October 1996

October 10, 1996
Dear SCAN members,

What a great trip we had to Dewees Island, Honey Hill Campground, and the Sewee Shell Midden! On Saturday we went by ferry to Dewees Island in Charleston County, privately-owned and never before visited by SCAN, where we all saw a lovely pink Roseate Spoonbill, a new bird for many, and always an unusual sighting in South Carolina. A Peregrine Falcon, also uncommon, was found resting on the beach quite close to the observers. the island included Atlantic beach with shells and crabs, marshland facing the bay, inland lagoons, and homes constructed with minimal impact on the maritime forest, and we had ample time to enjoy most of it.

Those camping at Honey Hill Campground in Francis Marion National Forest in Berkeley County saw swarms of termites emerging just after dawn from three half buried pieces of wood in impressive white clouds; the phenomenon lasted only a few minutes before all the termites had flown away to mate.

On Sunday we visited another site new to SCAN, the Sewee Shell Midden near Awendaw in Francis marion National Forest in Charleston County, where intriguing plants were found growing on the circle of oyster shells built by native Americans hundreds of years ago. These plants are found there because dissolved lime from the shells make the soil alkaline: Shell-mound Shrub, Sageretia minutiflora, and Eupatorium incarnatum. In the normal soil away from the mound were many flowers still blooming. A hickory Horned Devil caterpillar nearly 6 inches long with orange horns posed for photographers. Noteworthy flying fauna included another peregrine falcon, immature bald eagle, Monarch butterflies, and lots of salt march mosquitoes. Dee Hope, our Southern Regional Director, put this trip together, for which we extend our thanks and appreciation.

Come join us on the next rip to still another destination new to SCAN, the Rock Hill Blackjacks Heritage Preserve (details elsewhere in this newsletter).

Your President,
Jan Ciegler


BIRD FEEDER VISITOR: SCAN members are creative when it comes to finding ways to view wildlife. If you are mostly housebound, as are Pam and Howard Spencer these days, you set up feeders to bring the birds to you. Since they have access to large animal remains (son Crispin is a research vet), Pam and Howard feed vultures at their new home in Gainesville, FL. Recently they were visited by a more exciting scavenger…an adult bald eagle. It cautiously approached a backbone, eventually seizing it with one foot while ripping off meat with its beak. After about 30 minutes of feeding it flew off, but they are hoping it will return frequently. Not many of us can top that in our backyard!


ROCKHILL BLACKJACKS HERITAGE PRESERVE
OCTOBER 26, 1996Our October 26th field trip will take us to York County and the Rockhill Blackjacks Heritage Preserve. This 160 acre preserve is forested with blackjack oaks in glades where the soil is thin over gabbro rock. Granite outcrops with vernal pools similar to Forty Acre Rock are also on the preserve. There is a very diverse flora including the endangered sunflower, Helianthus schweinitzii, which should still be in bloom. There are no marked trails, so to get the flavor of the site we will walk in the open along a mowed right of way where the sunflower in found, then double back and go into the woods near the cars and on to the granite outcrops.

Meet (to be ready to start walking at 10:30 a.m. as usual) at the end of the street at the star on the map. We will be parking in front of occupied homes, so be considerate when you park. Insects are plentiful, so use repellant; plan to carry lunch and beverage. Many of us will go find a congenial restaurant at the end of the day. Why not plan to join us before you head home?

Directions: From Columbia, take I-77 north to SC 901 (Exit 73). Follow 901 north toward Rock Hill. After you pass Taylor’s Creek, a power line and a small subdivision, look for Glenarden Road. Turn right onto Glenarden and follow it until it deadends.

From Rock Hill, take SC 901 south for approximately 1/2 mile. Look for Glenarden Road on the left. Turn left onto Glenarden and follow it until it deadends.


Dewees Island Charleston County, SC
September 28, 1996

FLORA

Crustose Lichen
Graphina xylophaga
Graphis anfractuosa
Graphis lineola
Phaeographis inusta

Foliose Lichen
Myriotrema sp.

Crustose Lichen
Pertusaria texana
Pertusaria valliculata
Lecanora cupressi
Lecanora varia
Lecanora caesiorubella glaucomodes
Ochrolechia africana
Loxospora cismonica

Foliose Lichen
Parmotrema perforatum
Parmotrema praesorediosum
Parmotrema tinctorum
Canoparmelia caroliniana
Punctelia rudecta

Fruticose Lichen
Ramalina willeyi

Foliose Lichen
Dirinaria picta
Physcia aipolia
Physcia americana
Pyxine caesiopruinosa

Crustose lichen
Rinodina exigua
Rinodina sp.
Amandinea punctata
Arthonia quintaria
Lecanactis epileuca

Foliose Lichen
Cresponia sp.

Crustose Lichen
Opegrapha atra
Chrysothrix sp.

Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum
Resurrection Fern
Polypodium polypodioides

Pine
Pinus sp.

Eastern Red-cedar
Juniperus virginiana

Southern Red-cedar
Juniperus silicicola

Common Cat-tail
Typha latifolia

Salt Grass
Distichlis spicata*

Purple Top
Tridens flavus

Sand Grass
Triplasis purpurea

Sea Oats
Uniola paniculata

Finger Grass
Chloris petraea

Cord Grass
Spartina patens

Smooth Cord Grass
Spartina alterniflora

Giant Foxtail Grass
Setaria magna

Sandspur
Cenchrus tribuloides
Cenchrus sp.

Barnyard Grass
Echinochloa sp.

Seaside Panic Grass
Panicum amarum

White-bracted Sedge
Dichromena colorata

Fimbristylis spadicea

Cabbage Palmetto
Sabal palmetto

Spanish Moss
Tillandsia usneoides

Black Needle Rush
Juncus roemerianus

Fringed Greenbrier
Smilax bona-nox

Mound-lily Yucca
Yucca gloriosa

Beargrass
Yucca filamentosa filamentosa

Black Willow
Salix nigra

Wax Myrtle
Myrica cerifera

Live Oak
Quercus virginiana

Water Oak
Quercus nigra

Willow Oak
Quercus phellos

False Nettle
Boehmeria cylindrica

Polygonum sp.

Mexican-tea
Chenopodium ambrosioides

Glasswort
Salicornia sp.

Russian Thistle
Salsola kali

Pokeweed; Pokeberry
Phytolacca americana

Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora

Red Bay
Persea borbonia

Sea Rocket
Cakile sp.

Dewberry
Rubus trivialis

Beggar Lice
Desmodium sp.

Bush Clover
Lespedeza sp.

Sesbania exaltata

Butterfly Pea
Centrosema virginianum

Hercules’-Club
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Silverleaf Croton
Croton punctatus

Chinese Tallow Tree
Sapium sebiferum

Poison Ivy
Rhus radicans

Winged Sumac
Rhus copallina

American Holly
Ilex opaca

Yaupon
Ilex vomitoria

Muscadine
Vitis rotundifolia

Pepper-vine
Ampelopsis arborea

Seashore Mallow
Kosteletskya virginica

St. Andrew’s Cross
Hypericum hypericoides

Rockrose
Helianthemum sp.

Passion Flower; Maypops
Passiflora incarnata

Prickly Pear
Opuntia compressa

Cuphea carthagensis

Marsh Pennywort
Hydrocotyle umbellata

Dune Pennywort
Hydrocotyle bonariensis

Buckthorn
Bumelia tenax
Polypremum procumbens

Blue Vervain; Verbena
Verbena braziliensis

Fog Fruit
Lippia nodiflora

Beauty-berry
Callicarpa americana

Blue Curls
Trichostema dichotomum

Wood Sage; Germander
Teucrium canadense

Dotted Horsemint
Monarda punctata

Bacopa monnieri

Gerardia
Agalinis sp.

Bluet; White Houstonia
Houstonia procumbens

Creeping Cucumber
Melothria pendula

Marsh Elder
Iva frutescens

Beach Elder
Iva imbricata

Ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Dog-fennel
Eupatorium compositifolium
Climbing Hempweed
Mikania scandens

Camphorweed
Pluchea purpurascens

Rabbit Tobacco
Gnaphalium obtusifolium

Sea-Myrtle; Groundsel Tree
Baccharis halimifolia
Baccharis sp.

Horseweed; Hogweed
Erigeron canadensis canadensis

Salt-marsh Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens

Camphorweed
Heterotheca subaxillaris

Sea Ox-eye
Borrichia frutescens

Varnish Shelf
Ganoderma curtisii

FAUNA

Sea Whip
Leptogorgia virgulata

Knobbed Whelk
Busycon carica

Channeled Whelk
Busycon canaliculatum

Common Slipper Snail
Crepidula fornicata

Flat Slipper Snail
Crepidula plana

Marsh Periwinkle
Littorina irrorata

Lettered Olive
Oliva sayana

Southern Moon Snail
Polinices duplicatus

Oyster Drill
Urosalpinx cinerea

Calico Scallop
Aequipecten gibbus

Giant Atlantic Cockle
Dinocardium robustum

Transverse Ark
Anadara transversa

Angel Wing
Cyrtopleura costata

False Angel Wing
Petricola pholadiformis

Campeche Angel Wing
Pholas campechiensis
Jingle Shell
Anomia simplex

Sea Pen
Atrina sp.

Florida Coquina
Donax variabilis

Cat’s Paw; Kitten’s Paw
Plicatula gibbosa

Channeled Duck Clam
Raeta plicatella

Stout Tagelus
Tagelus plebeius

Disk Shell
Dosinia discus

Atlantic Razor Clam
Ensis directus

Eastern Oyster
Crassostrea virginica

Winged Pearl Oyster
Pteria colymbus

Spiny Feather-duster Worm
Hydroides dianthus

Purse Crab
Persephona punctata

Lady Crab
Ovalipes ocellatus

Ghost Crab
Ocypode quadrata

Mud or Marsh Fiddler Crab
Uca pugnax

Sand Fiddler Crab
Uca pugilator

Five-holed Keyhole Urchin
Mellita quinquiesperforat a
Jumping Spider
Phidippus audax

Field Cricket
Gryllus sp.

Lovebug*
Plecia nearctica

Four-spotted Pennant
Brachymesia gravida

Seaside Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax berenice

Common Whitetail
Libellula lydia

Wandering Glider
Pantala flavescens

Black-mantled Glider
Tramea lacerata

Roseate Skimmer
Orthemis ferruginea

Rambur’s Forktail Damselfly
Ischnura ramburii

Tiger Beetle
Cicindela punctulata

Palmetto Tortoise Beetle
Hemisphaerota cyanea

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae eubule

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus

Salt Marsh Skipper*
Panoquina panoquin

Puffer Fish; Globefish
Chilomycterus sp.

American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
Eastern Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getulus

Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps

Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis

Anhinga; Snakebird
Anhinga anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Nyctocorax violaceus

Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor

Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea

Snowy Egret
Egretta thula

Great Egret
Casmerodius albus

Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias

Wood Stork
Mycteria americana

White Ibis
Eudocimus albus

Roseate Spoonbill*
Ajaia ajaja

Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors

Clapper Rail
Rallus longirostris

Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus

American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus

Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus

Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola

Willet
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca

Sanderling
Calidris alba

Franklin’s Gull
Larus pipixcan
Laughing Gull
Larus atricilla

Bonaparte’s Gull
Larus philadelphia

Herring Gull
Larus argentatus

Royal Tern
Sterna maxima

Caspian Tern
Sterna caspia

Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Osprey
Pandion haliaetus

Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus

Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura

Belted Kingfisher
Ceryle alcyon

Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus

Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor

Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica

Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus

Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus

Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos

Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum

Prairie Warbler
Dendroica discolor

Yellow Warbler
Dendroica petechia

Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas

Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis

Rufous-sided Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus

Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major

House Sparrow
Passer domesticus

Marsh Rabbit
Sylvilagus palustris

Bottle-nosed Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus

Atmospheric Phenomenon
Aurora multicolorata rainboensis

*First Time Recorded

Note: This flora/fauna list is produced by the South Carolina Association of Naturalists, and is subject to revision as needed. Above list produced on October 9, 1996.