Upper Greenfin Darter sampling
#1 Guest_bpkeck_*
Posted 24 March 2009 - 02:02 PM
I am very thankful for the NANFA conservation research grant you all awarded me for my research on Greenfin Darters, Nothonotus chlorobranchius, and thought I'd let you all know that I'll be getting a chunk of the sampling done in a few days. I'll be leaving from Knoxville on Sunday, March 29, on up to camp/sample on Beaverdam Cr., a South Fork Holston trib. Monday we'll be winding our way south through the mountains and pick up some Watauga tribs in TN (Stoney Cr. and Doe R.) and Nolichucky tribs in NC (N and S Toe R.), probably camping on the S Toe. Tuesday we'll stop at two French Broad tribs (Ivy Cr. and Big Laurel Cr) on our way back to Knoxville. Wednesday we'll spend a leisurely morning and early afternoon on the Little Pigeon just outside the GRSM park border.
If anyone would like to come with us or meet at one of the localities let me know. Monday may be fast paced, but the others should have more time to explore. I'll post updates on facebook during the trip, and on here when I get back.
I'm hoping for less rain, snow, and cold than my Feb. trip to northern AL.
I'm hoping to do the southern part of the range and get pictures in mid to late May and will post that on here as well.
Ben
#5 Guest_mikez_*
Posted 24 March 2009 - 06:46 PM
BTW, a small folding shovel, known to military types as a trenching tool, is an indispensable piece of camping equipment. Use it to make a trench around your tent to direct the water around and past your tent. Works like a charm.
What name do you go by on FB? [PM if you want to keep it private]
#6 Guest_farmertodd_*
Posted 24 March 2009 - 07:08 PM
Todd
#9 Guest_UncleWillie_*
Posted 25 March 2009 - 07:18 PM
Cheers,
Will
#10 Guest_bpkeck_*
Posted 26 March 2009 - 05:05 PM
fundulus - I made it to Eagle scout and I have plenty of stories of waking up in puddles and now have a decent eye for picking a spot that will not retain water in a down pour.
gzeiger - I rarely use concrete pads, gravel are fine, but if there's going to be any wind I like to have it well staked down and that night there were tornado warnings. It was one of the more interesting nights of camping in recent years for me.
Should be a fun trip, even with the potential rain.
Ben
#11 Guest_bpkeck_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 11:07 AM
#12 Guest_farmertodd_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 11:31 AM
Todd
#14 Guest_bpkeck_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 05:18 PM
Fritz - We got one 5" Stonecat.
#15 Guest_farmertodd_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 07:21 PM
Did you get any longnose dace there? They weren't as thick there as we saw them in the Davidson and Mills, but they were just as enormous.
http://gallery.nanfa...sedace.jpg.html (I had no idea! lol)
And yeah, all those lipstick lips are pretty awesome when you lift up a couple hundred of them lol.
Fritz, is there something interesting about the stonecat in Ivy Creek? I got a couple bigguns in there too, according to my field notes. Listed as "supersize!"
Those "fantails" up thataway look funny too. But I won't even bother to get into that whole phylogenetic nightmare.
Can't wait to get back up there again. Been pushing the 'rents into a family vacation there. I think I have my Dad on the line. He likes the Smokies, but he's bored with Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I tried to nudge toward Townsend, but he thinks that's too far to day trip to get over to Le Conte (his fave hike - and no, it's very not son like father ). I would totally settle for Asheville, Brevard or Hendersonville.
Todd
#16 Guest_jblaylock_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 07:58 PM
Can't wait to get back up there again. Been pushing the 'rents into a family vacation there. I think I have my Dad on the line. He likes the Smokies, but he's bored with Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I tried to nudge toward Townsend, but he thinks that's too far to day trip to get over to Le Conte (his fave hike - and no, it's very not son like father ). I would totally settle for Asheville, Brevard or Hendersonville.
Todd
My wife and I are going there in May for an extended weekend. I collected in the Little Pigeon last August, found plenty Swannanoa and TN Snubnose. I collected right in Pigeon Forge and right outside the national park before you get to Gatlinburg. Are there any other close streams that would be work looking into?
#17 Guest_farmertodd_*
Posted 02 April 2009 - 09:09 PM
My wife and I are going there in May for an extended weekend. I collected in the Little Pigeon last August, found plenty Swannanoa and TN Snubnose. I collected right in Pigeon Forge and right outside the national park before you get to Gatlinburg. Are there any other close streams that would be work looking into?
Good places. There's a little park back behind Kroger and Auto Zone that's a little trib of the Pigeon. I saw all the small stream darters there, and found most of the shiners including plenty of saffrons.
Yeah there is... Get your snorkel and mask out and hit the Little River at Townsend at any of the accesses. You can see around 20 species of darters. Makes a nice day trip adding on a walk at Cades Cove and hike out to Abrams Falls, getting all ready to jump in that chilly water!
Todd
#18 Guest_bpkeck_*
Posted 03 April 2009 - 10:28 AM
It's really pretty up there and I can't wait to get back in May and hopefully some snorkeling.
#19 Guest_fritz_*
Posted 03 April 2009 - 10:35 AM
The stonecats in the upper TN drainage are probably something new - I forget who was working on that question. I started to get involved but can't seem to finish what I already have so backed off. Charlie Saylor was the one who initially got me excited about the ones in Little T. I've also collected a few in Cane River (Nolichucky) and Ivy Creek.
#20 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 03 April 2009 - 10:38 AM
You can see alot of things snorkeling in the Little River, including people riding intertubes over lowhead dams like it's a waterslide. 20 species of darters!? No way! I maxed out at 12 or 13 multiple times e-fishing and snorkeling and there were only two other species possible I didn't come across, P. sciera and E. cinerum.
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