Holly, Birds, Bear Courses - UPDATE February 28, 2016
Scott Edgett and dogs
Scott Edgett and dogs
A couple days ago, Holly wanted a stick Lucky had, and Lucky said no. Yesterday, Holly was lying contented in total possession of the stick as Lucky slept. Near the end of this 5-minute video, she also amuses herself with twine from the straw. I suspect she would rather have been playing with Lucky, but he was sleeping.
https://youtu.be/fU-aa2OMtVcDirector Scott Edgett is a dog-musher, and today was a big race?The Wolf Track Classic. Ever since I can remember, I?ve been at the finish line with his family to see him come in, and today was no exception for Donna and me. Scott came in 10th in a field of 17.
While putting out the semi-hulled sunflower seeds, redpolls were landing only a couple feet away, so I snapped some quick close-ups from below their level for a different viewpoint. A red-breasted nuthatch then showed me what he does with bits of suet?stores them in little holes made by woodpeckers. I was surprised to see a sharp-shinned hawk flash by?my first sighting ever in the winter. They normally just migrate through in fall and spring.
As the sun was about to disappear below the horizon, I threw out a few handfuls of seeds as a bedtime snack for the birds and red squirrels. I liked the way the last rays of sun fell on a coy-looking black-capped chickadee.
Redpoll
Red-breasted nuthatch
Black-capped chickadee
A Lily Fan asked what happened to the Black Bear Field Courses that had been scheduled for the first two weeks of July. We took them down because no one had registered for them. In fact, only 24 people have signed up for the remaining 6 courses (limit 8 per course). I suspect people are hesitant to sign up with the DNR poised again to try to ban bear-feeding. The legislature convenes March 8 and adjourns in early June. I believe legislators will head off the legislation this year, as they did last year, but if people are waiting to register until the legislature adjourns, they wouldn?t have time to make arrangements for the early July courses. If the DNR?s legislation passes, we would refund the money to anyone who cancels. Of course, we?re concerned because the courses are our only source of funds to sponsor graduate students, pay operation costs, and pay Sue?s and my salaries of $30,000 to continue analyzing data and writing peer-reviewed publications. I suspect the DNR will attempt this legislation each year.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
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