Good Water Nature Trackers

Hello Fine Naturalist Folk,

Welcome to my first journal post! Two weeks ago we installed a group of game cameras in hopes of observing Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Specifically we are looking for Sylvilagus aquaticus, or Swamp Rabbit. I have observed these on a few occasions previously, so I thought we should try to boost their numbers within the county. The cameras are loaned from TPWD , (Thank you very much!), and we are charged with and enjoy reporting all mammals observed as we hunt our target species.

Williamson, Co is on the western most edge of this species which is common in east Texas, and southeastern US. I believe it is a recent addition to the list of SGCN for this area.

It is very similar to Eastern Cottontail though somewhat larger in size, but smaller rounder ears and their ear length to head length ratio is different than S. floridanus. Their eyes have cinnamon rings around them versus the white rings for S. floridanus. The tail is flatter and less white I believe with an overall more rust or brown color. Oh and they love water. It seems to be a security for escape from predators. They prefer stream and river banks with grassy vegetation or floodplains. They are mostly nocturnal and huddle in grassy nest hollows during the day.

With short notice I had three volunteers with the initial roll out of six cameras. Randy Spurlock, Jim Nelson, Kathy McCormack, and myself finally got them placed two Saturdays back.

The following week, Kathy, Jim, Karen Schnell, Keri Dunn, Chris Tschirhart, and myself swapped out the cards from the digital traps. The most exciting thing was the fresh beaver chew found near a camera, but nothing observed otherwise than the usual suspects of the night.
Thanks to the above mentioned folks!

Thanks to all who helped with bringing this project to the chapter, and here's to many future observations!
See you next week!

Mike Farley

Posted on 05 August, 2019 23:28 by mikef451 mikef451

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon
Williamson, Co
7/20/19 Camera date is set wrong (2018), has been changed.

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Virginia Opossum
Williamson, Co
7/20/19 Camera date is set wrong (2018), has been changed.

Photos / Sounds

What

Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Fox Squirrel
Williamson, Co
7/20/19 Camera date is set wrong (2018), has been changed.

Photos / Sounds

What

American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Virginia Opossum
Williamson, Co
7/28/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Virginia Opossum
Williamson, Co
7/29/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon, vanilla extract bait
Williamson, Co
7/30/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon, vanilla extract bait
Williamson, Co
7/31/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Nine-banded Armadillo
Williamson, Co
7/28/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Nine-banded Armadillo
Williamson, Co
7/28/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Nine-banded Armadillo
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon, vanilla extract bait
Williamson, Co
7/31/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Virginia opossum, vanilla extract bait
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Nine-banded Armadillo
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Virginia opossum
Williamson, Co
7/31/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

July 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon
Williamson, Co
7/30/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Fox Squirrel
Williamson, Co
8/1/19

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Skull length 110 mm

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

mikef451

Date

August 2019

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

Common Raccoon
Williamson, Co
8/4/19

Comments

Excellent project! I'm anxious to see how many you can find. I hear we have them in DFW, too.

Posted by kimberlietx over 4 years ago

Thanks Kimberlie! I've got your B-day bioblitz on my calendar!

Posted by mikef451 over 4 years ago

Woohoo! :)

Posted by kimberlietx over 4 years ago

Spectacular!!! It's like Christmas morning each time I check a camera trap -- so much fun. :)

Posted by sambiology over 4 years ago

Great project, Mike. But I have a question which might seem heretical: Since Swamp Rabbit is on the edge of its range in WilCo, and such species are typically rare at their range limits, why would you consider it a "good thing" to boost their numbers in the county? If you just mean to get better documentation of the existing population, that's a great goal. But if your intent is to actually increase the population, that would seem to need some ecological justification.

p.s. I like all bunny rabbits!

Posted by gcwarbler over 4 years ago

p.p.s. I'd previously seen evidence of what I thought might be Swamp Rabbit in the backwaters of the San Gabriel River at Granger Lake. Never saw one of the critters, however, since my visits have always been during the daytime.

Posted by gcwarbler over 4 years ago

Thank you Chuck! I believe the population is here, just not observed often. The San Gabriel in Georgetown seems to have them and I suspect elsewhere. It's nocturnal nature and hard to distinguishing features make it not as observed. There are lots of critters on the list to observe for, I chose something I thought I could be successful at finding. I would love to have the opportunity to search for other listed critters if we are given the chance. This is a six month loan so we will see what happens after that.

Posted by mikef451 over 4 years ago

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