Erik Vega
Journal #6
October 3, 2025
This week deviated from the norm quite a bit, but I definitely enjoyed getting to explore my individual research project and trying to collect data out in the field. Instead of being greeted by David this week, Brad was sitting in his usual spot. David was unfortunately sick, so Brad would be leading the reading discussion instead. Today’s discussion was on the tragic passing of Jane Goodall, a true pioneer in field biology and conservation work. The assigned reading was her obituary, posted by the New York Times. While reading the obituary, I was amazed just how much she observed about chimpanzee behaviors and social structures. But more importantly, by doing so, she set the standard of showing more emotion and passion in animal research. She was criticized for “humanizing” the animals she studied by giving them names and even taking note of their personalities. Before this, studying animals involved giving them specific numbers and many experts advised not making emotional attachments to subjects. But upon observing the complex social behaviors of chimpanzees and their use of tools, Goodall had every right to give them names. Anthropomorphizing animals is often seen as a bad thing, but these chimpanzees were seen kissing, embracing, holding hands, and patting each other on the back. Contrary to popular belief, we aren’t much different than other animals on Earth. For example, these chimps communicate with each other in very similar ways that us humans do. I think that if more people had this mindset, the environment wouldn’t be given such a bad rap.
Brad spoke to us for a little over an hour on both the assigned reading and some of his personal experiences and stories. He really homed in on the importance of asking meaningful questions. Jane Goodall dropped everything in her life to go study these chimps in Africa at only 23 years old, but why? What was she thinking? What were her motivations? She changed the world of science basically all on her own, despite having everything going against her. Her ambition and go-getter attitude met with her actions of observing chimpanzees for days on end in one place was an interesting juxtaposition of her personality. Nevertheless, Brad’s talk with us was an inspiration to write a meaningful life story by being different. Stand out as much as possible and actually learn things from your experiences.
Anna and Morgan had a very short presentation for us afterwards, which just went over weather and game camera highlights. The weather for the week was mostly in the mid 80s, with cooler mornings. The stream gauge could not be obtained due to the recent government shutdown. Game camera highlights included Opposums and a few bucks shedding their antlers. The attention was then turned back to our research projects, where we had the remaining portion of the day to go out and explore. Of course, I needed to grab a pair of waders and go back into the creek like last week. Elinor, Ella, and Aestas were going to look at the cover boards near the Learning Center. Anna and Smiley went out with me to the creek, which I really appreciated having the company. Smiley disappeared quickly though, running through the trees and creek.
We would later hear her barking from afar, but Anna said it was not her typical Opposum bark, so she may have stumbled upon something else. Instead of the bathyscope this week, I was equipped with an endoscope to help me find Crayfish. It had all sorts of cool settings, you could adjust the contrast and even switch it to black and white for darker areas. I would use the camera to help search the burrowing holes along the sides of the creek, which have likely been created by Crayfish. These burrowing holes can even make their way up to the surface, but at that point they’re known as Crayfish chimneys since they connect back to their aquatic habitat.
I first started searching in the large nook in the creek, which was much deeper than the main stream. I initially thought that this would be the best place to find a Crayfish, but I soon learned of the large mud deposits that littered the nook. While walking along the bottom, I kept sinking in mud. There was so much that I was literally standing on top of mounds of mud while searching the edges for burrowing holes. I ultimately determined that the mud buildup was a result of the lack of rain, forcing lots of sediment into the nook. I also determined that likely few Crayfish were inhabiting the nook, due to the large mud build up. While they do prefer muddy habitats, I definitely think there was too much for their gills to filter out when breathing. The water was also pretty stagnant, which may indicate lower dissolved oxygen levels. I left the nook and searched elsewhere, towards more shallow areas and around logs and such. Though Anna and I both had no luck. We decided to switch sites to Kayak Put-In, which was where we found the Crayfish last week. I thought that we would have better luck there since there were a lot more burrowing holes evident over that way than in the stream behind the Learning Center.
Morgan and the rest of the interns also joined us at this site, which helped with my observations. Morgan found a crayfish chimney fairly quickly, which the Seek app indicated that it might belong to a Devil Crayfish (Lacunicambarus diogenes). These Crayfish are fairly large in size and are found in the Piedmont region of South Carolina.
While my search of burrowing holes at the creek edge was not successful in finding an actual Crayfish, I took some great photographs of examples of these holes.
Anna and I found that the best way to find a Crayfish was by flipping over rocks in the shallower portions of the stream. Ideally, rocks were flatter on the bottom to allow space for the Crayfish to hide under. The first Crayfish of the day was found by this method, and it was very little in size. The photograph I captured of this one is not great at all, since it swam away fairly quickly. However, we were lucky enough to find another Crayfish using the same method, who lingered around for quite awhile. I was able to get great photographs of this organism and am able to make out the distinct pattern on the back of its carapace. It was so interesting to see how it flicked its antennae in the water, along with how it crawled along the bottom of the stream. Every time Anna and I tried to pick it up, it would snap its tail to create propulsion that allowed for a quick escape. It would also keep rotating to position itself to face your hand, so its pinchers could reach. The orange markings on the top corners of the carapace and the first segment of the abdomen were unique, along with the overall gray color of the carapace. It also had a black dot in the middle of the carapace, right below the cervical groove. After further research on iNaturalist, I am thinking this was an Acuminate Crayfish (Cambarus acuminatus). This would make sense, as they have been found in this region of South Carolina before, and adults of this species prefer slabs or boulders to hide under.
Journal #5
September 27, 2025
It is officially the halfway point of the internship and things are in full gear. I definitely feel more comfortable with field work and have learned a lot about taking observations in the environment. I have also become more familiar with South Carolina wildlife, which is always helpful for future endeavors. Today also marked the last day of mostly structured activities and the transition to focus more on our research projects. I was particularly excited because we were covering information on freshwater mussels and how to search streams effectively for organisms. Aquatic organisms are definitely my calling, so I was sure to keep my eyes peeled all day.
As usual, we started with the Powerpoint presentation. Weather for the week ranged from a minimum of 59°F to a maximum of 90°F. The current forecast outside was 82°F and cloudy, which differed from all previous weeks on the property, where it was bright and sunny. A big breakthrough happened this week as well, it finally rained! While the stream gauge was still at six feet, it should increase over the course of the next two weeks, as heavy rain is projected. This is due to tropical storms making their way to the Southeast coast of the country. David then got us thinking about how wildlife reacts to storms in the environment. Oftentimes, wild animals respond to the high barometric pressure that precedes a storm, changing their movement patterns and behavior. For example, birds migrating might experience a fallout event that blows them off course. This is when a ton of birds descend rapidly out of the sky to find shelter from adverse weather conditions.
Game camera highlights for the week included multiple Bobcats, Coyotes, River Otters, Wild Turkeys, and Raccoon kits. A Red Fox and a Beaver were also photographed. The Beaver was likely the same one I saw in person a few weeks ago, since the camera was set up at Turtle Pond. Lastly, the most unique highlight for the week was a black Fox Squirrel, which I didn’t even know was a possible fur color. I had never seen a black squirrel before, so it’s definitely something to remember! As for the reading discussion this week, we read a portion of Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy. The chapter stressed how the word “weed” is a man-made term that denounces certain plant species as only being a nuisance to humans. The term alone essentially gives people the right to tear up these plants for their own benefit, whether for yard maintenance or landscaping. But in reality, humans have no right to remove these species from the environment just because they are seen as annoying. The author also advocates for the reader to create a homegrown national park in their backyard, to further promote biodiversity.
Now for the fun part of the presentation, freshwater mussels! There are only four species that are found on Southern 8ths property, which include the Eastern Elliptio, the Creeper, the Variable Spike, and the Notched Rainbow. The Eastern Elliptio and Creeper are the only species that have been found alive, but the other two species’ shells have been found during last year’s survey. The mussel survey on the property was led by biologist Ericah Beason, where a group of 11 individuals searched Thompson Creek. Each mussel has a unique umbo pattern, which can help determine what species you’re looking at. The umbo is the raised portion of the shell above the hinge line, typically the oldest part formed. As for anatomy of a freshwater mussel, Anna gave a quick review from what I learned in zoology class. A mussel keeps its eggs in its gills, which I thought was very interesting. They also have a parasitic life stage when first born, where they attach to the gills of a fish until they grow larger, fall off, and settle to the bottom of the creek. It is important to know that freshwater mussels are burrowers and filter-feeders, so they often spend their time hiding among the rocks. They use their muscular foot to move and hide under sediment. That being said, freshwater mussels must have at least a finger’s length of sediment to bury themselves in. So, for example the bedrock ground at Muddy Branch would not be a suitable habitat, as the mussels cannot dig hardly at all under the water.
We wrapped up the presentation in the Learning Center and headed out to a portion of Thompson Creek. Before leaving though, Morgan showed us a unique device called a bathyscope, which is used to see clearer under the water and reduce glare. It is a big orange cone with a viewing window at the top and a lens at the bottom. It works by submerging its lens below the water surface, where you get a better view of organisms and the creek floor by looking into the viewing window. You push down on the bathyscope to submerge the lens and hold onto the handles to move it around in the water. Morgan was able to get me a pair of waders, since I would be spending the entire time in the creek, also looking for Crayfish for my research project. It was my first time using a pair of waders, and I definitely would recommend them to anyone studying aquatic organisms. They not only kept me dry, but the boots provided some stability while walking in the creek. Us interns rode with Anna in the big side-by-side vehicle, while Morgan? followed us in her smaller one. David was unfortunately unable to join us out in the field, since he had an important meeting to attend. Morgan also had somewhere to be by 3:00pm, but she came out with us for a little while.
Without further adieu, Aestas and I volunteered to go looking for freshwater muscles first, while Ella and Elinor went looking for insects and rotting logs out in the forest above. It took me a little time to get my bearings when stepping into the water, since the bottom was so rocky. I will admit I almost fell a couple times trying to get out deeper into the creek. The water level was fairly shallow, about only a foot deep. Some patches were a little deeper, which is where the mussels might have gotten swept up and stuck near the edge. The water was cold, but it felt refreshing since it was a little humid outside. While searching for mussels with the bathyscope, I noticed that there were lots of smaller clam shells, all of which were empty and open. This definitely indicates that these clams were prey to either River Otters or even Crayfish who pried them open to eat. When I set up traps next week to catch Crayfish, I might want to include clams as bait. By this time, Elinor and Ella decided to join us down at the creek, so now we were all looking for mussels. I was picking up anything that was wedged and rounded in shape, since Anna instructed that mussels underwater often look like cool rocks. While I had no luck yet, I was determined to find either a mussel or a Crayfish.
As a group, we decided to switch sites to Kayak Put-In since we were having trouble finding much of anything. After another quick trip on the side-by-side vehicle, it was back to mussel hunting. It is essential to start your search facing upstream so that the mud you stir up from walking gets washed away. I’m so glad we switched sites because there was so much more to be found. Even in the shallow water, I saw plenty of little fish swimming right from the get-go. One of these was a tiny catfish, who was having trouble staying in the water column. It would bob up and down, twitching every ten seconds or so. It was slow enough that I could pick it up, where it was more or less unresponsive. Ella came up with a possible reason for the fish’s abnormal behavior – it could be experiencing buoyancy issues with its swim bladder. While searching for mussels around the edge of the creek with Aestas, we spotted a North American Medicinal Leech (Macrobdella decora). It was greenish-brown in color with yellow spots and a creme underbelly. When it flipped over, you could see the individual segmentation of the body, which led me to identify the organism as a leech. Also in this same location, I observed a Hellgrammite, an aquatic macroinvertebrate that is actually the larval stage of a Dobsonfly. Its distinguished pinches, many legs, and long black body was a little frightening at first.
The last but arguably most important find of the day was a Crayfish! Aestas had been searching along the edge of the stream, particularly around the little holes in the mud. She called me over quickly after observing a Crayfish just hanging out on the bottom of the creek. Of course I ran over there as fast as I could, and to my luck, it was still there! This was instantly one of the coolest things I’ve ever observed as a biologist, as I had never seen a living Crayfish before. It was splotchy gray and almost had a blue hue, its exoskeleton definitely faded from life in the creek. I tried to pick it up for a better look, but it slipped out of my hand at the last second. I spent the rest of the time we had out in the field trying to figure out where the Crayfish went. While I wasn’t successful, I am content with my findings for today, since I was able to make observations on its color and size. I also have a better idea of where to find these Crayfish.
Overall, this was definitely my favorite day on the property. I didn’t mind being out in the creek one bit, and actually preferred it much more than walking through the forest. I can definitely see myself doing surveys for aquatic organisms in the future, as it was so much fun being out there. I was able to identify a lot more of the organisms I found today, since my interests are more towards fish, molluscs, and crustaceans. Next week, I hope to get the small turtle traps up and running for my research project, so I can observe a single Crayfish for longer. In the meanwhile, I will try to determine what Crayfish species I found today, but it has been quite the challenge. I am very thankful for what I experienced today! Days like these remind me of why I want to be a zoologist.
Journal #4
September 19, 2025
This week at Southern 8ths was much more laid back than the previous days I’ve spent on the property, but it allowed me to get a better idea of who lives here. By this, I mean the huge diversity of animal and plant life. Every week I’ve seen completely different organisms, ones I would never think could be found so close together. But this week was more focused on going out into nature and seeing what we could find, which was very eye-opening. The day started off with a visit from Brad and his dogs, where he gave some more useful advice. He stressed the importance of being a leader and not a follower and how it will take you much further in life, along with asking questions every step of the way. Brad’s personality has definitely grown on me. You can easily see how passionate he is about the environment.
It was also a nice surprise to see Morgan today, as she was missing from last week’s activities. Her and Anna pulled up the presentation as usual, which began with the stream gauge for the week. At a depth of only six feet downstream near Cheraw, it is reaching abnormally low levels for this time of year. Around this time last year, the stream was at 16.61 feet caused by hurricane storms. As for weather, the average was 61.42°F, with a high of 84°F and a low of 55°F. It seems like summer is going to stick around for a little while longer, as daytime temperatures are back up. Once again, no rainfall for this week, which is concerning. Game camera highlights included Coyotes, Bobcats, Wild Turkeys, a Fox Squirrel, and a Red Fox. This is the first time since December 2024 that a Red Fox has been spotted! Discussion of the assigned reading went pretty quick, but important points were made on how nature is sometimes seen as “collateral damage” to human activities. Many people think that the environment should bend to the wants and needs of society, such as building a road right through an important pathway for salamander breeding. Needless to say, there must be a balance between preserving animal habitat and altering the environment for human needs.
We were then introduced to Dr. Kira McEntire from Queens University, who was there with one of her students to set up a Malaise trap to collect insects. She is currently studying insect biomass and biodiversity around the Charlotte area, hoping to document differences between the spring and fall seasons. Southern 8ths is just one of the locations where her insect biodiversity sampling is happening, but I think it’s so cool to get to see real scientists conducting research on the property! Dr. McEntire gave us a short run down of her research, where we would meet her outside shortly to see her set up the insect trap. But for the rest of our time in the Learning Center, the focus shifted to birds and their nesting practices. While we were briefly shown the Motus Station antenna when driving around last week, we went into more depth on how it works. A tag is first placed on the back of a bird that allows it to be tracked. The Motus station then picks up the bird’s movement patterns if it is in range of the antenna / receiver . The Motus will also connect to other stations around the world to track a bird’s migration route. It’s essentially a big database of different birds and their patterns, which is very interesting to see.
The next bird topic was on cavity-nesting birds, such as the Eastern Bluebird and the Carolina Chickadee. They are the most common species seen on the property. Bird boxes are scattered throughout Southern 8ths where they can nest and lay eggs. Nesting in these bird boxes allows the perfect opportunity to document incubation periods, egg count, nest stage, nest success, and much more. For example, the type of nesting material in a box can determine the species of bird that will nest there. Eastern Bluebirds will only make their nests out of pine straw, while Carolina Chickadees will always have moss incorporated in their nests. Carolina Wrens will make little roofs for their nests in addition to incorporating leaves. Tufted Titmice will often use snake skin in their nests as a possible way to deter predators. Using an endoscope camera to look inside the boxes is another way to study bird nesting. It specifically allows you to see the development of baby birds without having to open the side of the nest box which can be too invasive.
The itinerary for the rest of the day was to visit a few of these bird boxes. We hopped in the side-by-side vehicles and first drove out to the Barn Owl silo, where a camera had been placed to document their activity. We got to see some of these photos during the presentation back at the Learning Center, but I was excited to get to see the location in person. On the way there though, two plants stood out to us. David first pointed out a purple flower called the New York Ironweed. It blooms only during the early fall season and supports a diversity of pollinators. The second plant that stood out was the Yellow Crownbeard, which seems to be common along the roads out here. It is a stalky and weed-like plant that has clumps of yellow flowers on its ends, and is also important to many insect species as a late-season source of pollen. Also, I want to express how dusty it was on the ride to the abandoned silo. It has not rained at all since my internship started, which is a contributing factor, and most of the roads at Southern 8ths are gravel. As to not scare the owls away, we parked the vehicles a considerable distance away and tried our best to keep quiet while walking toward the silo. Morgan went in first, where she spotted the two Barn Owls hanging out in the upper part of the silo. I think all of us trying to cram into the little building easily startled the poor birds, so they flew out almost immediately into nearby trees. The silo was really cool though, as owl pellets and small bones lined the floor. These bones of course come from small mammals eaten by the owls. We then checked out a nearby bird nesting box by using the endoscope and by opening up the door. It was lined with pinestraw, telling us that an Eastern Bluebird had settled there in the past.
The last place we visited was Muddy Branch to investigate another box. It was numbered “86” and had a little nest made of moss and leaves inside. It was likely not settled by any bird since there was no waste at the bottom of the nest. A Carolina Wren may have tried to take over the nest though, as that would explain the leaves. But moving away from nesting-cavity birds, we ended up taking a walk through Muddy Branch just to explore the area. The first thing I noticed was how low the water level had gotten. You could literally walk down into the usual path of the stream, where you were met with little patches of water here and there. More importantly though, I was able to get a snapshot of the animal diversity in Muddy Branch alone. Elinor was exceptionally great at catching the smallest amphibians, which included a young American Toad and a Marbled Salamander. She also found a hammerhead worm, a type of free-living platyhelminth/flatworm. Ella was great at pointing out the exact scientific name of certain trees, thanks to her field botany course. Aestas had a good eye for finding parasitic Cordyceps fungi. The most significant find of the walk was a “crime scene” of a Barred Owl who had been most likely attacked by a Great Horned Owl competing for territory. Clumps of feathers were scattered all over the place, often with skin still attached. The distinctive pattern of the feathers helped us find out what was attacked once we got back to the Learning Center computer. We also found the body of a Luna Moth during our walk around Muddy Branch. While sad, it was a great opportunity to see the patterns up close. The moth was very soft and white in color. Despite its head being missing, Morgan decided that we should take it back to the Learning Center for the display collection, which I agreed with.
Getting the chance to explore without having a true narrative allowed me to better understand just how much is going on in the environment. Whether the countless trees overhead or the tiniest of salamanders hiding under logs, life could be found in every inch of Muddy Branch. Just going out to observe what you can find is truly an immersive experience and motivates you to always keep your eyes peeled. I’m glad that I was able to share this experience with my fellow interns as well, since they each caught things that I definitely wouldn’t have!
Journal #3
September 12, 2025
Before even arriving at the Learning Center for the day, it had already been an eventful afternoon. I was taking my first exam for genetics class when the chaos ensued. On top of being fried from having to recite information for an hour for my test, I had not been aware of the circumstances that I might be the only one who could be at the Internship that week. Ella was told that she could not participate due to issues with HR, Aestas had been sick all week and was not sure if she felt well enough to attend, and Elinor texted us that she wasn’t showing up either due to illness. I wasn’t sure how to approach the situation other than just reporting to Southern 8ths as normal, not sure what could be accomplished with just one intern for the day. Thankfully, I met up with Aestas on campus a little before 12:45 pm to try and figure out what to do. After countless emails and texts back and forth with Anna about possibly rescheduling for the sake of the other interns, we both just decided to start driving to Southern 8ths because time was running short before we technically had to be there. It was a little frustrating since I did not plan to drive my car and had to stop to get gas before leaving Wingate. But despite the confusing start, I was able to learn a lot about water sampling, including the processes and technology required.
As usual, David and Anna pulled up the Powerpoint presentation to begin the day. However, this time began with some information on the recent Blood Moon event that occurred on September 7-8th. The total lunar eclipse was visible for five hours and twenty-seven minutes and could be seen from Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. It was the first eclipse for this season, which will soon be followed by a partial solar eclipse on September 21st. It was interesting to learn that eclipses never come alone, coming in pairs within two weeks of each other. As for weather trends this week, it only rained 3.5 inches. Nights are becoming much cooler in temperature as we get closer to the autumn season. The stream gauge for Thompson Creek is below six feet, which may get even lower if it continues to stay dry. The driest months of the year include October, November, and December, so it is unusual how we have hardly seen any rain for weeks, especially since September is hurricane season. The many spider webs seen all over buildings lately may be because there has been no rain to wash them away or because the heat influences spiders to look for cooler areas.
Game camera highlights for the week included the famous piebald White-tailed Deer, “Paintjob” , and her fawns, lots of Bobcat activity, rare Black Vulture sightings, a Fox Squirrel, and a group of bucks traveling. We then transitioned to a quick discussion about the weekly reading, Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. Leopold’s book helped change the public’s views of nature thanks to his passionate writing style. In the short excerpt we read, you could see how Leopold personified the animals, trying to describe their behaviors by giving them human thoughts. He also took careful observation of everything around him, not forgetting a single detail in his writing. The combination of these two writing qualities made nature seem more connected to human society. I also enjoyed the various illustrations in the book, which was a nice break from reading pages of text. The last portion of the Powerpoint presentation was a short itinerary for the day. The rest of the day would be spent learning to fly a drone and how to properly sample stream water. But before we went out in the field, Dr. Davis Carter from Queens University would give a presentation on his recent studies of reptiles and amphibians.
Dr. Carter is a wildlife disease ecologist who had the opportunity to inventory the herpetofauna populations on Southern 8ths Farm and to sample them for pathogens. The first priority of his research before screening for diseases was to establish a baseline inventory of which species of reptiles and amphibians can be found on the property. This was done through time constrained area searches and setting out cover object arrays. The entire property was divided into small grids, where he and his team would document any species and quantities found in a specific grid, typically over a two hour period. As for the cover object arrays, patches of tin and plywood sheets were placed in moist areas around the property. Any species found under these covers would be logged as well. The richness of species diversity in each grid was also calculated. The preliminary results indicated a good diversity of species on Southern 8ths property. Southern Cricket Frogs, Southern Two-lined Salamanders, Northern Dusky Salamanders, Green Anoles, Eastern Box Turtles, and Black Racers were among the most common herpetofauna found. I greatly enjoyed Dr. Carter’s presentation and learned a lot about how to inventory animal species in a given area. I could definitely see myself doing something similar in future, as conducting inventory research greatly interests me.
After the presentation, it was Anna’s time to shine. She was excited to teach us about drone flying and water sampling, two areas of her expertise. We first got a lesson on drone usage in the environment, which can help monitor environmental changes over time, get to places humans can’t get to, and film prescribed burns from an aerial view. While flying a drone, it is important to stay calm and be aware that you are in control of everything. Anna then showed us the drone and all the special pieces it came with, demonstrating how to boot it up and attach the rotors. The drone connected to an app and iPad, where the camera feedback was shown as well as an option to fly the drone using a map and coordinates. We set out the drone on the ground a short distance away from the Learning Center so it had plenty of room to take off. I was shocked how speedy it was, taking off with ease. Anna showed us what each button and joystick did on the controller, which had striking similarities to a video game controller. When it was my turn to fly the drone, I was a little nervous since I was dealing with such an expensive piece of technology. But I actually got the hang of it pretty quickly, you just have to mess around with the controller until your brain knows which stick does what. It was very cool getting to fly the drone around, as I got a bird’s eye view of the property. The two red lights on the bottom of the drone indicated its front side, which was very helpful for orientation purposes. Once everyone got to test out flying the drone, we took a cute video of the drone flying over us for the Carolina Wildlands website.
The last but most important task of the day was to take water samples of Thompson Creek and measure the temperature, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus levels. Anna first showed us the chain of custody record for handling samples, specifically ones with live bacteria. For legality purposes, it is important to have official records of sample sites, the date and time of collection, whose possession the sample is in, and the specific bacteria strand that is being sent to the lab. It was then time to calibrate the sample bottles, which just means rinsing them with distilled water three times to ensure they are clean. Next, it was time to calibrate the turbidimeter, which was the machine used for measuring the cloudiness of the water based on the amount of suspended solids. Running a calibration check involved loading the machine with 20, 100, and 800 NTU bottles that have a known turbidity, to make sure the turbidimeter is working correctly. If the readings are within 5% of the known turbidity, everything is good to go.
Calibrating the YSI Pro Quatro machine was the most involved, as it had three probes that each measured a different thing. The first one we calibrated was the DO (dissolved oxygen) probe. It involved rinsing the set of probes three times along with the cap to ensure no contamination. The YSI read the level of DO to be 100.0% out in the air, which means it is working properly. Next was conductivity, which involved filling the cap with 1413 μS/cm solution and sticking the group of probes into it. You then punch in the solution concentration into the YSI and it should stay at the 1413μS/cm while reading for more than 45 seconds, proving the probe is working correctly. Lastly, the pH probe needed to correctly measure the pH of three fluids, each with a known pH value. You always rinse the probe and the lid three times over the waste bucket between changing fluids. The first fluid was red and had a pH of 4. The second fluid was yellow and had a pH of 7. The third fluid was blue and had a pH of 10.00. Once the number measured by the probe is within 5% of the known pH value and stays constant for at least 45 seconds, calibration is complete.
With the YSI and calibrated sample bottles in hand, we walked behind the Learning Center down to a section of Thompson Creek, where we would be testing the water. The creek was very rocky and full of little minnows, which was a pleasant surprise. Anna walked out into the stream and gently set out the YSI probes into the water. It is important to set out the probes in an area that best represents the sampling site as a whole, not a single murky area or one that you’ve stirred up. The YSI was then ready to start logging, which was done by a simple push of a button on the machine. Meanwhile, Anna showed us how to collect water samples. Always take water from the middle of the water column and fully submerge both the cap and bottle, unscrewing the cap to let water in. The readings of the YSI were then ready to be looked at, which were as follows:
- Temperature: 21.4°C
- DO: 84.6%
- pH: 7.38
- Conductivity: 0.1122 μS/cm
All were in the normal range for the creek, leaving only turbidity and nitrogen and phosphorus levels to be measured by the samples collected. Turbidity read 3.74 NTU during the first reading, 4.02 NTU the second reading, and 3.72 NTU the third reading. Measuring the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water was a little more complicated, as it involved dumping a reagent packet into the sample and letting it sit for either two or five minutes before letting the colorimeter read it. The phosphorus levels measured 0.14 mg/L. The nitrogen levels measured 1.3 mg/L. Both are considered normal levels for the creek. While the water sampling process was complex, I had fun getting to learn about each machine and how to collect accurate data. It is a great skill to have in future endeavors.
Journal #2
September 15, 2025
The first Friday in September marked the second week of the internship. The week leading up to Friday had been quite busy, as my fall classes were starting to ramp up in difficulty. For example, I had to extract DNA from mushroom tissue samples in my genetics lab, which was a fun but very involved process. This week was also the first time carpooling from campus with Ella and Aestas. While the physical ride to Southern 8ths Farm was still the same, I had much more fun this time around, getting to talk with my fellow interns. Hearing about their experiences both on campus at Wingate and in life as a whole made me feel seen. It was a great opportunity to get to know them better, which will no doubt lead to strong friendships in the future.
Upon arrival at the Learning Center, we jumped right into our agenda for the day. In addition to David, Anna, and Morgan, we were also greeted by Brad Turley, the founder of Carolina Wildlands Foundation and the owner of Southern 8ths Farm. He was there to give his “famous” QSA talk, where the goal was to inspire us interns to not only give Mother Nature a voice, but to also become better individuals in the process. Brad’s talk had three major takeaways, which were to question everything, partake in storytelling, and to always speak with attitude. People who make a difference in the world ARE different. They have questions for everyone and everything they come across, and have no shame in asking them. Simply believing something because “that’s the way it’s always been done” will not take you far as a person or a scientist. Secondly, it is essential to give your experiences emotional meaning by telling vivid stories. Brad suggested that whenever telling someone about anything you’ve experienced, to tell the story as if you were talking to your own grandparents. This way, people get the most authentic version of you and are more inclined to care. Never change how you tell your story to sound smarter. Lastly, it is essential to speak with attitude and not arrogance. Stand on your own two feet and stand by your beliefs, but do not think that you are better than anyone else in this world. Brad specifically noted that when asked if you are ready, that you are to respond with “born ready!” to strike awe into whoever you’re speaking to. Brad finished up his talk advising us to always do more than what is asked and to provide our audience with a takeaway on what they should do after listening to our final presentations.
Anna and Morgan then went over the Powerpoint presentation for the week, which first included video footage of a skunk filmed outside the Learning Center, where the call of a Great Horned Owl could also be heard. Weather reports for the week showed no rain and a trend in cooler mornings that would turn into hotter afternoons. The stream gauge report for Thompson Creek indicated a drop in height. As for game camera photos , there were a variety of interesting ones! The photographed animals included Wild Turkeys, Coyotes, Bobcats, Raccoons, a Fox Squirrel, a Great Blue Heron, and a pond turtle . It turns out that last Friday, the first day of the internship, the camera was also able to photograph a River Otter! I hope I get to see one out in the field soon! We then discussed the assigned reading for this week, which was an article detailing historical accounts of European explorers and settlers who travelled in the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina. Their descriptions of the land repeatedly mentioned large, open prairies, which they also referred to as “savannas.” Much of the clear grasslands described in these accounts were the product of burning by Native American communities for agricultural purposes. It was fascinating to discover that a lot of the land that we see today was directly influenced by the people who lived hundreds of years ago.
The second half of the day would involve us exploring the “wild” side of the property, which was much more secluded with low foot and vehicle traffic. Our goal for the day was to witch out the chips and batteries for the cameras surrounding baited sites along BJ’s Pond, Turtle Pond, and Otter Pond. I was excited to get a better scope of the wildlands, since we did not visit that side of the property last week during orientation. I was also hoping to get to see more wildlife this week, since we would be spending more time on foot versus driving around. David was not able to join us for the rest of the day, so Morgan and Anna took charge in showing us the wildlands. We split up into two side-by-side vehicles, with Anna driving one and Morgan driving the other. Ella, Aestas, and I rode with Morgan in the larger vehicle. Contrary to what most people would think, the warmth outside was relaxing and comforting. I am sad to see the weather get colder as the Autumn season gets closer and closer.
The drive to Turtle Pond involved traveling through nature and on the main road. It was more lengthy than I was expecting, but I had fun getting to know Morgan better on the drive down. We had casual group conversation in between Morgan pointing out landmarks and areas of significance. When we arrived at Turtle Pond, I instantly noticed how much more secluded the area was, almost hidden amongst the trees. We spotted a Beaver swimming in the pond right off the bat, which was awesome. I can’t say that I’ve seen a Beaver in person before, so I was very thrilled. Two Great Egrets could be observed in the distance as well, which was also exciting. The camera that needed its chip swapped out was on the trunk of a tree along the outer edge of the pond. On the ground surrounding the camera, we noticed a slew of turtle bones and pieces of the outer shell. You could tell that these outer pieces made up the scutes of the turtle shell, as they were dark in color and a little bumpy in texture. We then drove further up along the pond’s end to a different camera. We had to climb down through a patch of greenery to get to the pond’s shoreline. Here, Aestas pointed out a Chinese Mantis resting on the leaf of a plant. It was more brown in color and a lot bigger than other mantises I have seen, but beautiful nonetheless.
After walking back up to the vehicles, Morgan drove us through the forests to Otter Pond. On the way, I spotted a Monarch Butterfly and three White-Tailed Deer, which we unfortunately scared into running away due to the loud sound of the side-by-side motor. Unlike the previous pond, we could not simply pull up next to it. We had to park the vehicles next to a patch of sweet-smelling plants, which were a part of the mint family. The trek down to the pond’s shoreline was a steep downhill climb. Anna went first, poking a stick around so we wouldn’t walk face-first into any spider webs. I noticed many Spiny-backed Orb Weaver Spiders (Gasteracantha cancriformis), who had made their nests between tree branches. It was my first time seeing a spider that was spiky, so of course I had to look it up after we got back to the Learning Center. We also saw a Box Turtle also walking through the trees with us, which was so cute. Otter Pond was fascinating because unusual calls could be heard from the grasses and plants sticking out of the water. Apparently, these were frog calls, but they sounded exactly like a confused cat meowing. It was quite funny how similar they sounded to meowing. Many deer tracks could also be observed along the pond’s shore, indicating that this was a source of drinking water for them.
Our last stop was at BJ’s pond, which was by far the muddiest of the ponds observed today. Anna had to get waders on to reach the camera, and she sunk a few inches with each step into the mud. I was glad to be on solid ground, where I took note of unique, orange mushrooms all around me. Lots of spiderwebs could also be seen here, where I noticed two more spiders. Before leaving, Morgan pointed out bite marks in the trunk of a tree, indicating that a Beaver had been there. Before heading back to the Learning Center, Morgan took a quick detour to Fireworks Pond to see if there were any otters hanging out. Alas, we had no luck, but the detour helped me get a better sense of direction on the property. We arrived back at the Learning Center with time to begin writing our journals on paper. David had requested for us to spend a little bit of time each week doing this, so that ideas would be fresh in our minds. I am not sure how I feel about this though, as I write and reflect best on my own in a quiet space. Nevertheless, I got some progress done on my journal and said goodbye to Anna and Morgan. Ella, Aestas, and I had a thirty-minute drive back to Wingate, but our conversations kept us entertained. Overall, today was a great learning experience, and I enjoyed getting to see just a glimpse of the biodiversity on Southern 8ths Farm. I am still set on studying the Crayfish in Thompson Creek for my final project, as they fascinate me the most. I am grateful to be part of a program that is advancing our knowledge of the natural world.
Journal #1
August 29th, 2025
The last Friday in August marked the first day of the internship, which I thought was a little funny how the dates lined up. To say I was nervous was an understatement. When it’s your first time going somewhere, there is no true way to tell what you’re going to walk into. All sorts of questions flooded my head on the way there. What are the people going to be like? Will the other interns like me or think I’m weird? Will I be able to uphold all that is expected of me in this program? Do I possess enough knowledge to make useful contributions to the program? I had just gotten out of three classes back-to-back at Wingate when it was time to head over to the preserve, so I was already wide awake and ready to learn. I prefer to pack my activities into the days where I have the most classes because one, I already have to take the time to get ready and wake up early, so it’s easier to make it to functions. And two, because it forces me to be productive and allows a few days in the week where I can get homework and writing assignments done.
Driving to the property provided scenic views, winding backroads, and a preview of the many forests and farms that call the Carolinas home. I’ll admit it was hard to get a good look at the beauty of the area because my eyes were glued to the GPS, so I didn’t get lost or make any wrong turns. Upon arriving on Lucious Davis Road, the material of the road switched to gravel, and dust from the material stirring up in the air had made it a little hard to see out of my rear window. Finding the Learning Center was quite the experience, as I mistakenly turned into someone’s property and did not know exactly which horse stable the email instructions were referring to. Nevertheless, I made it to the center on time and was the second intern to arrive. I met Elinor and took a glance at all the materials provided on the table, which included maps, wildlife identification books, journals, sticky notes, a welcome pamphlet, and a complimentary Carolina Wildlands ink pen.
By that time, another intern, Ella, had made it to the Learning Center. She was very friendly and was also an Environmental Biology major at Wingate. Having just transferred to the university, I have not yet met a lot of fellow students, let alone people in my specific major, so I was glad about that. After a little while of chatting with the two interns present, the final one, Aestas, showed up. She was also a Wingate student, and it was good to hear from another biology major. All of us interns were then introduced to David, Anna, and Morgan, who were the staff responsible for guiding the internship program this semester. They were all very welcoming and explained a bit about their backgrounds and educational experience, which was inspiring to see how successful they all had become. We were shown a PowerPoint presentation on a bit of the background of the Thompson Creek watershed, the goals of Carolina Wildlands Foundation, and what our responsibilities as interns would be. To get us thinking about the wildlife of the area, we were shown photographs of certain animals that were taken with the game cameras on site. I had no idea species such as Bobcats, River Otters, and Beavers could be found close to home. Identifying native wildlife (from North and South Carolina) is definitely one of my weaknesses since I studied marine biology for a year, but I am hoping to get better at it over the course of this program.
After the presentation, it was time for a tour of the property. The map was a little confusing to differentiate between the shading/colors, so it was beneficial to get to see some of the areas in person. We first started with a brief walk to a section of Thompson Creek, where David gave a little lesson on the trees surrounding the Learning Center and the metal sheets (aka cover boards) placed on the ground as a way to view amphibians and reptiles who crawl under them seeking warmth or shelter. The creek was beautiful but surprisingly shallow. It doesn’t stay like this forever, though, as we were quickly told how much the creek can flood, sometimes as high as we were standing above the water. It was also here that I got one of my first ideas of what I might want to study further. Thompson Creek is home to Crayfish, which I had no idea were found in the Carolinas. I am fascinated by crustaceans, as they are one of my favorite groups of animals. Apparently, they like to hide in small rock crevices in the creek, toward the deeper areas. This got me thinking about how the water conditions (temperature, murkiness, oxygen levels, E. coli concentration) and constantly changing water levels due to flooding may affect crayfish populations and behavior. I also wonder what kind and how many Crayfish species can be found on the preserve. I was then told how Crayfish are a favorite food of the River Otters here on the property, and shown how broken pieces of Crayfish exoskeleton can be observed in their fecal matter. River Otters will also eat freshwater mussels and clams. This relationship reminds me of how Sea Otters will feast on Purple Sea Urchins. I wonder if the River Otters keep the Crayfish population in check, similar to the way that Sea Otters keep the sea urchins from overgrazing kelp populations in the Pacific.
After walking back, all of us hopped into side-by-side vehicles to explore more of the property. Because it has been a while since it last rained, the ride was very dusty and dry. A bit about the area’s history was shared with us, including an old cemetery that indicates the land’s role in horse breeding and eventing, including for the cavalry of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. A handful of log sculptures were shown to us as well. They made heavy use of symbolism to describe how the wildlife is connected here at Southern 8ths. The rest of the tour was a short survey of the types of ecosystems on the property, which included stops at various ponds, grasslands, and forests. The ponds interested me because I want to learn more about native fish species here in the Carolinas. The grasslands also piqued my interest because of the countless butterflies that could be observed weaving in and out of the plants. I spotted several Monarch butterflies and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, which were absolutely beautiful and much bigger than the butterflies I see in the Charlotte area. I would love to learn more about their life cycles and try to photograph them to see the variation in pattern/color among individuals of the same species.
One of the last stops on the tour was the so-called “dangerous” bridge. I didn’t have any fear of walking on it, but big logging trucks and heavy vehicles cannot be supported. It was peaceful getting to look over the bridge at the creek below, which was a little deeper than the area we walked to before. I tried to see if anything was swimming in the water, but had no luck. Hopefully, I’ll be able to spot more aquatic creatures on future Fridays. Overall, the first day went well, and we got back to the Learning Center around 5:15 pm. In the future, I hope we get to spend more time learning about each specific area in more depth. If I learned anything during the tour, it’s that I definitely need to grow my field work and specific species identification skills. I hope that I can be a valuable member of the team this semester.
