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Bears, Wildlife Action, and Snow- UPDATE May 13, 2016
13 May 2016
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Braveheart?s yearlings, including the missing Stratton, were all seen. Family breakup was last evening, Bald eagle watching
Bald eagle watching

May 12, by 7:30 PM.
Fern was seen again but the number and sexes of her cubs is still a mystery.
Big action started midday when I dumped a small box of meat trimmings, mostly fat, in the yard. Crows came first but were timid for a few minutes. I don?t know what was holding them back, but once they got into it, they were ravenous.
Within an hour, a turkey vulture landed in a big red pine and watched. Soon 5 were circling.
Crows with fat
Crows with fat

Next a pair of ravens timidly tried to get their share. At first one landed, nervously jumped up and down a few times and flew off. Then it began flying in, dipping down and grabbing a piece without landing, and flying off. Many trips.
Snow over Woods Lake
Snow over Woods Lake

Four turkey vultures landed and took over briefly. A brave raven came and chased a vulture as the vulture hurried away with fat in its beak, looking over its shoulder at the ravenous raven. The vulture kept it?s meal, but the raven had some things to say about it (photo below).
Strange gulls came in addition to the tame one, but only briefly.
An eagle watched from a big red pine but never joined in.
As the supply of fat dwindled, there were big birds flying everywhere. Five turkey vultures circled over for over an hour, ravens and crows were chasing crows that were flying off with food in their beaks.
Raven with vulture

Raven after vulture Raven with fat
Raven had a few things to say ...goes ater vulture

...and flies away with fat

Then the snow started. High wind and lateral snow. Visibility across Woods Lake was poor (Photo). It seemed odd to be in a blizzard at 39?F. More snow came as the temperature dropped to 31?F. Enough snow is on the ground that a person has to be careful. Slipping and falling due to a snowstorm on Friday the 13th of May would be bad luck.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
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