Spring 2016 - Mingo Swamp Friends

Spring 2016 Edition
Mingo Swamp News
A publication exclusively for the Mingo Swamp Friends Members….Its a Swamp Thang!
Manager’s Corner
Even though the winter was a warm and mild one, I am excited
about the spring and summer seasons on the refuge. Refuge visitors
will be shaking off cabin fever this month and getting out watching
birds, taking pictures, enjoying the late migrating waterfowl, or maybe even checking their hotspot for mushrooms. Spring is a great
time of year to be on the refuge or be outdoors in general.
Looking forward to the summer we have several projects to be excited about. First, the long awaited spillway replacement project will
finally happen this summer. All of the engineering/design and contract work has been completed by Ducks Unlimited. They hope to
start construction in July or August and have everything completed
by October at the latest. During construction, access from the spillway to the Ozark Highlands Auto Tour Route will be closed. Visitors, however, will still be able to access the refuge from the Rabbit
Ridge entrance and drive the auto tour route from that point. Replacing the spillway will enhance our water management capability tremendously on the refuge. All refuge resources will benefit from this
project and we are very excited about finally getting this completed.
We are also going to be doing some habitat management work in
Rockhouse Marsh this summer. About every 3 – 4 years we drain
Rockhouse which gives us the ability to get in there and mow undesirable woody vegetation such as willow trees and button bush. Doing this keeps the marsh open to allow beneficial native plants to
grow (duck food) and also keeps the marsh open for viewing purposes. So, if you notice Rockhouse Marsh being a little drier this summer it is so we can get equipment in there and get this work completed.
Table of Contents
Meet the New Assistant Manager....2
Feral Hogs Update….……………….3
Missouri Natural Area………...…….4
Snake Migration……………………..6
Dates to Remember.………………..7
Swamp Thang Column……………...8
Swamp Puzzles……………………...9
As always, I want to thank each of you for your dedication and support of Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. I appreciate your efforts
very much and I am looking forward to working with you all over
the summer.
Ben J. Mense
1
Mingo Swamp Friends
Board of Directors
President:
Sharon Tuschhoff
Vice President:
Amanda Mossman
Secretary:
Bruce Beck
Treasurer:
Rachael Hember
Refuge Manager:
Ben Mense
Friends’ Liaisons:
Corey Kudrna, Peter Rea
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
24279 State Hwy 51
Puxico, MO 63960
Phone: (573) 222-3589
Fax: (573) 222-6343
Websites:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/mingo/
https://www.facebook.com/MingoNWR
http://www.mingoswampfriends.org/
Email: mingo@fws.gov
Mingo NWR Welcomes New
Assistant Refuge Manger
New Assistant Refuge Manager Corey Kudrna began work at Mingo
National Wildlife Refuge in November. Swamp Friends Vice
President Amanda Mossman sat down with Corey for a short
interview:
The Mingo Swamp Friends are pleased to welcome Corey Kudrna to
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Kudrna has replaced Lindsey
Landowski, the former assistant refuge manager. Kudrna comes from
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, in northwest Missouri near
Mound City, where he worked as the Wildlife Refuge Specialist for
twelve years.
Kudrna started work at Mingo NWR in November 2015 and has been
enjoying his introduction to the swamp. It is a bit of a change from
the loess hills and
wetlands of Squaw
Creek NWR. Kudrna is
looking forward to
experiencing a different
segment of the annual
waterfowl migration.
When asked about what
he thinks of Southeast
Missouri, Kudrna replied
that he is impressed by
the many opportunities
for outdoor
recreation. While he
hasn’t had a chance yet,
Kudrna is looking
forward to hunting and
exploring the area with
his trusted chocolate lab
Jake. Kudrna says
March 1st is marked on
his calendar to paddle
Monopoly Marsh on the
opening day.
Assistant Refuge Manager Corey Kudrna taking a
selfie on Pilot Knob National Wildlife e Refuge
2
Feral Hogs Update
Feral hog eradication efforts continue to be a high
priority for Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. All
efforts related to eradicating hogs on Mingo Refuge
are done by refuge staff, US Department of
Agriculture staff, and Missouri Department of
Conservation staff.
The total number of hogs killed in 2015 was 332 hogs,
(see graph below). As can be seen in the graph,
trapping continues to be the most effective method for
catching and eradicating large groups of pigs all at
once. Recently, the refuge started using a new trap
called the BoarBuster. This trap fully suspends the
coral trap in the air and can be triggered by cell phone
or with a trip wire. This style of trap is effective
because hogs are more willing to eat at the bait pile if
they don’t have to enter a coral through a single
opening. Hogs can become trap shy, especially if they
have seen other hogs getting trapped before. The
BoarBuster minimizes some of this wariness by the
hogs due to the entire coral being suspended off the
These 25 hogs were killed out of one trap.
ground. With the help of this new trap style, the feral hog
eradication team working within the Mingo Basin has
trapped and killed 221 hogs since January 1, 2016. The
refuge hopes to continue this success with the help of the
partner agencies.
# Hogs killed in 2015
250
200
150
100
# Hogs killed in 2015
50
0
3
Mingo Designated as a Missouri Natural Area
We are excited to announce that Mingo is the
newest Missouri Natural Area. So what is a
Natural Area?
Missouri's natural areas represent some of
the best — and last — examples of our state's
original landscape. Here are places where
you can still see the rare plants, animals, and
geological features that pre-settlement native
Americans knew well or that explorers such
as Lewis and Clark observed and recorded.
-Missouri Department of Conservation
The process to make Mingo a Missouri
Natural Area began in May of 2014 when the interagency Missouri Natural Area Committee visited the
refuge. The Natural Area Committee is made up of
botanists, biologists, geologists, ornithologists,
herpetologists and ecologists from throughout Missouri.
During their visit they took a paddle ride on the Mingo
River, explored the surrounding bluffs and hiked into Bee
Press Ridge to look at the bottomland hardwood forest
habitat. After their visit, in May of 2015, the Missouri
Natural Areas Committee unanimously approved the
nomination for the 8,452-acre Mingo Natural Area. Final
approval of the Mingo Natural Area was made by the
directors of the Department of Conservation and the
Department of Natural Resources and the Regional
Director of the Midwest Region of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With the
final approval, Mingo Natural Area
became the only National Wildlife
Refuge in Missouri with a Missouri
Natural Area designation and the largest
natural area in the state of Missouri.
The justification by the Committee for
designating the Mingo Natural Area is
as follows:
The Mingo Natural Area lies within the
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge which
supports the largest remnant of bottomland forest and
other lowland natural communities left in Missouri’s
Mississippi lowlands. Historically, this region of
Natural Area Committee observing the bottomland hardwood forest habitat of Mingo. USFWS
Missouri supported over 2 million acres of bottomland
forest and related communities. At the core of the natural
area is the Mingo River, which is one of the least
modified lowland streams remaining in the Missouri
bootheel.
Natural Area Committee paddling the Mingo River during their
initial visit. USFWS
Forty-two species of conservation concern including
mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, and
plants utilize the Mingo Natural Area. Species of note
include the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), Least bittern
4
(Ixobrychus exilis), Western mudsnake (Farancia
abacura reinwardtii), Taillight shiner (Notropis
maculatus), and Featherfoil (Hottonia inflata). The
Mingo Natural Area supports three miles of the Mingo
River and 8,216 acres of bottomland natural
communities that support hundreds of native plant
species, and many breeding and migratory bird
species, fish species, and herptile species. There is
also 236 acres of upland forest habitat around the
perimeter of the Mingo Natural Area which supports
many upland species and protects an important
hibernacula for the Western cottonmouth
Monopoly Marsh, the Mingo River and some of Stanley
(Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) and numerous
Creek make up the main waterways in the Natural Area and
other herptile species.
are great routes for paddling. Hiking, wildlife observation,
Next time you visit Mingo, look for the Missouri
nature photography, environmental education are all
Natural Area signs at the main access points. The map encouraged activities within the Natural Areas.
below shows the Natural Area, which, for the most
part, is the same as the Mingo Wilderness Area. A
great way to explore the new
Natural Area is taking a drive
along the Ozark Highlands Auto
Tour Route. The road designates
the western boundary and the
overlooks provide great views of
the unique habitat that makes up
the Mingo Natural Area.
Map showing the newly designated Mingo Natural Area in the yellow diagonal lines.
5
Mingo Refuge’s Lesser Known Migration - Snakes
Cottonmouth crossing Bluff Road. USFWS
During the spring and fall, visitors to Mingo National
Wildlife Refuge often get to experience two very
different types of migration. The first type of migration
is the push of migratory birds that utilize the bottomland
hardwood forests and marshes of Mingo Refuge as
stopover or wintering habitat.
peak of this movement in the spring, as many as 22
different species of snakes can be seen crossing the
refuge roads.
During this migration period, snakes are exposed to a
number of risks, with one of the greatest being vehicles
on the roadways. In order to assess the number of snake
What’s the second type of migration, you ask? Snakes! mortalities that occur on refuge roadways and to locate
“hot spots,” refuge biologists conduct snake mortality
Yes, that’s right. Some snakes actually do migrate, just surveys. During these surveys, refuge staff drive
on a much smaller scale than that of migratory birds. At established road transects and record all the snakes
Mingo, snakes will migrate out of the bluffs and into the observed. Each snake encounter is documented
swamps and bottomland habitat in the spring In the fall, including species type, length, sex, age class, and of
course, whether they are alive and what their
snakes are on their way back to the wintering dens in
the caves and crevices of the nearby bluffs. During the geographic location is within the refuge.
Broad-banded water snake crossing the road by May Pond.
USFWS
The data collected from these studies gives refuge
biologists a better understanding of Mingo Refuge’s
snake population and how they are faring in their annual
migration. It provides data on whether a species or age
class is more susceptible to mortality and it also points
out “hot spots” that snakes favor for migration. These
locations could lead to future management actions that
aim at reducing snake mortality on the refuge. Snakes
are an extremely important component of the
bottomland habitat at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
and hopefully through these studies, we can see a higher
migration success rate.
6
Dates to Remember
April 16, 2016 - Spring Spruce Up (9 a.m.—12 p.m.)
In recognition of Earth Day, Mingo Refuge will be hosting a Spring Cleanup. Interested volunteers will
meet at the Mingo Visitor Center and will head out in groups to pick up trash along refuge roadways and
trails. Pre-registration is appreciated at 573-222-3589. Volunteers should plan on wearing long pants, shirts
and bringing work gloves. Hot dogs will be served for lunch following the volunteer work.
April 16, 2016 - Snake Exploration (1 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
Spring is when snakes reemerge from their hibernation and start heading back into the swamps of Mingo.
Join a refuge ranger to discover the tremendous diversity of snakes that can be found at Mingo National
Wildlife Refuge. Participants will go on a hike along refuge roads to try and spot and observe snakes at a
safe distance.
April 30, 2016 - Marsh Bird Exploration Paddle Ride(8 a.m. & 1 p.m.)
In recognition of International Migratory Bird Day, refuge staff will be offering a guided paddle
ride into Monopoly Marsh to observe marsh birds. Pre-registration is required by calling 573222-3589. Participants will meet at the Visitor Center. Canoes, paddles and life jackets will be
provided to pre-registered participants. The paddle ride will be offered in the morning and
afternoon and lasts about 4 hours.
May 14, 2016 - Pilot Knob Hike (10 a.m. & 1 p.m.)
Get a rare chance to discover one of Mingo’s Satellite Refuges by taking a spring hike at Pilot Knob
National Wildlife Refuge. This 90 acre refuge located at the top of Pilot Knob Mountain is typically closed
to the public to protect the endangered Indiana bat. Pilot Knob Refuge is located in Arcadia Valley. Space
is limited so pre-registration is required at 573-222-3589. The hike lasts around 2 hours and is strenuous.
Wear good hiking boots and bring water.
June 4, 2016 - Family Fishing Day (9 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Discover the wonders of fishing with Mingo staff members and volunteers. Come out
with your family to enjoy a morning of fishing. Poles will be available for loan throughout
the event and worms will be provided for bait. Specific location for fishing day will be
determined closer to the date.
July 16, 2016 - Snakes of Mingo (10 a.m.—11 a.m.)
Join a refuge ranger in learning about the snakes that can be found at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Learn
how to identify venomous vs non-venomous snakes and why all snakes are important. Participants will even
get the opportunity to see and touch live snakes if they desire. The program will take place at the Mingo
Visitor Center.
To be Announced - Friends Picnic
Join Friends Members and Refuge staff for a picnic at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. A presentation will
be given on a research activity on the refuge prior to the picnic lunch. Specific date and details will be
provided when finalized.
July 12, 2016 - Friends Annual Meeting
Come out to the Mingo Swamp Friends Annual meeting. During this meeting new officers will be voted in to
positions. Hope you will join us!
7
Swamp Thang Column
Dear Swamp Thang, I always get confused, do
you say “venomous” or “poisonous” when
referring to a snake?
Dear Swamp Thang, I was hiking through Mingo
and found this huge beaver dam. Why do they
go through all that effort to make a dam?
From, Slithering Sally
From, Confused Environmental Engineer
Mingo is a great place to find plenty of beaver activity.
Whether it is chewed down trees, beaver dams or lodges,
there is plenty of beaver sign on Mingo Swamp. The
reason for why beavers build dams is to create a large
pond behind the dam. In this pond or pool of water, the
beaver will build a lodge where it can access from an
underwater entrance. While beavers can walk on land,
they prefer swimming. This is another benefit of a dam
because it provides more water for beavers to easily
escape from predators. Finally, beavers eat the bark of
trees. So an added benefit is the flooded water provides
more access to tasty trees! While beavers are fascinating
creatures to learn about, they can make managing Mingo
very challenging. They especially like to dam up
culverts, which makes it hard to manage water levels in
the moist soil units and other waterways. They can be
very persistent about it as well, so removing beaver dams
can get to be a daily occurrence.
We often hear people use these words interchangeably,
but the correct word for a snake is “venomous”. Pictured
about is a cottonmouth, one of the 5 species of venomous
snakes in Missouri. Venomous refers to animals that must
inject their toxin, whether through a bite, sting or spine.
Poisonous refers to something that must be touched or
eaten to feel the effects of the toxins. So a snake injects
its venom through fangs, whereas a poisonous mushroom
must be eaten. A simple way to remember is: if you bite
it and get sick, it’s poisonous; if it bites you and you get
sick, it is venomous.
Dear Swamp Thang, where can I find some morel
mushrooms
From, Mushroom Madness
Well, a rule of mushroom hunting is you never give out
your honey holes, but I’ll give you some general pointers.
Morels typically are found March through April in moist
woodlands and in river bottoms. Many people find them
around ash trees, elms and apple trees but they can be
associated with other trees. Good luck on the hunt!
8
Mingo Swamp Word Find
Bald Eagle
Blue Goose
Boardwalk
Cottonmouth
Cypress
Friends
Hiking
Hunting
Kingsnake
Mingo
Oak
Prothonotary Warbler
Snapping Turtle
Swamp
Swamp Rabbit
Deer
Fishing
National Wildlife Refuge
Natural Area
Swamp Thang
Tree Frog
Tupello
Volunteer
Waterfowl
Wilderness
9
Cypress Reflections. Peter Rea/USFWS
Swamp Thang Column:
If you have a question for “The Swamp Thang” in regards to the habitat, plants and wildlife of Mingo
Refuge, than email it to mingo@fws.gov with the subject line: “Swamp Thang Question”. Your question
may be answered in the next edition of Mingo Swamp News.
Thanks for being part of the Mingo Swamp Friends!
This quarterly publication is brought to you by Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.
Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on the refuge.
10