Every job has its challenges. But wildlife fieldwork has some truly wild ones.
From a biblical-grade plague of biting bugs to an unnerving encounter with cave vultures, here are a few stories from DNR staff.
SAND GNAT HELL
Swarming sand gnats and the aftermath (Tim Keyes/GaDNR)
In spring 2015, sand gnats on the Georgia coast reached what locals called a new high – or low – for misery. Which was unfortunate for DNR Program Manager Tim Keyes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Billy Brooks and Elizabeth Hunter, now an assistant professor at Virginia Tech. The three were banding saltmarsh sparrows that March on the Medway River near Richmond Hill.
The work involves flushing sparrows into nets, carefully untangling them, recording data and adding leg bands. Translation: stuff that takes time and patience. At one point, Keyes photographed Brooks and Hunter gamely trying to “extract the birds when you couldn’t really breathe or see very well due to the bugs.”
Those gray patches on Hunter’s blue coat and vest? They’re mats of hungry gnats.
Keyes said the crew “processed the birds in a boat cruising at about 10 knots to avoid the bugs,” returning to land only “quickly” to release them.
Andy Day and the osprey, just before impact (Michael Levine/Special to GaDNR)
ONE ANGRY OSPREY
Andy Day never saw the osprey coming. The National Park Service biologist watching from the ground did, but she didn’t sound a warning, Day recalls with a wry chuckle.
One minute, Day, now a DNR wildlife technician, was reaching into an osprey nest 10 feet up in the Everglades to pluck feathers from a chick for a genetics study. The next, he’s shaking his head after a whack to the helmet.
In a picture snapped by a private photographer just before impact, the osprey appears to hover over Day. “It wasn’t hovering,” he said. “That was just a fast shutter speed. It was coming at full force.”
The osprey attacked again but he escaped unhurt. And to be fair, Day said the Park Service staffer did caution him at the start.
“She said, ‘This one is known to be a little aggressive. You might want to wear a helmet.’”
AS IF CAVES WEREN’T SPOOKY ENOUGH
DNR Wildlife Conservation Section staff were counting tricolored bats emerging from a southwest Georgia cave in summer 2019 when they heard something, well, unexpected. Emily Souder and Laci Pattavina, now a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist, were greeted by this (listen) as they neared the cave entrance.
“We were sure it was a bobcat or some other large mammal that would soon attack!” said Souder, who has since become a wildlife consultant.
When the noise stopped, she and Pattavina gathered their courage and curiosity and moved closer. Which is when they discovered the source: a black vulture chick hissing from its nest in the cave.
A few weeks later, Souder visited the cave again and found a second vulture chick.
“It must be a great spot for them. They clearly they don’t mind the bats.”
Small vulture, loud noise, big scare (Emily Souder)
Got a wild story about your work or recreation involving Georgia wildlife? We’d love to hear it!
Mark Dessommes
Sand gnat picture is insane. Can’t imagine what it was like trying to work covered in biting critters. I always look forward to these emails. Keep them coming.