Chub Nests at BTWNM

Chub Nest, Jack O' Lantern Creek

Paul P has taken over chub nest monitoring duties at Booker T. Washington National Monument from Dr. Don Kelso. Due to COVID-19, there will be no BRFAL-wide chub nest hunts this year, so Paul has done the monitoring alone.

Chubs are minnows that build 1.5 foot circular pebble mounds as nests typically just before riffles in streams.  The male chub does the building by carrying the pebbles in his mouth.  There were no nests until at least early May and our mid-May deluge almost surely slowed construction even more.  Now, however, there are at least 12 nests in Jack O' Lantern creek at Booker T. Washington National Monument. 

Two chub nests

If you happen to be in the park and want to see them, most of them are marked by small pink flags on the stream bank.  The easiest ones to see are a pair of nests along the trail 2575 feet beyond the tobacco barn (the trail is marked every 100 feet with PVC pipes to facilitate chub nest monitoring.)  If you cannot see the pipes due to the greenery, look 50 feet beyond "whale rock" or 125 feet prior to the bench with the photo of Booker fishing. 

Look closely! Can you see it?

Paul will monitor at least a couple more times this season and hopes to search for nests in Gills creek when water conditions improve. Contact him for more information on this project!