Thank You, Thank You, Thank You - UPDATE November 18, 2022
Deer watches fox
GiveMN Thank you!
On behalf of the bears and the mission, I can only say thank you for what you did for the North American Bear Center ($50,000 goal accomplished) and the Wildlife Research Institute ($5,887, including a check in the mail).
It was interesting to see you in action last night. Midnight came with a bit to go yet to reach the goal. But the midnight deadline didn’t stop supporters of the Bear Center. You kept donating until the score was a full $50,000!! Way to go.
I’ve seen that kind caring in many ways over the years. That’s how so many things have been achieved. I’m looking forward to getting the fence done this spring as another step forward for the Bear Center that you have helped make what Popular Science magazine named as the top science center to visit in Minnesota. Thank you supporters. Thank you staff, and thank you everyone who has helped in so many ways over the years.
Blue jay
Blue Jay
Red squirrel
Red squirrel
Blue jay w/peanuts
Blue Jay w/peanuts
On another note, it turned colder today with a high in the teens. While red squirrels, blue jays, nuthatches, and hairy woodpeckers were busy stuffing themselves with calories, a lone grackle that didn’t fly south looked cold. He sat on a branch with his feathers puffed up and as he waited his turn among frantic competitors, he stood cold on one leg and then the other before flying in. I hope he’ll be okay.
Red fox w/suet - Saturday 11/12/22
Red fox w/suet - Saturday 11/12/22
We miss the fox, but we know we have to share him with other feeders. It’s just that we worry when we don’t see him with trapping season in progress. Having him stay safe among us feeders is a reason several residents keep him fed in this nature-loving community. It is also interesting to see how he interacts with other members of the community like deer that eye him suspiciously. But now it’s been since 3:24 PM Saturday since we’ve seen him here. That’s when we put out a big piece of suet to attract a pileated woodpecker, but it was the fox that took it. I suspect it was enough to fill his stomach over and over. Others wonder what happened to him, too. I hope we see him soon.
Grackle
Grackle
Hairy woodpecker female
Hairy woodpecker female
White-breasted nuthatch
White-breasted nuthatch
Speaking of filling up, blue jays usually fill their gular pouches with four or five peanuts plus one or two in the beak. Then today, I saw one pack 10 peanuts in with none in the beak. Just when you think you know something, you see an exception.
In some ways, the show out the window isn’t fair. I don’t know if they realize that they distract me from writing more than they should. Always interesting.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center