This is an article that talks about studies finding that faster-growing
vines (presumably from increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere) are
affecting forest regeneration:
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
On Thu, Oct 3, 2024 at 12:16 PM Marilyn Westphal <mjwestph...>
wrote:
> Yes, Nate, that was kind of my point. I was just trying to clarify that
> the birds aren’t more attracted to those “traps,” just the birders are
> because they are more accessible and there are more clearings so that
> viewing is easier.
> I absolutely agree about the vine issue. Some of those open areas get
> decimated especially by kudzu. There are even teams of volunteers working
> diligently in some of those natural areas to try to keep the kudzu back.
> It takes over and covers everything, not only the trees, but the native
> wildflowers.
> Marilyn
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Oct 3, 2024, at 8:43 AM, Nate Dias <offshorebirder...> wrote:
>
>
> I was not worried so much about the birds Marilyn - but rather the quality
> of the habitat at certain migrant traps that are consistently productive
> for close observation and photography. The tupelos, Mulberries and
> virginia creeper-laden and grape-laden, etc. trees are a big part of the
> migrant traps' 'holding power' and they help birders get looks at birds as
> the birds swashbuckle around eating fruits.
>
> I like to get longer, better, and repeated looks (and photo opportunities)
> at migrants at sites with edge habitat, vine tangles and early successional
> habitat in a mix - versus the birding experience of "glimpse it for a few
> seconds and then it's gone forever" so common at ridgetop migration birding
> spots - not my cup of tea at all. And sure, forest canopies provide
> great food and habitat for migrating birds, but they do not often lead to
> good close observation and photo opportunities.
>
> I and others have routes where there are 4-5 of these edge habitat migrant
> traps (often along waterways) within close proximity so you can make a
> circuit and work them in a morning's birding. The Walcott Tract is one of
> them.
>
> Wayne - I completely agree that native vine tangles are great places for
> migrating birds and birders. They have abundant fruit and insects to eat,
> as well as good cover. But in SOME cases, vines that gain the upper hand
> in an area can prevent forest succession from taking place. For example:
> in a clearing at Santee NWR at the Bluff Unit (usually referred to as the
> vine tangle) , ever since Hurricane Hugo knocked down most of the trees and
> created a clearing in 1989, new saplings have been unable to make it to
> maturity since vines smother them before they get tall enough to shade the
> vine competition. There are a handful of taller / medium sized trees that
> made it through Hugo but over time they are getting degraded and smothered
> by the vines - and no replacement trees survive for very long. Once in a
> while there is a windstorm strong enough to rip some vines off trees
> without taking out the trees, but this is usually a delaying action and the
> vines come back and eventually gain the upper hand. Besides the 'vine
> tangle', vines are also taking over and preventing trees from reaching
> maturity around the Ft. Watson Indian Mound at Santee NWR. I could list
> many more examples.
>
> There are also areas at the Walcott Tract where vines (some non-native)
> are overwhelming trees including Tupelos with valuable drupes. Week before
> last we were enjoying many thrushes, Grosbeaks and Tanagers in a couple of
> Tupelo trees that were in the process of succumbing to vines. But the
> trees were up steep brushy slopes (in the microburst storm area) and would
> be hard to access to do vine control work.
>
> Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC
>
> --
> flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder2
>
> "These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands
> more skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
> shot." -- Bror Blixen
>
> On Thu, Oct 3, 2024 at 8:03 AM Marilyn Westphal <mjwestph...>
> wrote:
>
>> I don’t think you have to worry so much about the birds. I think the
>> “migrant traps,” at least in WNC where the forests are so vast, are more
>> traps for birders than birds. The migratory birds that pass through WNC
>> are largely forest birds and, although an astounding number of trees have
>> come down everywhere, the forest stays largely intact. I can look up and
>> see the Pisgah Forest from where I am. It’s still there. It’s the
>> openings in the forest and the ridge lines that suffer the most and, no
>> doubt new openings have been created, but the forest is there and the birds
>> are coming through.
>> I’m guessing that the Blue Ridge Parkway is a mess and it will be a long
>> time before it reopens again. So, although many of our favorite birding
>> areas are badly damaged, the birds still have vast areas to move through.
>> For birders, besides the Blue Ridge Parkway and Chimney Rock (I have
>> heard rumors that even the course of the Rocky Broad River has changed), I
>> have heard that many sections of Green River Cove Rd are obliterated, and
>> no doubt many, if not most, of the forest service roads are severely
>> damaged by flooding and fallen trees. That is probably true with some of
>> our favorite local parks as well since rivers run through many of them.
>> It’s still hard to get around many places here, so hard to say.
>> Unfortunately, most of our larger cities and towns are along rivers as
>> well, which is why there is so much devastation here.
>> For N.C. Bird Atlas managers, please note that some priority blocks will
>> likely remain largely inaccessible for quite a long while.
>> Marilyn
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Sep 30, 2024, at 4:33 PM, Wayne Hoffman <carolinabirds...>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi, Nate -
>>
>> Obviously, a storm like Helene can cause great changes to landscapes, and
>> I agree that excess CO2 is a threat to all of nature and civilization.
>> However, I would like to respond to your comments about the ascendancy of
>> vines: Many of the native vines in this area provide high-quality food to
>> fall migrant birds, including your triple digit thrushes and grosbeaks.
>> When I go looking for these birds in fall migration I look for fruit
>> (berries). The various species of wild grapes and grape relatives,
>> Pokeweed berries, etc. are important to them. I love Long-leaf Pine
>> habitats, but when I am looking for migrant thrushes I head for
>> vine-tangled hardwood stands.
>>
>> Wayne Hoffman
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From: *"Nate Dias" <carolinabirds...>
>> *To: *"CarolinaBirds" <carolinabirds...>
>> *Sent: *Monday, September 30, 2024 1:42:47 PM
>> *Subject: *Storm damage - Walcott Tract got walloped
>>
>> I am afraid that a lot of our treasured birding spots were severely
>> degraded by the recent storm.
>>
>> A friend of mine lives across the Green River from the Walcott Tract of
>> the Green River Game Lands. He texted me a photo - heartbreaking. Weekend
>> before last I had 13 species of Warblers, 4 species of Thrushes (triple
>> digit individuals) and lots of RB Grosbeaks there with JB Hines, Roger
>> Smith, Brad Dalton, and John Cox.
>>
>> The Walcott Tract had a section of forest destroyed a few years ago by a
>> microburst associated with a passing storm. But this damage is even
>> worse. And when clearings get made now, vines t ake over and make it hard
>> for trees to restore the canopy. I read somewhere that with all the extra
>> CO2 in the atmosphere now, vines have the upper hand in the arms race with
>> woody plants.
>>
>> I am also worried about other riverside birding spots / migrant traps in
>> the mountains, foothills and piedmont. Not to mention the roads and
>> bridges needed to reach them.
>>
>> Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC
>>
>> --
>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder2/__;!!OToaGQ!oNupFCVRdbMfUCTz_24Zh5bLRI6eFSf9IOY4DiasI1utNqDVmzwT_c-LtAATue1jHV90IshWge__m4inzwtZAOjWy2o5$ >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder2/__;!!OToaGQ!pUJg63HdcA2VfaVE5lUPvuF_Gu-o8ImMHv__BrUz35aIjcmDMlbFGWrdGrp8tvZ-PEn7JET2xYG08i31Iefa2DXMFt8j$> >>
>> "These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands
>> more skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
>> shot." -- Bror Blixen
>>
>>
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
