Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust: NET1

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Hellen Creek Preserve Spring 2008

     This has to have been one of the wettest springs in years. After an initial early showing for migrating songbirds, the rain set in and the numbers slowed down. The Preserve’s hummingbirds are back as are the ovenbirds, tanagers, brown thrashers, flycatchers, and our year round resident cardinals, chickadees, titmouse, and wrens. We periodically see the eagle(s) down at the creek or high overhead, although vultures are more common. The red-shouldered hawk visits the creek too and the yard as well, maybe looking for the voles that came for our sunflower seeds this winter. Rabbits regularly visit the yard for the grass, while squirrels dig up new plants and investigate other possible treats. We spotted an opossum asleep near a nest up a tree. Deer and their sign are abundant (even with our hunting program). So far they haven’t eaten any of the new flowers and shrubs. We have gray fox and a neighbor described a coyote sighting near TNC’s Hemlock preserve. Muskrat are upstream in the marsh and river otters visit our creek property.

     We have had a good deal of human visitation as well with a Memorial Day cookout for education committee, volunteers, and neighbors. Fifteen two-legs and Louie our four legged canine guest joined us for tradition Memorial Day fare of hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs, and chicken. Over forty Audubon members joined us the next Sunday for their annual picnic. Our new picnic table put together by my wife Joanne with my help and our new donated recycling bins came in very handy. The group’s awarded conservationist of the year to Dudley Lindsley. Her many years of service to a large number (including MCC, Sierra, and our education committee) of efforts made this award particularly appropriate.

Summer 2007 at Hellen Creek

     As with most of Maryland the summer of 2007 has been hot and dry. This year was the second of our two year Landowner Incentive Program grant. We continued the invasive removal efforts (third year of our five year plan) on the Preserve. Areas cleared in 2005 and 2006 were monitored for the return of any invasive plants and there was another planting of native shrubs. The new areas cleared of invasive plants have been along Clifton Road and two interior plots. Both of the interior plots are located off the power line corridor. Wine berry in particular finds its way into any disturbed area. Tree of heaven (a misnomer if ever there was one) is also very aggressive in invading these areas.

     Much of the restoration work was done during our spring and summer workday, utilizing funding a mini-grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Shrubs and wildflowers were planted near the open areas around the office and several raised beds were established. Both seedlings from the cold frame and direct seed dispersal were used in the beds. Coreopsis, asters, cardinal flower, dames rocket, blue flax, lupine, baby’s breathe, cornflower, gaillardia, bee balm, purple coneflower and wild cosmos are among some of the blooming plants this year. The butterfly weed located near the entrance has spread and the blooms lasted over three weeks.

     Two hundred square feet of streamside was planted with turtlehead, jack in the pulpit, and mayapple. They were enclosed by fencing to allow fro their establishment before becoming fodder for the deer. One of the exclosures was breeched and several of the turtlehead were severely damaged. The drought was not kind to these plants either. Although the planting area is a traditionally wet area with lots of shade, several plants succumbed to the heat. The one plant which has thrived from previous years is the blue flag. Perhaps these are not on the menu for our overabundant deer population.

     Research into the hemlock population started this year with a visit from Chris Bernhardt from the University of Pennsylvania. Tree coring and creek sediment coring will help to determine the age of the stand and perhaps give us some clues as the origin of large hemlock population. The trees are still showing signs of infection. We hope to have treatment done on them this year, but the Maryland state budget and problems with other tree species have delayed this work.

     We have been working with the Master Gardener program in Calvert County in establishing our restoration plan. Judy Kay has made several visits and the yard was certified as Bay Wise in July. We will work with this group in distributing plants at Patuxent River Appreciation Days this fall.

     Outreach and environmental education continue to be a part of the summer schedule, although summer camp requests were down from 2006. This time was taken up by a request from Patuxent River Naval Air Station for assistance with their breeding bird banding program. The possibility of establsihng a banding station on the Preserve will be considered for 2008.

     One of the delights of enriching the habitat has been the increase in visitation from wildlife to the office. While we have seen opossum, raccoon, groundhog, deer, and squirrels, we haven’t seen the reported coyote yet. Butterflies and other pollinators are enjoying the wildflowers as are the two families of hummingbirds. Ovenbird, wood thrush, great crested flycatcher, and brown thrashers are regulars at the flower beds checking for seed and insects. Our five-lined skink population is thriving as well establishing their territories by the water bucket, entry way, and around the shed.

     The stair repair work from 2006 is holding up well. We have held several nature walks and continue to offer volunteer opportunities. Once again our most diligent volunteer has been Mel Longfield who was instrumental in planning and executing the stair work. Mel and his Rose continue to “survey” the fish population on the creek as well.

Hellen Creek Preserve 2006

Projects

     Two major projects were pursued on the Preserve in 2006. We entered the second year of our five year invasive removal program. This year we were able to finance the efforts with a grant (Landowner Incentive Program) and purchased equipment, plants, and garden supplies. Approximately $950 of the $1,823 grant was spent in 2006. Three public workdays were held and seven volunteers put in time during those events. Areas cleared in 2005 were monitored with very little additional removal necessary. The areas cleared in 2006 were primarily located along the opening where the old house was removed. This uncovered several trash middens located along the edges where the land falls off (usually backlogged by a large log). We removed over 100 pounds of glass and metal, with several large pieces still to be removed.

     While wine berry continues to be our primary target, multi flora rose and tree of heaven was also the object of removal efforts. Roundup was used on upland areas in no wind days to treat the vine and when it could be reached cutting at the base and spraying were also employed. Tree of heaven was uprooted when possible; otherwise it was cut at the base and painted with a brush killer. The major area for this work was off of Clifton Drive where a major inroad had been established 100 yards into the interior.

     Other areas of the property are not as heavily impacted by invasive plants (the one exception being the one acre parcel on Hilltop). Invasive plants seem to follow human made openings on this property. You will find them along the edges but not in the interior, unless an old dwelling or opening is there. The Hemlock Preserve is even more pristine.

     The second major project for 2006 was funded by a grant from the American Hiking Society. We spent all $415 to buy lumber, nails, preservative, and equipment to repair the broken down stairs leading to Hellen Creek. The earthen stairs had rotted wood, exposed rebar and rusty EMT pipe, waiting to trip you. The stairs were no longer steps, but had slumped into a slope. In short they were useless and nearly unusable. The finished project has leveled the steps, replaced rotted wood with new logs, covered the exposed metal, and added a railing. The work would not have been possible without the suggestions and work of a dedicated volunteer, Mel Longfield.

Visitation

     Several groups visited the property for outings and trips during 2006. There were two field trips for the Maryland Native Plant Society, two outings for Sierra Club, and several nature walks hosted by the trust. Board members and those who have joined us on past excursions are welcome to visit the grounds at any time and bring guests (Mike Rudy before joining use on the board has taken advantage of this opportunity). Please do call before coming to be certain that the trails are open and that no other conflicting activities are taking place. Currently the trail to Hellen Creek is the easiest to use. There is also a flagged side trail that parallels the stream along the upland and returns to the Hellen Creek trail.

Monitoring

     The property was regularly walked and no signs of any intrusion were found. Boundary markers were in place and only some of the flagging will need replacing. Acquisition of a Garmin GPS unit will allow for a winter means and bounds walk.

     Negotiations with TNC continued in 2006. Survey work marking their boundaries was done in 2006 as part of the Rural Legacy easement being place on the parcel before our acquisition. We visited the Hemlock Preserve with DNR several times in 2006 and also took members of the Southern Calvert Land Trust board over to inspect. The old trail used by TNC for past field trips was discovered and can be reopened. Scouting trips for connecting the two preserves were also made.

Deer Management

     The deer population in Southern Maryland is controlled by two methods, hunting and automobile collisions. It became obvious in 2006 that our herd (seen in excess of 30 deer at times) surpasses the carrying capacity of our preserve. The lack of wildflowers and other low lying plants had raised this suspicion, but direct evidence of their impact was seen in the number of wildflower plantings that were completely consumed. Two people were able to begin hunting the property after being interviewed and turning in the necessary paperwork (licenses and hunter safety cards). Four does and one buck were taken during the 2006 season.

Biological Surveys

     The Breeding Bird survey was completed in 2006. Nesting birds on the property included several species of woodpeckers, tanagers, vireos, and warblers. More common species such as titmouse, chickadee, cardinal, mockingbird, and thrasher were also found. Work also continued on the wildflower and woody plant lists. The year concluded with five people joining executive director, Bob Boxwell, is conducting our portion of the Christmas Bird Count. The birds were rather quiet that day, but we still found 33 species. However our best sighting for the day had to be the three otters we found entering Hellen Creek in the early morning.

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