A Closer Look at the Monarch Population at Valentine NWR

August 7, 2019. A closer look at the monarch population at Valentine NWR. Valentine Midland News 48(11): 1. With two pictures.

Twenty volunteers helped record occurrence of monarch butterflies on a supreme Sand Hill morning with great scattered cloudness on August 3rd at Valentine NWR.

People from Valentine, Thedford, Ainsworth, Bassett, Norfolk and South Dakota helped record eggs, several exquisitely striped larvae and two beautiful flitting about adults associated with prevalent common milkweed, as well as swamp, green and sand milkweed. There were five survey transects along the north side of Hackberry lake where these plants thrive.

Each participant walked along and inspected hundreds of individual plants for any indication of monarch butterfly occurrence. Everyone dodged the poison ivy. Along the way dickcissels and common yellowthroat were heard amidst their favored prairie-land habitat.

The survey was sponsored by the Sandhill Prairie Refuge Association with help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The effort was associated with the third annual international monarch butterfly monitoring blitz.

Renovation Beneficial to Wildfowl at Pelican Lake

Benefits following lake renovation efforts have been obvious for wild birds this spring at Pelican Lake at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

On April 29th, there were thousands of fowl present as estimated by refuge staff. There were five to ten thousand ducks at the lake, according to Juan-Carlos Giese, refuge manager. This included a notable number of shorebirds.

Ten species were observed, according to a checklist available at ebird.org. Atop the list were estimated counts of 1000 for both the Ring-necked Duck and Wilson’s Phalarope. A count of 500 was estimated for Gadwall, American Wigeon and Mallard. Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler were also very abundant. There was also a bunch of American Avocet.

A similar response has been observed at Watts Lake, Giese said.

In September 2018 this lake nearly 800 acres in extent, in association with an aquatic habitat renovation project – focused on getting rid of common carp – occurred at several large lakes at the refuge. This is a cooperative effort associated with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ducks Unlimited is also involved with renovation of lakes east of Highway 83.

Getting rid of carp improves water clarity and notably improves conditions for the growth of aquatic vegetation. Wild birds throng to Sand Hill lakes where there is an abundance of vegetation and clear waters where they can feed.

Annual Banquet Held by Ducks Unlimited

The annual banquet of the Sandhills Chapter of Ducks Unlimited was a resounding success as community residents and their families gathered to support the conservation of waterfowl and their habitats.

Attendees ranged in age from infants to elders. Adults conversed while kids ran around having fun. Some participated in games – including “Duck-O bingo”  – when many smiles were obvious. The winner of “Last Duck Standing” certainly had a special day as he not only won, but he won on his birthday. The crowd gave him a rendition of the Happy Birthday song. There were raffles of many waterfowl-related items donated by businesses.

Some youngsters spent time at the Greenwing Raffle, a youth-oriented booth. One tyke present had a tiny, plastic, yellow duck held close as his expression of waterfowl. A couple of young girls with their raffle tickets all ready, bantered about ice-fishing with their dad at the Valentine lake district.

Jake Ohlmann, chair of the local chapter, was pleased with the outcome of the banquet. He was busy helping at the “Mug of Tickets” table while noticing the fine bunch of people present and appreciating the many contributors.

“There are a lot of generous people in the community,” said Ohlmann, appreciative of every donation since each of them were helpful in raising fund for waterfowl conservation. Volunteers were “essential” and helped make the banquet a success as they also do for other group projects.

“I really enjoy kids being involved,” said Ohlmann. The banquet, as well as other outreach programs are “a chance to teach them about wildfowl hunting and conservation.” Adding that DU projects conserve “resources for generations to come.” He especially appreciates the dedication of long-time members in the organization.

There were a few people at the banquet that became new members.

Funds raised at the banquet will contribute to DU projects throughout the nation.

There is a nationally significant DU and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project currently underway at Valentine NWR, said JuanCarlos Giese, manager of Valentine National Wildlife Refuge and DU member.

Carp barriers and berms will be placed to manage wetland conditions and prohibit fish access at Sweetwater Lake, 21 Lake, Center Lake, Homestead Lake, Cow Lake, Little Hay Lake, Calf Camp Marsh (where a structure was placed in 2018) and Pony Lake, said Giese. Most of these places are east of Highway 83.

Once the “construction” phase of the project is completed, these sites will be treated to remove fish – notably invasive carp – from the lakes and wetlands. These shallow lakes and ponds will be managed for migratory birds and other wildlife, so no sport fish will be introduced into these wetlands.

About 900 acres wetlands will be restored, said Giese.

This “on the ground project will provide benefits to waterfowl and many others sorts of wildlife” as well as wetland flora. Some nongame birds that will benefit include many wildbird species, including the trumpeter swan, pied-billed grebe and marsh wren, for example. Amphibians are also expected to flourish amidst the rejuvenated wetland flora, Giese said.

Environmental improvements associated with natural land features will “attract the community and visitors to appreciate the refuge resources. It is very exciting to be involved with these landscape basis projects,” Giese said, noting the significance of being able to “work with the community and partners for the benefit of current and future generations.”

Work will be initiated once Section 404 permits are received in coming weeks from the Army Corps of Engineers, Giese said.

The FWS will continue to monitor results in order to evaluate success of the project, he said.
DU and FWS are the primary project partners. Essential funding has been provided by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the North American Wetland Conservation Act. Also involved are the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission as well as the volunteer member-based Sandhill Prairie Refuge Association.

This project is ancillary to the lake restoration projects underway by the NGPC and FWS to remove carp and improve the fisheries at several prominent lakes of the refuge, west of Highway 83.

Two historic projects DU has been involved with in Cherry County include the Lord Lake project at the McKelvie Division of the Nebraska National Forest where water control structures and tree removal occurred, said DU member Mark Lindvall. Elsewhere, water control structures were added and a dike was rebuilt at Calf Camp Valley marsh, Valentine NWR.

Lindvall, of Valentine, has been a DU member for more than 20 years. The group “is a good conservation organization that puts projects on the ground,” he said. The local chapter was active in 1985 when he arrived to work at Valentine NWR. “I enjoy watching waterfowl in the spring a hunt in the fall which might be a time to just watch fowl in flight,” he said. “With wetland conservation projects there are more ducks and geese” for everyone to enjoy.

About 150 people attended the annual banquet held February 2nd at the 4-H building at the Cherry County fairgrounds, including Bill Stroup who started the local chapter years ago. The Sandhills chapter has about 100 members, Ohlmann said.

Any wildbird enthusiast with an interest in wetland conservation is welcome to join Ducks Unlimited, which has been active in Nebraska for many decades.

Autumn Prescribed Burns at Valentine Refuge

Billowing smoke on the horizon meant proactive efforts were underway to manage grassland habitat at Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

Prescribed burns were held by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on October 25-27 on about 3100 acres south of School Lake and near the Pony Lake headquarters of the refuge.

There is significant planning for prescribed burns, as they are best done while weather conditions are suitable, notably when there are dry conditions and low winds, said Juancarlos Giese, manager of the refuge.

For this autumn’s prescribed burns, assistance was provided by “personnel from the National Park Service (Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument), the U.S. Forest Service (Pine Ridge and Bessey Ranger Districts), a veterans fire crew from the Student Conservation Association, and various U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices,” Giese said. There were 15 to 22 people present each day to control the extent of the fire and to make certain it was contained within the intended area.

“It’s very rewarding to see such a diverse set of state, federal and non-governmental organizations come together to combine resources in order to conduct a safe and effective prescribed burn,” Giese said.

Some of the land burned had been previously burned, Giese noted. "We constantly modify our burn units based on ecological needs, safety concerns and logistical measures. The 2000 wildfires were the last big burn, and touched parts of all three prescription burns" done this October.

Portions of the Wednesday burn around Center Lake and 21 Lake had been burned in 2008, 2010 and 2015, Giese indicated. The bulk of the Thursday burn area south of Pony Lake has not been burned in recent history.

Following the burns, some county ranchers noticed the barren appearance of the hills and expressed some concern that seasonal winds could mean the start of "blowout" areas since there was a lesser extent of vegetative cover. Ensuing dry conditions with unseasonably warmer temperatures contributed to worry about the vitality of the ground cover. A three inch snow on November 17-18th was welcomed moisture.

"Before the snowstorm, there was already a carpet of grass and wildflowers sprouting over the sandhills and meadows, which will provide additional stability," Giese said.

"The root masses of the prairie plants are still viable, ready for the proper conditions to resprout. These roots, combined with standing dead and living vegetation, hold the sandhills in place. People driving past will no doubt see blowing sand and ash, but this is most likely the loose materials at the ground level.

"Many people have asked if these late season burns will create blowouts, but we have never seen any evidence of new blowouts created after or because of a prescribed burn."

These blackened areas do attract a diversity of wildbirds.

Many species made quick use of an area burned last year, including prairie grouse, pheasants, unidentified sparrows, with longspurs reported, along with horned larks, and probably other species, based upon observations by Mel Nenneman, refuge biologist.

During the breeding season after a prescribed burn, the prairie land attracts a variety of avifauna.

Birds that may nest in the short prairie vegetation in the spring following a burn, include Long-billed Curlew, Killdeer, Horned Lark and Upland Sandpiper, Nenneman said. The habitat is "also good for lekking grouse."

"It will be interesting to see what happens next spring for nesting and migration," Giese said. “As these habitats progress through the years, the refuge biological staff will continue to monitor the vegetation to see how these burned areas are affected by weather patterns, different grazing intensities, and invasive species. Biologists will also be monitoring use by migrating and nesting birds to see how wildlife responds over the years to the ecological changes.

“Fire and grazing have always been integral components of the prairie ecosystems. Incorporating prescribed burning in the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge management regime has the capability to benefit all species of wildlife - from the smallest pollinating bees and butterflies, to the birds, deer and antelope that make the refuge home.”

Conservation Management Ongoing on Refuges in the Northern Sandhills

It is refuge week for these area, managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation of fauna and flora, and at the refuge complex in the northern sand hills, conservation efforts continue unabated.

Though there were not any particular events scheduled for refuge week, the theme nonetheless fits with the ongoing efforts to achieve the recognized goals for the refuge complex, which includes Fort Niobrara NWR, Valentine NWR and Seier NWR. The staff continued their regular endeavors to accomplish resource conservation and management.

During this week is the annual bison sale at the Fort Niobrara NWR. With the annual mid-October bison sale underway, this event was foremost in the comments about recent management activities. The buffalo have been gathered and some are ready for sale, as they have been for decades. This refuge has been managed since 1913 for birds and bison, with the big buffalo an essential aspect in maintaining the prairie landscape and its associated biota.

"It has been a great season for the bison herd and their management," said Steve Hicks, manager of the three-refuge complex. The herd was recently gathered and surplus animals are being auctioned to the highest bidder. The management is focused on maintaining a quality herd.

Elk at Fort Niobrara NWR; June 25, 2007.

"Fort Niobrara NWR has a couple of established purposes," Hicks said. "Those are as a preserve and breeding grounds for native birds, and a game preserve especially for bison and elk. Refuge biologists and managers have set target big game populations of 350 bison and 70 elk. Bison and elk are then used to graze the refuge grasslands in a way that will provide optimum habitat conditions for native birds. Grass typically needs some sort of stimulation to grow well. When applied properly, grazing, fire and mowing are types of stimulation that help grass grow and provide quality habitat for many species of animals."

Notable for this year, the Fort Niobrara bison herd was combined with a herd, originally from Sullys Hill National Game Preserve, to preserve the genetic diversity of the animals, Hicks said. "A larger, combined herd will improve management opportunities."

Elsewhere on the refuge complex, efforts continue to improve habitat for the protected flora and fauna of the Niobrara River and regions within the sandhills.

Hicks indicated several prominent activities.

At Valentine NWR with its many lakes and upland prairie, there has been ongoing removal of unwanted and invasive cedar trees. This has also occurred on the Fort Niobrara NWR and is planned for on the Seier NWR. Cedars are not a preferred type of vegetation for these refuges in an area where prairie grassland is the predominant and preferred type of habitat.

"On Valentine NWR cedars once dotted the sandhills north of the Hackberry Lake and South of the Pony Lake," Hicks said. "On Fort Niobrara NWR, cedars have been removed from much of the area along the Niobrara River from Cornell Bridge south to the refuge boundary."

Several fire burns have been done to facilitate the growth of native prairie vegetation: 1605 acres of Valentine NWR were treated this last year; and 547 acres at Fort Niobrara NWR. A carefully managed grazing program is also used to promote the grasslands' vigor at Valentine NWR.

Among the many wetlands on the Valentine refuge, Calf Camp Marsh has been managed with a focus on lower water levels, which provides shallow water habitat preferable for a diversity of bird species, Hicks noted.

Notable for Seier NWR has been an end to the legal considerations for the family trust associated with the donation of the former ranch property which occurred in 2000.

The legal situation regarding the Seier family trust "has been cleared," Hicks said. This will allow the F.W.S. to undertake more management activities on this Rock County tract of 2400 acres. Particular focus will be given to fixing water wells, promoting livestock grazing beneficial for grasslands, removing invasive growths of cedar trees (especially on the eastern extent of the refuge lands) and subtly, yet distinctly, erecting a marker to recognize the contribution of Louise and Jon Seier to create the national refuge.

The trust fund will provide about $20,000 annually, which can be used for refuge management activities, Hicks said, noting that this is the only trust of this sort he is familiar within the F.W.S.

A shortage of funds is notably limiting some activities on the refuge areas, Hicks said. There were no special activities scheduled for refuge week because of the lack of funding and a shortage of staff to develop and promote events which would connect people with nature, and ensure the future of conservation, which are this year's theme.

The Seier NWR comprehensive conservation plan was expected to be developed in 2011, but is now expected to be prepared in 2014, along with similar plans for the Fort Niobrara and Valentine refuges.

One notable bit of information which would be helpful for refuge management would be a better understanding of resident and migratory birds.

"We would like to have bird surveys of the unique habitats in the biological crossroads along the Niobrara River and at the wetlands of the southern refuges," Hicks said. And any other information on bird occurrence would be appreciated and helpful in developing future refuge management plans.