Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Have I mentioned lately how much fun it is to live in the northwoods? I continue to be amazed by what we can see in the natural world in one or two days. On my own property, in the last week, I’ve seen wolf tracks; a bobcat, whose tracks I searched for the next day; two red squirrels chasing each other around a tree, for what seemed like a dizzying amount of time; white-tail deer tracks, everywhere; and what appears to be a red fox bed site. In a few days’ time I had the content for several weeks Nature Watch articles.
I was exploring the forest behind my house. I found the beds on a small hill, four disc-shaped beds with fox tracks leading up to them. I smiled with such pride at having found them in the forest, probably one hundred yards away from my house. I had to find out more. Was it mostly likely a red fox or gray fox? Was it one fox returning for several nights, or two? I had to know the answers.
Was it mostly likely a red fox or gray fox? Gray fox are not as common in the northern third of the state, as Wisconsin is the northern part of its range. Therefore, I assume that the bed sites were made by a red fox.
Was it one fox or two? In December, males and females have paired up in preparation of the breeding season, which means the bedding sites I viewed are possibly from two animals. Foxes sleep while curling their long bushy tails around their body and over their nose and foot pads to keep warm. Red foxes are nocturnal, with most of their hunting taking place two hours before sunset until a few hours after sunrise. Able to run up to thirty miles per hour, they can travel up to nine miles in one night in search of food.
In the winter, red fox eat mostly meadow voles, mice, snowshoe hare, and cottontail rabbits. During other seasons they will eat squirrels, songbirds, eggs, insects, snails, crayfish, berries, fruit, acorns, corn, or grass. The red fox is a solitary hunter that searches field edges or forest while search for their prey. They have excellent eyesight, as the slight movement of an ear may be all that is needed to locate a rabbit or squirrel. They can smell eggs or young rabbits in their nests. Their large ears allow them to locate a sound within one degree of its actual location. Additionally, fox can hear mouse squeals from 150 feet away, or hear movement underground, dig, and capture their prey. From a distance, they creep low to the ground, slowly towards the correct location. Once they are close enough, they will often launch themselves up at an almost forty-five degree angle, pouncing down on the site of their prey. They can jump up to fifteen feet away! They will sometimes kill more than they can eat, and will bury food for future use.
Fox families have their own marked territories that they defend from intruders, a space that is from 150-400 acres. Scenting is an important form of staking territory, as they mark rocks and trees with their urine. When facing another fox, they may participate in a group chase or will charge and growl. They wave their tail to communicate their presence. Red foxes also have a wide range of vocalizations that peak during winter during the dispersal of juveniles as they stake out new ranges, and during the mating season. They have barks used as internal family communication, as a warning, or to convey information. They have “shrieks,” “staccato barks,” and “whines” to interact with others and establish contact. They have “wow-wow” barks for friendly communication. “Coughs” warn cubs of potential danger, and “growls” and “screams” are used in defensive positions.
If you seem me on the street, please do not be surprised if I give you a “wow-wow” bark as my hello. Also please know, if I cough, it is probably due to a cold, not a warning! Be sure to spend some of your own holiday season outdoors! Who knows what you will discover in your own back yard. Be sure to include a night listening session as well. For listening to potential fox sounds, choose cold, clear winter nights when fox prefer auditory communication. If you have your own red or gray fox story to share, please email the Museum at info@cablemuseum.org, or post your own stories on the Nature Watch blog at cablemuseumnaturewatch.blogspot.com.
For over 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Bird Coloration
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
A blue jay darts across the yard. An American goldfinch shows its more camouflaged winter colors that are so drastically different than the summer yellow and black. Even the black and whit e of a chickadee against the snow is a striking color contrast. Color is not always what it seems in the bird world, in spite of the amazing variety of colors we see. Still, it seems to bring a gasp of pleasure when we see these colored wonders.
For most birds, color comes from pigment, which are chemical compounds located in the feathers or skin. Pigments absorb part of the white sunlight as it hits, and then reflect just part of the color spectrum, which is what the observer’s eye sees. For example, a cardinal has pigment that absorbs all the wavelengths of light except the ones that, when they enter our retina receptors, appear red. When we see black color, no light is reflected. When we see white color, all wavelengths are reflected. Melanin pigments produce blacks, browns, grays, and beige colored feathers. The pigments that produce yellows, reds, and oranges are called carotenoid pigments. These carotenoids are not produced within the bird’s body, however. Birds of these colors rely on their food – pink flamingos depend on carotenoid-rich crustaceans for their color, and the yellow goldfinches get their pigmentation from seeds they eat.
The blue of a jay that we see is not coloration based on pigments. In fact, blue and iridescent colors are "structural colors," produced in special cells in the feather barbs. For us to see “blue,” there are microscopic box-shaped cells that scatter the light, favoring the shorter blue wavelengths. Iridescent colors are produced by from modified barbules that cause wavelength changes based on the angle of reflection. These special cells split the sunlight, making iridescent colors dependent on the angle of the light. A ruby-throated hummingbird aligned just right makes a shimmering sight, but when turned wrong, the color goes black.
Many of our camouflaged birds exhibit what is known as "countershading.” These birds have dark backs with gradual lighter shading until the belly is white. Countershading tends to eliminate an abrupt shadow, absorbing bright light from above while reflecting light below where light is dim. “Disruptive coloration” is the use of patterns that break up the outline of the bird to avoid detection. Killdeers are an excellent example of this disruption, allowing the bird to blend in with the color of its background.
Why is coloration important? The earliest theory made by Darwin regarding bird coloration was that the bright coloration of males evolved through female choice of the most attractive male plumage. Another “color” theory is that bright colors can intimidate predators. Or, if we consider the bright coloration some species, such as monarch butterflies or coral snakes use to warn predators, it could be that the more colorful the bird the more unpalatable. It is believed that birds identify themselves to other flock members through color patterns visible in flight. Bright colors might help to deflect predator’s attention away from nesting sites. Colors inside of mouths of open chicks may stimulate parental feeding and help guide them to where “x marks the spot.” These are all interesting examples of how birds use their coloration.
Perhaps bird songs did not evolve for our human enjoyment, nor did bird colors evolve to delight our eyes. In spite of this, we benefit greatly from the joy they bring. Millions of dollars are spent every year as humans attempt to draw them closer to their homes. Birds are a part of many people’s regular conversation. We even bring their sounds and bright colors into our homes as pets. Whatever their color, they are an integral part of our human lives.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
A blue jay darts across the yard. An American goldfinch shows its more camouflaged winter colors that are so drastically different than the summer yellow and black. Even the black and whit e of a chickadee against the snow is a striking color contrast. Color is not always what it seems in the bird world, in spite of the amazing variety of colors we see. Still, it seems to bring a gasp of pleasure when we see these colored wonders.
For most birds, color comes from pigment, which are chemical compounds located in the feathers or skin. Pigments absorb part of the white sunlight as it hits, and then reflect just part of the color spectrum, which is what the observer’s eye sees. For example, a cardinal has pigment that absorbs all the wavelengths of light except the ones that, when they enter our retina receptors, appear red. When we see black color, no light is reflected. When we see white color, all wavelengths are reflected. Melanin pigments produce blacks, browns, grays, and beige colored feathers. The pigments that produce yellows, reds, and oranges are called carotenoid pigments. These carotenoids are not produced within the bird’s body, however. Birds of these colors rely on their food – pink flamingos depend on carotenoid-rich crustaceans for their color, and the yellow goldfinches get their pigmentation from seeds they eat.
The blue of a jay that we see is not coloration based on pigments. In fact, blue and iridescent colors are "structural colors," produced in special cells in the feather barbs. For us to see “blue,” there are microscopic box-shaped cells that scatter the light, favoring the shorter blue wavelengths. Iridescent colors are produced by from modified barbules that cause wavelength changes based on the angle of reflection. These special cells split the sunlight, making iridescent colors dependent on the angle of the light. A ruby-throated hummingbird aligned just right makes a shimmering sight, but when turned wrong, the color goes black.
Many of our camouflaged birds exhibit what is known as "countershading.” These birds have dark backs with gradual lighter shading until the belly is white. Countershading tends to eliminate an abrupt shadow, absorbing bright light from above while reflecting light below where light is dim. “Disruptive coloration” is the use of patterns that break up the outline of the bird to avoid detection. Killdeers are an excellent example of this disruption, allowing the bird to blend in with the color of its background.
Why is coloration important? The earliest theory made by Darwin regarding bird coloration was that the bright coloration of males evolved through female choice of the most attractive male plumage. Another “color” theory is that bright colors can intimidate predators. Or, if we consider the bright coloration some species, such as monarch butterflies or coral snakes use to warn predators, it could be that the more colorful the bird the more unpalatable. It is believed that birds identify themselves to other flock members through color patterns visible in flight. Bright colors might help to deflect predator’s attention away from nesting sites. Colors inside of mouths of open chicks may stimulate parental feeding and help guide them to where “x marks the spot.” These are all interesting examples of how birds use their coloration.
Perhaps bird songs did not evolve for our human enjoyment, nor did bird colors evolve to delight our eyes. In spite of this, we benefit greatly from the joy they bring. Millions of dollars are spent every year as humans attempt to draw them closer to their homes. Birds are a part of many people’s regular conversation. We even bring their sounds and bright colors into our homes as pets. Whatever their color, they are an integral part of our human lives.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
What do they do for Christmas?
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
While I watched students in a classroom writing their letters to Santa, I began to think about how different animals spend their Christmas. Where do the birds go? What about the frogs or turtles? Are the black bears already hibernating? What kind of “Christmas” do they have?
Where do some of the birds go for Christmas? For this answer, I had to go to my favorite bird field guides. The common loon leaves our lakes to enjoy the eastern and gulf coast, as well as the south-eastern part of the United States. Banded great blue herons from Canada have been found in Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. Some of my favorite forest-loving birds have just the right idea – red-eyed vireos end up in the western Amazon, hermit thrushes in the Bahamas, Guatemala, or El Salvador, and the black-throated green warbler in the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, or Panama. The northern oriole heads to central Mexico or northern South America. Finally, the winter wren (how does it get that name anyway?) winters in the southern United States.
If we take a look at bald eagles of the Great Lakes region, they do not always migrate, though these resident eagles may travel significant distances in winter to seek food. Ruffed grouse stay with us, growing fringes on their toes in the winter to act like natural snowshoes and spending cold nights using the snow as insulation – imagine using the snow to stay warm. Next we can look at the resident bird that carries a bit of Christmas red color, the pileated woodpecker. These birds make deep, oval excavations in trees to find ants, especially carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetle larvae. These woodpeckers apparently have the “spirit of giving” year-round, as their large excavations often become feeding stations for other woodpeckers, wrens, or other birds.
Frogs have an interesting Christmas. Wood frogs, for example have no heartbeat. They do not breathe. Their blood does not circulate. Their nerves barely register electrical impulses. They are essentially frozen solid, yet their vital organs are not damaged. Spring peepers, gray tree frogs and upland chorus frogs also may freeze and thaw several times during the course of a winter. How do they do it? The answer is antifreeze. When ice begins to form on a wood frog’s skin, the frog’s liver releases a high level of blood sugar, enough to fill the blood vessels in all vital organs, creating a type of antifreeze. Other frogs will burrow into the soil or a lake bed to keep from freezing. Leopard frogs sink to the bottom of a water body, where they sometimes unfortunately become food for a fish.
Where do turtles go in the winter? All but one of Wisconsin's eleven turtle species spend Christmas under water. A few turtles bury themselves while others remain motionless on the bottom. Some scientists believe that they hibernate, their blood changing to function like antifreeze, with their body temperature dropping to only a few degrees above freezing. Other scientists believe that they don’t hibernate, but are semi-active, although this activity can take a toll on their body reserves.
When do black bears go into hibernation? Do they nestle in their beds for a long winter’s sleep? Technically, bears go into torpor, which is a state of reduced metabolism from which they can be awakened. Male black bears don’t always go into dens, sleeping right on the ground, or under downed treetops. These males can be more easily aroused from their “winter’s sleep.” When you add the fact that there are a lot of humans moving around in the forest during our fall hunting season, and combine it with the current feeding and baiting of deer or other animals, it is possible to see signs of bears even through November. The latest I have seen bear tracks in the snow is December 13, although most female black bears can go into torpor as early as October first.
As I wrap my presents, enjoy my lit tree, and huddle inside my warm house, waiting for a holiday season, I again find a renewed sense of wonder at the natural world. How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy this variety of wildlife all year round, no matter what the season or conditions in which we find ourselves.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
While I watched students in a classroom writing their letters to Santa, I began to think about how different animals spend their Christmas. Where do the birds go? What about the frogs or turtles? Are the black bears already hibernating? What kind of “Christmas” do they have?
Where do some of the birds go for Christmas? For this answer, I had to go to my favorite bird field guides. The common loon leaves our lakes to enjoy the eastern and gulf coast, as well as the south-eastern part of the United States. Banded great blue herons from Canada have been found in Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. Some of my favorite forest-loving birds have just the right idea – red-eyed vireos end up in the western Amazon, hermit thrushes in the Bahamas, Guatemala, or El Salvador, and the black-throated green warbler in the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, or Panama. The northern oriole heads to central Mexico or northern South America. Finally, the winter wren (how does it get that name anyway?) winters in the southern United States.
If we take a look at bald eagles of the Great Lakes region, they do not always migrate, though these resident eagles may travel significant distances in winter to seek food. Ruffed grouse stay with us, growing fringes on their toes in the winter to act like natural snowshoes and spending cold nights using the snow as insulation – imagine using the snow to stay warm. Next we can look at the resident bird that carries a bit of Christmas red color, the pileated woodpecker. These birds make deep, oval excavations in trees to find ants, especially carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetle larvae. These woodpeckers apparently have the “spirit of giving” year-round, as their large excavations often become feeding stations for other woodpeckers, wrens, or other birds.
Frogs have an interesting Christmas. Wood frogs, for example have no heartbeat. They do not breathe. Their blood does not circulate. Their nerves barely register electrical impulses. They are essentially frozen solid, yet their vital organs are not damaged. Spring peepers, gray tree frogs and upland chorus frogs also may freeze and thaw several times during the course of a winter. How do they do it? The answer is antifreeze. When ice begins to form on a wood frog’s skin, the frog’s liver releases a high level of blood sugar, enough to fill the blood vessels in all vital organs, creating a type of antifreeze. Other frogs will burrow into the soil or a lake bed to keep from freezing. Leopard frogs sink to the bottom of a water body, where they sometimes unfortunately become food for a fish.
Where do turtles go in the winter? All but one of Wisconsin's eleven turtle species spend Christmas under water. A few turtles bury themselves while others remain motionless on the bottom. Some scientists believe that they hibernate, their blood changing to function like antifreeze, with their body temperature dropping to only a few degrees above freezing. Other scientists believe that they don’t hibernate, but are semi-active, although this activity can take a toll on their body reserves.
When do black bears go into hibernation? Do they nestle in their beds for a long winter’s sleep? Technically, bears go into torpor, which is a state of reduced metabolism from which they can be awakened. Male black bears don’t always go into dens, sleeping right on the ground, or under downed treetops. These males can be more easily aroused from their “winter’s sleep.” When you add the fact that there are a lot of humans moving around in the forest during our fall hunting season, and combine it with the current feeding and baiting of deer or other animals, it is possible to see signs of bears even through November. The latest I have seen bear tracks in the snow is December 13, although most female black bears can go into torpor as early as October first.
As I wrap my presents, enjoy my lit tree, and huddle inside my warm house, waiting for a holiday season, I again find a renewed sense of wonder at the natural world. How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy this variety of wildlife all year round, no matter what the season or conditions in which we find ourselves.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Beavers
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Some weeks seem like my best natural history observations are from a car. On my way back from teaching in South Shore School District, I kept observing signs of beavers in many of the wetlands along the way. Beavers are endowed with a series of very helpful skills that express their intelligence. Beavers are flexible, learn from observation, have imagination, an ability to plan, and can be innovative in their design. Generally, mammals rarely build structures, but beavers do far more than that. They build elaborate dams and canals to control water flow, create water levels that ensure the safety of their family, and make essential transportation pathways to find food and move building materials. In their “free time,” they build artificial islands and homes we call lodges. They are probably one of nature’s best architects!
Not only are they great builders and shapers, but at a rather large sixty or more pounds, beavers make their living while eating bark. Yum. Technically, beavers eat the ring of live tissue just under the bark. Located in this area is the phloem, containing water rich in sugars. Secondly is the xylem, the plumbing that carries mineral-rich water up from the roots. Between these two “transportation tubes” is the cambium, which is responsible for making new rings of xylem and phloem as it is needed. When they are finished eating, the leftover pile of indigestible bark chips is used as nesting material, and the leftover trunks and branches becomes their “lumber” for building.
Part of what makes this species so amazing is that no situation in their world is ever alike – they must solve each hydraulic problem before them, expressing tremendous creativity to make things work. First, they build dams as a defense from predators. To build their dams, they will often put logs in the bottom of the stream across the direction of flow, pile on more logs, use stones to hold it in place, and seal this foundation with extra sticks and packed mud. Other times they will fell one tree across the stream and use its mass to hold the water back. They will drive sharpened stakes into the stream bed. Scientists have observed an amazing array of techniques that beavers use to build their dams. The longest known dam is 2,200 feet! What a lot of work!
No matter how the dams are built, they are crucial when cold weather comes. A large pond that freezes over its entire surface can make breathing for an underwater mammal a big challenge. If the ice is thin, beavers can break open breathing holes, or can return to their burrows or lodges for air. What appears to be the best method of breathing, however, is that many beavers will cut a small channel through their dam. This allows the water to drain out just below the ice, where the gap between the water and ice provides a layer of air across the entire pond.
Next, transportation of beaver food creates a continual challenge, as we know that trees are heavy! When a beaver pond first runs out of trees close to the water’s edge, building a dam floods the area, providing more food. In time, though, they reach the point at which no more food is available. Beavers then begin excavating canals into the forest, cutting down trees along the edges, eating the tasty inner bark, and floating the branches back to the pond for use in future dams or lodges.
Another important feature beavers build is a lodge. Beavers seem to always understand what is needed, and come up with a strategy. For example, sometimes they will dig a burrow to live within, and other times will build a lodge. A family of beavers can include up to eight individuals. Their front door is in their floor, and this entrance must be at least a foot under water. The “bedroom” chamber must be above the water, and must be above the highest water level that could possibly occur throughout the year. Keeping safety in mind, they will even turn their lodges into island retreats by excavating a moat around them. Even on the coldest days, their lodge is built so well that it remains at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Learning about beavers certainly puts my own life into perspective. When I complain about rising costs or the economy, or about the weather, or even the amount of energy I put into my job this week, it seems like I have nothing to complain about – my life is pretty cushy. Beavers work hard, and I sound rather lazy in comparison. On top of all the hard work they do, they coexist peaceably with many uninvited guests to their home, including muskrats, flying insects, mice, or water voles. If only I could do the same!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Some weeks seem like my best natural history observations are from a car. On my way back from teaching in South Shore School District, I kept observing signs of beavers in many of the wetlands along the way. Beavers are endowed with a series of very helpful skills that express their intelligence. Beavers are flexible, learn from observation, have imagination, an ability to plan, and can be innovative in their design. Generally, mammals rarely build structures, but beavers do far more than that. They build elaborate dams and canals to control water flow, create water levels that ensure the safety of their family, and make essential transportation pathways to find food and move building materials. In their “free time,” they build artificial islands and homes we call lodges. They are probably one of nature’s best architects!
Not only are they great builders and shapers, but at a rather large sixty or more pounds, beavers make their living while eating bark. Yum. Technically, beavers eat the ring of live tissue just under the bark. Located in this area is the phloem, containing water rich in sugars. Secondly is the xylem, the plumbing that carries mineral-rich water up from the roots. Between these two “transportation tubes” is the cambium, which is responsible for making new rings of xylem and phloem as it is needed. When they are finished eating, the leftover pile of indigestible bark chips is used as nesting material, and the leftover trunks and branches becomes their “lumber” for building.
Part of what makes this species so amazing is that no situation in their world is ever alike – they must solve each hydraulic problem before them, expressing tremendous creativity to make things work. First, they build dams as a defense from predators. To build their dams, they will often put logs in the bottom of the stream across the direction of flow, pile on more logs, use stones to hold it in place, and seal this foundation with extra sticks and packed mud. Other times they will fell one tree across the stream and use its mass to hold the water back. They will drive sharpened stakes into the stream bed. Scientists have observed an amazing array of techniques that beavers use to build their dams. The longest known dam is 2,200 feet! What a lot of work!
No matter how the dams are built, they are crucial when cold weather comes. A large pond that freezes over its entire surface can make breathing for an underwater mammal a big challenge. If the ice is thin, beavers can break open breathing holes, or can return to their burrows or lodges for air. What appears to be the best method of breathing, however, is that many beavers will cut a small channel through their dam. This allows the water to drain out just below the ice, where the gap between the water and ice provides a layer of air across the entire pond.
Next, transportation of beaver food creates a continual challenge, as we know that trees are heavy! When a beaver pond first runs out of trees close to the water’s edge, building a dam floods the area, providing more food. In time, though, they reach the point at which no more food is available. Beavers then begin excavating canals into the forest, cutting down trees along the edges, eating the tasty inner bark, and floating the branches back to the pond for use in future dams or lodges.
Another important feature beavers build is a lodge. Beavers seem to always understand what is needed, and come up with a strategy. For example, sometimes they will dig a burrow to live within, and other times will build a lodge. A family of beavers can include up to eight individuals. Their front door is in their floor, and this entrance must be at least a foot under water. The “bedroom” chamber must be above the water, and must be above the highest water level that could possibly occur throughout the year. Keeping safety in mind, they will even turn their lodges into island retreats by excavating a moat around them. Even on the coldest days, their lodge is built so well that it remains at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Learning about beavers certainly puts my own life into perspective. When I complain about rising costs or the economy, or about the weather, or even the amount of energy I put into my job this week, it seems like I have nothing to complain about – my life is pretty cushy. Beavers work hard, and I sound rather lazy in comparison. On top of all the hard work they do, they coexist peaceably with many uninvited guests to their home, including muskrats, flying insects, mice, or water voles. If only I could do the same!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Black Squirrel & Melanism
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
This week I was driving towards Winter School District to teach science and environmental education for the day, and thought to myself, “What is happening this week in the natural world that I should write about?” Not even thirty seconds later, a black squirrel ran across the road in front of me. I smiled as nature so quickly gave me an answer. What is it that causes these animal colorations?
The official word for this animal coloration is melanism. The black squirrels we see on occasion are really eastern gray squirrels with a genetic mutation. Melanism is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation of skin, feathers or hair. Dark or even black squirrels or deer are said to be melanistic. These animals have too much pigment in their eyes, hair and skin, rather than too little. Biologists estimate that about one of every ten thousand squirrels has black coloration. Melanistic black squirrels can exist wherever gray squirrels live. Gray mating pairs may produce black offspring, and in areas with high concentrations of black squirrels, mixed litters can be found.
This black color phase in squirrels is not believed to be a genetic mistake, however. Before European settlers, it is reported that almost all squirrels in the northern states were black. Black fur absorbs more heat from the sun in our cold northern winters, and the coloration can be a defense in shaded, denser and dark forests. This darker color could have aided in hiding from predators of the sky. One scientist in particular, Dr. Bill Hamilton, suggests that as Europeans settled in this region, forests were cleared, farmland became a common use, and squirrels were hunted extensively as a food source and a perceived threat to farm crops. As this forest became more broken up, the black color was more easily seen, and so began to disappear from the population.
Black squirrels have gained great notoriety throughout the United States. Black squirrels have been introduced into one city to outcompete red squirrels. Some communities had black squirrels gifted to them, while another town has a legend that their populations came from a traveling circus. Some U.S. towns and one in Canada publicize with pride their black squirrel population. At least five colleges use the black squirrel as a symbol or mascot. Local residents in the Chicago area participated in a message board to share their own observations and “scientific” studies on the activities of their local black squirrel populations. Finally, in some alternative weather forecasting, black squirrel sightings are used to predict that devastatingly harsh winters are ahead. Let us hope that my sighting is not evidence that this type of winter is headed our way! In the mean time, enjoy looking for your own black squirrel nearby.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
This week I was driving towards Winter School District to teach science and environmental education for the day, and thought to myself, “What is happening this week in the natural world that I should write about?” Not even thirty seconds later, a black squirrel ran across the road in front of me. I smiled as nature so quickly gave me an answer. What is it that causes these animal colorations?
The official word for this animal coloration is melanism. The black squirrels we see on occasion are really eastern gray squirrels with a genetic mutation. Melanism is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation of skin, feathers or hair. Dark or even black squirrels or deer are said to be melanistic. These animals have too much pigment in their eyes, hair and skin, rather than too little. Biologists estimate that about one of every ten thousand squirrels has black coloration. Melanistic black squirrels can exist wherever gray squirrels live. Gray mating pairs may produce black offspring, and in areas with high concentrations of black squirrels, mixed litters can be found.
This black color phase in squirrels is not believed to be a genetic mistake, however. Before European settlers, it is reported that almost all squirrels in the northern states were black. Black fur absorbs more heat from the sun in our cold northern winters, and the coloration can be a defense in shaded, denser and dark forests. This darker color could have aided in hiding from predators of the sky. One scientist in particular, Dr. Bill Hamilton, suggests that as Europeans settled in this region, forests were cleared, farmland became a common use, and squirrels were hunted extensively as a food source and a perceived threat to farm crops. As this forest became more broken up, the black color was more easily seen, and so began to disappear from the population.
Black squirrels have gained great notoriety throughout the United States. Black squirrels have been introduced into one city to outcompete red squirrels. Some communities had black squirrels gifted to them, while another town has a legend that their populations came from a traveling circus. Some U.S. towns and one in Canada publicize with pride their black squirrel population. At least five colleges use the black squirrel as a symbol or mascot. Local residents in the Chicago area participated in a message board to share their own observations and “scientific” studies on the activities of their local black squirrel populations. Finally, in some alternative weather forecasting, black squirrel sightings are used to predict that devastatingly harsh winters are ahead. Let us hope that my sighting is not evidence that this type of winter is headed our way! In the mean time, enjoy looking for your own black squirrel nearby.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
White Tail Deer
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
What can reach speeds of up to thirty miles per hour, can leap, and swim, and weigh up to 200 pounds? A white-tailed deer, of course. Mid-November appeals to us all for a variety of different reasons – the last days before winter sets in, the approach of a holiday of thanksgiving, or the approach of the deer hunting season. For me, it continues to be a deer appreciation time as their visibility increases through the next few weeks. White-tailed deer sometimes frustrate me as they chomp off my favorite flowers, but generally they are an animal I really enjoy. After all, how many other places are there where you can see such a large mammal every day of the year?
What interests so many is the obvious movement of deer as the rutting season for white-tailed deer reaches its peak - during the last two weeks of November and into December. Most of us know that bucks often pose themselves, hoping to impress their rivals and avoid physical contact. They may also engage in fights using their antlers and hooves. The fittest bucks, often having the largest racks, gain territory and become the fathers of next year's fawns. They often are the first to drop their antlers shortly after the rut.
Antlers are temporary projections, that although look solid, are honeycombed when observed through a microscope. During the spring, the lengthening of daylight signals more testosterone production, causing antler growth. Neck muscle develops to aid bucks with the additional weight of three to nine pounds. Does can occasionally grow antlers in times when they have a hormonal imbalance. During spring, deer browse heavily to replenish their fat reserves. Does use this energy for milk production, and bucks for antler production. Protein and minerals are necessary, although deer can draw from minerals they have deposited in their skeletons during other parts of the year. The deer also select plants with higher mineral content, and their stomachs can also change absorption rates of minerals.
Antler growth is linked to nutrition. Yearling bucks usually carry spikes, a single bone with no branching pattern, as their bodies focus on muscle and skeletal growth. However, older bucks can carry spikes when faced with poor food conditions. Bucks with higher nutrition can lead to larger antlers, as can genetic factors.
As their antlers grow, their fuzzy velvet supplies blood, and grows a half inch to one inch per day. By August or early September antlers are fully-grown, the bone dies, and the velvet dries and falls off. Contrary to common belief, bucks do not rub their antlers on saplings to remove the velvet, but most likely to strengthen their neck muscles to prepare for upcoming fights. Rubbing also helps relieve their aggression brought on by hormonal changes and communicates to others. Bucks rub their face as well, leaving behind a scent to advertise to other males and females. The duels that follow ensure that natural selection occurs – the strongest males pass along their genes. In addition to using their antlers for sparring, they use them for digging in early snows for food. Following the rut, amounts of testosterone decline and the bucks lose their antlers, usually in January-February, or for deer living in poorer quality habitat, even earlier.
I live among terrific deer habitat, surrounded by forest and agricultural fields, which makes for continual white-tail observations. I am familiar with the “flag” of their tail, perhaps meant as a warning, but to me is a hello and goodbye as they trot away from me across the field. This beautiful animal is just another good reason to live and hang out in the north woods.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
What can reach speeds of up to thirty miles per hour, can leap, and swim, and weigh up to 200 pounds? A white-tailed deer, of course. Mid-November appeals to us all for a variety of different reasons – the last days before winter sets in, the approach of a holiday of thanksgiving, or the approach of the deer hunting season. For me, it continues to be a deer appreciation time as their visibility increases through the next few weeks. White-tailed deer sometimes frustrate me as they chomp off my favorite flowers, but generally they are an animal I really enjoy. After all, how many other places are there where you can see such a large mammal every day of the year?
What interests so many is the obvious movement of deer as the rutting season for white-tailed deer reaches its peak - during the last two weeks of November and into December. Most of us know that bucks often pose themselves, hoping to impress their rivals and avoid physical contact. They may also engage in fights using their antlers and hooves. The fittest bucks, often having the largest racks, gain territory and become the fathers of next year's fawns. They often are the first to drop their antlers shortly after the rut.
Antlers are temporary projections, that although look solid, are honeycombed when observed through a microscope. During the spring, the lengthening of daylight signals more testosterone production, causing antler growth. Neck muscle develops to aid bucks with the additional weight of three to nine pounds. Does can occasionally grow antlers in times when they have a hormonal imbalance. During spring, deer browse heavily to replenish their fat reserves. Does use this energy for milk production, and bucks for antler production. Protein and minerals are necessary, although deer can draw from minerals they have deposited in their skeletons during other parts of the year. The deer also select plants with higher mineral content, and their stomachs can also change absorption rates of minerals.
Antler growth is linked to nutrition. Yearling bucks usually carry spikes, a single bone with no branching pattern, as their bodies focus on muscle and skeletal growth. However, older bucks can carry spikes when faced with poor food conditions. Bucks with higher nutrition can lead to larger antlers, as can genetic factors.
As their antlers grow, their fuzzy velvet supplies blood, and grows a half inch to one inch per day. By August or early September antlers are fully-grown, the bone dies, and the velvet dries and falls off. Contrary to common belief, bucks do not rub their antlers on saplings to remove the velvet, but most likely to strengthen their neck muscles to prepare for upcoming fights. Rubbing also helps relieve their aggression brought on by hormonal changes and communicates to others. Bucks rub their face as well, leaving behind a scent to advertise to other males and females. The duels that follow ensure that natural selection occurs – the strongest males pass along their genes. In addition to using their antlers for sparring, they use them for digging in early snows for food. Following the rut, amounts of testosterone decline and the bucks lose their antlers, usually in January-February, or for deer living in poorer quality habitat, even earlier.
I live among terrific deer habitat, surrounded by forest and agricultural fields, which makes for continual white-tail observations. I am familiar with the “flag” of their tail, perhaps meant as a warning, but to me is a hello and goodbye as they trot away from me across the field. This beautiful animal is just another good reason to live and hang out in the north woods.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Snow Bunting
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
With the amount of snow we have seen in October, it seems only appropriate that the snow buntings have returned for their winter stay. We often see buntings darting away from the roadsides, similar to the juncos, but usually in larger flocks of up to 80 birds. With their white and tan colors, they blur in a flight that reminds us of a swirling snowstorm. These birds are of the Arctic, but we are fortunate to view them during our winters as they travel south.
Imagine flying south to winter in the north woods. While most migrating birds enjoy the southern United States or Central or South America, the snow bunting inhabits most of the northern parts of the United States and Canada. Buntings migrate this short distance to open habitats such as weedy or grassy fields, prairies, low mountains, sandy coastal areas, or sometimes cut-over farmland. Buntings are ground-feeders that feed on grass and other plant seeds from late fall to early spring, and seeds, buds, and insects in their breeding Arctic habitat.
As our winter transitions to spring, just like much of the bird world, the males use their coloration to attract the ladies. However, the snow bunting only has one molt each year, without the alternate plumage that we see on other birds such as the American goldfinch. After the summer molt, the male has the same white underside, brown patches on its face, with a brown and black striped back. Under their colored feather tips, the back feathers are black, and the body feathers are white. To prepare for spring, the male rubs off the brown feather tips in the snow so that he is a showy black and white by April.
These winter bunting visitors will be with us until April, when the males return to their high Arctic breeding grounds. The males move back to the tundra four to six weeks earlier than the females because of the fierce competition for territory. Their chosen nesting site – rock crevices – is a limited available habitat, so competition for the higher-quality nest sites is intense. Temperatures can still be down to -22 Fahrenheit, and food can be buried under snow, making the struggle to survive even greater. Snow buntings nesting choice provides benefits and disadvantages alike. In narrow rock cracks, the buntings have lower rates of nest predation, but it is also a very cold micro-climate for the young birds. To protect the eggs, buntings use a nest lining of feathers and fur to keep eggs and nestlings warm. Additionally, the females remain in the nest during incubation, to be fed continuously by the males. This extra parental care allows for a shorter incubation period and a higher reproductive success rate.
For those not familiar with this winter guest, it is worth pulling out the bird field guide to learn more about the appearance of this bird. When trying to view them in the area, look for those open habitats, mostly in what we would consider our agricultural areas. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars along to enjoy this bird wonder!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
With the amount of snow we have seen in October, it seems only appropriate that the snow buntings have returned for their winter stay. We often see buntings darting away from the roadsides, similar to the juncos, but usually in larger flocks of up to 80 birds. With their white and tan colors, they blur in a flight that reminds us of a swirling snowstorm. These birds are of the Arctic, but we are fortunate to view them during our winters as they travel south.
Imagine flying south to winter in the north woods. While most migrating birds enjoy the southern United States or Central or South America, the snow bunting inhabits most of the northern parts of the United States and Canada. Buntings migrate this short distance to open habitats such as weedy or grassy fields, prairies, low mountains, sandy coastal areas, or sometimes cut-over farmland. Buntings are ground-feeders that feed on grass and other plant seeds from late fall to early spring, and seeds, buds, and insects in their breeding Arctic habitat.
As our winter transitions to spring, just like much of the bird world, the males use their coloration to attract the ladies. However, the snow bunting only has one molt each year, without the alternate plumage that we see on other birds such as the American goldfinch. After the summer molt, the male has the same white underside, brown patches on its face, with a brown and black striped back. Under their colored feather tips, the back feathers are black, and the body feathers are white. To prepare for spring, the male rubs off the brown feather tips in the snow so that he is a showy black and white by April.
These winter bunting visitors will be with us until April, when the males return to their high Arctic breeding grounds. The males move back to the tundra four to six weeks earlier than the females because of the fierce competition for territory. Their chosen nesting site – rock crevices – is a limited available habitat, so competition for the higher-quality nest sites is intense. Temperatures can still be down to -22 Fahrenheit, and food can be buried under snow, making the struggle to survive even greater. Snow buntings nesting choice provides benefits and disadvantages alike. In narrow rock cracks, the buntings have lower rates of nest predation, but it is also a very cold micro-climate for the young birds. To protect the eggs, buntings use a nest lining of feathers and fur to keep eggs and nestlings warm. Additionally, the females remain in the nest during incubation, to be fed continuously by the males. This extra parental care allows for a shorter incubation period and a higher reproductive success rate.
For those not familiar with this winter guest, it is worth pulling out the bird field guide to learn more about the appearance of this bird. When trying to view them in the area, look for those open habitats, mostly in what we would consider our agricultural areas. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars along to enjoy this bird wonder!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tamaracks
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Autumn Gold
The autumn gold colors of the tamaracks that greeted us this past week have been a joy to see. Although the tamarack tree resembles other evergreens, it is actually a deciduous conifer, so it sheds its needles every fall. It grows in cold, wet, poorly drained sites such as swamps, sphagnum bogs, and occasionally in upland soils. The pale green needles are soft, about one inch long, and grow in brush-like tufts along the twig. In the fall, just before the needles drop, they turn a beautiful golden color, providing a striking contrast to the last of the fall foliage.
Tamaracks have some other interesting characteristics. Their life expectancy is up to 180 years. They are cold tolerant and able to survive temperatures down to at least -85 Fahrenheit. The tree casts a light shade, so tends to have a dense undergrowth of shrubs with speckled alder, willows, red-osier dogwood, Labrador-tea, bog-rosemary, leatherleaf, or blueberries growing beneath. Because of its intolerance to shade, tamarack stands are usually even-aged.
The life cycle of a tamarack is appealing. In a bog, a tamarack tree is usually the pioneer, the first tree to establish itself in the sphagnum moss mat floating over the water.
It leafs off in the early spring before the ground has thawed, and takes four to six weeks for the needles to develop. In open areas, tamaracks can begin seed production when they are fifteen years old, but most pine cone crops come from trees that are 50 to 150 year old trees. One tree can produce as many as 20,000 cones in a good year, which can happen every three to six years. They can also produce root sprouts up to thirty feet from the parent tree. In mid-October the needles begin to change color. By the end of October, most of the seeds have dispersed, primarily through wind, but also by red squirrels forgotten caches. Most wind-dispersed seeds fall within two tree heights of the parent tree.
Animals interact closely with the tamarack tree. It is estimated that due to the consumption of seed off the ground, half of the crop is destroyed. Red squirrels cut and cache the cones for later eating. Mice, voles and shrews consume large numbers of seeds off the ground. Pine siskins and crossbills eat the seeds. By the time bacteria and fungi have “fed” off the seeds, it is thought that only about four to five percent of the seed that reaches the ground actually germinates. Additionally, snowshoe hares feed on twigs and bark, porcupines on inner bark. Ospreys sometimes choose to rest in dead tamarack, as do bald eagles on occasion.
Tamarack trees have an interesting natural and human history. Following the last ice age, it was one of the earliest species, along with spruce, to follow the retreating ice northward. Native Americans used the roots for cordage, the wood for arrow shafts, and the bark for medicine. Roots were used for sewing canoe edges. Early Americans used soft needles for stuffing pillows and mattresses. The wood was used widely for ship building, for timbers, planking, and to join the ribs to the deck timbers. The inner bark was used to treat melancholy, and the bark contains tannin that has been used for tanning leather.
Tamaracks seem to be sitting on the fence when it comes to deciding whether to be categorized as a conifer or a deciduous hardwood, and certainly cannot be called an “evergreen.” Regardless, we continue to benefit from their autumn beauty.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Autumn Gold
The autumn gold colors of the tamaracks that greeted us this past week have been a joy to see. Although the tamarack tree resembles other evergreens, it is actually a deciduous conifer, so it sheds its needles every fall. It grows in cold, wet, poorly drained sites such as swamps, sphagnum bogs, and occasionally in upland soils. The pale green needles are soft, about one inch long, and grow in brush-like tufts along the twig. In the fall, just before the needles drop, they turn a beautiful golden color, providing a striking contrast to the last of the fall foliage.
Tamaracks have some other interesting characteristics. Their life expectancy is up to 180 years. They are cold tolerant and able to survive temperatures down to at least -85 Fahrenheit. The tree casts a light shade, so tends to have a dense undergrowth of shrubs with speckled alder, willows, red-osier dogwood, Labrador-tea, bog-rosemary, leatherleaf, or blueberries growing beneath. Because of its intolerance to shade, tamarack stands are usually even-aged.
The life cycle of a tamarack is appealing. In a bog, a tamarack tree is usually the pioneer, the first tree to establish itself in the sphagnum moss mat floating over the water.
It leafs off in the early spring before the ground has thawed, and takes four to six weeks for the needles to develop. In open areas, tamaracks can begin seed production when they are fifteen years old, but most pine cone crops come from trees that are 50 to 150 year old trees. One tree can produce as many as 20,000 cones in a good year, which can happen every three to six years. They can also produce root sprouts up to thirty feet from the parent tree. In mid-October the needles begin to change color. By the end of October, most of the seeds have dispersed, primarily through wind, but also by red squirrels forgotten caches. Most wind-dispersed seeds fall within two tree heights of the parent tree.
Animals interact closely with the tamarack tree. It is estimated that due to the consumption of seed off the ground, half of the crop is destroyed. Red squirrels cut and cache the cones for later eating. Mice, voles and shrews consume large numbers of seeds off the ground. Pine siskins and crossbills eat the seeds. By the time bacteria and fungi have “fed” off the seeds, it is thought that only about four to five percent of the seed that reaches the ground actually germinates. Additionally, snowshoe hares feed on twigs and bark, porcupines on inner bark. Ospreys sometimes choose to rest in dead tamarack, as do bald eagles on occasion.
Tamarack trees have an interesting natural and human history. Following the last ice age, it was one of the earliest species, along with spruce, to follow the retreating ice northward. Native Americans used the roots for cordage, the wood for arrow shafts, and the bark for medicine. Roots were used for sewing canoe edges. Early Americans used soft needles for stuffing pillows and mattresses. The wood was used widely for ship building, for timbers, planking, and to join the ribs to the deck timbers. The inner bark was used to treat melancholy, and the bark contains tannin that has been used for tanning leather.
Tamaracks seem to be sitting on the fence when it comes to deciding whether to be categorized as a conifer or a deciduous hardwood, and certainly cannot be called an “evergreen.” Regardless, we continue to benefit from their autumn beauty.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Dark-Eyed Juncos
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Driving along the road this past week, I was greeted by the white flash of tail feathers from a quickly departing flock of birds from the roadway. Many of us have probably observed that each flock flies away from the road, and often lands back on the road behind us as we travel along. This spark of color belongs to the dark-eyed junco, one of the most common birds found in North America. For northern Wisconsin, a junco is a year-round resident, but juncos still migrate from Canada to disperse throughout much of North America during the winter. As they migrate, they are often observed scavenging seeds along the roadsides. The flash of color we see as they fly occurs as they pump their tail to show their white outer tail feathers. Their coloring mimics a winter scene with its dark gray above and snow white below. We can also enjoy these birds in other places as well, on woodland walks or at our bird feeders.
Juncos are primarily seed-eaters, feeding on many plants we might be familiar with – lamb’s quarters, chickweed, and sorrel, which make up three-quarters of their diet. They are one of the few bird species that usually prefer millet and cracked corn over sunflower seeds. In the spring, they often add insects such as caterpillars, beetles, moths, ants, and flies to their diet.
When foraging, dark-eyed juncos are seen hopping along the ground, scratching like a chicken at the leaf litter, or sometimes maneuvering successfully through low, tangled undergrowth to find food. During the summer males are very territorial, but in winter, they form large flocks of ten to thirty birds that can also include several other sparrows. Junco flocks have a “pecking order,” as early migrants have a higher status than later arrivals.
If you see a bird flock and are interested in identifying the dark-eyed junco or other species, grab a bird field guide and try to identify white-throated, white-crowned, chipping, or American tree sparrows. Also, don’t be surprised if what you first think is a junco or other sparrow is actually a yellow-rumped warbler, as they are one of the other last migrants to leave our area. Migrate yourself outdoors to discover what birds you can find!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Driving along the road this past week, I was greeted by the white flash of tail feathers from a quickly departing flock of birds from the roadway. Many of us have probably observed that each flock flies away from the road, and often lands back on the road behind us as we travel along. This spark of color belongs to the dark-eyed junco, one of the most common birds found in North America. For northern Wisconsin, a junco is a year-round resident, but juncos still migrate from Canada to disperse throughout much of North America during the winter. As they migrate, they are often observed scavenging seeds along the roadsides. The flash of color we see as they fly occurs as they pump their tail to show their white outer tail feathers. Their coloring mimics a winter scene with its dark gray above and snow white below. We can also enjoy these birds in other places as well, on woodland walks or at our bird feeders.
Juncos are primarily seed-eaters, feeding on many plants we might be familiar with – lamb’s quarters, chickweed, and sorrel, which make up three-quarters of their diet. They are one of the few bird species that usually prefer millet and cracked corn over sunflower seeds. In the spring, they often add insects such as caterpillars, beetles, moths, ants, and flies to their diet.
When foraging, dark-eyed juncos are seen hopping along the ground, scratching like a chicken at the leaf litter, or sometimes maneuvering successfully through low, tangled undergrowth to find food. During the summer males are very territorial, but in winter, they form large flocks of ten to thirty birds that can also include several other sparrows. Junco flocks have a “pecking order,” as early migrants have a higher status than later arrivals.
If you see a bird flock and are interested in identifying the dark-eyed junco or other species, grab a bird field guide and try to identify white-throated, white-crowned, chipping, or American tree sparrows. Also, don’t be surprised if what you first think is a junco or other sparrow is actually a yellow-rumped warbler, as they are one of the other last migrants to leave our area. Migrate yourself outdoors to discover what birds you can find!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Goose Music
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Goose Music
Almost daily it occurred this past week – the honk of a flight of geese in their migration flight, their voices in constant contact—what Aldo Leopold called “goose music.” Most flocks can number thirty to one hundred birds as they travel up to forty miles per hour at an altitude of 2,000 up to 30,000 feet. It is a sight everyone is used to seeing across the country and is a sound almost everyone knows. Canada geese are amazing birds that have been studied by scientists for many years.
Historically, it was a shock to many scientists to discover that many species migrated. Some naturalists felt it was impossible for tiny birds to fly so far without help. They conceived the idea that larger species, such as cranes, storks and geese, would carry these smaller birds as “living freight.” Some Native American tribes in the Western Hemisphere held beliefs that hummingbirds would ride on the backs of geese. Today, scientific study has taught us much about Canada geese and their success in migration.
Preparation for migration begins from the moment Canada geese hatch. Adult males begin molting right after mating, and the females begin five weeks after the goslings hatch. The adults re-grow their flight feathers and are ready to fly at about the same time as the goslings are able to learn - at nine weeks old. The parents teach them to fly, usually running along the surface of the water or ground for takeoff. As soon as the young are strong enough for the trip, the family begins their migration south. The young learn the migration routes from their parents and follow the same route in future years. Then the familiar v-shaped formation flight pattern begins.
Why do geese fly in a v-formation? Because it is hard to fly in an s-shape. Just kidding. In reality, the v-shape requires less energy, allowing the geese to fly longer distances. By flying slightly above the bird in front of them, there is a reduction in wind resistance. Geese can use fifty to seventy percent less energy due to the lead bird’s updraft. They can also travel at least seventy percent further than when flying alone. The larger, stronger birds are usually the leader. The lead birds rotate in a timely fashion to keep fatigue from occurring among the flight members. While flying in the v-formation, they can also communicate easier, and keep visual contact with each other.
Why are geese so loud when honking while in flight? It is believed that they are “cheerleading,” encouraging the leaders to keep up the good leadership, and to keep going! When they do travel, Canada geese stay in family groups. When ready to feed and rest, they land in familiar marshes or fields. When a large flock of geese comes in for a landing, family units “peel” off in smaller groups before they land. The next morning the arduous flight to central or southern United States continues.
It is amazing that geese, or any birds, continue to make the migration south with all the challenges they can face. When cloudy, birds may fly closer to the ground. They can have troubles with exhaustion from long flight with not enough rest. Bad weather such as snowstorms, thick fog, or strong winds can impact their success. Starvation from not enough food can occur. They can also fly into human obstructions or be shot by hunters. As we wish for their success in the coming days, we can continue to enjoy their goose music and flight overhead, soon to be a sound that will disappear until spring.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Goose Music
Almost daily it occurred this past week – the honk of a flight of geese in their migration flight, their voices in constant contact—what Aldo Leopold called “goose music.” Most flocks can number thirty to one hundred birds as they travel up to forty miles per hour at an altitude of 2,000 up to 30,000 feet. It is a sight everyone is used to seeing across the country and is a sound almost everyone knows. Canada geese are amazing birds that have been studied by scientists for many years.
Historically, it was a shock to many scientists to discover that many species migrated. Some naturalists felt it was impossible for tiny birds to fly so far without help. They conceived the idea that larger species, such as cranes, storks and geese, would carry these smaller birds as “living freight.” Some Native American tribes in the Western Hemisphere held beliefs that hummingbirds would ride on the backs of geese. Today, scientific study has taught us much about Canada geese and their success in migration.
Preparation for migration begins from the moment Canada geese hatch. Adult males begin molting right after mating, and the females begin five weeks after the goslings hatch. The adults re-grow their flight feathers and are ready to fly at about the same time as the goslings are able to learn - at nine weeks old. The parents teach them to fly, usually running along the surface of the water or ground for takeoff. As soon as the young are strong enough for the trip, the family begins their migration south. The young learn the migration routes from their parents and follow the same route in future years. Then the familiar v-shaped formation flight pattern begins.
Why do geese fly in a v-formation? Because it is hard to fly in an s-shape. Just kidding. In reality, the v-shape requires less energy, allowing the geese to fly longer distances. By flying slightly above the bird in front of them, there is a reduction in wind resistance. Geese can use fifty to seventy percent less energy due to the lead bird’s updraft. They can also travel at least seventy percent further than when flying alone. The larger, stronger birds are usually the leader. The lead birds rotate in a timely fashion to keep fatigue from occurring among the flight members. While flying in the v-formation, they can also communicate easier, and keep visual contact with each other.
Why are geese so loud when honking while in flight? It is believed that they are “cheerleading,” encouraging the leaders to keep up the good leadership, and to keep going! When they do travel, Canada geese stay in family groups. When ready to feed and rest, they land in familiar marshes or fields. When a large flock of geese comes in for a landing, family units “peel” off in smaller groups before they land. The next morning the arduous flight to central or southern United States continues.
It is amazing that geese, or any birds, continue to make the migration south with all the challenges they can face. When cloudy, birds may fly closer to the ground. They can have troubles with exhaustion from long flight with not enough rest. Bad weather such as snowstorms, thick fog, or strong winds can impact their success. Starvation from not enough food can occur. They can also fly into human obstructions or be shot by hunters. As we wish for their success in the coming days, we can continue to enjoy their goose music and flight overhead, soon to be a sound that will disappear until spring.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Bird Migration
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
It is estimated that as many as five billion birds migrate through the Americas every year. Approximately two-thirds of all North American bird species migrate. This means they travel from a breeding area to a wintering area and back again. They eat more food to gain fat for the flight. They molt old feathers, growing new ones. Many of these birds travel thousands of miles. They have no GPS or maps to navigate through the sky. The migration is timed so that young hatch as spring and fall berries and seeds ripen and insects arrive or decline. Finally, think of the ruby-throated hummingbird alone, whose weight is that of a penny, is about three inches in length, and makes a flight trek of thousands of miles while keeping a course through winds and weather. Bird migration is truly one of nature’s annual wonders.
Most scientists believe that birds navigate using the sun or stars as a compass. Some believe there is a chemical, a molecule called a superoxide, in birds’ eyes that allows them to sense the Earth’s magnetic lines as if there were a highway through the sky. Others believe the iron-rich magnetite crystals found in many birds’ brains allow them to detect the magnetic fields. Using visual landmarks, making mental maps, using olfactory cues, or genetic or environmental influences may also be amazing factors that help birds succeed with navigation and orientation.
Migrating birds generally move from north to south and from south to north. However, there are several birds that migrate over regular routes diagonally or even east to west before arrive at their destination. These diagonal travelers usually move only to the lower edge of their summer range in winter, travel east-west to a sea coast, or simply move to a lower altitude in the same place.
In late summer, before migration, the metabolism of migratory birds undergoes extreme changes. The actions of the hormones prolactin and corticosterone cause migratory birds to accumulate large amounts of fat under the skin. These accumulations provide energy for long flights.
Some birds migrate during the night to avoid predators and to eat and rest during the day. Nocturnal migrants will utter sharp and melodious peeping and piping calls, allowing individuals to stay in touch with each other.
Each bird creates behind it a small area of disturbed air during flight. Birds have learned to use this air to their advantage during migration. Air lost over the wing tips creates a spiral vortex behind each wing tip, with upswelling air on the outer side of each wing. Birds that migrate together fly aside or slightly above the bird in front and use less energy.
Migration is a very strenuous activity that requires extreme amounts of energy. Some birds will fly four to six days straight without any rest. Some researchers estimate that an equivalent feat would be similar for a human to run four-minute miles for a total of eighty hours!
We may never discover the scientific mysteries of the phenomenon of this annual cycle. Keeping a bird journal can help us learn a little more about our feathered friends. Record observations on a calendar and jot down some notes. Include any other observations of these birds. Perhaps you will discover a clue to solve the mystery of migration.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470
CNHM Director of Education
It is estimated that as many as five billion birds migrate through the Americas every year. Approximately two-thirds of all North American bird species migrate. This means they travel from a breeding area to a wintering area and back again. They eat more food to gain fat for the flight. They molt old feathers, growing new ones. Many of these birds travel thousands of miles. They have no GPS or maps to navigate through the sky. The migration is timed so that young hatch as spring and fall berries and seeds ripen and insects arrive or decline. Finally, think of the ruby-throated hummingbird alone, whose weight is that of a penny, is about three inches in length, and makes a flight trek of thousands of miles while keeping a course through winds and weather. Bird migration is truly one of nature’s annual wonders.
Most scientists believe that birds navigate using the sun or stars as a compass. Some believe there is a chemical, a molecule called a superoxide, in birds’ eyes that allows them to sense the Earth’s magnetic lines as if there were a highway through the sky. Others believe the iron-rich magnetite crystals found in many birds’ brains allow them to detect the magnetic fields. Using visual landmarks, making mental maps, using olfactory cues, or genetic or environmental influences may also be amazing factors that help birds succeed with navigation and orientation.
Migrating birds generally move from north to south and from south to north. However, there are several birds that migrate over regular routes diagonally or even east to west before arrive at their destination. These diagonal travelers usually move only to the lower edge of their summer range in winter, travel east-west to a sea coast, or simply move to a lower altitude in the same place.
In late summer, before migration, the metabolism of migratory birds undergoes extreme changes. The actions of the hormones prolactin and corticosterone cause migratory birds to accumulate large amounts of fat under the skin. These accumulations provide energy for long flights.
Some birds migrate during the night to avoid predators and to eat and rest during the day. Nocturnal migrants will utter sharp and melodious peeping and piping calls, allowing individuals to stay in touch with each other.
Each bird creates behind it a small area of disturbed air during flight. Birds have learned to use this air to their advantage during migration. Air lost over the wing tips creates a spiral vortex behind each wing tip, with upswelling air on the outer side of each wing. Birds that migrate together fly aside or slightly above the bird in front and use less energy.
Migration is a very strenuous activity that requires extreme amounts of energy. Some birds will fly four to six days straight without any rest. Some researchers estimate that an equivalent feat would be similar for a human to run four-minute miles for a total of eighty hours!
We may never discover the scientific mysteries of the phenomenon of this annual cycle. Keeping a bird journal can help us learn a little more about our feathered friends. Record observations on a calendar and jot down some notes. Include any other observations of these birds. Perhaps you will discover a clue to solve the mystery of migration.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470
Thursday, October 1, 2009
White Footed Mouse
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Last night I had a guest over for dinner. She spent several hours, not creating much quality conversation. She dined mostly on chocolate, one of my favorite foods. Normally, though, she loves cherries, as she always leaves large piles of seeds behind when she goes. She was not one to sit for long periods, preferring constant movement, just like a young child squirming in her chair. I know this guest well, as she has been a regular visitor to my home for many years. I am always struck by her lovely brown hair with her big, brown eyes. As we sat watching a movie after dinner, I smiled at the behaviors of my regular visitor, the white-footed mouse. As she scurried back and forth in my living room, she was perhaps a bit rude to not spend more time sharing with me what her actions were. I woke up this morning, still pondering what she was doing while visiting the house, with plans, I’m sure, of becoming a permanent resident.
White-footed mice can be recognized by their rich, reddish brown fur, with a white belly and feet, and a tail almost half its entire body length. These mice are primarily nocturnal, solitary and are territorial, though their home ranges do overlap. White-footed mice climb and swim well. I can agree with this, as last night’s visitor was on the second story of my home, and I have been surprised in the past by watching these daring travelers climb walls in what seems like a single leap.
At home in our homes, white-footed mice also build their nests elsewhere in hollow trees, stumps, brush piles, old squirrels’ or birds' nests. Their nests contain leaves, grass, feathers, shredded bark or moss, silky milkweed fluff, and cloth or paper. Once they have moved in to our human “hollow tree,” they seldom travel more than 160 feet from their comfortable, cozy quarters. They have amazing homing instincts. Captured mice that were let go two miles away have found their way back to their capture site. White-footed mice cache or store a winter supply of food in the fall near their nests.
Having found many white-footed mouse caches in my own home throughout the years, I often wondered or searched to identify the source of the seeds. These mouse caches help store food for winter use, and have been reported to contain several quarts of food. Some of the foods they prefer include acorns, maple seeds, pine seeds, black cherries, jewelweed, blueberries, violet seeds, curly dock, and beechnuts. Like squirrels, white-footed mice have cheek pouches in which they can transport food. In spring and summer they feed on fruit, beetles, snails, centipedes, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, cocoons, and other insects. They occasionally eat small birds or mammals. They can feed on wood, bark, stems, fruit, and flowers. They also eat roots of plants and fungi. White-footed mice also help spread fungi by eating and eliminating the spores. This is important in aiding the ability of trees’ to take up nutrients with help of the "mycorrhizal" associations formed with these fungi. It is nice to know that in addition to the entertainment they provide in my home, they have such a beneficial relationship to trees.
The most interesting thing I found in researching this white-footed creature is a very distinctive behavior. White-footed mice, when sensing danger, will drum with their feet on a hollow reed, dry leaf or other resonating material, producing a prolonged musical buzzing. Perhaps my new quest should be to discover the drumming sound of the white-footed mouse. I actually searched online to see if I could find a recording. Although I failed in that search, I learned once again that there is something to appreciate in every one of the creatures in which we share our homes.
.For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Last night I had a guest over for dinner. She spent several hours, not creating much quality conversation. She dined mostly on chocolate, one of my favorite foods. Normally, though, she loves cherries, as she always leaves large piles of seeds behind when she goes. She was not one to sit for long periods, preferring constant movement, just like a young child squirming in her chair. I know this guest well, as she has been a regular visitor to my home for many years. I am always struck by her lovely brown hair with her big, brown eyes. As we sat watching a movie after dinner, I smiled at the behaviors of my regular visitor, the white-footed mouse. As she scurried back and forth in my living room, she was perhaps a bit rude to not spend more time sharing with me what her actions were. I woke up this morning, still pondering what she was doing while visiting the house, with plans, I’m sure, of becoming a permanent resident.
White-footed mice can be recognized by their rich, reddish brown fur, with a white belly and feet, and a tail almost half its entire body length. These mice are primarily nocturnal, solitary and are territorial, though their home ranges do overlap. White-footed mice climb and swim well. I can agree with this, as last night’s visitor was on the second story of my home, and I have been surprised in the past by watching these daring travelers climb walls in what seems like a single leap.
At home in our homes, white-footed mice also build their nests elsewhere in hollow trees, stumps, brush piles, old squirrels’ or birds' nests. Their nests contain leaves, grass, feathers, shredded bark or moss, silky milkweed fluff, and cloth or paper. Once they have moved in to our human “hollow tree,” they seldom travel more than 160 feet from their comfortable, cozy quarters. They have amazing homing instincts. Captured mice that were let go two miles away have found their way back to their capture site. White-footed mice cache or store a winter supply of food in the fall near their nests.
Having found many white-footed mouse caches in my own home throughout the years, I often wondered or searched to identify the source of the seeds. These mouse caches help store food for winter use, and have been reported to contain several quarts of food. Some of the foods they prefer include acorns, maple seeds, pine seeds, black cherries, jewelweed, blueberries, violet seeds, curly dock, and beechnuts. Like squirrels, white-footed mice have cheek pouches in which they can transport food. In spring and summer they feed on fruit, beetles, snails, centipedes, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, cocoons, and other insects. They occasionally eat small birds or mammals. They can feed on wood, bark, stems, fruit, and flowers. They also eat roots of plants and fungi. White-footed mice also help spread fungi by eating and eliminating the spores. This is important in aiding the ability of trees’ to take up nutrients with help of the "mycorrhizal" associations formed with these fungi. It is nice to know that in addition to the entertainment they provide in my home, they have such a beneficial relationship to trees.
The most interesting thing I found in researching this white-footed creature is a very distinctive behavior. White-footed mice, when sensing danger, will drum with their feet on a hollow reed, dry leaf or other resonating material, producing a prolonged musical buzzing. Perhaps my new quest should be to discover the drumming sound of the white-footed mouse. I actually searched online to see if I could find a recording. Although I failed in that search, I learned once again that there is something to appreciate in every one of the creatures in which we share our homes.
.For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
River Otters
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Questions about river otters have been coming into the Museum, as well as observations of them people have shared with Museum staff in local water bodies that. These sleek, muscular animals that I think of as the “teddy bears” of the water are regular residents of our area lakes. Calling a member of the weasel family a teddy bear might not quite be accurate, but every time I see one in the water I am delighted by their facial features and playful water antics.
The aquatic menu that otters select from is quite diverse and large. They will “munch” on small minnows, bass, sunfish, crayfish, frogs, or other aquatic animals. They forage in shallow waters along the banks, and will also eat birds or vegetation. Otters sleep and raise their young in dens such as empty burrows made by other animals, hollow logs, brush piles, or abandoned beaver lodges. Their home range is up to three miles.
During winter it is fun to observe their bounding tracks with their trail dragging between their legs, or their downhill slides towards the frozen lakes or bodies of water. Otters communicate by making sounds, like a bird chirping, a grunting sound when playing or grooming, and a high pitched scream when fighting or mating. When they get surprised or frightened, you may hear them snort.
Otters are known as playful animals. They like to wrestle, chase other otters, and play capture and release with live prey. Each of these "games" helps the otter become better coordinated and helps them fit into the social structure of the group. In the winter, you'll find otters traveling overland by bounding 3-4 times, pushing off with their hind feet, and then sliding 5-15 feet on the snow. Downhill slides are a bonus,
They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 4 minutes. They've actually been known to dive to depths of more than 40 feet. Their speed and agility in the water helps them outmaneuver and catch fish and other quick prey. After about a year each otter will strike out on its own and establish its own territory.
All otters must continually groom their fur to maintain its insulating qualities. Otters spend a substantial amount of time grooming, and many species of river otters have designated areas on land for drying and grooming their fur. Most vigorously dry themselves by rolling on the ground or rubbing against logs or vegetation.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Questions about river otters have been coming into the Museum, as well as observations of them people have shared with Museum staff in local water bodies that. These sleek, muscular animals that I think of as the “teddy bears” of the water are regular residents of our area lakes. Calling a member of the weasel family a teddy bear might not quite be accurate, but every time I see one in the water I am delighted by their facial features and playful water antics.
The aquatic menu that otters select from is quite diverse and large. They will “munch” on small minnows, bass, sunfish, crayfish, frogs, or other aquatic animals. They forage in shallow waters along the banks, and will also eat birds or vegetation. Otters sleep and raise their young in dens such as empty burrows made by other animals, hollow logs, brush piles, or abandoned beaver lodges. Their home range is up to three miles.
During winter it is fun to observe their bounding tracks with their trail dragging between their legs, or their downhill slides towards the frozen lakes or bodies of water. Otters communicate by making sounds, like a bird chirping, a grunting sound when playing or grooming, and a high pitched scream when fighting or mating. When they get surprised or frightened, you may hear them snort.
Otters are known as playful animals. They like to wrestle, chase other otters, and play capture and release with live prey. Each of these "games" helps the otter become better coordinated and helps them fit into the social structure of the group. In the winter, you'll find otters traveling overland by bounding 3-4 times, pushing off with their hind feet, and then sliding 5-15 feet on the snow. Downhill slides are a bonus,
They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 4 minutes. They've actually been known to dive to depths of more than 40 feet. Their speed and agility in the water helps them outmaneuver and catch fish and other quick prey. After about a year each otter will strike out on its own and establish its own territory.
All otters must continually groom their fur to maintain its insulating qualities. Otters spend a substantial amount of time grooming, and many species of river otters have designated areas on land for drying and grooming their fur. Most vigorously dry themselves by rolling on the ground or rubbing against logs or vegetation.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Fall Color Prediction
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
What will the fall colors be like this month and next? I was contacted this week by Midwest Weekends travel guide to predict the fall colors for the Cable area. I felt a little nervous about making such a bold statement. My biggest fear was, “What if I’m wrong?” I decided to go out on a limb (yes, pun intended,) and make my prediction. It then became obvious around the Museum office that it had to be shared with the Nature Watch audience. So, will the colors be good this fall? Here is my prediction…
I predict that we could have a great fall color experience, and this is why. Here are the fall color basics. Three types of pigments are involved in autumn color. The first is chlorophyll, which gives leaves their basic green color. Chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis, the chemical reaction in which plants use the energy of sunlight to make sugars. The second pigment group, called carotenoids, produces yellow, orange, and brown colors. The last essential pigment, known as anthocyanin, produces red, purple, and crimson colors.
Both chlorophyll and carotenoids are present in leaves throughout the growing season. Most anthocyanins are produced only in autumn, in response to bright light and excess plant sugars within leaf cells. As the nights grow longer, chlorophyll production slows to a halt. Its green color fades from the leaves; the caroteniods and anthocyanins are then unmasked to show their colors.
The vibrancy of the colors is related to weather conditions that occur before and during the time when the chlorophyll in the leaves is dwindling. The series of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights we have been experiencing seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays. During these days, a lot of sugars are produced. The cool nights and the gradual closing of veins leading from the leaf prevent these sugars from moving out. Lots of sugar and lots of light spur the production of the brilliant anthocyanin pigments.
The timing of the color change also varies by species. For example, oaks show their colors long after other species have already dropped their leaves. The differences in timing among species seems to be genetic, for a particular species at the same latitude will show the same coloration in high elevations at about the same time as it does in warmer lowlands.
Here is the unknown wild card. The amount of moisture in the soils also affects autumn colors. A late spring, or severe summer drought, which we have had, can delay the onset of fall color by a few weeks. They can also lower the intensity.
Perhaps it is only the optimist in me that thinks that the colors will be great, but regardless, we should all enjoy the experience. This is the best time of year to get outdoors, now that the insects are declining, and the trees colors greet us every where we go. Take a fall color tour. Attend the fall fest activities in many of our local communities. Go for a trek on one of our numerous hiking or biking trails. I hope to see you on the trail!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
What will the fall colors be like this month and next? I was contacted this week by Midwest Weekends travel guide to predict the fall colors for the Cable area. I felt a little nervous about making such a bold statement. My biggest fear was, “What if I’m wrong?” I decided to go out on a limb (yes, pun intended,) and make my prediction. It then became obvious around the Museum office that it had to be shared with the Nature Watch audience. So, will the colors be good this fall? Here is my prediction…
I predict that we could have a great fall color experience, and this is why. Here are the fall color basics. Three types of pigments are involved in autumn color. The first is chlorophyll, which gives leaves their basic green color. Chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis, the chemical reaction in which plants use the energy of sunlight to make sugars. The second pigment group, called carotenoids, produces yellow, orange, and brown colors. The last essential pigment, known as anthocyanin, produces red, purple, and crimson colors.
Both chlorophyll and carotenoids are present in leaves throughout the growing season. Most anthocyanins are produced only in autumn, in response to bright light and excess plant sugars within leaf cells. As the nights grow longer, chlorophyll production slows to a halt. Its green color fades from the leaves; the caroteniods and anthocyanins are then unmasked to show their colors.
The vibrancy of the colors is related to weather conditions that occur before and during the time when the chlorophyll in the leaves is dwindling. The series of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights we have been experiencing seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays. During these days, a lot of sugars are produced. The cool nights and the gradual closing of veins leading from the leaf prevent these sugars from moving out. Lots of sugar and lots of light spur the production of the brilliant anthocyanin pigments.
The timing of the color change also varies by species. For example, oaks show their colors long after other species have already dropped their leaves. The differences in timing among species seems to be genetic, for a particular species at the same latitude will show the same coloration in high elevations at about the same time as it does in warmer lowlands.
Here is the unknown wild card. The amount of moisture in the soils also affects autumn colors. A late spring, or severe summer drought, which we have had, can delay the onset of fall color by a few weeks. They can also lower the intensity.
Perhaps it is only the optimist in me that thinks that the colors will be great, but regardless, we should all enjoy the experience. This is the best time of year to get outdoors, now that the insects are declining, and the trees colors greet us every where we go. Take a fall color tour. Attend the fall fest activities in many of our local communities. Go for a trek on one of our numerous hiking or biking trails. I hope to see you on the trail!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Fall Migration
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
We may still be hoping for summer, but the birds know better. Migration is peaking for many species, especially broad-wing hawks, Canada geese, and some of our nocturnal migrant warblers, flycatchers, vireos, hummingbirds and orioles. Barred owls and whippoorwills have been calling at night. Red-winged blackbirds and starlings are flocking in larger numbers. Keep your eyes out for these migratory treats.
Broad-wings can be seen passing through, with the right winds, in large numbers. Like most raptors, they are reluctant to cross large bodies of water. When they migrate south and encounter Lake Superior, the birds naturally veer southwest along the lakeshore. Broad-wings migrate at high altitudes and seldom stop to hunt during the days of their travels. Because of their dependence on cold-blooded terrestrial prey species, they migrate all the way to Central and even South America. In order to conserve energy on their long journey, they float upward on vertical air currents as high as they can go, and then shoot forward, coasting to the next thermal. These air currents, called thermals or updrafts, often are found above rock outcrops, buildings, or parking lots—surfaces that heat the air above them. When one broad-wing discovers a thermal or updraft, others quickly join it, all swirling upward in a “kettle.” Many different raptors use these same techniques for migration flight. However, these are just some of the fall migration clues at which to search for.
Warblers migrate at night in large flocks. As the full moon wanes after Labor Day weekend, look for bird silhouettes against the moon as they migrate. Anyone with a telescope with twenty to thirty times magnification can often see these birds on clear nights while “moonwatching.” Nocturnal migrants typically are birds that have longer distances to fly. Less wind allows for straight flight, so birds expend less energy correcting or maintaining their course in the air. Cooler nights provide benefits as nocturnal migrants maintain healthy body temperature without large water losses. The night cover also allows the birds to avoid predation. The right conditions can bring about good bird viewing during the next day.
A clear night with a slight, north wind can bring about good warbler viewing the following morning. During the fall, many males bright, spring breeding plumage has faded, but in spite of their paler reflection, they still have distinctive markings that can help with identification. To look for warblers, focus on mature woods, in clearings or edges of thicker forested areas. Wooded lakeshores also attract fall warbler species. Fall migrating warblers move in waves, in groups of mixed species. If a birder hears the “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” of a chickadee, it is a sign that warblers might be nearby, as chickadees often mix in with warbler groups during fall migration. Finally, knowing a little bit about their habitat can aid with identification. A bird foraging at eye-level could be a black-throated blue warbler, or a bird moving up and down a tree like a woodpecker could be a black-and-white warbler. Using these techniques makes it easier to catch a wave of warblers.
Nighthawks can be seen in the evenings in large numbers. These birds can be recognized by their long, thin wings marked with a white crescent near each tip. Adult males can be further identified by their white chin strap and white tail markings. Nighthawks migrate before cold weather settles in so they won't run out of flying insects that fuel their journey south. It’s amazing that these birds never seem to fly into each other as they dart this way and that for their food. They often time their flight with the air travel of flying ants. By mid-September, nighthawks will be gone from our area, and by late October they will be in South America.
Become a phenologist! Mark your calendar each day you see a change in the transition from summer to fall. After many years of recording, you can take pleasure in knowing when to expect an event in nature to happen.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
We may still be hoping for summer, but the birds know better. Migration is peaking for many species, especially broad-wing hawks, Canada geese, and some of our nocturnal migrant warblers, flycatchers, vireos, hummingbirds and orioles. Barred owls and whippoorwills have been calling at night. Red-winged blackbirds and starlings are flocking in larger numbers. Keep your eyes out for these migratory treats.
Broad-wings can be seen passing through, with the right winds, in large numbers. Like most raptors, they are reluctant to cross large bodies of water. When they migrate south and encounter Lake Superior, the birds naturally veer southwest along the lakeshore. Broad-wings migrate at high altitudes and seldom stop to hunt during the days of their travels. Because of their dependence on cold-blooded terrestrial prey species, they migrate all the way to Central and even South America. In order to conserve energy on their long journey, they float upward on vertical air currents as high as they can go, and then shoot forward, coasting to the next thermal. These air currents, called thermals or updrafts, often are found above rock outcrops, buildings, or parking lots—surfaces that heat the air above them. When one broad-wing discovers a thermal or updraft, others quickly join it, all swirling upward in a “kettle.” Many different raptors use these same techniques for migration flight. However, these are just some of the fall migration clues at which to search for.
Warblers migrate at night in large flocks. As the full moon wanes after Labor Day weekend, look for bird silhouettes against the moon as they migrate. Anyone with a telescope with twenty to thirty times magnification can often see these birds on clear nights while “moonwatching.” Nocturnal migrants typically are birds that have longer distances to fly. Less wind allows for straight flight, so birds expend less energy correcting or maintaining their course in the air. Cooler nights provide benefits as nocturnal migrants maintain healthy body temperature without large water losses. The night cover also allows the birds to avoid predation. The right conditions can bring about good bird viewing during the next day.
A clear night with a slight, north wind can bring about good warbler viewing the following morning. During the fall, many males bright, spring breeding plumage has faded, but in spite of their paler reflection, they still have distinctive markings that can help with identification. To look for warblers, focus on mature woods, in clearings or edges of thicker forested areas. Wooded lakeshores also attract fall warbler species. Fall migrating warblers move in waves, in groups of mixed species. If a birder hears the “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” of a chickadee, it is a sign that warblers might be nearby, as chickadees often mix in with warbler groups during fall migration. Finally, knowing a little bit about their habitat can aid with identification. A bird foraging at eye-level could be a black-throated blue warbler, or a bird moving up and down a tree like a woodpecker could be a black-and-white warbler. Using these techniques makes it easier to catch a wave of warblers.
Nighthawks can be seen in the evenings in large numbers. These birds can be recognized by their long, thin wings marked with a white crescent near each tip. Adult males can be further identified by their white chin strap and white tail markings. Nighthawks migrate before cold weather settles in so they won't run out of flying insects that fuel their journey south. It’s amazing that these birds never seem to fly into each other as they dart this way and that for their food. They often time their flight with the air travel of flying ants. By mid-September, nighthawks will be gone from our area, and by late October they will be in South America.
Become a phenologist! Mark your calendar each day you see a change in the transition from summer to fall. After many years of recording, you can take pleasure in knowing when to expect an event in nature to happen.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fruits of the Vine
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
With field guides in hand, I stepped onto the dew-laden ground of the Forest Lodge Nature Trail. The sun was shining and the temperature of the late-summer day was warming up nicely. The late summer buzz of the cicadas greeted my ears. It was time to research plants on the trail in preparation of a Fruits of the Vine hike. I was greeted by a heavy-burdened cherry tree, and out the field guides came.
After some moments, I identified, for probably the second or third time (funny how the brain’s retrieval system doesn’t work as well as we age,) this plant as a cherry tree. I observed its alternate, oblong, lance-shaped leaves, and the ripening dark, purple fruit. I took a bite of a ripened berry, and puckered my lips at the bitter, sweet taste. Black cherry is not as highly valued as other cherries because of its taste, but historically has been made as tea made from the inner bark to help cure a variety of health problems. As I was standing near the tree, I noticed the yellow jacket, a wasp that during this time of year is commonly seen around our pop cans or sweet foods as it becomes more eager for food as our summer ends. Several other wasp species also appeared to be sampling the sugar-rich foods.
Chokecherries are another species I identified along the trail. This plant should not be ignored just because it has “choke” in its name. It has a sweeter taste than black cherries, is best harvested when it is ripe, and is eaten mostly as jelly. If you find a chokecherry, be aware that the less ripe fruits with a red tint have an astringent taste. The impact of this astringency causes a dry, puckering feel in your mouth that is caused by tannins. The tannins change the structure of our salivary proteins, causing a sandpaper feeling in our mouths. Astringency tastes unpleasant to many mammals, but birds do not have a “sense of astringency” and so eagerly eat these fruit. Raccoons, chipmunks and deer mice feast either on the fruit, or extract the round seed pit inside. Black bears will often pull chokecherry branches to the ground to strip the cherries right off the plants, damaging the tree in the process. This wild fruit makes a tasty juice, jam, jelly, or syrup for humans.
Other tasty treats to look for right now while out on the Trail or near your house include juneberries, raspberries or blackberries. Try eating American or beaked hazelnuts, or experience a milkweed pod that is about two-thirds grown, known to have a nice vegetable flavor. Be aware, though, that you are competing with squirrels, foxes, deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, woodpeckers, mice, insects, and deer for those delectable wild foods!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
With field guides in hand, I stepped onto the dew-laden ground of the Forest Lodge Nature Trail. The sun was shining and the temperature of the late-summer day was warming up nicely. The late summer buzz of the cicadas greeted my ears. It was time to research plants on the trail in preparation of a Fruits of the Vine hike. I was greeted by a heavy-burdened cherry tree, and out the field guides came.
After some moments, I identified, for probably the second or third time (funny how the brain’s retrieval system doesn’t work as well as we age,) this plant as a cherry tree. I observed its alternate, oblong, lance-shaped leaves, and the ripening dark, purple fruit. I took a bite of a ripened berry, and puckered my lips at the bitter, sweet taste. Black cherry is not as highly valued as other cherries because of its taste, but historically has been made as tea made from the inner bark to help cure a variety of health problems. As I was standing near the tree, I noticed the yellow jacket, a wasp that during this time of year is commonly seen around our pop cans or sweet foods as it becomes more eager for food as our summer ends. Several other wasp species also appeared to be sampling the sugar-rich foods.
Chokecherries are another species I identified along the trail. This plant should not be ignored just because it has “choke” in its name. It has a sweeter taste than black cherries, is best harvested when it is ripe, and is eaten mostly as jelly. If you find a chokecherry, be aware that the less ripe fruits with a red tint have an astringent taste. The impact of this astringency causes a dry, puckering feel in your mouth that is caused by tannins. The tannins change the structure of our salivary proteins, causing a sandpaper feeling in our mouths. Astringency tastes unpleasant to many mammals, but birds do not have a “sense of astringency” and so eagerly eat these fruit. Raccoons, chipmunks and deer mice feast either on the fruit, or extract the round seed pit inside. Black bears will often pull chokecherry branches to the ground to strip the cherries right off the plants, damaging the tree in the process. This wild fruit makes a tasty juice, jam, jelly, or syrup for humans.
Other tasty treats to look for right now while out on the Trail or near your house include juneberries, raspberries or blackberries. Try eating American or beaked hazelnuts, or experience a milkweed pod that is about two-thirds grown, known to have a nice vegetable flavor. Be aware, though, that you are competing with squirrels, foxes, deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, woodpeckers, mice, insects, and deer for those delectable wild foods!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Turkeys
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
The day I saw my first badger was a highlight in my naturalist life, but was exciting for another reason. That same evening, I observed a turkey and four of its young crossing the road in front of me. Wild turkeys have been living in the vicinity of my house for a few years now and almost every summer I get the pleasure of seeing their large families. I continue to monitor in my phenology observation journal any observations, and I am keeping track of their success in this small northwest corner of the state. Successful restoration of wild turkeys has happened in Wisconsin, and it is surprising to see how well they seem to be doing in our region.
The turkeys around my house have plenty of food sources available to them. Bordering an active farm means the turkeys have access to corn and plant remains in cow manure. They can seek out unharvested crops, alfalfa, or grain waste. They also have access to native cherries, blackberries, raspberries, red elderberry, acorns, and seeds from the area’s maple, pine, spruce, balsam fir, and beech. Turkeys can also choose to eat catkins, buds, and leaves from the birch, hazelnut, ferns, strawberries, wintergreen, partridgeberry, clubmosses, trailing arbutus, bunchberry, and other ground-layer plants and grasses. There are plenty of grasshoppers, earthworms, grubs, leafhoppers, beetles, or crickets on which they can feed. These food sources meet the needs of what most Wisconsin turkeys seem to do well with: a fifty-fifty mix of oak woodland and agriculture. This is just part of their habitat, however.
Turkeys roost in trees overnight as protection from predators. Areas with dense cover keep them from wind or inclement weather. Trees with trunks about a minimum of twelve inches in diameter with horizontal branches are best, and in winter, turkeys will roost in conifers to better insulate them from cold weather. Denser understory vegetation provides safer nesting cover during the breeding season. Areas with insects or other protein sources are preferred breeding areas as turkey young eat one-fifth of their body weight each day. The home range of turkeys can vary from 135 to 500 acres depending on the time of year and availability of food and cover. Although turkeys are very adaptable, research suggests that they do better when food, roosting sites, and nesting sites are located close together.
Why do turkeys seem to be doing so well in northwestern Wisconsin? When outdoor temperatures go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, a turkey’s metabolic rate speeds up, allowing them to survive colder temperatures only if they have enough food. Snow with a depth of more than twelve inches also hampers their walking ability and opportunities to find food. The northwestern part of our state has an average of forty to fifty days of twelve or more inches of snow, usually limiting turkey survival rates. Our recent warm winters must be contributing to their success.
Historically, turkeys were not documented except in the very southern parts of the state. In the 1970’s, turkeys were brought from Missouri to several sites throughout the southern part of the state, with more limited releases north of the ten-inch snow line. It is believed that the populations in this area are probably “immigrants” as those northern populations survived many of our warmer winters and dispersed into our area.
It is exciting to see the male turkeys showing their beautiful strut in the spring, or to see the young trailing behind their parent. I continue the search around my house for turkeys – their feathers, tracks, or observations I occasionally enjoy, and my next goal is to hear them gobble! If you have your own turkey story to share, please Email the Museum at info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
The day I saw my first badger was a highlight in my naturalist life, but was exciting for another reason. That same evening, I observed a turkey and four of its young crossing the road in front of me. Wild turkeys have been living in the vicinity of my house for a few years now and almost every summer I get the pleasure of seeing their large families. I continue to monitor in my phenology observation journal any observations, and I am keeping track of their success in this small northwest corner of the state. Successful restoration of wild turkeys has happened in Wisconsin, and it is surprising to see how well they seem to be doing in our region.
The turkeys around my house have plenty of food sources available to them. Bordering an active farm means the turkeys have access to corn and plant remains in cow manure. They can seek out unharvested crops, alfalfa, or grain waste. They also have access to native cherries, blackberries, raspberries, red elderberry, acorns, and seeds from the area’s maple, pine, spruce, balsam fir, and beech. Turkeys can also choose to eat catkins, buds, and leaves from the birch, hazelnut, ferns, strawberries, wintergreen, partridgeberry, clubmosses, trailing arbutus, bunchberry, and other ground-layer plants and grasses. There are plenty of grasshoppers, earthworms, grubs, leafhoppers, beetles, or crickets on which they can feed. These food sources meet the needs of what most Wisconsin turkeys seem to do well with: a fifty-fifty mix of oak woodland and agriculture. This is just part of their habitat, however.
Turkeys roost in trees overnight as protection from predators. Areas with dense cover keep them from wind or inclement weather. Trees with trunks about a minimum of twelve inches in diameter with horizontal branches are best, and in winter, turkeys will roost in conifers to better insulate them from cold weather. Denser understory vegetation provides safer nesting cover during the breeding season. Areas with insects or other protein sources are preferred breeding areas as turkey young eat one-fifth of their body weight each day. The home range of turkeys can vary from 135 to 500 acres depending on the time of year and availability of food and cover. Although turkeys are very adaptable, research suggests that they do better when food, roosting sites, and nesting sites are located close together.
Why do turkeys seem to be doing so well in northwestern Wisconsin? When outdoor temperatures go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, a turkey’s metabolic rate speeds up, allowing them to survive colder temperatures only if they have enough food. Snow with a depth of more than twelve inches also hampers their walking ability and opportunities to find food. The northwestern part of our state has an average of forty to fifty days of twelve or more inches of snow, usually limiting turkey survival rates. Our recent warm winters must be contributing to their success.
Historically, turkeys were not documented except in the very southern parts of the state. In the 1970’s, turkeys were brought from Missouri to several sites throughout the southern part of the state, with more limited releases north of the ten-inch snow line. It is believed that the populations in this area are probably “immigrants” as those northern populations survived many of our warmer winters and dispersed into our area.
It is exciting to see the male turkeys showing their beautiful strut in the spring, or to see the young trailing behind their parent. I continue the search around my house for turkeys – their feathers, tracks, or observations I occasionally enjoy, and my next goal is to hear them gobble! If you have your own turkey story to share, please Email the Museum at info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Bird Flight
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
The robins are back again. For the past two days, large numbers have been weighing down the trees in the Museum’s outdoor classroom. Robins flock together for feeding and for migration, so I imagine they are getting ready to instead of “raid the frig” they are ready to “raid” the mountain ash berries. Watching them flutter and fly is such an enjoyment. Have you ever wished you could be a bird for just one day, just to feel what it is like to fly? Bird flight is an amazing adaptation!
The wing of a bird consists of two functional parts: an inner part nearest the body and the outer hand. The outer hand, with its pliable flight feathers, functions as a propeller. The inner part provides the bird almost exclusively with lift.
All birds, except the hummingbird, move their wings at the shoulder, elbow and wrist. The entire hummingbird wing is a “hand wing,” or propeller. It does not soar or glide. Since the hummingbird moves its wings solely from the shoulders, it has great maneuverability in the air. The wing is extended throughout the whole stroke, making a figure eight and producing lift on both the up- and down-stroke. With this beat many hummingbirds can beat their wings fifty-two times a second.
Gliding is the simplest form of flight, when a bird’s wings make no propulsive movements. It is actually coasting “downhill” in reaction to air currents. Larger birds such as the albatross, condor, vulture, eagles and storks minimize their use of energy while gliding.
A soaring bird is one that maintains or even increases its altitude without flapping its wings. There are three main requirements to soar successfully: large size, light wing-loading, and maneuverability. Many birds that use soaring as a flight technique have deep slots in their wings to decrease drag and aid their take-offs.
Birds may stay aloft by riding rising warm air current called thermals, or by obstruction currents, which are updrafts of air caused when steady winds strike and rise over objects such as mountains, hills, buildings, and sand dunes.
Many birds hover by flapping their wings sufficiently to hold their position over one point on the ground. A hawk or kestrel does this by beating its wings, depressing and spreading its tail feathers, and holding its body at a nearly vertical position. They can hover for longer lengths of time by flying into a headwind, allowing them to stay stationary.
Much of our human flight was created through the intense observation of birds in flight. We learned from their streamlined bodies that help them overcome air-resistance. We discovered their hollow bird skeleton used to reduce weight, and the large keel of their breastbone. Most of all, they give us much entertainment and enjoyment.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
The robins are back again. For the past two days, large numbers have been weighing down the trees in the Museum’s outdoor classroom. Robins flock together for feeding and for migration, so I imagine they are getting ready to instead of “raid the frig” they are ready to “raid” the mountain ash berries. Watching them flutter and fly is such an enjoyment. Have you ever wished you could be a bird for just one day, just to feel what it is like to fly? Bird flight is an amazing adaptation!
The wing of a bird consists of two functional parts: an inner part nearest the body and the outer hand. The outer hand, with its pliable flight feathers, functions as a propeller. The inner part provides the bird almost exclusively with lift.
All birds, except the hummingbird, move their wings at the shoulder, elbow and wrist. The entire hummingbird wing is a “hand wing,” or propeller. It does not soar or glide. Since the hummingbird moves its wings solely from the shoulders, it has great maneuverability in the air. The wing is extended throughout the whole stroke, making a figure eight and producing lift on both the up- and down-stroke. With this beat many hummingbirds can beat their wings fifty-two times a second.
Gliding is the simplest form of flight, when a bird’s wings make no propulsive movements. It is actually coasting “downhill” in reaction to air currents. Larger birds such as the albatross, condor, vulture, eagles and storks minimize their use of energy while gliding.
A soaring bird is one that maintains or even increases its altitude without flapping its wings. There are three main requirements to soar successfully: large size, light wing-loading, and maneuverability. Many birds that use soaring as a flight technique have deep slots in their wings to decrease drag and aid their take-offs.
Birds may stay aloft by riding rising warm air current called thermals, or by obstruction currents, which are updrafts of air caused when steady winds strike and rise over objects such as mountains, hills, buildings, and sand dunes.
Many birds hover by flapping their wings sufficiently to hold their position over one point on the ground. A hawk or kestrel does this by beating its wings, depressing and spreading its tail feathers, and holding its body at a nearly vertical position. They can hover for longer lengths of time by flying into a headwind, allowing them to stay stationary.
Much of our human flight was created through the intense observation of birds in flight. We learned from their streamlined bodies that help them overcome air-resistance. We discovered their hollow bird skeleton used to reduce weight, and the large keel of their breastbone. Most of all, they give us much entertainment and enjoyment.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Badgers
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
It happened this week for the first time. I saw the animal I’ve been searching for in the north woods for over 23 years. This week while driving home, I saw an animal crossing the road in front of me at some distance. “Oooh, a larger mammal…what could it be?” I thought. My first thought: “it could be a fisher, but no, it couldn’t be because it isn’t bounding across the road like a weasel or squirrel.” My second thought: “maybe it is a gray fox. The color is about right, and the shorter legs seem to fit, but no, the movement doesn’t quite fit.” As I approached, to my astonishment, I discovered it was a badger. It lingered on the side of the road, turned and looked at me, and then loped off into the woods. I had been privately convinced that badgers could not live in northern Wisconsin because I hadn’t yet seen one, but there it was, finally, right in front of my eyes. I’ve rooted for the Badger Football Team, and celebrated the badger as our state animal, and finally I discovered that badgers DO really live here, and they are a resident of the Town of Cable!
Many are aware that we are called the “badger state,” but the actual reason for having that name is due to the miners in the 1800’s who dug tunnels into hillsides to search for lead, mimicking the badger as they lived in the tunnels during the winter to stay warm. The mammal we call a badger is usually not seen because like the miners, it spends its days inside its shallow den. These solitary animals hunt mostly at night so are not commonly seen.
What is badger habitat? Their habitat is made up of untilled fields or grasslands, pastures, hayfields, fence lines, roadsides, or prairie remnants, but can be at home in places that have two basic requirements: good prey availability and sandy soil for digging. Unlike Wisconsin “badger fans” who might prefer hot dogs, nachos or peanuts at a game, the badger eats rabbits, eggs, insects, snakes and small birds. However, since they live most of their lives underground, they will dig right into the burrows of other ground dwellers such as woodchucks and ground squirrels. Their sense of smell nearly matches the smell of dogs, animals that have one thousand times better sense of smell than humans, making it easy for badgers to scent their prey even underground.
What about their digging? Badger digging habits are impressive. A transparent membrane covers their eyes to protect them from the soil as they are excavating. Webbed front feet with efficient claws push out dirt effectively, and loose skin lets them turn in tight corners underground, or twist out of a predator’s grip. Their wedge-shaped head also moves through soil quickly, and lets them scent their prey. Badgers burrow through soil as a means of protection, and have been observed digging fast enough to dig their body out of sight within minutes. They spend at least ninety percent of the winter in their den, or “sett.” The soil around the den keeps the badger insulated, as the den can be up to thirty-one degrees warmer than the outside air.
How could we recognize a badger hole? Badgers dig horizontally into the sides of their tunnels, looking oval-shaped, and with many claw marks in the sides. Their tunnels can go twelve feet deep and be as much as fifty feet long.
Just how common are badgers in northwestern Wisconsin? In 1961 mammalogist H. Jackson used trapping numbers to predict that there were 5-20,000 badgers in the state. Since badgers are protected now from trapping, estimates are more difficult to make, but in 1975, a DNR wildlife biologist estimated the population was 8-10,000. A study in Illinois showed badgers moving as much as three miles in one night, and were found to have a territory of ten to twelve square miles. In Wisconsin, badgers have been recorded in every county except Milwaukee. In our area, Douglas and Bayfield County are in the top five counties for badger observations from 1987-1998.
At the end of the summer, it is more common to see badgers crossing roads, as the young are dispersing to new habitats and are in search of a new mate. After researching this mammal, I feel lucky to have finally seen one of these beautiful creatures. Keep your eyes out with hopes that you could make the same observation. Please Email your own badger observations or stories to info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
It happened this week for the first time. I saw the animal I’ve been searching for in the north woods for over 23 years. This week while driving home, I saw an animal crossing the road in front of me at some distance. “Oooh, a larger mammal…what could it be?” I thought. My first thought: “it could be a fisher, but no, it couldn’t be because it isn’t bounding across the road like a weasel or squirrel.” My second thought: “maybe it is a gray fox. The color is about right, and the shorter legs seem to fit, but no, the movement doesn’t quite fit.” As I approached, to my astonishment, I discovered it was a badger. It lingered on the side of the road, turned and looked at me, and then loped off into the woods. I had been privately convinced that badgers could not live in northern Wisconsin because I hadn’t yet seen one, but there it was, finally, right in front of my eyes. I’ve rooted for the Badger Football Team, and celebrated the badger as our state animal, and finally I discovered that badgers DO really live here, and they are a resident of the Town of Cable!
Many are aware that we are called the “badger state,” but the actual reason for having that name is due to the miners in the 1800’s who dug tunnels into hillsides to search for lead, mimicking the badger as they lived in the tunnels during the winter to stay warm. The mammal we call a badger is usually not seen because like the miners, it spends its days inside its shallow den. These solitary animals hunt mostly at night so are not commonly seen.
What is badger habitat? Their habitat is made up of untilled fields or grasslands, pastures, hayfields, fence lines, roadsides, or prairie remnants, but can be at home in places that have two basic requirements: good prey availability and sandy soil for digging. Unlike Wisconsin “badger fans” who might prefer hot dogs, nachos or peanuts at a game, the badger eats rabbits, eggs, insects, snakes and small birds. However, since they live most of their lives underground, they will dig right into the burrows of other ground dwellers such as woodchucks and ground squirrels. Their sense of smell nearly matches the smell of dogs, animals that have one thousand times better sense of smell than humans, making it easy for badgers to scent their prey even underground.
What about their digging? Badger digging habits are impressive. A transparent membrane covers their eyes to protect them from the soil as they are excavating. Webbed front feet with efficient claws push out dirt effectively, and loose skin lets them turn in tight corners underground, or twist out of a predator’s grip. Their wedge-shaped head also moves through soil quickly, and lets them scent their prey. Badgers burrow through soil as a means of protection, and have been observed digging fast enough to dig their body out of sight within minutes. They spend at least ninety percent of the winter in their den, or “sett.” The soil around the den keeps the badger insulated, as the den can be up to thirty-one degrees warmer than the outside air.
How could we recognize a badger hole? Badgers dig horizontally into the sides of their tunnels, looking oval-shaped, and with many claw marks in the sides. Their tunnels can go twelve feet deep and be as much as fifty feet long.
Just how common are badgers in northwestern Wisconsin? In 1961 mammalogist H. Jackson used trapping numbers to predict that there were 5-20,000 badgers in the state. Since badgers are protected now from trapping, estimates are more difficult to make, but in 1975, a DNR wildlife biologist estimated the population was 8-10,000. A study in Illinois showed badgers moving as much as three miles in one night, and were found to have a territory of ten to twelve square miles. In Wisconsin, badgers have been recorded in every county except Milwaukee. In our area, Douglas and Bayfield County are in the top five counties for badger observations from 1987-1998.
At the end of the summer, it is more common to see badgers crossing roads, as the young are dispersing to new habitats and are in search of a new mate. After researching this mammal, I feel lucky to have finally seen one of these beautiful creatures. Keep your eyes out with hopes that you could make the same observation. Please Email your own badger observations or stories to info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
American Goldfinch
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Did you know that an American goldfinch pair has almost exactly the same flight call, making it easier to identify them? Or that they adhere to the strictest vegetarian diet, to eat insects only by accident? This week at the bird feeders, the goldfinches filled every feeder space filled on the sunflower seed feeders, striking in their bright yellow colors. It is a joy to see them, or to hear their song, “po-ta-to-chip, po-ta-to-chip” in a steady rhythm.
The American goldfinch is the only finch that is busy molting its feathers two times a year. The first time is in spring, when males display their bright yellow plumage to attract a mate, and then in late summer, as they begin losing their feathers again to become a more drab, olive color throughout fall and winter. The lemon yellow color comes from special carotenoid pigments given special names like zeoxanthin, leutin, and beta-carotene, which come from plant pigments the males consume. The beak is pink for most of the year, but bright orange in both sexes during the spring molt.
American goldfinches breed later than most North American birds, waiting until June or July. It is believed that this timing is better, when milkweed, thistle, and other plants have gone to seed. Goldfinches use these fluffy plant parts to line their nests and the parents also feed their young with the seeds. Spider webs connect the nest to its foundation, and when finished, the nest is no more than three inches tall or wide, and is so tightly woven it can hold water. Goldfinches provide a bird nesting environment that brown-headed cowbirds cannot survive well. Known for laying their eggs in other birds nest, cowbirds will hatch in goldfinch nests, but rarely live longer than three days, not being able to survive on the granivorous, all-seed diet fed to goldfinch young. Once the breeding season is over, goldfinches can be found in large flocks.
The American goldfinch feeds like an acrobat, using its feet to hang from seed-heads, reaching seeds more easily. In the spring a finch feeds on birch or alder catkins, pulling the catkin up with its beak and then holding the catkin still against a branch with its toes. They also feed on maple sap, berries, and tree buds, as well as asters, sunflowers, grasses, thistle, ragweed, dandelion, mullein, and goatsbeard. It will eat at bird feeders provided by humans, particularly in the winter months, preferring thistle or sunflower seed. Flocks of Goldfinches are traveling nomads, moving up to five miles each day from feeder to feeder or other food sources.
To encourage goldfinches into our own back yard, we can plant native composite plants, as well as native milkweed. Then we can have the pleasure of enjoying “our” own group of goldfinches, cleverly called a variety of collective nouns such as, a “007,” “charm,” “rush,” “treasury,” or “vein” of goldfinches. Perhaps that is better than being called a “murder of crows,” a “plump of wildfowl,” a “knot of toads,” or a “sounder of swines.” What will you discover in your own back yard in the coming week?
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Did you know that an American goldfinch pair has almost exactly the same flight call, making it easier to identify them? Or that they adhere to the strictest vegetarian diet, to eat insects only by accident? This week at the bird feeders, the goldfinches filled every feeder space filled on the sunflower seed feeders, striking in their bright yellow colors. It is a joy to see them, or to hear their song, “po-ta-to-chip, po-ta-to-chip” in a steady rhythm.
The American goldfinch is the only finch that is busy molting its feathers two times a year. The first time is in spring, when males display their bright yellow plumage to attract a mate, and then in late summer, as they begin losing their feathers again to become a more drab, olive color throughout fall and winter. The lemon yellow color comes from special carotenoid pigments given special names like zeoxanthin, leutin, and beta-carotene, which come from plant pigments the males consume. The beak is pink for most of the year, but bright orange in both sexes during the spring molt.
American goldfinches breed later than most North American birds, waiting until June or July. It is believed that this timing is better, when milkweed, thistle, and other plants have gone to seed. Goldfinches use these fluffy plant parts to line their nests and the parents also feed their young with the seeds. Spider webs connect the nest to its foundation, and when finished, the nest is no more than three inches tall or wide, and is so tightly woven it can hold water. Goldfinches provide a bird nesting environment that brown-headed cowbirds cannot survive well. Known for laying their eggs in other birds nest, cowbirds will hatch in goldfinch nests, but rarely live longer than three days, not being able to survive on the granivorous, all-seed diet fed to goldfinch young. Once the breeding season is over, goldfinches can be found in large flocks.
The American goldfinch feeds like an acrobat, using its feet to hang from seed-heads, reaching seeds more easily. In the spring a finch feeds on birch or alder catkins, pulling the catkin up with its beak and then holding the catkin still against a branch with its toes. They also feed on maple sap, berries, and tree buds, as well as asters, sunflowers, grasses, thistle, ragweed, dandelion, mullein, and goatsbeard. It will eat at bird feeders provided by humans, particularly in the winter months, preferring thistle or sunflower seed. Flocks of Goldfinches are traveling nomads, moving up to five miles each day from feeder to feeder or other food sources.
To encourage goldfinches into our own back yard, we can plant native composite plants, as well as native milkweed. Then we can have the pleasure of enjoying “our” own group of goldfinches, cleverly called a variety of collective nouns such as, a “007,” “charm,” “rush,” “treasury,” or “vein” of goldfinches. Perhaps that is better than being called a “murder of crows,” a “plump of wildfowl,” a “knot of toads,” or a “sounder of swines.” What will you discover in your own back yard in the coming week?
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Bird Food
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Earlier this spring, when school groups were visiting the Museum, white boards were set up outdoors to “feed” ants in order to teach about ant intelligence. After two days of feeding the ants, I noticed a robin, almost appearing as if it was trying to run me out of the area. The following day, there were significant scratch marks that were made by a small “implement” that I assume must have been the robin, having eaten the peanut butter. Every day thereafter, I saw the robin, and later, the peanut butter would be scraped clean. This morning after the rain, I was watching five robins in the Museum yard and began thinking about birds and their food.
Natural foods that birds eat include insects, worms, grubs, berries and other fruit, tree sap, buds of trees and shrubs, nectar, nuts and seeds, fish and small animals or other birds, eggs, or dead animals.
Sometimes it is surprising to discover what some birds eat. For example, ruby-throated hummingbirds feed on the nectar of mostly red or orange flowers. However, they will also catch insects in midair such as gnats, mosquitoes, fruit flies, or small bees. Hummers will also pull them out of spider webs, and sometimes eat the spider as well. Hummingbirds also take insects attracted to tree sap or pick small caterpillars and aphids from leaves. A red-winged blackbird is believed to eat a diet of up to fifty-seven percent plant seeds, twenty-six percent insects, thirteen percent grain.
Birds have high body temperatures and high metabolic rates so they eat more food ounce for ounce, in proportion to their weights, than do most other vertebrate animals. Larger birds generally eat less in proportion to their body weight than do smaller birds each day.
The smaller a bird is, the more time it needs to spend feeding. Eagles may go without food for several days without ill effect, but the tiny chickadee needs to feed regularly throughout the day in order to survive. The bird with the widest variety of diet ever recorded is the ruffed grouse. Its food is known to include 518 kinds of animals and 414 different plants.
Birds digest their food very quickly. Some small birds like the chickadee eat almost constantly, especially during the winter. Diurnal birds feed most heavily in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Clues can be taken about what a bird eats by observing the type of beak or bill the bird has. Thin, slender, pointed beaks such as those found in warblers are found mainly in insect eaters that use their beak to pick insects off leaves, twigs, and bark. Beaks which are flat and wide at the base are found in birds such as flycatchers, which catch insects in flight. These birds also often have whiskers at the corners of their beak which widens the mouth opening, allowing more successful capture of prey. Woodpeckers have a chisel like beak for pecking holes in trees. Mergansers, adapted for fish eating, have sharp tooth-like edges on the bill to hold fish tightly. The fringed edges of a mallard bill strain plants, seeds, and small animals from water. Cardinals, grosbeaks, finches, and sparrows have a thick, cone-shaped bill good for cracking seeds all year long. When seeds are scarce they eat insects.
Whatever birds may eat, they continue to be a source of enjoyment for humans. It is estimated that over sixty million people in the United States feed birds in their back yards. Birds play an important role in balancing healthy ecosystems, and certainly contribute to our human economy. Sadly, many people are not aware that ten percent of our 852 bird species of North America are endangered or threatened. It is impossible to imagine what our lives would be like without them.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
CNHM Director of Education
Earlier this spring, when school groups were visiting the Museum, white boards were set up outdoors to “feed” ants in order to teach about ant intelligence. After two days of feeding the ants, I noticed a robin, almost appearing as if it was trying to run me out of the area. The following day, there were significant scratch marks that were made by a small “implement” that I assume must have been the robin, having eaten the peanut butter. Every day thereafter, I saw the robin, and later, the peanut butter would be scraped clean. This morning after the rain, I was watching five robins in the Museum yard and began thinking about birds and their food.
Natural foods that birds eat include insects, worms, grubs, berries and other fruit, tree sap, buds of trees and shrubs, nectar, nuts and seeds, fish and small animals or other birds, eggs, or dead animals.
Sometimes it is surprising to discover what some birds eat. For example, ruby-throated hummingbirds feed on the nectar of mostly red or orange flowers. However, they will also catch insects in midair such as gnats, mosquitoes, fruit flies, or small bees. Hummers will also pull them out of spider webs, and sometimes eat the spider as well. Hummingbirds also take insects attracted to tree sap or pick small caterpillars and aphids from leaves. A red-winged blackbird is believed to eat a diet of up to fifty-seven percent plant seeds, twenty-six percent insects, thirteen percent grain.
Birds have high body temperatures and high metabolic rates so they eat more food ounce for ounce, in proportion to their weights, than do most other vertebrate animals. Larger birds generally eat less in proportion to their body weight than do smaller birds each day.
The smaller a bird is, the more time it needs to spend feeding. Eagles may go without food for several days without ill effect, but the tiny chickadee needs to feed regularly throughout the day in order to survive. The bird with the widest variety of diet ever recorded is the ruffed grouse. Its food is known to include 518 kinds of animals and 414 different plants.
Birds digest their food very quickly. Some small birds like the chickadee eat almost constantly, especially during the winter. Diurnal birds feed most heavily in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Clues can be taken about what a bird eats by observing the type of beak or bill the bird has. Thin, slender, pointed beaks such as those found in warblers are found mainly in insect eaters that use their beak to pick insects off leaves, twigs, and bark. Beaks which are flat and wide at the base are found in birds such as flycatchers, which catch insects in flight. These birds also often have whiskers at the corners of their beak which widens the mouth opening, allowing more successful capture of prey. Woodpeckers have a chisel like beak for pecking holes in trees. Mergansers, adapted for fish eating, have sharp tooth-like edges on the bill to hold fish tightly. The fringed edges of a mallard bill strain plants, seeds, and small animals from water. Cardinals, grosbeaks, finches, and sparrows have a thick, cone-shaped bill good for cracking seeds all year long. When seeds are scarce they eat insects.
Whatever birds may eat, they continue to be a source of enjoyment for humans. It is estimated that over sixty million people in the United States feed birds in their back yards. Birds play an important role in balancing healthy ecosystems, and certainly contribute to our human economy. Sadly, many people are not aware that ten percent of our 852 bird species of North America are endangered or threatened. It is impossible to imagine what our lives would be like without them.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Crows
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
For the past two weeks, I have been greeted daily at home by a lone crow. This is a continued surprise to me, because crows are social birds, more often observed in groups than alone. Was it injured? Looking for food? A young crow? All were questions I asked. In fact, young crows often assist their parents in raising the young for several years. One crow family can contain up to fifteen individuals with youth from as many as five combined years. In the winter they gather together in very large groups to sleep in communal roosts. Crows are considered highly intelligent animals, known for their impressive counting skills and use of tools.
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Experiments with captive common, or American crows have proven the birds have excellent puzzle-solving abilities, can count up to three or four, have good memories, and can quickly learn to equate certain sounds or symbols with food. Known to eat the shells of clams, mussels, and mollusks, crows have learned they can eat more easily by picking the shells up, flying with them to a greater height, and then dropping them to rocks below. Herring gulls and crows were seen practicing this technique at the same time, but while the gulls dropped the mollusks onto the mud, crows figured out quickly that aiming for a rock worked better.
Crows have other creative ways to find food. During spring in Norway and Sweden, fishermen make holes in the ice and drop their fishing lines into the water. Hooded crows have been seen flying in, picking up the line, and walking backward, pulling the line out of the hole until they expose the bait or hooked fish to eat. Crows on a remote Pacific island have learned how to use tools. The birds use long, specially chosen twigs to spear the plump grubs that hide deep beneath the bark of rotting logs. Crows will follow adult birds to identify where the nest and eggs are located. Observers have seen crows shaping a stick to place in a hole in a fence post to search for food. They work together in groups called mobs in order to get food.
Crows have a varied and evolved language more extensive than just the “caw” with which we are familiar. They also have the danger calls and a hollow, rattle greeting sound. They can mimic the sounds made by barred owls and other bird species, and they learn to associate noises with events, especially when the events relate to food.
While some might find the results of crow’s adaptability an annoyance because of how they interact with the human world, their resourcefulness can also be highly regarded. Please share any crow observations you have made by Emailing the Museum at info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
For the past two weeks, I have been greeted daily at home by a lone crow. This is a continued surprise to me, because crows are social birds, more often observed in groups than alone. Was it injured? Looking for food? A young crow? All were questions I asked. In fact, young crows often assist their parents in raising the young for several years. One crow family can contain up to fifteen individuals with youth from as many as five combined years. In the winter they gather together in very large groups to sleep in communal roosts. Crows are considered highly intelligent animals, known for their impressive counting skills and use of tools.
.
Experiments with captive common, or American crows have proven the birds have excellent puzzle-solving abilities, can count up to three or four, have good memories, and can quickly learn to equate certain sounds or symbols with food. Known to eat the shells of clams, mussels, and mollusks, crows have learned they can eat more easily by picking the shells up, flying with them to a greater height, and then dropping them to rocks below. Herring gulls and crows were seen practicing this technique at the same time, but while the gulls dropped the mollusks onto the mud, crows figured out quickly that aiming for a rock worked better.
Crows have other creative ways to find food. During spring in Norway and Sweden, fishermen make holes in the ice and drop their fishing lines into the water. Hooded crows have been seen flying in, picking up the line, and walking backward, pulling the line out of the hole until they expose the bait or hooked fish to eat. Crows on a remote Pacific island have learned how to use tools. The birds use long, specially chosen twigs to spear the plump grubs that hide deep beneath the bark of rotting logs. Crows will follow adult birds to identify where the nest and eggs are located. Observers have seen crows shaping a stick to place in a hole in a fence post to search for food. They work together in groups called mobs in order to get food.
Crows have a varied and evolved language more extensive than just the “caw” with which we are familiar. They also have the danger calls and a hollow, rattle greeting sound. They can mimic the sounds made by barred owls and other bird species, and they learn to associate noises with events, especially when the events relate to food.
While some might find the results of crow’s adaptability an annoyance because of how they interact with the human world, their resourcefulness can also be highly regarded. Please share any crow observations you have made by Emailing the Museum at info@cablemuseum.org.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Bald-Faced Hornets
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Maybe you have noticed a football shaped nest hanging from a nearby tree, or a new one being built under your roof overhangs, or under your deck or porch. The term "hornet" is often used to refer to many of the wasps that build large, papery nests. The most notable paper wasp in our area is the bald-faced hornet, a species of yellowjacket wasp. These insects have large, black and white, heavy-bodies with white markings on their faces that resemble a bald spot. They adapt well to their environment, showing a remarkable intelligence for an insect so small.
How do they cope with our northern climate changes? Bald-faced hornets are experts at temperature regulation—both heating and cooling. They heat using the best insulation, trapped air. To cool their nest, special workers bring water to the nest, spread it on the nest and then fan it to “air condition.” But how do they make this nest wonder?
The work begins every spring. In each bald-faced hornet colony, it is the females who do the manual labor. Each worker involved in exterior building gathers a mouthful of tree pulp from loose bark, which she works into paper. The paper is made by mixing starch-filled saliva with the wood. The nest is made up of several tiers of cells, or “cartons” and surrounded by a protective layer. Every visit a female makes creates a strip the color of the bark the wasp harvested, which she spreads with her mandibles and legs to dry into paper. As the nest grows throughout the summer, new, wider tiers are added. The wasps must then remove one or more of the inner layers of insulating paper while constructing new sheets on the outside.
Throughout the summer, worker bald-faced hornets guard the nest and collect nectar and arthropods to feed the larvae. Near the end of the summer, female larvae are fed greater amounts of food, allowing them to develop into queens. At the same time, the queen lays unfertilized eggs that develop into male wasps. The males mate with fertile females, and as winter approaches, the wasps die, except for young fertilized queens that hibernate underground or in hollow trees. The nest is generally abandoned by winter, and will most likely not be reused. This is hard work for one season!
Do we need to be afraid of these wasps? Any animal that is feeling threatened will protect itself. Bald-faced hornets do not have a barbed sting, so can deliver a series of painful stings. It is their venom that creates the pain. However, my method when seeing any bee or wasp is to ignore it, stand still, and let it go on it’s way. Many times when we are wearing colorful clothing, we are often mistaken for flowers, and once they discover that we have no rewards, they move on peacefully. However, beware if you disturb their entire nest.
These insects are beneficial as they are pollinators. They drink flower nectar for quick energy while they hunt, while also using the flowers as a hunting ground for smaller insects that are also attracted there. They can be beneficial in gardens since they predate upon insects that damage plants. It is worth taking the time to observe a bald-faced hornet, as you never know what you might have an opportunity to observe!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Maybe you have noticed a football shaped nest hanging from a nearby tree, or a new one being built under your roof overhangs, or under your deck or porch. The term "hornet" is often used to refer to many of the wasps that build large, papery nests. The most notable paper wasp in our area is the bald-faced hornet, a species of yellowjacket wasp. These insects have large, black and white, heavy-bodies with white markings on their faces that resemble a bald spot. They adapt well to their environment, showing a remarkable intelligence for an insect so small.
How do they cope with our northern climate changes? Bald-faced hornets are experts at temperature regulation—both heating and cooling. They heat using the best insulation, trapped air. To cool their nest, special workers bring water to the nest, spread it on the nest and then fan it to “air condition.” But how do they make this nest wonder?
The work begins every spring. In each bald-faced hornet colony, it is the females who do the manual labor. Each worker involved in exterior building gathers a mouthful of tree pulp from loose bark, which she works into paper. The paper is made by mixing starch-filled saliva with the wood. The nest is made up of several tiers of cells, or “cartons” and surrounded by a protective layer. Every visit a female makes creates a strip the color of the bark the wasp harvested, which she spreads with her mandibles and legs to dry into paper. As the nest grows throughout the summer, new, wider tiers are added. The wasps must then remove one or more of the inner layers of insulating paper while constructing new sheets on the outside.
Throughout the summer, worker bald-faced hornets guard the nest and collect nectar and arthropods to feed the larvae. Near the end of the summer, female larvae are fed greater amounts of food, allowing them to develop into queens. At the same time, the queen lays unfertilized eggs that develop into male wasps. The males mate with fertile females, and as winter approaches, the wasps die, except for young fertilized queens that hibernate underground or in hollow trees. The nest is generally abandoned by winter, and will most likely not be reused. This is hard work for one season!
Do we need to be afraid of these wasps? Any animal that is feeling threatened will protect itself. Bald-faced hornets do not have a barbed sting, so can deliver a series of painful stings. It is their venom that creates the pain. However, my method when seeing any bee or wasp is to ignore it, stand still, and let it go on it’s way. Many times when we are wearing colorful clothing, we are often mistaken for flowers, and once they discover that we have no rewards, they move on peacefully. However, beware if you disturb their entire nest.
These insects are beneficial as they are pollinators. They drink flower nectar for quick energy while they hunt, while also using the flowers as a hunting ground for smaller insects that are also attracted there. They can be beneficial in gardens since they predate upon insects that damage plants. It is worth taking the time to observe a bald-faced hornet, as you never know what you might have an opportunity to observe!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Orbweaver Spiders
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
This week, on most mornings during or after the rain or dew, spiders webs were quite visible. Drops of water highlighted their presence. One spider I observed had built it’s web in what I thought was the most unlikely place, between my screen and storm doors. Who would guess they could catch something in that space? Nonetheless, spiders are amazing with the webs they weave. Orbweavers are best known by their beautiful webs, made at night in many different habitats. They are obviously known by their spiral, wheel-shaped webs, and are enjoyable to observe.
The making of an orbweaver web is an engineering feat, begun as the spider sends out a line on the wind to another object. Once the new line is secured, they drop a line from the center, making a “Y” shape. They then follow with making the “bicycle spokes” with a non-sticky silk. The final spiral is made with a very sticky capture silk. They keep themselves from getting stuck in their own web by traveling on the non-sticky part of the web. Usually the prey insect that is caught in the sticky lines is paralyzed by a quick bite and then wrapped in silk, or if the prey is a more dangerous insect, such as a wasp or bee, they may wrap the insect before biting.
With very poor vision, orbweavers must sit near or in their web to feel the movement of their prey. When caught, the front legs turn the insect while the back legs wrap their victim with silk. Many build a new web every night.
Orbweaver spiders show impressive brain power and web strategies. If researchers vibrate a web at multiple points, and then remove the stimuli, this spider moves to one point to check if an insect is there, and then moves to the next point with only their memory to guide them. Orbweavers have the ability to memorize multiple coordinates in their web. Web construction itself happens mostly at night, also suggesting that a spatial representation exists. That they can build a web using drops of “glue” and heavy gauge silk line as strong strands, followed by sticky inner catching threads is impressive architecture. Imagine building a house without using your sight!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
This week, on most mornings during or after the rain or dew, spiders webs were quite visible. Drops of water highlighted their presence. One spider I observed had built it’s web in what I thought was the most unlikely place, between my screen and storm doors. Who would guess they could catch something in that space? Nonetheless, spiders are amazing with the webs they weave. Orbweavers are best known by their beautiful webs, made at night in many different habitats. They are obviously known by their spiral, wheel-shaped webs, and are enjoyable to observe.
The making of an orbweaver web is an engineering feat, begun as the spider sends out a line on the wind to another object. Once the new line is secured, they drop a line from the center, making a “Y” shape. They then follow with making the “bicycle spokes” with a non-sticky silk. The final spiral is made with a very sticky capture silk. They keep themselves from getting stuck in their own web by traveling on the non-sticky part of the web. Usually the prey insect that is caught in the sticky lines is paralyzed by a quick bite and then wrapped in silk, or if the prey is a more dangerous insect, such as a wasp or bee, they may wrap the insect before biting.
With very poor vision, orbweavers must sit near or in their web to feel the movement of their prey. When caught, the front legs turn the insect while the back legs wrap their victim with silk. Many build a new web every night.
Orbweaver spiders show impressive brain power and web strategies. If researchers vibrate a web at multiple points, and then remove the stimuli, this spider moves to one point to check if an insect is there, and then moves to the next point with only their memory to guide them. Orbweavers have the ability to memorize multiple coordinates in their web. Web construction itself happens mostly at night, also suggesting that a spatial representation exists. That they can build a web using drops of “glue” and heavy gauge silk line as strong strands, followed by sticky inner catching threads is impressive architecture. Imagine building a house without using your sight!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Celebrating the Red, White and Blue
Nature Watch
Celebrating the Red, White and Blue
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
While enjoying the 4th of July festivities, keep your eyes and ears out for the red, white, and blue observations of three residents of the north woods. The red of the pileated woodpecker, white of the bald eagle, and the tasty blue of the blueberry can be a great part of any northern outdoor experience.
The woody woodpecker cartoons that many of us grew up with are modeled after the pileated woodpecker. The largest of North America’s woodpeckers, its bright red crest, loud ringing calls, and large, rectangular excavations in dead trees announce its presence in northern Wisconsin. Its call is a loud “kuk-kuk-kuk” and its drumming is loud and resonant from far away. Pileated woodpecker’s hollowed-out holes are broad and deep so they can fit their large bodies inside to find carpenter ants, wood-boring beetle larvae, or other insects. They also pry off long slivers of wood to expose their insect food. To go in search of a pileated, look or listen for them in large, older forests made up of mixed deciduous or coniferous trees.
The white head and tail of the bald eagle can be often seen in this area. We often see eagles while they are in flight. These opportunistic hunters get their food, preferably fish or other birds or mammals, by direct capture, scavenging, or stealing prey from other eagles or other birds and mammals. Eagles also can be seen wading in shallow water to catch fish. Young bald eagles can be seen fledging in late July, about 70 to 98 days after hatching. Before this, the young have been practicing flapping for weeks in preparation of their first flight. If one falls from the nest, the parents usually feed it on the ground. The parents encourage the babies to fledge by flying around the nest carrying food. After fledging, they usually stay with their parents for six weeks, being continually fed during this time. The young watch their parents fish, but don’t learn to catch fish for quite a while. The young begin “catching” carcasses on shoreline and then pick up dead fish floating in the water. Immature eagles won’t get the distinguishing white head until they are three to five years old, but still are an exciting sight to see.
For visitors looking for a tasty, blue treat, 4th of July may bring the delicious taste of wild blueberries. This plant grows in acid, sandy soil, so upland slopes and ridges and open woods are places where this plant can be found. A small shrub that grows about two feet tall, it has small, shiny medium green leaves. Their berries are a pale powder blue to black. For those who know what the plant looks like, and can avoid other possible look-alikes such as the blue-bead lily, blueberries can provide an excellent snack while out hiking.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Celebrating the Red, White and Blue
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
While enjoying the 4th of July festivities, keep your eyes and ears out for the red, white, and blue observations of three residents of the north woods. The red of the pileated woodpecker, white of the bald eagle, and the tasty blue of the blueberry can be a great part of any northern outdoor experience.
The woody woodpecker cartoons that many of us grew up with are modeled after the pileated woodpecker. The largest of North America’s woodpeckers, its bright red crest, loud ringing calls, and large, rectangular excavations in dead trees announce its presence in northern Wisconsin. Its call is a loud “kuk-kuk-kuk” and its drumming is loud and resonant from far away. Pileated woodpecker’s hollowed-out holes are broad and deep so they can fit their large bodies inside to find carpenter ants, wood-boring beetle larvae, or other insects. They also pry off long slivers of wood to expose their insect food. To go in search of a pileated, look or listen for them in large, older forests made up of mixed deciduous or coniferous trees.
The white head and tail of the bald eagle can be often seen in this area. We often see eagles while they are in flight. These opportunistic hunters get their food, preferably fish or other birds or mammals, by direct capture, scavenging, or stealing prey from other eagles or other birds and mammals. Eagles also can be seen wading in shallow water to catch fish. Young bald eagles can be seen fledging in late July, about 70 to 98 days after hatching. Before this, the young have been practicing flapping for weeks in preparation of their first flight. If one falls from the nest, the parents usually feed it on the ground. The parents encourage the babies to fledge by flying around the nest carrying food. After fledging, they usually stay with their parents for six weeks, being continually fed during this time. The young watch their parents fish, but don’t learn to catch fish for quite a while. The young begin “catching” carcasses on shoreline and then pick up dead fish floating in the water. Immature eagles won’t get the distinguishing white head until they are three to five years old, but still are an exciting sight to see.
For visitors looking for a tasty, blue treat, 4th of July may bring the delicious taste of wild blueberries. This plant grows in acid, sandy soil, so upland slopes and ridges and open woods are places where this plant can be found. A small shrub that grows about two feet tall, it has small, shiny medium green leaves. Their berries are a pale powder blue to black. For those who know what the plant looks like, and can avoid other possible look-alikes such as the blue-bead lily, blueberries can provide an excellent snack while out hiking.
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Musky-Top of the Food Chain
Nature Watch
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Huge amounts of time, and money, are spent in search of the famous musky. A muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, is a large, fairly uncommon freshwater fish of the north woods. The name comes from the Ojibwe word maashkinoozhe, meaning "ugly pike". The original musky range in Wisconsin was mostly confined to lakes and rivers in the drainage of the Chippewa River above Chippewa Falls, the northern part of the Wisconsin River, and the Amnicon River near Superior. The distribution has been extended to other places mostly through stocking.
At the top of the lake food chain, these ambush predators sit and wait, capturing their prey by stealth and cunning rather than strength or speed. They usually hide motionless, waiting for their prey to come within striking distance. They are well camouflaged with dark vertical stripes on their sides that tend to break up into spots. Muskies tend to prefer clear waters where they lurk along weed edges or rock outcrops to rest, acting as good spots for finding their food. They have a large mouth with many large, hair-like teeth that allows them to eat fish, snakes, frogs, mammals, ducklings, muskrats, mice, spiders, or crayfish. They will take their prey head-first in a single gulp, and will eat prey up to 30% of their own body length. When their metabolism is slower in the spring, they choose smaller bait, and before winter begin eating larger food items.
During the summer muskellunge will form two home ranges - in the shallow areas and deep areas. Known as a loner, they conceal themselves in shallow vegetation, and will stay in those ranges, searching for food depending on the water temperature and clarity of the water. Other times they will move offshore and remain sedentary in deep water. Their home range is usually less than twenty acres. When water temperatures go higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, their movement decreases, and optimum temperatures are in the 70’s.
Growth of musky can change even among fish within the same lake. For those who catch and release a 12-inch fish, it will generally be one year old; a 24-inch fish at three years, and a 37 to 45-inch fish could be over ten years old. Females grow faster than males so can become much larger. These growth rates are also variable depending on lake conditions. For example, musky in Wisconsin have been known to be twenty years old, and measure less than thirty inches in length. To see any musky is quite exciting, and to see one follow a lure to the boat is a highlight of anyone’s day. Enjoy the waters of the north woods during the upcoming Musky Festival!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
By Susan Benson,
CNHM Director of Education
Huge amounts of time, and money, are spent in search of the famous musky. A muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, is a large, fairly uncommon freshwater fish of the north woods. The name comes from the Ojibwe word maashkinoozhe, meaning "ugly pike". The original musky range in Wisconsin was mostly confined to lakes and rivers in the drainage of the Chippewa River above Chippewa Falls, the northern part of the Wisconsin River, and the Amnicon River near Superior. The distribution has been extended to other places mostly through stocking.
At the top of the lake food chain, these ambush predators sit and wait, capturing their prey by stealth and cunning rather than strength or speed. They usually hide motionless, waiting for their prey to come within striking distance. They are well camouflaged with dark vertical stripes on their sides that tend to break up into spots. Muskies tend to prefer clear waters where they lurk along weed edges or rock outcrops to rest, acting as good spots for finding their food. They have a large mouth with many large, hair-like teeth that allows them to eat fish, snakes, frogs, mammals, ducklings, muskrats, mice, spiders, or crayfish. They will take their prey head-first in a single gulp, and will eat prey up to 30% of their own body length. When their metabolism is slower in the spring, they choose smaller bait, and before winter begin eating larger food items.
During the summer muskellunge will form two home ranges - in the shallow areas and deep areas. Known as a loner, they conceal themselves in shallow vegetation, and will stay in those ranges, searching for food depending on the water temperature and clarity of the water. Other times they will move offshore and remain sedentary in deep water. Their home range is usually less than twenty acres. When water temperatures go higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, their movement decreases, and optimum temperatures are in the 70’s.
Growth of musky can change even among fish within the same lake. For those who catch and release a 12-inch fish, it will generally be one year old; a 24-inch fish at three years, and a 37 to 45-inch fish could be over ten years old. Females grow faster than males so can become much larger. These growth rates are also variable depending on lake conditions. For example, musky in Wisconsin have been known to be twenty years old, and measure less than thirty inches in length. To see any musky is quite exciting, and to see one follow a lure to the boat is a highlight of anyone’s day. Enjoy the waters of the north woods during the upcoming Musky Festival!
For 40 years, the Museum has served as a guide and mentor to generations of visitors and residents interested in learning to better appreciate and care for the extraordinary natural resources of the region. The Museum invites you to visit its facility and exhibits, the Curiosity Center and Brain Teasers 2, in Cable at 13470 County Highway M. Also find us on the web at www.cablemuseum.org to learn more about exhibits and programs.
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