CAPTAIN SAMS
With few birds and high temperatures things seemed very quiet at Little Bear, but as we closed nets we had a surprise down at Net 27! Hanging out below the near net pole and just around a bend in the trail we had a rather battered American Alligator of about six and a half feet in length. Unfortunately for our new neighbor he had evidently seen better days as he was missing many teeth on the lower right side of his jaw and definitely appeared to be somewhat underweight. While we can't know for certain what happened, I personally think it may be that he has been pushed out of his territory by another alligator and is looking for a new spot to call home.
American Alligator after having been moved a little away from net pole
And just a little close-up.
Sometimes people wonder how much damage alligators do to the waterbirds, like herons and egrets, that share their habitat with the enormous reptiles. This is not without reason as alligators are hardly discriminating in their diet, but the presence of alligators is a great benefit for the ecosystem and the creatures they share their habitat with. In the creation of their dens alligators create habitat diversity and permanent sources of deeper water, and because many of the most notorious nest-predators, like raccoons, are the perfect size for consumption alligators can serve to insulate nesting colonies of wading birds with proverbial gator-infested moats. Moreover alligators often have more to fear from wading birds as many a hatchling alligator has found its way down the gullet of a creeping heron.
In South Carolina American Alligators inhabit the eastern half of the state. Though historically decimated by hunting, they have since enjoyed a wonderful recovery and can now be found with some ease in much of state.The largest alligator recorded in South Carolina came in at thirteen and a half feet and clocked in at 1,025 pounds, which compares favorably to the largest verified record from Alabama in 2014 at fifteen feet, nine inches and 1,011.5 pound specimen. Both of these, however, seem small compared to the 1890 Louisiana record of nineteen foot and two inches. Apparently no weight was every recorded as it could not be moved from the wetland it was found in. When I reflect on this, I am very happy with the alligator we ran into.
Hopefully our little friend is able to find a good place to rest up and spend the winter.
-Jeremiah
| Species | Captain Sam's | Little Bear | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | Recaps | New | Recaps | |
Traill's Flycatcher | 1 | - | - | - |
Least Flycatcher | - | 1 | - | - |
Red-eyed Vireo | 1 | - | - | - |
White-eyed Vireo | - | 1 | - | 1 |
Carolina Wren | - | - | - | 2 |
Carolina Chickadee | 1 | - | - | 1 |
Northern Waterthrush | 5 | 2 | 2 | - |
American Redstart | - | - | 1 | - |
Yellow Warbler | - | - | 1 | - |
Prairie Warbler | 2 | - | 1 | 1 |
Common Yellowthroat | 1 | - | - | - |
Northern Cardinal | - | - | 1 | 1 |
Painted Bunting | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Today's Banding Stats | Captain Sams | Little Bear | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| # Birds Banded | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| # of Recaptures | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| # of Species | 8 | 9 | 12 |
| Effort (net-hours) | 128.4 | 92.4 | 220.8 |
| Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours) | 12.8 | 16.2 | 14.0 |
| # of Nets | 32 | 28 | 60 |
| 2025 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats | Captain Sams | Little Bear | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| # Birds Banded | 380 | 213 | 593 |
| # of Recaptures | 92 | 88 | 180 |
| # of Species | 31 | 28 | 39 |
| Effort (net-hours) | 2,815.8 | 1,439.0 | 4254.8 |
| Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours) | 16.8 | 20.9 | 18.2 |
| # of Days | 20 | 13 |
Banding Staff
Aaron Given (CS)