Blue jay with sunflower seedsAt the Bear Center, Randy Herrell is working long hours on the 12-foot by 39-foot habitat he is building to showcase many of the taxidermy items Lily Fans have donated. Years ago, Randy built the beautiful platforms for the taxidermy currently exhibited at the Bear Center and recently he has constructed similar platforms for the moose, caribou, and deer for the Ecology Hall. The habitat he is working on now will be of similar décor. For the kneewall he is leaning over in the pictures, he personally picked out each piece of polished wood for its grain pattern. To help visitors find and identify each taxidermy piece, a push button beside each animal’s name will turn on a light beside the animal.
Deer in drivewayAt the WRI, even though there are no bears, some of the bear food disappears. Today between 7:10 AM and 1:21 PM a steady stream of blue jays, visiting one or two at a time, removed a pound and a quarter of bear food per hour. A quick photo revealed which of the bear foods jays were selecting. They were going for the No. 2 Coarse Sunflower Seeds we put out. The blue jay in the picture has a dark-colored whole sunflower seed and a number of hearts (shells removed) in its beak. We like No. 2 Coarse because most of the shells have been removed, which means less mess when red squirrels or grosbeaks open them up and scatter the shells on the ground. Also, some of the seeds in No. 2 Coarse are broken, making them extra attractive to little goldfinches, purple finches, redpolls, and pine siskins.
Randy building habitat displayIn the driveway, deer were eating roasted, salted sunflower seed hearts we scatter there because bears wouldn’t touch them—at least not when raw No. 2 Coarse were available.
A 10-minute interview about the Bear Center aired today on a Christian Radio Station that broadcasts across northern Minnesota and south central Canada. It is at http://northerncurr.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/the-north-american-bear-center-in-ely/
Randy building displaysYesterday, Attorney David Marshall of Fredrikson and Byron Law Firm in Minneapolis let us know that he and his team filed the legal papers to officially start our appeal. Legal briefs will follow in due course. We’re crossing our fingers for more den cams.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.