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Because the outdoors is where I spend the majority of my free time, and where (when I am guiding) it is where I make my living; because I have extensively researched white-tailed deer, turkeys, elk, ducks and geese; because I enjoy looking for and photographing birds, wildflowers and natural scenery; because we are now offering natural-history/eco-tours to the public; and because I am an outdoor writer, I thought it only natural that I start a magazine devoted to articles on the natural history of some of the birds and animals we have seen on our trips, articles describing our trips, and articles or information on tips, techniques and products to use for watching, listening or viewing birds, animals, wildflowers and natural scenic areas.

You'll find photos of many terrestrial (land dwelling) birds in the North America Bird List and the Minnesota Bird List, photos of game animals on the T. R. Michels Outdoor Photography and Mike Brooks Outdoor Photography, and information on Minnesota Big Game Animals on those pages.

In this magazine I'll talk about products you can use while looking and/or listening to wildlife, and for photographing wildlife. We'll also have Product Field Tests and Product Reviews.

I hope you enjoy our newest magazine, and reading about our adventures and tours. If you have article ideas or comments on how to improve this magazine feel free to contact me at TRMichels@yahoo.com.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors and may Yahweh-God bless all of you,

T.R. Michels

MN Birding and Game Animal Locations & Viewing Schedule

I don't claim to know a lot about habitat conservation, other than to say I know we need it, for a variety of reasons. I've lost at least two good deer hunting areas to development since 1997. Obviously those areas also contained songbirds, small mammals, trees, shrubs, herbs, forbes (wildflowers), butterflies and other invertebrates. I've also noticed the destruction of good wildlife habitat (for housing or business development projects) in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and many other states. As a result of this I find myself becoming more interested in, and hopefully more knowledgeable about, both wildlife and habitat conservation.

As I've traveled around the country during the past several years on our Natural History Eco-Tours and family adventures, I've had the opportunity to meet and talk to several different outdoorsman. I recently met the biologist for the "Northern Trail" at the Minnesota Zoo, who manages the wolf, tiger and other exhibits. Then I met the Outdoor Education Manager for the Three Rivers Park District in Hennepin and Scott Counties of Minnesota (which includes the recognized IBA [Important Birding Area] of Murphy Hanrahan Park), and an attorney with the state of Minnesota who writes legislation for threatened or endangered species. And with all of them - our conversation got around to habitat and wildlife conservation.

As a result of talking to Minnesota's State Farmland Wildlife Manager, Al Berner, about such various species as deer, ducks, pheasants, turkeys, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens - I've come to realize that the loss of habitat for many game species also means loss of habitat for many non-game species, such as insects, fish, small mammals and songbirds. In other words what is good for the game birds, is also good for the songbirds and other types of birds.

While I was talking to Al he impressed upon me the need for habitat restoration such as Conservation Reserve Program lands, and other habitat conservation, such as preserving or maintaining existing prairie and wetland habitat. Many upland bird (game) species, such as pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chickens, gray partridge, and even turkeys, need large areas of prairies, meadows, swamps, sloughs, fens, oak savanna, etc., for breeding and nesting habitat. Those areas also support dickcissel, bobolink, various species of sparrows, and meadowlarks. Many of those areas, because they are often on fairly level ground that might not be suitable for farming, are destroyed to make room for business complexes and housing.

To those outdoorsmen and nature lovers who don't hunt this might not seem like a concern, except that those areas are also prime habitat for many species of birds, small animals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, wildflowers and other plants. As I lead our natural history tours I've begun noticing the wide variety of native plants, wildflowers and birds that use wetlands, meadows and prairies. I've also begun to realize how much of their habitat is destroyed by human encroachment, in the name of progress.

After watching several programs on the Discovery, History and Animal Planet channels, I've come to realize the importance of wetlands (that serve as important habitat for birds) as barriers to the negative effects of storm surges and flooding. Cattail, saw grass, rushes and other wetland plants have the ability not only to reduce erosion due to flooding and storm surges, they also have the ability to reduce the harmful effects of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers on the water and plant life, which provides needed habitat for the wildlife (including birds).

When rain falls on land covered with natural vegetation, the plants can slow the flow of run-off until it has a chance to sink into the ground, resulting in only a 10 per cent run off. However, when rain falls on a parking lot, 55 per cent of the water can run off into local brooks, creeks and wetlands; and from them into larger bodies of water.

Run-off water may contain a variety of contaminants including oil, grease, heavy metals and sediments, plus harmful herbicides and pesticides, and fertilizers containing phosphorus, which can promote the growth of algae, often resulting in mass of green scum floating on the surface of the water, and result in algae "blooms" which often turn the water red-brown or blue-green.

Any of these conditions can result in less sunlight entering the water, causing less photosynthesis by native aquatic plants, resulting in less oxygen content in the water, and the possible spread of less beneficial and /or non-native and invasive plants, which do not help maintain the balance of the eco-system.

The preservation or creation of shallow swamps, sloughs, ponds or lagoons, between run-of water and/or streams, and deeper bodies of water, with their native vegetation, can greatly increase the natural filtration of water. Plants such as cattails, saw grass and sedges that may have extensive root systems which survive in shallow water, not only slow the speed of the water, but also trap sediments, and can filter out and use some of the contaminants that may cause a negative impact on the ecosystem plants in deeper waters.

Destruction of prairies and meadows for the development of agricultural, business and residential property reduces grasses, sedges and forbes (wildflowers) that provide seeds, pollen, forage and nesting habitat for birds, habitat for small mammals, which in turn support raptors and predatory mammals. Without beneficial ground cover (used by ducks, geese, grouse, songbirds, small mammals, insects, etc.), much of the precipitation that falls on the ground (which would normally soak slowly into the ground) may run off, often eroding the land (which causes further destruction of the habitat) and form gullies that may quickly funnel the water, with any contaminants, into creeks, streams, rivers, sloughs, marshes, ponds, lakes and larger bodied of water.

The construction of even the most primitive of roads in any type of habitat often leads to this same type of erosion, and the same type of habitat destruction and surface and water pollution. Off-road vehicle use often destroys ground cover, which again results in water runoff, and the eventual erosion of the topsoil, and the creation of more gullies; and the cycle continues. I've seen the destruction that the development of gravel roads into the sagebrush flats and foothills of the Rocky Mountains near many towns creates.

Agricultural fields and livestock pastures often allow runoff of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and animal waste into creeks, streams, rivers, sloughs, ponds, lakes and rivers; which affects aquatic plants, fish and invertebrates; in turn affecting mammals and birds. This can easily be alleviated by creating buffers of natural vegetation to stop or slow the water from running directly into the water. These buffers can act as habitat for birds and other wildlife. Livestock also cause erosion of the banks of watersheds when they destroy natural vegetation and breakdown the banks. This can be avoided by erecting fences to keep the cattle away from the water

Al Berner informed that by law, the 33 feet on either side of the right of way on all section lines (four of them in on square mile, running from east to west and north to south surrounding the square mile) belongs top the state, and if it was left in natural conditions, would provide thousands of acres of habitat for wildlife in Minnesota. Basically what this means is that the 33 feet on either side of many roads in Minnesota, plus all of the land on section lines without roads, could be left in natural habitat, But, farmers rarely recognize these lines, or honor the laws that forbid them from burning, plowing, mowing and planting those right-of-ways. And to top it off the city, county and state often mow the ditches, effective destroying the habitat, which is not only used by pheasants and ducks to raise young (which often gets the hunters and trappers up in arms), it also is used by many birds and small mammals.

Fires, whether from natural causes such as lighting, or caused by humans (intentionally or unintentionally) on prairies and meadows, and in brushy areas and forests, have been part of the natural process of plant regeneration for centuries. Even naturally caused wildfires can be beneficial as they reduce natural fuels, which in turn reduces the chances of wild fires in the near future. Wildfires also expose mineral soil for seedbeds for regeneration of wind-disseminated species, such as fungi, mosses, grasses, forbes and many tree species. The reduction in vegetation in turn helps in the control of insects, diseases, and competing vegetation. As a result of this wildfires often result in the improvement of natural ecosystems and wildlife habitat as varied as wetlands, prairies, brushy areas and forests.

Native Americans often deliberately set fires to clear the land for horticulture, to improve access to some areas, and to change the composition of the plant community to attract game animals (such as bison). Early settlers set fires to assist in preparing the soil for agriculture and to eliminate stubble from the fields in the fall.

However, because of the destruction of human life, property, and resources by wildfires, the general government policy for most of this century has been to utilize man-made fire for the suppression of wildfires. The use of media campaigns such as Smokey the Bear, and Bambi fleeing from a fire, combined with fire suppression practices has resulted in a build up of vegetative fuels in many areas. Fire ecologists expect it will take several years of wildfires to establish a natural fire regime in many ecosystems.

In some areas where fire has been prevented from conducting its natural role in the environment, private and governmental agencies and scientists are setting controlled fires to mimic natural fire and improve landscape health and community safety. "One of the hard lessons we've learned is that eliminating or suppressing all fires actually increases the risk to people, damages natural habitats and drives up fire fighting costs" said Susan Harris, state director for the Nature Conservancy of Missouri.

Years of forest management practices that have eliminated wildfires has resulted in many forests becoming choked with thick undergrowth and small trees, that naturally occurring fires would normally eliminate. After years without fire, these forests become tinderboxes that are prone to hotter burns that are harder to control and pose a greater risk to communities than normal. These intense fires can have the ability to severely damage plant and wildlife species.

Many plant and animal species need fire to reproduce and thrive. Plants that need fire to reproduce and thrive are referred to as "burn-species". Some of the "burn species" plants are ephemeral annual herbs and forbes that have found an unusual means of adapting to environments that are for the most part unfavorable to their survival.

In the first year after a fire has temporarily diminished dominant forms of vegetation these herbs and forbes may appear and flourish, and upon maturation, they leave their sees behind. Although these plants may disappear from the landscape within a few years of a fire, the seeds can remain viable for up to 100 years or more. The goal of the seeds is to re-colonize the area after another fire. The plants may also appear from time to time in areas disturbed by other means, such as along sections of recently cleared trails, on land slides, and even along the areas of new road construction.

White-tailed deer, doves, quails, turkey, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken are game species that benefit from prescribed fire. Habitat preferences of several endangered species, including the Florida panther, gopher tortoise, indigo snake, and red-cockaded woodpecker, are also enhanced by burning. The benefits to wildlife from fires can be substantial; fruit and seed production is often stimulated; herbage, legumes, and browse from hardwood sprouts may increase in both quality and quantity; and openings are created for feeding, travel, and dusting.

After years of fire suppression in many areas, land managers now have to go back and ignite fires to mimic the natural fires these species depend on. Prior to settlement by the Europeans, occasional fires were an integral part of many ecosystems, and native plants and animals had adapted to the occurrence of wildfires. Forests were a more varied blend of old and young trees, and some forests were more open in character. Fire recycled the nutrients of the dead wood for use by growing plants, and conditioned the forest floor for the regeneration of species that are dependent on disturbance of the forest floor.

Pine trees of many species are a prime example of species that benefit from fire. During high intensity burns, the sealed cones of many pines open up, allowing dispersion of seeds over the fire-cleared ground. Anyone who has visited Yellowstone Park since the latest wildfires there has seen the abundant re-growth of not only the pine trees, but of many grasses, wildfires and shrubs; which have provided new habitat for many species or birds and mammals. In many areas pine trees are failing to regenerate due to past fire control practices.

The federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a fire-dependent species. It nests only in mature pine trees that are free of surrounding underbrush. Researchers believe the Red-cockaded Woodpecker colonies in many areas have been abandoned because the sites have become too brushy. Periodic fires would control the brush, which may provide predators with access to woodpecker nests.

Entire ecosystems often need fire to maintain their natural diversity of plants and animals. Many pine-oak, oak forests, and oak savanahs have poor reproductive success without occasional fires. Little or no oak regeneration has occurred in some areas as a result of fire suppression. Oaks provide acorns in the fall, which are an important food source for black bear, white-tailed deer, turkey, and other wildlife.

Part of the problem with "the idea of conservation" is that we humans may have begun to realize too late that in order for this planet, and us, to survive, we must conserve, and preserve, much more of the native habitat of the entire world, than we ever realized - until just the last century, after much of the important and needed habitat has already been destroyed - by us. We need to look at not only saving a particular wildlife or plant species, but saving the surrounding habitat and other species that are all dependent on each other for survival and reproduction.

What is an Ecosystem?

In recent years conservationists have begun to realize that in order to properly maintain and manage wildlife habitat, they need to look beyond just the immediate area or species of concern, to a much broader area, in which the microbes, animals, plants, and geology of the habitat interact as an entire system, that interacts within itself.

The Glossary of Forestry Terms for the Province of British Columbia defines an ecosystem as "a functional unit consisting of all the living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) in a given area, and all the non-living physical and chemical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycling and energy flow. An ecosystem can be of any size-a log, pond, field, forest, or the earth's biosphere - but it always functions as a whole unit"

Most Americans are familiar with the term "Yellowstone Ecosystem" which the US Government uses to define the interaction of microbes, plants and animals of the area surrounding Yellowstone Park. This area encompasses not only the caldera or crater of the Yellowstone volcano, but also stretches of the Bechler, Fall, Firehole, Gallatin, Gardiner, Gibbon, Lamar, Lewis, and Yellowstone rivers. One of the original descriptions of the "ecosystem" of Yellowstone took into account the range of the endangered grizzly bear. The Yellowstone Ecosystem was later defined as the range of the cutthroat trout in the area, and later still to the range of the antelope, bison, elk, whitebark pine and other species - until the ecosystem has grown to what it is today, a large part of northwestern Wyoming, and smaller parts of southern Montana and eastern Idaho.

One definition of ecosystem management was expressed by J. Stan Rowe in 1992. "Ecosystem management is the application of the ecosystem approach in the conservation, management, and restoration of regional and local landscape ecosystems. It means that everyone attends to the conservation and sustainability of ecosystems, instead of sharply focusing on the productivity of individual or competing resources -- which has been our traditional mode of operation." An ecosystem can be as small as a backyard or small watershed, or as large as the planet earth.

As I looked out the kitchen window at the farm one warm spring day I was astonished to see three male indigo buntings and five male rose-breasted grosbeaks on the ground. It was the first time I had ever seen an indigo bunting, and I was amazed. Their blue color was astonishing, I don't know that I have ever seen anything as beautiful before.

I quickly called my wife Diane, and my two youngest children Dallas and Tawnya, to see the birds. For the next hour we watched as they fed at the bird feeder, and on the ground underneath it where some seed had fallen.

I don't know what it was about that day, but we saw several other birds. There were the usual house sparrows, black-capped chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, downy and hairy woodpeckers and mourning doves. But there were also cardinals and blue jays, and a family of four red squirrels. It was a great day of bird watching.

Throughout the spring and summer we have red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, northern orioles, common grackles, starlings, red-winged blackbirds and brewer's blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, chipping, white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, white-breasted nuthatches, dark-eyed juncos, house finches and goldfinches visit the yard.

Since we were living on an old farm site we also had house wrens, cedar waxwings, crows, barn swallows, bank swallows, common Flickers, robins, ring-necked pheasants and wild turkeys visit the yard. At night Diane saw several raccoons, a family of opossums and several white-tailed deer.

Behind the house, in the sky over the old pasture, we regularly saw red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures. In the pasture we had eastern bluebirds, American kestrels, (incorrectly called sparrow hawks), eastern kingbirds, great crested flycatchers, bobolinks, meadowlarks, and common yellowthroats; in the spring we saw and heard upland sandpipers, which are actually a type of curlew - a prairie dwelling "shore bird".

In the grove behind the house I saw catbirds and brown thrashers. I even saw Canada and snow geese, and gray partridge in the bean field not more than a 1/4 mile from the house.

As a hunter and game researcher I spend a lot of time watching animals. I have seen barred and great horned owls, brown creepers and pileated woodpeckers while hunting. I once had a eastern screech owl come within five yards of me while archery hunting for deer. While we were doing turkey and deer research last spring Diane spotted an immature and a mature bald eagle behind the neighbor's house, and we had an osprey hang around the river for about a week one spring.

I'm still hoping to see a scarlet tanager in this area, I've seen only since I was a child near Spicer, Minnesota in the early 1970's. Along the river I regularly see great blue herons, great egrets, black-crowed night herons, mallards, wood ducks, kildeers and sandpipers. In the spring we had a pied-billed Grebe and a pair of common goldeneyes stay on the river. I also saw a horned lark and several snow buntings in the field east of the house.

Obviously I see a lot of wild turkeys and deer while doing my research. But, when I don't see deer or turkeys I use my binoculars to see what birds are making all the noise around me. I spent one whole morning calling turkeys while I watched yellow-rumped and palm warblers catching bugs. I've also been lucky enough to see a pair of coyotes and a pair of cross-phase red foxes while they were hunting.

I've been scared half out of my wits when I jumped several American woodcock while deer hunting, and I've heard ruffed grouse drumming in the woods, but I never saw see one in the three years we lived on the farm. I plan to make bird watching, bird feeding and bird photography a part of our business, through our newly established Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures Birding Tours, which you can access by clicking the link.

If you are an avid bird watcher, and want to add a few birds to your Life List, you can view the list or rare and notable birds of Minnesota on our Minnesota Bird List. If you are interested in joining us on a Natural History, Big Game Animal, Birding or Wildfowl Tour, let us know.

Watching birds is a great way to learn about animals and nature. And a great way to get parents and kids involved in the great outdoors.

Enjoy the outdoors,

T.R.

 Here is a great site for determining what type of birdseed to use: Seeds and Grains for Birds.

Unfortunately, on the day when I saw all the birds I have written about in the left column, all I had was a Canon Sure Shot, which wasn't up to shooting pictures of birds at 15 yards. Fortunately (for me) my children bought me a Canon Rebel EOS 2000 35mm camera for my fiftieth birthday, with Canon's 35-80mm EF lens and 80-200mm EF lens. In 2006 I bought a Canon PowerShot S3 IS Digital. The nice thing about the digital cameras is that they have eliminated the need to buy film and have it developed. I have also added a Canon Rebel XTi digital to my camera arsenal, a Tamron 70-300mm AF telephoto lens and a tripod. But, I'll still use the Rebel 2000 35mm because there are times when I need slides for seminars.

For most deer photos you will need a 200mm or stronger lens, possibly a 1.4x or stronger converter, and a sturdy tripod. You may also want to purchase a mono-pod or window mount camera holder, so you can take pictures from your vehicle. My wife and I have worked it our so that she drives slowly down the road, while we both look for deer. When we see a deer close enough to photograph, she slowly drives to as close as we think we can get without alarming it, and I shoot photos from inside the car. To steady the camera you can use pillow to lay across the top of the window, and then place the camera on top of the pillow.

If you are serious about wildlife photography, I suggest you either use a portable blind, or buy one or more sets of camouflage clothing to match the vegetation and season when you are photographing, and appropriate camouflage fabric or netting to cover the tripod and camera. The more concealed and camouflaged you and your gear are the closer you can get to animals, and the less likely you are to alarm them.

Camera Ideas

For serious wildlife photographers one of the best formats is still a 35mm SLR camera, with several lenses, using film or slides, with slides preferred by many magazine editors. But, it is much cheaper in the long run to switch to digital cameras, which may use optical or digital magnification. Optical magnification is what you should look for, because it provides clearer images with the higher magnification needed at distances. And, more and more magazines are not only accepting, but requesting digital images, because they are much easier to process.

Obviously digital cameras can save the average photographer a lot of money, even in the short run. I recently took about 20 rolls of film to my daughter, who manages a Sam's Club photo shop. For single 3x5 prints it cost me $55 to get them developed; plus the $30 to purchase the film. If I want to use them on the internet I have to scan them, and I loose come clarity.

With a digital camera I can download the photos to my computer, delete the ones I don't want, and then use either a color printer or a photo printer to print my own photos; or I just upload them to my web site, or my Flickr account. I can also have them developed at a photo shop.

Canon PowerShot 3S IS -S5 IS

Frank Taylor, master falconer and former curator of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, showed me photos from this setup; they really impressed me. It has 12x optical capability (= 430mm SLR) and 4x digital capability, which can be used together for 48x magnification (= about 1300+ mm SLR). It also takes fairly decent videos and has Image Stabilization (IS) which allows the camera to take clear photos - even if you shake. It is only a 6.0 megapixel camera, so the largest you can save photos is about 11 x 15 inches at 180 ppi. The camera also allows you to take fairly decent video, with great sound recording, at the push of a button. You can now get the PowerShot S5 IS, which has enhanced features and 8 megapixels, for larger photos.

I purchased the Canon PowerShot S3 IS for wildlife and scenery photos. We also used it to video wildlife with the 12x optical. When I downloaded the photos to the computer I was surprised with the quality. One thing I noticed was that visual clarity decreased, and visual noise increased, when we used the additional 4x digital magnification, especially when the combined magnification was over 24x.

The video was slightly jerky because the S3 IS is primarily a photo camera, not a video camera, but all in all the video was not bad. I'm glad I got it. You can view some of the videos I've taken with this camera here. For more of my videos on You Tube click on the "More From Naturpro link - to the left of the video. You can view photos taken with the S3 IS, using both 12 x optical magnification at Tawnya Michels Outdoor Photography and T.R. Michels Outdoor Photography at www.TRMichels.com.

For big game, the 12x (which equals about 430mm) is quite adequate up to about 20 yards. Do not, I repeat, do not get the 1.5x teleconverter for this camera. It would not focus at anything greater than 6x, which means it would only focus at 9x optical range. The camera by itself has 12x range, so - purchasing the teleconverter is a waste of money.

If you take more than 150 photos in three days, or any video, you will want to get the battery charger and two sets of rechargeable batteries, because you will go through a set of four AA batteries every 2-3 days. Make sure you always have a spare set of batteries with you; I've run out of power right in the middle of a shoot on more than one occasion. And, you should purchase at least two SD Cards of 2 gigabytes or larger size, one gigabyte will hold about 400 photos, or take about 7 minutes of video.

Canon Powershot S2 IS, S3 IS, S5 IS

Canon PowerShot S3 IS $390.

Canon Lens Adapter and Hood Set LAH-DC20 $30.00 at B&H Photo on line at http://www.bhphotovideo.com

Two 4 Gig SD Card $33 at Best Buy. I can get about 1500 photos on this card, or take about an hour of video.

Battery charger and 2 sets of four 2500 mAh Batteries $25. I got over 6000 photos in a year and a half with the batteries. You can also use 4 AA batteries.

Total cost under $450.

If you want to get better photos, have them saved at larger sizes, and be able to more powerful lenses, without spending too much, I'd suggest a Canon Rebel XT or XTi digital ($400-$650), and a lens of at least 200mm or larger. The XTi has 10 megapixels, and saves photos as large as 36x54 inches, so you can take far-off photos and crop them to whatever size you want. I picked up a used Tamron 70-300mm zoom lens for $129. For serious photography, at distances beyond 20 yards on big game, you might want to step up to the Tamron 200-500mm zoom lens (as low as $700), or the Canon 100-400mm (as low as $1100).

I've been looking to get a better camera (in addition to my PowerShot S3 IS) - and I happened to see that there was a used (one month) Canon Rebel XTi for $399 ($649 retail) at National Camera Exchange in Burnsville, MN.

One of my daughter's friends asked me to shoot her wedding, and offered me $500 - which gave me the reason (excuse) to buy it. Since they had a used Tamron 70-300 AF for $129 I bought it too. I can't wait to see what I can do with better equipment.

The cameras I see most frequently on our birding tours are the Canon "D" bodies, and the lens I see most often is the Canon 100-400mm autofocus, with a 1.4x or 2x adapter. I'm guessing at least 50 % of the people we meet are using this setup.

If I ever get rich - that is the setup I'll buy.

Canada Goose Dominance Fight

Goose Photos

Hooded Merganser & Mallard Mating Display

Hooded Merganser Mating Display Video

Duck Photos

Wild Turkey Mating Display

Sharp-tailed Grouse Mating Display

Bald Eagle Photos

Sandhill Crane Mating Display

Sandhill Crane Photos

Common Golden Eye Mating Display

Barrow's Goldeneye Mating Display

Common Golden Eye Mating Display

Barrow's Goldeneye Mating Display

Western Grebe Mating Display

Great-crested Grebe Mating Display

Grebe Fight

Capercaillie Mating Display

Greater Sage Grouse Mating Display

Prairie Chicken Mating Display

Bald Eagle Fishing Video

Young Osprey Eating Fish

Bison Fight

Bison Photos

Moose Fight

Moose Photos

White-tailed Deer Fight

Elk Photos

Elk Fight Video

Wolf Photos

I'd just finished digging up some ground for a vegetable garden when I heard a long, drawn out "wolf whistle"; whit - whew. As I listened again I realized the sound was coming from the air above the neighbor's CRP field, where I could see some large birds flying.

I went to the house, grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked at the birds. They had long wings, a small oval head and a short bill. In order to get a better look I walked across our pasture and then into the CRP field.

That's when I saw one of the large birds perched on the power lines. It looked like huge sandpiper or shore bird. I'd seen something of similar size when I saw long-billed curlews while I was turkey hunting west of Valentine, Nebraska. But, these birds didn't have a long curved bill like those birds, and the bill was not curved, so it couldn't be short-billed curlew.

I watched the birds for a few minutes, then headed home to get out my Petersen's Field Guide to North American Birds. Once I reached the section on shore birds I found my birds. They were upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda), a member of the curlew family. I'd added a new bird to my Life List. I plan to go back and get some pictures of these birds.

Upland sandpipers can be found along states and provinces bordering the Great Lakes, and throughout the plains states from northern Texas to southern Canada. They are primarily birds of open prairies.  

Trumpeter Swans, T.R. Michels Photography

Some of the most interesting wildlife behaviors in nature involve the mating rituals of birds, such as the flight displays of ravens and crows, and raptors such as eagles. Sandhill and whooping cranes have elaborate mating dances, during which they flap their wings and jump up and down.

The birds of the Phasianidae family, including prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, pheasants and turkeys use calls or other sounds to establish dominance or proclaim their readiness to mate. Ruffed grouse and pheasants drum by beating their wings. Turkeys strut, spit and boom (often incorrectly called drumming) by inflating an air sack in the middle of their chest then expelling excess air from the sack to create a loud "spit" and then the remaining air is let out to produce a low pitched boom; vrrooom.

Prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse often come together on mating grounds referred to as "'leks" where the males perform elaborate mating ritual by stomping their feet, lower their wings, shake their tails and use sounds such as clicks, rattles and booms from inflated air sacks on their neck or chest to establish dominance, declare a territory and attract females.

Some species of grebes have elaborate aquatic mating displays during which they raise their bodies up from the water, stretch their necks skyward, bow their heads and dance or run across the water.

Both trumpeter and tundra swans have beautiful aquatic mating displays during which they raise up from the water, face each other, spread their wings, bow their necks and swim side by side.

Observing these mating rituals is one of the most captivating experiences in wildlife watching. Why not join us on one of our spring tours to watch, photograph or video these fantastic displays?

Waterfowl biologists refer to the mating behavior (courtship behavior as opposed to actual breeding) of ducks, geese and swans as "pair bonding". Many people know that geese mate, or pair bond, for life. After they pair bond the male and female stay together during nesting, and the young stay with the parents through the fall and winter. The young geese don't usually leave their parents or begin to pair bond until they are on the wintering grounds during their fist or second year. This means that, during the hunting season, most geese are still in family groups consisting of the male, the female, and their young.

Ducks, on the other hand, do not mate for life; they regularly form a pair bond with a new partner each year. But, the male and female don't stay together to raise the young, and the young don't stay with the females very long. The drakes of most duck species leave the hens as soon as they start to nest, or shortly after. The hens then raise the ducklings by themselves. During the summer the hens molt (which leaves them flightless); and the young ducks grow their first flight feathers and begin to fly. After the young ducks learn to fly they may no longer associate with the hen, and they are generally on their own.

Both young and old ducks then begin forming loose pair bonds from late summer through early winter. Pair bonding by older Mallards may begin as early as mid-August. Pair bonding by other puddle duck species may occur from mid-October through winter, and by divers from mid-winter through early spring. Pair bonding is often accompanied by aerial courtship flights and displays, and by calls that are associated with pair bonding behavior. As a result of this social behavior, ducks are not normally in family groups during the hunting season; they are usually in flocks consisting of unrelated individuals and newly bonded pairs.

Because adult ducks (those over a year old) pair bond in the fall, the males often exhibit what is referred to as 'breeding plumage" in the fall, winter and spring. this breeding plumage is often the most colorful plumage they exhibit during the year. Since ducks often breed (as opposed to pair bond) in the spring, they continue to exhibit breeding plumage from fall, until after they have bred and nested in the spring. Male ducks often have what is referred to as "eclipse plumage" in the summer. Because the males cannot fly when they molt, they often exhibit colors resembling females, which are often brown or gray for camouflage purposes, to help them avoid predators when they are nesting.

The giant Canada goose (Branta candensis maxima) 45 inches in length, with up to 72 inch wing spans, and weights up to 15 pounds. They were thought to be extinct until Dr. Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and other researchers, rediscovered them in Rochester, Minnesota in 1962. They now number over a million birds, comprising over a third of all Canada goose subspecies in North America. All of the geese that nest in Minnesota, about 50,000, are giant Canada's.

Giants are the largest subspecies of Canada goose, and because their size allows them to withstand cold temperatures better than smaller geese, they are able to stay farther north in the winter than the smaller subspecies. Giant Canadas in urban areas like Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minnesota, and Chicago and Elgin, Illinois, may not migrate at all.

Unlike most other geese, giant Canadas often mate at two years of age; the smaller subspecies of Canada geese often mate when they are four years old. Giants generally nest farther south than the smaller Canada goose subspecies, often in areas where there is more abundant forage for their large appetites. Because giants don't nest in inhospitable sub-arctic regions like their smaller relatives, they often breed earlier than other geese and they generally have better nesting success than other geese, with clutches of from 2-12 eggs; smaller geese usually have 2-6 eggs per clutch.

As a result of their large body size, and their habit of living in urban areas, giant Canada geese are less susceptible to predators than other geese. In the urban areas where many giant Canada geese live, all of the young may reach six months of age. Since giant Canadas nest farther south and winter farther north than other geese, they also receive less hunting pressure (as little as 50 days) than geese that migrate from as far north as Canada and the Arctic Circle to the Gulf Coast (which may be subjected to as much as 120 days of hunting). The earlier mating habits, higher reproduction rates, lower predation rates, and less hunting mortality of giant Canada geese has led to a population explosion of giants in many areas. Giant Canada geese have become a nuisance in many urban areas, where they leave droppings and destroy grass on parks, golf courses and lakeshore properties.

The giant Canada geese that nest in the Interlake region of Manitoba, between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Winnipegosis, stage on Silver Lake in downtown Rochester, Minnesota and the surrounding rivers, ponds and gravel pits on the Rochester (Minnesota) Goose Refuge. About half of the 35,000 geese that stage on the Rochester Refuge each year remain in the area through the winter; the others migrate to areas near Kansas City, Kansas. 

Canada Goose Dominance Fight Videot

Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) reach lengths of 60 inches, with wind spans of up to 95 inches. They weigh from 21 to 35 pounds, and can live up to 25 years. Nesting trumpeters can be found in western Montana, along the borders where Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska meet, and in central Minnesota and east central Wisconsin. They were once common throughout North America, but due to market hunting for down and feathers, plus subsistence hunting and egg collecting, they were presumed to be exterminated by the 1880's. In 1919 two nests were found in Yellowstone Park.

Minnesota swan restoration began in 1996 by the Hennepin County Parks commission. In 1982 the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources began a recovery program. By 1994 the project and released 215 swans, and there was an estimated free-flying flock of 250 birds in Minnesota. These birds winter on the Mississippi River just north of Minneapolis. This wintering area currently hosts about 900 swans from mid-November through late February.

Swans are bottom feeders, using their long necks to search for plants and tubers to eat from the bottoms of ponds, lakes and rivers. They begin nesting in mid-April, with nests as large as sex feet across, they often use muskrat or beaver hives as nesting platforms. They lay from 3 to 8 eggs, but have only a 30% hatching success ratio. Incubation lasts 33 days.

Newly hatched swans, called cygnets, may gain 20% of their body weight each day; they are fully feathered by 7-8 weeks, but are unable to fly until 15 weeks, they begin daily practice flights in mid-September. Cygnets are gray-colored for their first year.

The young swans remain with their parents throughout the winter. They are usually chased away from the parents during their second winter, but may stay with their siblings up to two years, thus most of the small groups seen flying consist of a mated pair, and their young of the past two years. During their second year young swans choose a mate on the wintering grounds; they remain mated to until one of them dies.

Young swans usually nest the first time between 3 and 6 years of age, on nests in remote areas, where they claim a territory of 3-6 acres; with a long expanse of open water, which they use to taxi before they take flight.

Lead poisoning from shotgun shell pellets, illegal hunting, power lines, predators and loss of habitat are the main threats to trumpeter swans.

Trumpeter Swan Mating Display Photos

Tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus) reach lengths of 52 inches, with wingspans of 85 inches. They can be distinguished from trumpeter swans by the yellow patch between the dark bill and their eyes.

Male swans are called cobs; females, pens; and young, cygnets. The clutch size varies from 2-8 rough-shelled, pale yellow creamy-white eggs, which hatch in about 35 days. The cygnets stay with the adults for about one year; at about 15 months they get their adult plumage.

Swans mate for life, however, if one of a pair dies the other will find a new mate. They gather and pile up grass, sedges, and mosses to make nests, often within 100 yards of the Arctic coastline. The nests measure about 6 feet across and 12-18 inches high. During incubation the females care for the eggs by themselves while the males stand guard.

To achieve flight, swans face into the wind, run along the surface of the water for 15 to 20 feet, flap their wings and beat the water with their feet alternately until they gain sufficient headway to become airborne. They fly in v-shaped formations, and achieve speeds up to 100 miles per hour with tail winds. They have been sighted at elevations of 6,000 to 8,000 feet.

Formerly known as whistling swans, tundra swans nest in the Arctic and stay there during the spring and summer. Birds of the western population winter along the west coast into California, southern Idaho and northern Nevada. Birds of the eastern population winter from Chesapeake Bay to North Carolina. They often stop along the Mississippi River in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin before they continue on to their eastern wintering grounds.

Pairs and flocks of these large beautiful birds can often be seen along the lakes and back waters of the Mississippi River from Read's Landing, Minnesota and Alma, Wisconsin to northern Iowa from mid-October to February, with peaks of up to 16,000 birds in November. As many as 9,800 tundra swans have been sighted near Brownsville, Minnesota in the fall.

Their spring arrival is unpredictable; they often arrive in small flocks and remain for only a short time. Large concentrations of swans arrive in the fall beginning in late October, and they often stay until late November or until the water freezes.

Listen to a Tundra Swan Call.

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) are generally gray in color with occasional rust-colored streaks. Adults have a red forehead, while yearlings have a dark brown forehead. Adult sandhill cranes vary in height from thirty-four to forty-eight inches. The differences are not due to age, but rather to the genetics of the individual subspecies. Lesser sandhill cranes have a wingspan of approximately six feet; greater sandhill cranes have a span of seven feet. Although they appear large when they fly they only weight six to ten pounds.

Snadhill cranes mate for life, pairing up for the first time during the winter before their third birthday. They always lay two greenish-brown eggs; both parents take turns incubating. The first egg laid hatches a few days before the second egg. However, it is rare that both of the young survive the first year of life. Yearling birds stay with their parents for one year. When the parents return to the nesting grounds, last year's offspring are kept out of the parents' territory. When cranes fly in groups of three, the middle bird is usually the single surviving offspring.

The typical diet of a crane depends upon the time of year. On wintering grounds in Texas, about half their diet is tubers from sedge, a grass-like plant. On the staging grounds along the Platte River and other areas, over eighty percent of the diet is corn. On their nesting grounds over fifty percent of the diet is made up of bulbs of arrow-grass and other aquatic and semi-aquatic species.

Listen to Sandhill Crane Calls.

 Sandhill Crane Mating Display

 At one time there were more than 10,000 whooping cranes in North America. But, due to hunting, human encroachment, egg poaching and habitat loss the population of the tallest bird in North America was reduced to 21 in the 1940's.

There are 237 cranes in the flock that summers in Canada and another 280 that live in captivity or as part of a flock reintroduced in the eastern U.S. The only population of wild cranes, which migrates each year between Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta, Canada, and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, this year researchers found 224 birds in Texas after the migration. A smaller, reintroduced group of 60 whooping cranes now lives in Florida year round.

On October 5, 2006, 18 whooping cranes left the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin, and began their 1,228 mile trip to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, where they arrived on December 13, 20o6. The cranes followed a group of ultra-light aircraft on their first migration. In, addition, a pair of whooping cranes that had previously made the trip brought their one offspring with them.

Researchers are hopeful that this reestablished flock will flourish in the future.

Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are a large grouse-like bird reaching lengths of 17 inches, with weights of large mature males reaching 25 pounds. Their heads and upper necks have very few feathers, and the males are able to change the colors of the head and neck from white, to blue and red.

During the spring mating season (March- June) the males or "toms" as they are called, fan their tails, fluff up the feathers of their chest by inflating the air sack underneath the skin of the chest, tuck in their heads and drag their wings o n the ground to proclaim dominance and attract the females. They also gobble loudly, and use air from their inflated air sacks to "spit" (a loud exhale) and "boom" (often incorrectly referred to as drumming) in their attempts to mate with the females.

There were originally six subspecies of the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in North America and one related species, the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) in Central America. The originally discovered subspecies (M. gallopavo gallopavo) is now extinct due to hunting. Of the other five subspecies only the Gould's Turkey is in danger; it occurs in extreme southwest New Mexico, southeast Arizona and adjacent regions of Mexico. It is listed on the endangered species list.

The Eastern Turkey (M. g .silvestris) is the most widely distributed subspecies of the wild turkey. It occurs east of the Missouri River to the Atlantic ocean, the southern and western parts of Minnesota, the eastern third of Kansas and Oklahoma, and eastern Texas and northern Florida. The Florida subspecies (M. g. osceola) occurs in the southern portion of Florida. The Rio Grande (M. g. intermedia) subspecies occurs mainly in the western portions of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, with transplants in small portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and South Dakota. The Merriam's (M. g. merriami) subspecies occurs in South Dakota, and portions of most of the mountain states from Canada to Mexico. Hybrid or intergrade turkeys are found in areas where two or more subspecies occur; these birds may exhibit characteristics of one or the other subspecies, characteristics of both subspecies, or characteristics between the two subspecies.

Listen to a Turkey Gobble

 Wild Turkey Fight Video

Turkey Roosting Video

Turkey Mating Display

Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) are a stocky, round-winged, chicken-like bird reaching lengths of 15 inches. They have a short crest on the crown of their heads, and a narrow, pointed tail with white outer tail feathers. The males have yellow combs over their eyes, and pinkish to pale violet ir sacks on their necks, which they inflate to make mating calls when they dance on the breeding grounds, or "leks" in the spring. They have brown plumage with darker brown, black and tan chevrons around the head, neck, back and under parts; their legs are feathered to the base of their toes.

They can be found in mixed grass prairies from western Nebraska, North and South Dakota and eastern Montana into Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchan, with populations in northwest Minnesota and west central Wiscsonsin.

Listen to Sharp-tailed Grouse at BirderBlog.com by typing "Sharp-tailed Grouse" in the Search Box and clicking on "Sharp-tailed Grouse Sounds". 

Sharp-tailed Grouse Mating Display

Greater Prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) are medium-sized, stocky, round-winged, chicken-like birds with a short, rounded, dark tail. Their bodies are buff colored with barring on the breast, back and wings; the belly has darker bars. Adult males have a yellow-orange comb over their eye, dark, elongated head feathers that can be raised or lain along their neck, and a circular, orange unfeathered neck patch they inflate when they are calling and displaying on the spring mating grounds called "leks". They inhabit much of Nebraska and Kansas, with populations in eastern North Dakota, northwest Minnesota and east central Wisconsin.

The lesser prairie chicken is similar, but has a differently shaped pink neck patch and generally paler plumage, with more finely barred sides on its body. The two species almost never overlap in range and habitat.

Listen to Prairie Chicken Calls

The national bird of the United States, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus lecuocephalus), reaches lengths of 31-37 inches, with wing spreads if 70-90 inches, and weights of 8-15 pounds. While it was an endangered species in the 1950's and 1960's, it has made a fantastic comeback. As a result of conservation measures, and the ban of several pesticides, bald eagles can once again be found throughout North America. Nesting populations can be found along the Atlantic coast, the Mississippi River drainage, and the Rocky Mountains as far south as Nevada.

While the birds are often identifies by their white head and tail, different ages of eagle exhibit different amounts of white on their heads; 1 year old birds are uniformly brown in color and the beak and eye are dark; 2 year old birds have gray-brown or whitish, they have a white line on their head, and their back and bellies become speckled with white; 3 year old birds become lighter, with a contrasting dark eye stripe, and the bill and eye become yellow; 4 year old birds are mostly dark with some white spots, the head and tail are generally white, but the tail may have a dark band at the end.

One of the largest wintering populations of these birds can be found along the Mississippi River from southern Minnesota to northern Iowa. In some years hundreds of these great birds can be seen along the river, but numbers depend a lot on the weather. Because fish are one of the major food sources of bald eagles, they need open water where they can catch fish. When lakes, rivers and streams freeze up in many areas, hundreds of eagles may be seen on the upper Mississippi from December through February.

Listen to a Bald Eagle Call

 Bald Eagle Photos

Bald Eagle Fishing Video

Young Osprey Eating Fish

Western grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) have long streamlined bodies for diving. The upper parts of the body are black, lower parts are white. The back of the long slender neck is black; the front is white from chin to belly. They have a pointy black crown on their head, a red eye surrounded by black, and a long thin yellow bill. They reach lengths of 20-24 inches.

They perform several elaborate dances during spring mating. One in which the two birds rapidly "run" across the surface of the water until both birds dive down into the water. In another dance the two birds raise their bellies out of the water and rub each other with vegetation held in their bills.

These birds nest in dense, noisy colonies on large lakes and marshes. The nest is built floating on water and anchored to reeds. They lay 3-4 eggs with an incubation period of about 23 days. They young chicks can often be seen riding on the back of the female. They feed on small crustaceans and fish.

Western Grebe Mating Display

Great-crested Grebe Mating Display

Grebe Fight

MN Birding and Game Animal Locations & Viewing Schedule

National Geographic News reports that independent researchers in Great Britain have concluded that hunting and shooting are positive aspects of wildlife conservation.

Scientists from University of Kent in southeast England published a study in Nature saying that farmers who hunt and shoot can help restore Britain's lost wildlife. The study found that hunting and shooting provide an extra incentive for landowners to voluntarily get involved in environmentally sustainable farming practices.

"According to our research, it's people involved with country sports who take up these subsidy schemes," said Nigel Leader-Williams, professor of biodiversity management at the University of Kent. "They plant new woodland because they want foxes and pheasants to live in it." 

Wolf Management in the Doghouse

Two recent court rulings have set back wolf management in the U.S. SCI has expressed concern over these two federal court decisions that have prohibited effective management of growing gray wolf populations, and hindered the potential for sportsman participation in said management.

In one case last August, the honorable Judge Garvan Murtha, of the U.S. District Court of Vermont, issued another disappointing ruling against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's attempt to reclassify the gray wolf species from "endangered" to "threatened" status. On Sept. 13, wolf management received a third judicial setback when the honorable Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle, of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, took action prohibiting Michigan and Wisconsin from lethally taking problem wolves preying on livestock and other domestic animals.

"Who else but our appointed state and federal wildlife officials have the expertise and the authority to ensure that the Endangered Species Act is properly enforced and our nation's wildlife is scientifically conserved?" said SCI Executive Director Tom Riley. "SCI will continue to support the reclassification of the gray wolf and will support the Service's efforts to rectify these erroneous judicial rulings."

The contention surrounding wolf reclassification began in October of 2003 when a cabal of animal rights organizations, including Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and others, brought to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon a case challenging the USFWS' authority to change the gray wolf's ESA classification. SCI intervened in that case, together with the Oregon Hunters' Association, the American Farm Bureau and the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, to support gray wolf recovery achieved by the USFWS and to help the USFWS defend against the challenge that had been waged against the rule to reclassify wolves.

Instead of recognizing the USFWS' monumental conservation efforts that resulted in the recovery of large, healthy and viable wolf populations in both the Eastern and Western United States, the Oregon Court invalidated the USFWS' Final Rule to reclassify gray wolves from "endangered" to "threatened" status. As a result, gray wolves throughout the United States retained their "endangered" classification. The USFWS has reserved the right to appeal the Oregon Court's ruling, but has indicated that an appeal is unlikely.

The Vermont case, brought by a second set of Plaintiffs, also offered a disappointing result for gray wolf recovery. The Vermont Court's opinion does nothing to overturn or modify the current "endangered" status of gray wolves imposed by the Oregon Court's determination. In addition, Judge Murtha addressed some issues that were outside the focus of the Oregon Court's previous ruling. He ruled that the USFWS had improperly deleted a proposed Northeastern Distinct Population Segment of wolves, without first giving the public an opportunity to comment on the matter, and that the USFWS improperly lumped the Northeastern states into a single Distinct Population Segment that also included the wolf populations of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the Sept. 13 ruling, Judge Huvelle invalidated the permits that Michigan and Wisconsin had been using under permit authority issued by the USFWS to cull the two state's problem wolves, and ordered that no further wolves be taken under those permits. The USFWS admitted to the Court it had inappropriately issued the states' permits without first publishing notice of the permit applications and without allowing public comment on the applications. Both Michigan and Wisconsin have submitted new permit applications and the USFWS has published a Federal Register Notice to solicit comments on the wolf depredation permits. Once a thirty day comment period is completed, the USFWS can move forward to issue new permits to replace those invalidated by the Court.

SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's 173 Chapters represent all 50 United States as well as 13 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit www.safariclub.org or call 520-620-1220 for more information.

SCI's record-breaking 33rd Annual Hunters' Convention hosted more than 19,700 sportsmen from 50 countries around the world. Thanks to over 1,100 top exhibitors helping hunters realize dreams around the globe, the Convention raised nearly $11 million for SCI and the SCI Foundation. To register to attend SCI's 34th Annual Hunters' Convention, in Reno Jan. 18-21, 2006, call 888-746-9724 toll-free or visit www.safariclub.org.

A coalition of conservation-sportsman groups, including SCI's Alaska (ROAR 5.3) and Alaska Kenai Peninsula chapters, are challenging a proposed animal-extremist-backed ballot measure seeking to ban bear-over-bait hunting (ROAR 5.3) in that state.

According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Mirror, the coalition is informing voters that backers of the ballot initiative are not registering with the Alaska Public Offices Commission in an effort to hide their true out-of-state origins. The coalition also has engaged Pac/West Communications to assist in its advocacy efforts.

"One of our main themes is, 'Don't let out-of-state extremists come in and manage Alaska's game,'" said Pac/West spokesman Jerod Broadfoot. The measure is slated for vote during the Nov. 2, 2004 general election. 

The Associated Press reports Alaskan authorities are investigating a series of poaching incidents which began along the Knick River approximately two months ago.

A $4,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for poaching more than six Dall sheep, a moose, and a mountain goat. According to wildlife officials, there are no leads yet in the investigation.

Anyone with information concerning these incidents should contact their local law enforcement officials or Alaska Fish & Game's Wildlife Conservation Division.

New Mexico's oryx herd (ROAR 3.5), which was first introduced in the 1960s, is closely monitored by wildlife management professionals. It has shown an ability to push out indigenous species, to cause habitat damage, and now may represent a new threat to that state's wildlife.

According to The Associated Press, state wildlife biologists are investigating if a previously unknown virus similar to malignant catarrhal fever that was found in a recent oryx study poses a threat to New Mexico's other wildlife. Catarrhal fever is difficult to transmit but, once deer and elk acquire it, the disease almost always is fatal.

According to NMGF Director, however, the investigation is not far enough along to "sound the alarm on the oryx."

Good news regarding the United States' official bird, the bald eagle. ESPN.com reports that for the first time in more than 100 years, two of the regal raptors have been spotted nesting near the Little Calumet River on the southern border of Chicago, Illinois. According to US Fish & Wildlife, until now, most Illinois eagle sightings have been along the Mississippi River.

The eagles' exact location is being kept secret by state officials and bird enthusiasts so the pair will not be scared away from their nest by curious onlookers.

SCI urges Chicago residents to heed the concerns of state wildlife officials to help expand the range for bald eagle.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service announced a proposal to give Idaho and Montana more wolf management authority over their packs, which are part of the reintroduced northern Rockies wolf population. At some 750 animals, northern Rockies wolves have more than doubled initial USFWS population growth projections.

Sportsmen can submit comments on the Idaho/Montana proposal by writing to USFWS; Western Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator; 100 North Park, Number 320; Helena, MT; 59601; westerngraywolf@fws.gov.

In Alaska, according to The Associated Press, aerial sportsmen culled some 114 wolves in the Nelchina Basin near Glennallen and near McGrath. The action was taken to help stem moose predation.

Conflicts between humans and animals continue to underscore the need for proactive wildlife management programs using legal hunting as a tool to help minimize risk:

ESPN.com reports a deer broke into a Kalamazoo, Mich. business, causing damage and startling employees before escaping and being stuck by two vehicles.

Foxnews.com notes a sea lion weighing some 1,500 pounds dragged a fisherman off his boat in Alaska. The fisherman suffered minor injuries and a shredded pants seat.

Associated Press says an alligator bit the leg of a 65-year-old woman riding in the back of a pickup truck through Florida's JW Corbett Wildlife Management Area.

Reuters reports a retired crocodile hunter saved the life of an 11-year-old girl attacked by 10-foot crocodile while she was swimming.

PETA continues to show a total lack of sensitivity and propriety.

Its new Canadian billboard campaign leverages the horrific acts allegedly perpetrated by accused British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton. According to news reports, Pickton allegedly mixed his victims' remains with pig meat from his farm. The PETA billboard depicts a girl and a pig, with the statement "Neither Of Us Are Meat".

SCI sends condolences to the family members of the murder victims ruthlessly exploited by the shocking anti-meat campaign. To sign a petition calling for greater IRS scrutiny of PETA's tax-exempt status, visit: www.petitiononline.com/rvkptaex.

Founded in 1971, SCI is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide.

With some 200 chapters around the globe, the 501(c)(4) non-profit association is a tireless advocate for the more than 45 million sportsmen and sportswomen who, through their legal hunting activities, represent the single largest source of money necessary to maintain wildlife populations and habitats, to conduct wildlife research and to enforce wildlife laws. For more information about SCI, visit www.scifirstforhunters.org or its government relations Web site at www.sci-dc.org.

SCI Foundation funds and manages worldwide programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian services. For more information about the 501(c)(3) Foundation, visit www.sci-foundation.org or its International Wildlife Museum Web site at www.thewildlifemuseum.org.
 

This is from http://www.animalinfo.org/

The Vancouver Island marmot is a housecat-sized rodent weighing 3 - 6.5 kg (6.6 - 14.3 lb). It prefers sub-alpine open areas above 1000 m (3300'), in south to west-facing meadows. The flowering parts of alpine plants are its preferred food. The Vancouver Island marmot prefers open areas that provide good soil for burrowing, plentiful herbs and forbs to eat, and suitable rocks for lookout spots. It lives in colonies comprised of one or more family groups, and monogamous pairings are the norm.

The Vancouver Island marmot has never been abundant in historic times. It is endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. By 1990 it had been reduced to 1/3 of its former range in the mountains of Vancouver Island, due in part to habitat disruption caused by logging.

"With a population numbering fewer that 100 animals, Vancouver Island marmots must be considered as one of North America's most critically endangered mammals. Only by increasing both their numbers and distribution can the future of this engaging rodent be secured. For this reason the Recovery Plan emphasizes captive-breeding combined with marmot reintroductions to formerly occupied sites." (Bryant 1998)

(Washington, DC) - America's premier sportsmen's rights organization today testified before U.S. Senators on the key connection between hunting and successful wildlife conservation.

United States Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA) Director of Federal Affairs William P. Horn testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and why the proposed listing of polar bears as threatened throughout its range will prove detrimental to healthy and presently sustainable polar bear populations.

Horn was invited to testify by Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Committee and Senator James Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Committee. Horn served as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the agency responsible for the ESA, from 1985 to 1988, before joining USSA. He is considered one of America's top lawyers on endangered species law, and also serves on the Board of Environmental Sciences and Toxicology of the National Academy of Sciences.

Environmental organizations want polar bears listed as threatened because of projections that Arctic sea ice will diminish in 50-plus years as a result of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

In his testimony Horn pointed out that listing polar bears as threatened based on a 50-year prediction would produce adverse consequences, not only for polar bears, but for all wildlife. Environmentalists plan to use the listing as a means to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and power plants among other things. The groups will likely bring lawsuits to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to enforce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions regulations. The enormous costs of overhauling and fundamentally changing the FWS mission will leave little if any money for actual endangered species or other traditional fish and wildlife programs.

"The USSA is committed to making sure that lawmakers are aware that sportsmen continue to be the key element in the conservation of wildlife," said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. "Listing the polar bear as threatened will stop limited hunting, and cut off key revenues that fund vital polar bear research. We are proud to represent sportsmen before Congress on this critical issue."

Science shows that many polar bear populations are at historic highs and that there are no imminent threats to the healthy, huntable populations.

It is well established that many polar bear populations are at or near record highs, have increased substantially since the 1960s, and sustain carefully managed subsistence and sport hunting programs. The latter programs, conducted primarily in Canada, generate important local income and ensure that Native communities are vested in polar bear conservation. The partnership between these communities and Canadian wildlife officials has yielded effective scientific bear conservation and management resulting in improved sustainability of 11 of 13 polar bear populations in Canada.

American sportsmen comprise approximately 90 percent of the foreign hunting clientele in Canada, pouring millions of dollars into polar bear conservation and management, not to mention the financial benefits to the local communities. American hunters are the primary source of essential funding for conservation and research that allows for continued success of the populations.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen's organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its web site: www.ussportsmen.org.

This duck is a mallard x pintail hybrid. Note the blue bill of a pintail, on an otherwise mallard-looking duck.

White Pileated Woodpecker Documented in the Big Woods

Many people are fascinated by abnormally white birds. Some of these birds are leucistic", because they have white feathers, normal pigmentation on their skin and red eyes; others are "albinistic", because they have white feathers and white skin, and red eyes.

Read more at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.

 New Live Bird & Animal Cameras

If you enjoy watching wildlife, zoo animals and aquarium fish, this is the place to go. We are linked to over 100 wildlife cameras.

Tawnya Michels Outdoor Photography

Birding Optics Blog: h