This afternoon we had a visit from the DNR Conservation Warden for Pepin County - Bill Wrasse. A couple of weeks ago, Mrs. Sweeney had asked him if he could get us a deer carcass, so we could watch winter scavengers.
He brought us a deer carcass that had been skinned and gutted. A deer by the road would have been too heavy to move.
Luis, Jesse and Mrs. Sweeney tied the deer carcass to the antique merry-go-round outside our back door - near our bird feeding station. We watched to see who would be our first visitor.
We were surprised. It was a tiny Black-capped Chickadee.
How tiny? Half an ounce. If you could fit two of them in an envelope, all you'd need to mail them is a first class stamp (1 ounce = 44¢).
These tiny birds have to eat the equivalent of 250 sunflower seeds in a day to keep them alive through the night!
Over the past couple of weeks, we've seen several different birds at our feeding station: Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Tree Sparrows and Northern Cardinals.
We also watched our neighbor's beagle pup bark and try to jump his way up to the carcass. Too bad for him - his legs were too short.
Then over the weekend, one of the four deer legs disappeared. Who dunnit?
A coyote? A crow? An eagle? the Beagle pup?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Swan Adventure
Maxville Alternative School students are the first in the Durand Area to collect data for the national bird survey known as “eBird.” Sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, eBird is one of the largest and fastest growing biodiversity data banks in the world. How big is it? In 2006, participants reported more than 4.3 million observations across North America.
On Thursday, December 3rd, the Maxville team braved below-freezing temperatures and light snow along the Mississippi riverfront at Cedar Ridge Resort (south of Nelson on State Road 35), where they observed and counted waterfowl in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Pool 4).
“I never noticed all the floating birds,” said Tyler Corbecky,” Without binoculars they could pass for snow.”
The team spotted more than 2,000 Tundra Swans, more than 300 Canada Geese and hundreds of other ducks, including Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallards, Canvasbacks, Ringnecks, Scaup and Goldeneye. They also spotted 6 Bald Eagles, perched in a cottonwood along the river, harassing waterfowl on the river and flying over the bluffs.
Watching the swans and geese coming in for a landing “was a breath-taking experience,” said Cassie Buckmaster. “It was almost like a ballet.”
For other students, hearing the cacophony of thousands of bird in one pool was unforgettable. “The sounds of all the species together was cool,” Luis Garcia said.
Before heading back to school, the team stopped at Riecks Lake where they counted 6 Tundra Swans and dozens of Canada Geese close to the deck.
Students also learned how some of these birds got their names. “It was interesting to find out that the geese we saw are called ‘Canada’ geese, not ‘Canadian’ as most people call them,” said Evan Kircher.
“We plan to continue to count birds and other wildlife in the Lower Chippewa River and Tiffany Bottoms throughout the year, and submit our findings to eBird via the internet,” said Gwen Sweeney, Teacher at the Alternative School. “And we just installed a feeding station so we can count and identify birds right outside our door.”
The Maxville team plans to apply for grants to cover the cost of field equipment (binoculars, digital cameras, laptop computers, GPS, etc), books (field identification guides, species accounts and habitat guides) and supplies (sunflower seed, nyjer, white proso millet and peanut suet, 4 large metal garbage cans).
Readers interested in supporting this project are urged to contact Gwen Sweeney at Maxville Alternative School, S451 State Road 25, Durand, WI 54736 715.672.5851 gsweeney@durand.k12.wi.us .
On Thursday, December 3rd, the Maxville team braved below-freezing temperatures and light snow along the Mississippi riverfront at Cedar Ridge Resort (south of Nelson on State Road 35), where they observed and counted waterfowl in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Pool 4).
“I never noticed all the floating birds,” said Tyler Corbecky,” Without binoculars they could pass for snow.”
The team spotted more than 2,000 Tundra Swans, more than 300 Canada Geese and hundreds of other ducks, including Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallards, Canvasbacks, Ringnecks, Scaup and Goldeneye. They also spotted 6 Bald Eagles, perched in a cottonwood along the river, harassing waterfowl on the river and flying over the bluffs.
Watching the swans and geese coming in for a landing “was a breath-taking experience,” said Cassie Buckmaster. “It was almost like a ballet.”
For other students, hearing the cacophony of thousands of bird in one pool was unforgettable. “The sounds of all the species together was cool,” Luis Garcia said.
Before heading back to school, the team stopped at Riecks Lake where they counted 6 Tundra Swans and dozens of Canada Geese close to the deck.
Students also learned how some of these birds got their names. “It was interesting to find out that the geese we saw are called ‘Canada’ geese, not ‘Canadian’ as most people call them,” said Evan Kircher.
“We plan to continue to count birds and other wildlife in the Lower Chippewa River and Tiffany Bottoms throughout the year, and submit our findings to eBird via the internet,” said Gwen Sweeney, Teacher at the Alternative School. “And we just installed a feeding station so we can count and identify birds right outside our door.”
The Maxville team plans to apply for grants to cover the cost of field equipment (binoculars, digital cameras, laptop computers, GPS, etc), books (field identification guides, species accounts and habitat guides) and supplies (sunflower seed, nyjer, white proso millet and peanut suet, 4 large metal garbage cans).
Readers interested in supporting this project are urged to contact Gwen Sweeney at Maxville Alternative School, S451 State Road 25, Durand, WI 54736 715.672.5851 gsweeney@durand.k12.wi.us .
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Counting Swans
Four Tundra Swans meet and greet while another (in back) "tips" for dinner
Gwen Prom, T. K., Luis Garcia and Evan K. use a spotting scope to count swans
Gwen Sweeney photographs Tundra Swans and other waterfowl in Pool 4 of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge
A.C. and Gwen Sweeney focus on counting and photographing waterfowl
from the riverfront at Cedar Ridge Resort (south of Nelson, Wisconsin)
from the riverfront at Cedar Ridge Resort (south of Nelson, Wisconsin)
Luis Garcia, Evan K., T. K, Andy Schroeder at the riverfront at Cedar Ridge Resort
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