of the week and we are looking forward to his interesting talks after dinner.  The dates for our Fall Birding Days are September 26^th – October 6^th and we encourage any interested birders to call our reservationists soon at (888) 733 – 5774.

If you are more interested in the Spring migrants we have set aside April 11^th-19^th to celebrate the northern migration.  We will have a variety of exciting guest ornithologists in the spring, including Scott Weidensaul.  Scott is a fantastic speaker and author.  He’s written quite a few compelling books including Living on the Wind and The Ghost with Trembling Wings.  We will keep you updated as we line up more of our guest speakers for the spring!

Last month while hosting cocktail hour some of our guests reported an injured bat at the pool.  We went to the pool to look for the bat and found it hanging on the pools’ gate. We watched it fly up into a clump of Spanish moss and at a quick glance- considering its size and coloration, my immediate reaction was “Yellow Bat!”After quickly explaining the significance of potentially finding a Northern Yellow Bat, my very enthusiastic guest companions helped me photograph it. I sent the pictures to Georgia’s Non-Game DNR Bat Biologist, Trina Morris and she confirmed that it was indeed a Yellow Bat! This is a significant find considering that it is only our second documentation of a Yellow Bat on Little St. Simons Island.  The first documentation was in May 2010 when GA Non-Game DNR captured one in a mist net.

Northern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius) in the Spanish moss. August 2011.

Northern Yellow Bat May 2010

Little is known about Yellow Bats in Georgia and biologists are working to obtain more information. The Yellow Bat is known to use Spanish moss as a roosting location. Biologists believe that their preferred habitat is old growth maritime forest, which has the highest density of Spanish moss, and hope that more data about the species may be gathered by mist netting on LSSI and Georgia’s other barrier islands.  Mist netting is a way to capture bats in an effort to determine local species diversity, population size and health. A large nylon net is raised, usually over a small area of fresh water, using a pulley system on two metal poles. When the bats fly over the water to drink the idea is for them to get entangled in the net. Nets are periodically checked by biologists for bats, when a bat is caught, the net is lowered and the bat is carefully removed. Species, weight, sex, gestational stage (if pregnant or lactating), and an age estimate are some information gathered when bats are in hand. We are looking forward to working more Nongame DNR on surveys and research on the island and hope that through this we are able to learn more about the Northern Yellow Bat in coastal Georgia.

Bats are fascinating and especially valuable in helping to control insect populations. Bats should be given the same respect as other wild animals and should only be handled by professionals. If you find a bat that you believe is injured in your home or yard, please contact a wildlife professional for help. If a seemingly healthy bat finds itself trapped in your home try opening your doors and windows to provide an escape route. Like other wild mammals never pick up a bat. Thank you to the Odea Family who were so helpful in reporting and photographing the Yellow Bat!

A natural nest with real eggs and a manipulated nest with wooden eggs

This is the third year for the incubation project.  Previous research has shown that the incubation period is most critical for oystercatchers, and that it’s during that period when most nests are lost.  The American Oystercatcher is listed as a threatened species here in Georgia, and so efforts like this are critical to help increase the population of these striking beach nesting birds. 

Chicks returned to a nest

After the chicks hatch in the incubator, we return them to their parents on the beach, and then monitor their survival.  When they are about 35 days old, we capture them so that we can band them, as well as record important information like size and weight.  We hope to catch the chicks before they can fly, but they have to be big enough to wear the leg bands.  The band will allow us to identify an individual bird throughout its entire life!  It can be tricky to catch these babies—they run fast, and sometimes they’ll even try to swim to get away.  Once we have them, they calm down, and we work quickly to return them to their parents.  The reunion is wonderful to witness as the chicks run back to their parents and get away from us!

Banding a chick

This morning we banded two more chicks from natural, un-manipulated nests.  Right now, we have a total of eight banded chicks on the beach.  Many of them are near fledging, which means they are learning to fly.  It’s great to watch throughout the season as the little fluff balls we take out to the beach bond with their parents and rapidly grow, lose their fuzzy camouflage, get adults feathers, and then take flight!

A newly banded chick running back to it's parents

Several days ago I set out with a small group of guests for what I expected would be a routine day of seining and surf fishing. While I pulled the seine net along the shoreline, I expected to bring in an assortment of small fish, crabs, and marine invertebrates.  I was hoping for something special like a bonnethead shark or a large redfish. The last thing I expected to hear when I finally dragged the net ashore were shouts of  “A turtle! A turtle!”

Sure enough, a small juvenile sea turtle was kicking and straining against the net. He was only slightly larger than a dinner plate, making him just a few years old (Loggerhead Sea Turtles can take up to 35 years to reach maturity). Everyone enjoyed an up close look at the very surprised turtle, and I quickly returned it to the water, where it rapidly swam back to deeper water.

Juvenile sea turtles of several species routinely visit Georgia’s inshore waters during the warmer months, foraging in our nutrient rich creeks, rivers, and shoals. It therefore wasn’t a complete shock to find one so close to the beach, but it was still unusual – turtles typically would be expected to shy away from such a slow moving net, and in fact, this was the first time one had been captured in years of seining on Little St Simons Island.

So imagine my surprise when, just a few days later, on another seining excursion, the net was hauled in to reveal another juvenile sea turtle! On closer inspection, it turned out to be the same individual. By now ‘puzzled’ and ‘concerned’ joined ’surprised’ on the list of emotions running through my head.  Catching the same turtle twice in a short period of time didn’t strike me as a promising sign. A closer look at the turtle revealed several scrapes and cuts on the shell, some of which were still lightly bleeding. I also made a discovery that had escaped my notice the first time around. In my haste to return the turtle to the water, I’d completely overlooked that the little guy was no loggerhead at all, but a rare Kemp’s Ridley.

The Kemp’s Ridley may be the rarest sea turtle in the world. It certainly has the most restricted nesting range – until recently, just a single beach on the Gulf coast of Mexico. As recently as the mid-20th century, they nested in spectacular events called arribadas (Spanish for “arrival”), where thousands of turtles would simultaneously nest in broad daylight. However, as word of the location of the nesting sites spread, poaching of eggs and adults took a toll, leaving as few as 200 adults nesting a year – down from as many as 42,000 in a single day in 1947! Now, the population is slowly recovering, with around 8,000 nests per year.

Unlike our more familiar loggerheads, the Kemp’s Ridley is not know to nest in Georgia, though a handful of nests have been recorded in the Carolinas and Atlantic coast of Florida. The vast majority of the population may never leave the Gulf of Mexico. However, juveniles will often get carried by offshore currents out of the Gulf and into the Gulf Stream, where they arrive in Georgia’s nearshore waters. These young individuals will stay in our area for some time, feeding on crabs and other marine life before returning to Mexico to breed.

Given the condition of the individual in our hands and the overall rarity of the species, we decided to take no chances with its health. Fortunately, nearby Jekyll Island is home to a state-of-the-art sea turtle hospital and research institute. After a couple phone calls, the staff of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center arranged to meet us on St. Simons to take the turtle to their facility. After quick truck and boat rides, the turtle was soon in the capable hands of the Turtle Center.

At last report, the turtle was doing well and seemed to be in good health. He was eating readily and soon should be ready to be returned to the ocean. We’ll keep everybody updated on his status as we hear more from Jekyll!

Photos courtesy of Robin Lacey