March 2021: Thawing Out (Fast)

As abruptly as "real winter" came, it went. We went from 6-8" of solid ice on Sandusky Bay in late February (with some starting to venture out onto the hardwater of the big lake) to completely open water in a matter of a week. All 31 days of the month held highs above freezing and temps soared into the 70s on a couple occasions. 

Nate's research has transitioned from trapping/tagging northern pike (2020) to tracking them (2021) using a portable receiver and multiple receivers scattered throughout the nearshore waters of the Western Basin. 

We are fortunate to have helped secure funding for three submerged tag receivers at Standing Rush (thank you, Office of Coastal Management!): one in the estuary (behind Nate in the image above), one in our Rest Pond (just on the marsh side of Structure 1), and one in our main West Marsh ("upstream" of Structure 2). These devices were deployed ahead of active spawning (late February) and will monitor and record any pike that swims by with an implanted tag. Each tag is fish-specific, so Nate will be able to see who swam by, when, and how often. 

This data will not be available until he retrieves the receivers in May, but his handheld unit gives him a glimpse into what may be going on beneath the surface of the water. It was a thrilling day in March when he detected a very large, tagged female that had made her way through Structure 1 and into the Rest Pond. Based on her movements, it was highly probable that she was spawning -- a practical victory that helps to justify all our efforts to get this new and improved water control structure installed.

It will be very interesting to see the balance of Nate's data and to continue to watch his research evolve. The plan is to deploy the receivers again next year, at least, so we will be able to continue to watch how northern pike are utilizing Standing Rush in the spring.

The spring thaw couldn't be all fun (chasing fish); but my hunch is Roy gets some annual satisfaction out of our selective prescribed burns -- nothing like watching a mass of invasive species disappear before your very eyes. (NOTE: We are very proactive with our local fire departments. They are always informed before we plan to burn, and they are generally very supportive of our efforts.)

A decent "before" (right) and "after" (left) showing the instant impact of burning the narrow ribbons of Phragmites that grow along many of our dikes. Again, we do this selectively, mainly to assess the condition of the dike slope and to improve visibility within and across management units.

Burning Phrag looks dramatic, but it tends to burn itself out fast, particularly when there is only one year's worth of "fuel" (dead stalks and stems). The key is picking the day when the humidity, ground moisture, and wind are all right. Clearly, this is not to be attempted without training and experience.

April 2020: More Northern Fun, Assessing Winter Damage & Welcoming Spring

Management and wildlife highlights from this month included the following:

In addition to Roy's regular updates and photo-documentation, images from the property's multiple motioned-triggered trail cameras offer regular -- and refreshingly candid -- glimpses of activity on
and around the marsh (like this awesome impression of a Northern Flicker).

Northern pike trapping and tagging continued; 12 individuals were fitted with transmitters at Standing Rush by BGSU with initial assistance from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. This ~37" female was among the biggest of the 54 individuals tagged in all of the Western Basin of Lake Erie as part of this study.

Individual fish are carefully handled for the brief period leading up to and following their surgical procedure. The transmitter is about half the size of a AA battery, should have a 2-3 year lifespan, and then will ultimately reside harmlessly inside the body cavity. 

2-3 sutures and its time for release.

Management Priority #1:
A bent screw gate on the bayfront dike of the West Marsh
(lower left) was an early discovery after ice-out.

Within a week, Roy had a new gate fitted on the interior side
of the same pipe (insuring that even if the bent gate leaked,
the West Marsh would not inadvertently flood)

Management Priority: Poison Hemlock Spraying;
always scary when a plant gets a jump-start on Phragmites!
We're finding this new invasive is one of the first to green-up.

Management Priority: Phragmites Burning;
we are selective in what and where we burn, but this spring
practice gives us a much better feel for the condition of the
dike hidden beneath last year's growth.

Dike erosion has been a reality, especially amidst
continued historic high water levels
(extremely high water in the lake and bay often
forces managers to keep water levels higher
within the marsh to reduce damaging head pressure).

Spot repairs as part of ongoing dike maintenance gave us the
opportunity to experiment with some pretty versatile track trucks.

And Roy's make-shift stone grading drag proved to be just the
ticket to get the top of dike ready for easy management access.

Wherever we can afford to keep water levels low within the marsh this time of year -- or nearly 
any time of year, for that matter -- shorebirds (like these Lesser Yellowlegs) are sure to find it.

Marsh Mystery: What chewed the entire topside off this sizable willow branch, that in places 
extends 5' or more off the water?

Our guess would be a groundhog, but muskrat or beaver
are not out of the question.