Crow with peanuts to himselfHolly responded to Ted’s pleasant grunts and tongue clicks today as long as she felt she was in control of his access to her. Ted licked Holly’s face, and I think she did the same to him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YKzPHlmcs. They are becoming friends.
This tribute to all the volunteers was fittingly done by volunteers. It is just another example of something we could not have done without volunteers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H79_x4qmCA.
Moe and Heidi, two of the people in the above video, were interviewed (18 minutes) by Director Scott Edgett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScmLyDIFOhw.
Ring-necked duck pairOn the way to the WRI this morning, Robinson Lake (usually the second lake to open near here) had four kinds of waterfowl. All ignored cars whizzing by on Highway 169 ten feet from the lake, but a van slowing down for pictures caught their attention. An exception was a hooded merganser pair that ignored me as the male chased off a rival and the female watched the fracas.
A pied-billed grebe in full mating plumage with the ring on the bill and the black chin was alone.
On Trygg road, a flock of 7 red crossbills, including juveniles, were the most I’ve ever seen together.
At WRI, a female downy woodpecker drummed repeatedly on a resonant dead branch.
Out the window, the crow that ignores me as I sit and type preferred peanuts in the shell over sunflower seeds without shells. He had them all to himself because none of the other crows will come when I’m there. The two herring gulls that got used to seeing me in the window last year are back again—both beautiful as they come in to land 10 feet away.
 |
 |
 |
| The chase is on! | He gets away | Pied-billed Grebe waits for his mate |
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.