Mission Impossible #2: Find Hurricane Irene Survivors!

This is Part Two of: Mission Impossible. Look for and Read First: Part One in September 2010.

Sing the Theme Song, please!

My Mission which I chose to accept: look for survivors of Hurricane Irene: Endangered Species: Wild Beach Amaranth @ Tower Beach.

Just weeks before on a 90 degree day, for a 5 hour "Search and GPS Plot" Mission, myself, another volunteer, and my Director of Endangered Species Beach Nester Birds (and plants) surveyed Conquest to Tower Beach. We were in giddy-Amaranth mode as it seemed every few feet we were finding our quarry! My self-appointed job was to mark it with found objects of shells and reeds and orange flagging while measurements were recorded.

As a child I walked the dunes. Doing so now as an adult for the good State of Delaware is SWEET!

30 Degrees less, in the 60's, and windy, wearing my field boots and a fleece jacket, my mood was not sweet as I surveyed; there would be no survivors of Hurricane Irene.

The tides washed to the foot of the dunes decimating the Amaranth and all accompanying annual vegetation. Dune grass and the PVC pipe fencing made it thru just fine.

The Amaranth set seed in August and thus a seed bank awaits under the new accumulation of 6-12 inches of sand.

I'll see you again, August 2012!

Beach Blessings,

Mission Impossible: Find Hurricane Earl Survivors!

Please start to sing the theme song to the now so impossibly retro TV show, "Mission Impossible". Too young? You Tube it!!!

The Tuesday after the passing of Hurricane Earl off the Delmarva Coast, there I am on the Hawk Watch platform enjoying my day. Nothing to do but watch the ocean, bay, sky and a few raptors! After duty, descending the steps, my cell gets in a voice mail. Oddly the cell call never came in on the platform. Oh, well.

My "Piping Plover" Director of Endangered Species, Birds and Plants, implores a call back. I do.

Theme Song Please:

Your Mission if you choose to take it is to find the Survivors of Hurricane Earl! Find the Endangered Species Wild Beach Amaranth Plants that made it thru Hurricane Earl's High Tide!

Why yes, I will take on the mission!

In 25 mph winds with stinging sand I crawled the Dune Line between Key Box and Conquest beach. I was truly bummed as I started the crawl. There were 25 plants..... I was finding none.

And then I found one...... a tiny water-logged survivor.

And then I found one the size of a small butter plate!

And then I found one the size of an appetizer plate!

With each find, happier, and happier I became despite covered with the flying gritty and filmy sand.

20% survivor rate!

Ta Da!

Stalking the Wild Beach Amaranth

Having spent a good portion of my childhood wandering the dunes it is a wonder that I now do this same thing for the good state of DE in search of the "Wild Beach Amaranth".

Part of the Beach Nester program is locating the plants in the very same federally protected area for our endangered species beach nester- birds. As our Director Matt Bailey says, "what is good for the Piping Plovers is good for the Wild Beach Amaranth".

Two weeks ago on a very early Saturday morning we met for our three hour survey. As we entered the dunes the heat and humidity was already in charge of the day. Our team of 5 found three plants all in a high probability area.

After a lesson on viewing a beach-nest, I thrilled to later find my first Least Tern Nest! It was like finding a miniscule version of an ancient archaeological site!

So what is the natural heritage of the Wild Beach Amaranth? I've asked and searched; no information comes forward.

After noticing that the Beach Goldenrod is in good play at this very same time of year, and knowing it is a dye plant..... I wondered if the Wild Beach Amaranth was too. Maybe for the Indians it was a very special dye plant and ritual color. The seed is mahogany red-brown...... I need a seed to test my theory!

Beach Blessings,

Coastal Cleanup and Guarding The Wild Beach Amaranth

Coastal Clean Up Day ended up as " She Who Guards Endangered Species Plants".  

 Ah-Ha MOMENT of my life: there I am sitting on a dune, guarding a Federally Endangered Plant, from Coastal Clean Up volunteers..... the Wild Beach Amaranth plant once blue-ish green now yellowing, having been swamped by the past week's Nor' Easter high tides, no bigger than my thumb, utters to me: 

THIS IS YOUR LIFE.  SHE WHO GUARDS PLANTS.

Quite the moment.  Someone has to do it?  It is me. As it is a Federally Mandated Protected Species, located in a Federally Protected Area.

This gets better.  During a past Dune Survey, with two paid Professionals and another volunteer, I was the one that found the diminutive gem!

After Coastal Clean Up Day I was told, "It is the only one remaining in Delaware"!

( Not to worry as this is an annual..... so last remaining plant for the season ).

Oh, and the story gets even better.

When I went to locate and mark my tiny plant prisoner, to protect her from forthcoming enthusiastic Girl Scouts...... momentarily I could not find her!!!

 Had I stepped on her???  My PANIC was beyond HUGE!!!!!!

Would I have to report to DE's Fish and Wildlife I had killed her off ?

If I had, would I be fired from my Volunteer position: FIRED Dune Survey Wanderer Finder of Tiny-Tiny Endangered Species Plants??????

I very slowly, very carefully turned around: looked DOWN, and there she was!!!!!!

I marked the sucker with a brick and then hailed a DNREC vehicle outta there! 

It was time to pee and go to Hawk Watch!

PS: It is no fun finding a spot to pee-pee on the CHSP Dunes!  Like turn around and the Radio Tower can see you...... or the Lewes Ferry...... or the Hawk Watch volunteers!

Beach Blessings,