Job Posting: Wildlife Care Apprentice

Do you have a passion for wildlife and environmental education?

We are seeking a part-time Wildlife Care Apprentice for a 2-year term program. Candidates who are passionate about wildlife and desire a career in wildlife care and/or environmental education, especially individuals who have encountered obstacles to skill development or paid experience, are preferred for this apprenticeship. Click the link below to learn more and apply!

Wildlife Care Naturalist, Emily Stauss with Grady the rat snake, one of Ruffner’s animal ambassadors.

Egg Predation in Action!

Recently, on a hike to the wetlands, Rick and Susan Remy observed a black kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra) with its head in a hole in the ground. The snake was busy excavating soil. After a few minutes, the kingsnake backed out with an egg in its mouth. Rick and Susan watched as the snake swallowed the egg whole. Judging from the lumps in the snake’s body, it had already eaten a few. The eggs were most likely turtle eggs. We know there are a lot of pond sliders inhabiting the ponds at the wetlands, and Rick and Susan saw a slider up on dry land in the same spot (not too far from the ponds and prime location for digging a nest) just a week prior.

Pond sliders (Trachemys scripta) breed from May through July, and a female may lay one to three clutches of eggs during the season. The females excavate two to four inch nests in sandy or gravelly soil and will lay anywhere from 2 to 30 round eggs in a nest. Sliders are very good at hiding their nests, yet eggs are vulnerable to predators.

Black kingsnakes are constrictors and opportunistic eaters. They consume a variety of prey including other snakes, lizards, rodents, birds — and especially turtle eggs!

Be sure to check out the Fauna and Flora of Ruffner iNaturalist projects, join the projects, and contribute to them while on your hikes. Rick and Susan Remy are super contributors to both projects! Uploading observations to iNaturalist is a wonderful way to engage and interact with community scientists, and your observations help us to map and monitor plant and animal species of the mountain.

The Time is Now

From Ruffner Mountain Executive Director, Carlee Sanford:

Thank you to Tom Spencer and Comeback Town for this important article on the need for more sustainable support for large-scale parks and preserves such as Red Mountain, Ruffner Mountain, and Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. Thanks also to the cities within Jefferson County for their continued financial support— City of Birmingham, City of Irondale, City of Homewood, and City of Pinson.      

"We need these shared outdoor spaces. We’ve always been good at exploiting our natural resources in Jefferson County. We must appreciate how these restored natural landscapes can be cornerstones for a new century, improving our health, quality of life, and attractiveness for new residents and economic development."

“We need to make sure they are sustainably supported, and that future expansions are strategically planned and developed with sustainability in mind.”

I agree with Tom Spencer.

Jefferson County needs more conserved land and more protected green space for wildlife. We need more large acreage parks, preserves, & greenways for walking, hiking, mountain biking, birding, commuting, and ADA-compliant trails specifically designed for accessibility.

But first, Jefferson County needs a regional solution to support current and future green infrastructure and preservation of our natural world so that all residents— across Jefferson County— may connect with nature, clear our minds, recreate, and find peace or inspiration from time spent in the outdoors.

Read the article here.

Tom Spencer

Now You See it, Now You Don't

Io moth (Automeris io)

Right on time for National Moth Week, an io moth (Automeris io), the National Moth Week icon, just so happened to show up on the front door of the Nature Center.

Wildlife Care Naturalist, Emily Stauss, enters the Nature Center to begin her routine of taking care of the Ruffner animal ambassadors. She takes a picture of the io moth on the door. What big eyes he has! The moth’s forewings are parted to reveal the hindwings. Large, blue, and black owl-like eyes are strikingly beautiful. But they are meant to stare and startle — predators beware!

Minutes later, Carmen Molay, Membership Coordinator, snaps a photo of the same moth. In the usual resting position, the moth’s underwings are tucked beneath the forewings. They appear drab to bright yellow, slightly speckled. A female’s wings would be brownish to rust in color, and we imagine they would be well camouflaged against fallen leaves or bark. Disappointed the moth didn’t show off for her, Carmen was delighted to see Emily’s photo of the io’s eyes.

What moths will you find around your place this week? Go outside, look and see! Observe and record your observations on iNaturalist. Be sure to check out the Moths of Alabama iNaturalist project and the Moths of Alabama Facebook page. For more information on moth week, visit the National Moth Week website: https://nationalmothweek.org

Hummingbird or a Hummingbird Moth?

Something is abuzz in the bottlebrush buckeyes.

Blurred and erratic movement, wings generate enough wind to move the leaves around. Hummingbird or a hummingbird moth? They both move so fast, but a closer look will tell!

We’ve enjoyed watching the ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) and the snowberry clearwing moths (Hemaris diffinis) drink nectar from the blooms of the bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora). Flowers are fading, and we’ll miss them, but soon, the wingstem and evening primrose will take their turn in the Habitat Gardens.

Speaking of moths, National Moth Week is coming up, July 23-31, you can read more about it and how you can get involved here.

How to Remove Stiltgrass from Ruffner Trails

UPDATE: Our volunteer training day was a success! Big thanks to the volunteers who joined us in learning how to identify and remove stiltgrass from the trails. We collected 16 bags — that’s 62.41 pounds!

Our second self-led volunteer opportunity — removing stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) from the mountain — is underway! This invasive plant can be tricky to identify as it resembles several native grasses, whitegrass (Leesia virginica), and nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) — don't pull these!

Check out this video from Conservation Director, Jamie Nobles, explaining how to id stiltgrass on the trails. Please join us Saturday, July 16th from 8 - noon for a volunteer training day. Click here for more info and to sign our waiver.

Self-Led Volunteer Opportunity #2: Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimenium)

stiltgrass (Microstegium vimenium)

We appreciate all of the volunteers who helped us in our efforts to remove nandina or "heavenly bamboo" (Nandina domestica) from the mountain last winter. We collected an estimated total of 167,321 berries!

We could use your elbow grease again this summer to control another invasive species at Ruffner—Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum.)  

Stiltgrass is an aggressive, weak-rooted, and sprawling annual grass. The growth habit of this species is typically to lie flat along the ground or propped up against other vegetation. Plants usually have multiple weak stems with aerial rootlets near the base (hence the name “stiltgrass”).

Where can I find it?

Stiltgrass is often seen in disturbed, moist areas such as trail and forest edges. We often see it on the Lizard Loop, Pipeline, Wetlands, Buckeye, and Quarry trails.  It may also be found along other trails or service roads on the mountain.

What can I do to help?

Invasive Plant Station at South East Lake Trailhead

Ruffner will have a collection station at the South East Lake Trailhead (main trailhead) with collection bags and a deposit bin for the invasive plant collection. Stiltgrass is an annual plant, so if it can be removed prior to seed production (September) the potential spread may be controlled.  It can be easily pulled by hand without the use of special equipment.

Grab a bag or 2 at the station before you begin your hike to pull stiltgrass if found along your way.  

1. Identify stiltgrass. (Note: there are several native grasses similar to stiltgrass such as whitegrass, nimblewill, and deertoungue grass— (Don’t pull these! More about them at the collection station.)   

2. Pull stiltgrass. Be sure to get as many weak roots as possible and place them into the collection bag.  Please be aware of potential hazards such as poison ivy, thorns/briars, venomous animals, stinging biting insects/spiders, or other seen or unseen issues before grabbing the grass.  

3. Finally, return your filled bags to the collection station at the trailhead and record what trails you covered.  We will measure out the collected materials and then destroy them to help prevent the spread of this invasive plant. (Additional collection stations may also be installed at the other trailheads.)

Discarded stiltgrass

What is Ruffner going to do with the collected material?

We will weigh out the collected material weekly to get an idea of how much stiltgrass is being removed.  We will report these numbers in a few different ways so that Ruffner’s visitors have a chance to see the progress. 

**If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, we encourage you to join us for an Invavsive Removal Volunteer Training Day on July 16th from 8 am-noon. Click here for more info and to sign our waiver.

 This project along with other similar efforts will reduce the number of invasive species on the mountain and will greatly increase the potential for our native species to thrive in this ecosystem.