Spring - UPDATE April 17, 2016
Two days in a row with highs in the mid 70’s F made big changes. Woods Lake out the window
went from starting to open yesterday morning to 70% open this afternoon, and the ice on the big lakes around here turned black. If the warm weather continues, they will be open in the next few days. Robinson Lake, another shallow lake like Woods Lake is already mostly open. Snow is down to scattered patches, and the road along Eagles Nest Lake One is passable.At Woods Lake the last few days, at least 7 bald eagles have been scavenging winter-killed fish that were frozen in the ice. As the lake opened, the eagles swooped down to snatch them floating on the water. Today, 3 gulls joined them, but we didn’t get a visit until late in the day. We don’t know which one it is, but it’s one of the tame ones from last year.
Weight-carrying ability and caching behavior of Gray Jays, Perisoreus canadensis: Adaptations to boreal winter. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 119(1):101-104.).
It must not have found enough fish because it ate nearly two pounds of suet plus a dead mouse, making its neck bulge. According to the bird books, herring gulls only weigh about 2 ½ pounds, but it still flew buoyantly. The gull showed that it can carry a larger percentage of its weight than a gray jay can (Rogers, L. L. 2005.No bears sighted in the community yet, although April 17 was the date of the first sighting last year.
At the Bear Center, Holly and Lucky went for a swim together and were all over the place. From yesterday, the staff captured a nice video of Lucky and energetic Holly playing and staying together as usual. https://www.facebook.com/ TNTschocke/videos/ o.139730642706794 /10154107376800682/?type=2&theater
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center