Early this month I was contacted by the coach of the Champion Alabama 4-H
Team to let me know that they were flying into Oklahoma City on July 21 and
would like me to meet with them on the 22nd at the TGP. The National Competition
was being held in Ponca City and the subject was to be Tallgrass Prairie Land
Management. Since Alabama has no tallgrass prairie they wanted to come to the
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and learn how to identify the main grasses. The Alabama Team (not the same
individuals) has won the national competition for the last few years. The teams
were to be taken to a secret area of prairie and each team had to map the area
and present a two-page program for managing that section of prairie.
The two boys and two girls made up the team and Bill Garrette was their coach. These four teenagers were very knowledgeable and very serious about their preparation. Dan Martin was working the Gift Shop that day and helped me answer some of their questions. I don’t know who won the competition, but I would put my money on Alabama.
We were also visited by the Arkansas and Indiana 4-H teams.
On June 28th about a dozen folks gathered to participate in the 16th annual 4th of July butterfly count at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Traditionally held in mid-June, a few years ago the count was moved to the end of June to avoid the rains so naturally the rains followed. We started the day not knowing whether we would be able to do the count since a heavy thunderstorm front was moving in from the northwest. By around 10:00 or so, after lots of booming and banging the skies dried up and the storm headed to Pawhuska so off we went. It was slow to start but by lunch time the skies were clear and the butterflies were out in force.
A big disappointment was not finding any Regal Fritillaries but that’s the
way it has been this year. Until recently, many common species have been
nearly non-existent or two to three weeks late when compared to normal
years. Maybe this was due to the cold, wet spring or then again, maybe
not. It could also be a combination of the weather this spring and the
natural boom & bust cycle since last year was a boom for many of the
species that seem to be missing this year.
In all we found 43 species and 2,352 individual butterflies. Not the highest numbers, but not the lowest either. Eastern Tailed-Blues were the most numerous at 751, followed by the Common Wood Nymph at 530, and the Orange Sulphur with 514. We found two species new to the preserve, the Soapberry Hairstreak, Phaeostrymon alcestis, and Northern Broken-Dash, Wallengrenia egeremet. With these two additions, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve butterfly list stands at 92 species.
In addition to the new butterflies we found several moths new to the preserve including an Eight-spotted Forester, Alypia octomaculata and four new Osage County records: Titan Sphinx, Aellopos titan. This was the second time this species has been found in Oklahoma. Titan’s normal range is from Uruguay through Mexico and the West Indies to the Florida Keys. It is considered to be a strong flyer and occasional strays have been recorded as far north as Maine, Ontario, Michigan, and North Dakota. Unexpected Cycnia, Cycnia inopinatus. Indomitable Melipotis, Melipotis indominata. Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth, Harrisina americana texana; this little bug’s name is at least two or three times larger than the moth.
We didn’t do too badly on dragonflies either with new county records for the Lyre-tipped Spreadwing, Lestes unguiculatus, and the Pronghorn Clubtail, Gomphus graslinellus.
Regarding the current size of the bison herd, I expect the herd to be between 2,600 to 2,700 animals at this time (I wouldn’t be any more precise than that). I don’t know if the word got out to everyone, but on May 17 we pulled down the old internal fence and gave the herd access to the last addition to the bison unit down on the south. The bison-fire unit is now 23,464 acres.
On Sunday, July 13th the Circle Cinema hosted a free screening of
Cowboys in the Tallgrass: Episode 6 — The Ben Johnsons as part of a
ceremony to dedicate a medallion for Ben Johnson, Jr. on the Circle Cinema
Walk of Fame. There was a reception before the movie, which was attended by
Johnson family members, including Ben’s sister Helen Christiansen, and our
own Ann Whitehorn, his neice.
To refresh (and inform new docents): Ben Johnson, Sr. was a rodeo star, a world’s champion roper. He gave up that career to become the foreman of the storied Chapman-Barnard Ranch. Johnson was a gambler and loved to bet on horses, dogs, foot races and cards. His son, Ben Jr. left the ranch to deliver horses to Hollywood and went on to become a movie star, most famous for his role in, The Last Picture Show. The Johnsons left a legacy in the tall grass country. Special guest filmmaker Ken Greenwood attended the event and held a Q&A afterwards.
This event was well-attended — not an empty seat in the house — and the movie,
a part of the Cowboys in the Tallgrass series, was extremely interesting for
anyone who is interested in adding to their knowledge of this exciting part of
the Tallgrass’ history and the people who lived it
.
The booklet Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve has been updated according to the latest information from Michael Palmer, Ph.D., OSU Department of Botany. There have been a few additions and subractions as well as changes in some botanical names. Unfortunately, increased production costs have necessitated a small increase in the sales price, however anyone studying the botany of our particular prairie will find this booklet a valuable tool.
Back issues of the Docent Newsletter, to April 2008, can be found in the two green and one blue zip-binders, stored in the Perspex rack by the file cabinet in the office of the Visitor’s Center.
Deadline for submission of articles for inclusion in the newsletter is the 10th of each month. Publication date is on the 15th. All docents, Nature Conservancy staff, university scientists, philosophers, and historians are welcome to submit articles and pictures about the various preserves in Oklahoma, but of course the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in particular.