Outdoors Maryland; 903

Coming up. Their sleek descendants of the Indian dugout surviving time deep in the heart of a country plying their racing trade on the same Chesapeake waters where they once sailed for oysters the law good news and dragons and damsels the flitting and flirting of Maryland's ancient species of dragon flies next. Outdoors Maryland is produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. DNR inspired by nature. Her name is island bird and she's one of the grand old ladies of the Chesapeake

Bay. Her heritage reaches back more than 100 years to the vanished era when wooden boats under sail dominated the horizons and the wide bodied rivers of the bay. Island bird is a racing log part of a fleet of sailing boats that can trace their roots back to the Native American dugout canoes. The early European settlers adapted this canoe building technique and joined together three to five chiseled out logs to form a larger more sea where they haul capable of hauling freight or taking fishermen to oyster bars. In the 19th century there were thousands of these fast and sleek sailing boats that sped up and down the waterways with their billowing sails and their distinctive raked back masts by the turn of the century they devolved into pleasure racing boats. Now there are only slightly more than 20 long canoes remaining. No one knows that history better than the owner and captain of the island bird. John Norris

a retired judge from Talbot County whose family is descended from log canoe builders Island bird was built by my great grandfather in 1882. He was a professional boat builder at Tillman's Island. He built bird a series of other log canoes which were used principally as pleasure racing boats. Bird is the oldest canoe. With a definite construction date. Decade after decade from the roaring 20s to the turbulent 60s. Island bird raced her way through most of this century winning trophy after trophy different captains and different crews but the same sleek and glorious cloud of sail earned her a reputation for being a champion both in her class. Judge North has been sailing on the island bird since he was a boy. For him long canoes are a passion and so is island bird.

Well it would mean so much to anybody that sailed the same boat for 50 years. You'd agree with that I'm sure. This is the 50th year that we have owned it and I've sailed on it. So the emotional attachment has to be substantial. Like a cloud of white swans swooping low over the water the early summer brings the nose with their wing like sails back to the bay each year. Judge John North's summer home with its long dock on the banks of the lazy miles river becomes a beehive of activity. We had land here we could get the best out I think probably yeah. Crew and helpers scamper about getting the boats ready for a day of races. It's a traditional right here marking the beginning of the racing season. While everyone else is dressed in shorts and t shirts just north follows an old tradition and dresses and a white shirt and white trousers just as they did in the 1920s. He's considered by many to be the dean of the law going to fleet he and his family

own three of these old boats. Besides Island bird one of the smallest boats in the fleet. There's an island blossom that was recently restored to mark the boats one hundredth birthday. And there's JD The largest of the log canoes at 60 feet overall built in 1931. She's owned and skippered by one of the judges two sons down North who like his father is a great believer in family and tradition. This boat was built by my great great uncle in 1931 and she's been back in our family as it were since the early 70s and I'm very happy to be here skipper. Take a course since he was built by my great great uncle. But besides tradition speed is what makes these swift on stable sailing boats distinctive with their huge spreads of canvas on their narrow halls. They're racing machines capable of sailing twice as fast as many sailboats their size. JD with a crew of 14 is one of the fastest.

These boats don't have a leg heel instead we have all the ball springboards which extend out over the side of the bus and we get people to go out on the springboard to balance the boat. I don't allow this to have basically a much lighter boat with a lot more sail area and so it can be a much more exciting time sailing. For the crews of log canoes it's a constant challenge just to keep the boats upright. Most log sailors experience a capsize at least once a season. Even the most skilled can end up in the water. When we got into an area and got caught when they go on top in a gorgeous. Oh well I'm selling out I'm thinking of keeping the boat upright and went in the race. I don't have a whole lot of thought in the course of the race for the position of the sun about a lot but that comes later after the race is over for the presentation ladies and gentlemen.

Over the years judges Northern Ireland bird have rarely ended the racing season without successfully bringing home a trophy but that changed. For the last eight or 10 years we've won the highpoint profaned. Seven or eight times this past year. We had an off season. We came in. North of the high point. Which was something of a wake up call to me I guess the problem was the advancing age of island bird she was over 100 years old. Judge North had custody Asli maintained a boat but rotten wood and rust were beginning to take a heavy toll. We had been bothered with excessive leakage. Water has been coming up in the center board and from that we knew that the wood surrounding it was getting soft. In short the island bird was in serious danger. The boat was hauled off to a local boat yard in Oxford. The prognosis was even worse than the judge had imagined. We were surprised with the amount of rock and soft wood we encountered

which is always the case with an old wooden boat. You find a little spot of rock. You figure your chisel it out replace it and the next thing in though that little spot of rock that run the length of the boat. Well I think you are right. The project took close to nine months nearly 50 percent of the original wood was replaced including some of the logs that made up the home. Even the decks and the wooden supports underneath had to be rebuilt. Tom Campbell headed up the project. If you want to start on the inside see all the new wood. That has replaced. The old you see on the outsides are what remains of the wing. By using spruce instead of for on some parts of the boat. Island bird would now be considerably lighter and the judge hoped considerably faster. The Moat was totally repainted with a traditional white hall unlike green deck. It was

what is called in the boating industry. A major overhaul. I think we've done the right thing. Hopefully this coming season will show faster to the fleet if we get. On a hot muggy weekend in late June the newly refitted Island bird was very much alive and ready for a trial run. The opening of the log canoe race season on the miles were over. Yeah yeah right. Last minute preparations were underway on the 45 foot persistence. Last year's overall winner a few hundred yards away the crew of the Annapolis based Patricia raised their feisty insignia the Chesapeake Bay mosquito but one race and one race also kept a new free expected stiff competition from the island bird. She's going to be a very very difficult to beat but Islander it has made a new

keel which will allow him to go faster at slower speeds. So Judge not an island bird and rock their boat up to being a very modern type of technology. David North the older of the judge's two sons piloted the power boat which pulled the bird out to the middle of the Miles river to the starting point of the race. Right now we're headed out this morning to the committee. So that. We can finish the island bird. We like to revere the committee that way we can keep the feel for the timing of the race what the Course May Day. And you're right in the center of the activity then the race is got underway under sunny skies. The boats glided swiftly up the miles River talking back and forth. What he likes about the island is that. Much more difficult the sale than any other canoe in the fleet because she's so small

very tender Berry delicate. They require just the right the nets on the teller and a higher challenge in the first race bird did exceptionally well finishing first in corrected time. But in the second race she narrowly averted disaster. The winds were gusty or and more unpredictable and one of the log when it was already overturned in the water. Word came that island bird had suffered the same fate. Where. Is it on again you are my father never the other side. Fortunately for George North and his crew the knockdown occurred after the race was over. Island bird with her handicap had managed to come in second in corrected time. Welcome solace for the Saul good crew. One of the crew members Sidney Dixon explained what happened. To. The big. Picture.

We're sure right abroad. Yes we let the sail go out the sails are in the water. Once the sails are in the water you can't let them out any further. It's ordinary We get wet but not despair as a judge North pulled himself to shore making light of his capsize. Some say it's the speed of the log window and the danger of hurtling so close to the water that attracts sailors to these boats. But for others like John north there's clearly something more than just the thrill of going fast racing these boats is also the preservation of tradition and memories memories that for him have become intertwined with the island bird. A boat that played a big part in his family's past and is now very much a part of the family's future. Well I would hope you'd go for a hundred years. After all the refit that she's been to is an apple pie order for the moment.

They look like something from the age of dinosaurs because they are. Today there are at least four hundred twenty five species of dragonflies in North America. More than a fourth can be found in Maryland in specially protected sites at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Richard or is senior at him ologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture dragonflies or Richard's obsession and he's recognized internationally for his expertise. Richard this catalog One hundred and nine species at the refuge since 1990. The Refuge borders both the Piedmont plateau and coastal plain. And so is rich in diverse aquatic habitats. Will find dragonflies here in a rare bog. A common pawn and a pristine river.

One of the unique habitats of some Wildlife Research Center is that it has one of the last remnants of coal still acidic bogs. This particular bog was named. After this plant. The round leaf sun due around leaf sun do is a coniferous plant which means that it actually eats insects and those that he shares are covered with the sticky substance in which it dissolves insects and the plants go ahead and use the nutrients from the insects. This is a young male This is a merging young dragon fly is very very weak when he first emerges out of the water and is very susceptible to being caught and devoured by the sun do's and sails. But somehow this one has made it above the sun do and is now drying out and no doubt will probably make it Sunday bog is unique and it has the elfin skimmer which is the smallest dragon fly in North America. Yeah. And that's the one that we're after the elephants hate you.

Yes that's the that's the elephant scammer that is a very very rare dragon fly from Maryland is known for only at only three locations in Maryland. Of the three populations This is the by far the largest and it is the only one that's protected in Maryland. This is the female of the elfin skimmers Bakshi a very very pretty animal. This is the smallest species of dragon fly in North America and in fact is one of the smallest species in the world. It's about three quarters of an inch long you could cover it up with a quarter for a dragon fly that is a very very small. I mean this is a female how can it. It is a species characterized by a fairly healthy freshwater marshes or bogs. The name Halloween panic comes from the colors of the male where the yellow and the females are replaced by red in the male or orange and orange are

black and are of course the colors of Halloween dragonflies hunt in two ways they're always predators and they will take whatever they really can catch and eat the adult can either capture the insects right into its mandibles and choose it up and swallows it or if the prey is larger it forms a basket by using its legs and that's where the legs of the different size and the dragon fly would come up underneath its prey captured in the basket and then fly somewhere in order to eat it. Oh you think you get this one who's landed at the White spangled scammer just flew over here now. It's the easiest way to identify is that it's stigmata that blood filled bag at the end of the wings is by color due to black and white and it's a very very distinctive easy to identify. Oh and there's another species right there.

This is the painted skimmer. It is a fairly common species. It prefers grassy to say gee shallow ponds and bogs in the area. This one is is definitely on territory that's why he was flying to and fro and coming back to this particular branch of the tree. Oh oh I get that one. Get that one right there. A common name of this animal is the Allegheny snake tale. And it is fairly uncommon throughout its range. The highest concentration in the world is probably in Maryland. This is a species that's coming off the river and what he's doing here I don't know. One of the more common habitats is the is the regular pond habitat that occurs throughout the coastal plain and protect some Wildlife Research Center has a large number of different ponds. I think of all the habitats aquatic habitats that people see dragonflies in it's mostly

like this is where you have a open pond with some emergent vegetation around. And whenever somebody calls me up and says they've seen the most beautiful dragonflies I've ever seen in the world it usually is a species that occurs in these kind of habitats and it usually has some of the a large conspicuous pond dragonflies. And these also are the ones that are very very common. There's the widow that just landed on the twig and the widow has the first half of all four wings black with white at the ends. Widow skimmers I think one of our more beautiful dragonflies in the east the eastern pond Hawk is just landed. That's the one I like simply because it eats a lot of deer flies in in the late summer. It's a very very very gracious dragon fly off and taking dragon flies its own size off in its own species and eating it.

Now there are three species that are working out there and you have the common white tail you have the white spangled skimmer. You have the blue Dasher humans the mating season the females are coming in getting ready to lay their eggs the males therefore go to this habitat to set up their territories and that's why they're so numerous that's why they're so aggressive and that's why they're flying around so much at this particular time they're very very territorial. There he landed. You know that's the common white tail that's a species is doing very well in the Washington D.C. area Maryland area because it's larvae can tolerate a high organic component in water and therefore slightly polluted ponds is where it does its best so in certain areas it's a very very abundant Dragon-Fly the more common species or pollen species. Some of your river species though are quite rare.

One of the really unique habitats of the Texan Wildlife Research Center is that the little Patuxent River has not completely silted over it it still maintains much of its sandy substrate that it had pretty colonial times. A lot of relic species that have leaked out in other locations and other rivers in the region are still holding on here. Ha this is a beauty. On the top he's nice and yellow and black. This is the Illinois River cruiser. This is definitely one of the main predatory insects over the river. The unique thing about this thing is that it is an incredibly fast flyer. It flies very close to the surface of the water and comes at you very fast. And even in binoculars you can see the bright green eyes long downstream as it's coming towards you almost impossible to catch We were very lucky to just capture this animal. Dragon flies are very very strongly visual animals. In fact 80 percent of their brain is

devoted to vision. A large dragon fly like this has an incredible visual universe to work from. The large compound eyes which in this particular species the Illinois River cruiser are large and the green they start at the top they connect and they come all the way down and come clear down to the very base of the mouth parts. The visual world of a dragon fly includes color vision ultraviolet and also polarized light he's also capable of seeing 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically which is almost a sphere of vision. It has probably the most complicated or the most advanced compound eye in the insect world. They landed up in the tree. That's pretty. Cool. A dragon fly is truly unique in their flight ability. They can fly up down sideways backwards I've seen three inch giant spin three or four times in the air going

forward in answer dropping in no other invertebrate or vertebrate as that type of flight control. Once it is airborne and once it goes into its acrobatic mode the wings beat separately on the front wings or up to the hind wings or down the hind wings or up the front wings of down and this provides a a level of flight control which has allowed dragonflies to be successful since the age of amphibians. What you have is the larger down so fly which is on top. This is the American Ruby spot. And it's a female. Off to the right. You have a stream Blewitt which is the bluish color damsel fly. Up and down the stem. You have a male. Blue tipped dancer which is also a damsel flies so you have a three stream damsel flies and these are damsel flies that are restricted to rivers or streams where there are. Dragon flies and damsel flies belong to the order Odonata their insects and the main way

that you tell the difference is that on a damsel fly they're usually very weak fliers very slender thin and when they rest they hold their wings together above the body on a dragon fly much stouter body. A strong flying animal that when it rested holds its wings out horizontally there. She just landed. That is the female Ebony jewel when. It is common in forested coastal streams. The males are mostly interested in the floating leaves of that plant because that's what the female oval posits in. She inserts the eggs actually into the leaf. And so the males are probably yeah they're interacting. Oh. There you go. And this is the actual copulation. It's called the wheel position. But if you look at it very closely my wife who is on that

it. Says that it's shaped like a heart. The female is trying to insert eggs into floating vegetation for it she's doing right now. The male is close by protecting her from the advances of the other male which is called guarding. Now the other males don't find her she'll be able to insert some eggs into the air is protecting or. Protecting her from the other males. You're going to get overwhelmed pretty soon. We're voting for you kiddo. The group that the ebony jewel wing belongs to is a very primitive. Damsel fly. It has traits that are very ancient and lineage. That group was represented well in the age of the dinosaurs. It's just fascinating to me that two hundred sixty million years ago when when the earth was covered of scale trees seed ferns horse tails and the most dominant animal was an Fabian's that the largest insect that it was ever known flew was a dragon

fly or a dragon fly like animal had a wingspan of twenty seven inches the largest insect has ever been found by science and by the time the first bird flew Archaeopteryx many of the modern families had dragonflies that we see today had already evolved. As for dragon flies there conservation the question of whether they are endangered or becoming more endangered it really depends upon the aquatic habitat type those species that utilize common ponds the ditches are doing of course very very well. The species that aren't doing where are those that require pristine fresh flowing waters clean the city bogs those type of habitats that are slowly being destroyed. The best way to protect the dragonflies is to protect those kind of habitats. And.

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