Fall Semester Interns’ Presentations
Wingate University interns Charles Hawkins, Sasha Fongging, and James Pittman
On Friday, November 15th, our Wingate University interns showcased their research to Carolina Wildlands Foundation staff, Wingate professors, friends, and family.
Sasha Fongging, a senior Environmental Science major at Wingate University, presented her project investigating the seasonal behavioral patterns and preferred habitats of the Northern Bobwhite Quail and Eastern Meadowlark. Sasha, who will be working toward a master’s degree in zoology, employed various data collection methods, including scanning survey areas and using call-and-response techniques. Sasha, along with her team of four, used a sweeping technique while walking through the grasslands to flush out Meadowlarks and Bobwhite Quails. She also used the Merlin app to identify bird calls in native prairie areas. Based on her research, Sasha concluded that Northern Bobwhite Quails are most active in the morning and prefer native prairies over open grasslands, while Eastern Meadowlarks are more commonly found in open grasslands.
The irregular behavior of skunks captured on game cameras at Southern 8ths has long puzzled the Carolina Wildlands Foundation staff, and Wingate intern James Pittman took on the challenge of investigating “why.” James, a senior Environmental Biology major hoping to pursue a career in mammalogy, explored skunk behavior and habitat use. Through his research, he learned that skunk populations have increased due to a decrease in predators caused by deforestation— the opposite result of observations at Southern 8ths. Skunks are nocturnal omnivores, scavenging at night for insects or berries in mixed forest and grassland areas. While skunks rely on dens for shelter, they do not dig their own but rely abandoned dens of other creatures or nest under human-made structures. To track skunks, James set up motion-activated cameras at Steele Prairie, Frances’s Meadow, and BJ’s Pond. However, after three weeks, the cameras did not capture any skunk activity. Since skunk numbers have increased, why are we still not seeing them regularly on the game cameras? James concluded that skunks are notoriously tricky to track, and that Southern 8ths Farm is likely at the edge of their range in the Piedmont and foothills, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
Our third intern, Charles Hawkins, a junior Environmental Biology major, studied the importance of late-season bloomers for pollinators. Using 1-meter by 1-meter quadrats in our native prairies, Charles observed and identified pollinators such as bees, beetles, and butterflies using the apps Seek and iNaturalist. While the transition from summer to fall bloomers resulted in fewer blooms during his study, Charles documented late bloomers such as Brazilian Vervain, Frost Aster, and Calico Aster. His observations revealed several pollinators, including two new species for the Carolina Wildlands Foundation: the Potter Wasp and the Banded Garden Spider. Charles concluded that late-season bloomers play a vital role in providing energy for pollinators as they prepare for migration. In concluding, he advocated for homeowners and landowners to plant native prairies to support pollinator activity.
Although we are sad to see this semester’s internship come to an end, we are excited to watch Sasha, James, and Charles continue to grow in their passion for field biology. Their hard work and dedication have brought valuable insights to the Carolina Wildlands Foundation, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve next!
Read more about the interns’ experience at the Southern 8ths Field Station on the their Journal Pages.
