Jewel climbs to check on cubs - April 28, 2012Today Sue spent 5 hours with Jewel to document her behavior as she foraged, rested, nursed Herbie and Fern, played, and cooled off in pools. Jewel was an eating machine. Her head bobbed up and down as she bit and pulled succulent vegetation. She tore into logs and standing snags to feed on grubs and ants. She pawed away leaf litter to lick up snowfleas (Colembola). She rousted a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) from its nest and ate the eggs—shells and all.
Video of Jewel and cubs from April 25 is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZ7e_5GOCQ.
Fern & Herbie sleep high in white pine - April 28, 2012We were delighted when Braveheart and her yearlings visited the field station—giving us the opportunity to re-collar her. She paid no attention as we pulled hard on the collar to make it one notch tighter than when she slipped it earlier this week.
Yes, really asleep! - April 28, 2012Lynn spent time at the Bear Center helping his wife Donna on the bear foods garden in front of the building. We are expanding it to include a rock display so hikers will know the rocks they see. A geologist is teaching us rock identity, formation, and age.
Spring is springing along the nature trails at the Bear Center. Hepaticas (Hepatica americanus) and marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) are starting to blossom and small leaves are appearing on many shrubs. Tamaracks (Larix laricina) are showing green. Some aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) are fairly advanced in leafing out while others haven’t started.
Aspens leafing out - April 28, 2012Martyn Stewart arrived today—one of the top nature sound men in the world. He is helping us with sound technology to record sounds for the new Hope Education Building. He will also be supplying sounds of the Northwoods from his huge wildlife sound collection (gratis). His black bear sounds were recorded right here last summer.
Round-lobed hepatica flower - April 28, 2012Jim Stroner arrived this evening. Many of you know him as a photographer, but he’s also an engineer and has helped elevate our research technology to a new plateau. He delivered additional GPS units so we have spares. The bears are just a bit rough on them.
Marsh Marigold - April 28, 2012
The list of 250 volunteers is too long to thank in one update, but the moderators (mods) who have stepped up with double shifts to cover Lily’s Facebook page and the Pond Chat deserve a double “Thank you!” The mods hold Lily Fans together and create the pleasant environment that characterizes the group as a whole. Between the mods and the Bear Fun and Facts group, we’re hearing many words of praise for the fun happening online among Lily’s Fans. If you're interested in joining our team of mods, job descriptions and the Volunteer Application are posted at http://www.bear.org/website/volunteer.html.
Jewel foraging - April 28, 2012In addition to the $400,000 an anonymous family pledged for the Hope Education Building, Lily Fans contributed $120,000 for it—much of that during GiveMN this past November 16. We are very grateful. You are helping create a legacy for Lily, Hope, and the other bears that have become catalysts for a worldwide educational effort. The local Wells Fargo bank has promised a loan of $380,000 to complete the building and make it an educational facility. We hope to avoid the loan and put money into education instead. So when the technical difficulties with the thermometer on bear.org are solved, it will show over $520,000 contributed with less than $380,000 to go to.
Thank you for all you are doing toward the building and worldwide education, including the Speakers Bureau that is gaining momentum.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center