Cold, Ted, and Happy New Year - UPDATE December 31, 2017
With the Ely Airport claiming minus 33°F this morning, birds were fluffing their feathers and had bits of frost by their eyes. They looked uncomfortable as they were foraging for seeds then stopping to fluff their feathers.
Ten deer gathered and competed for a hundred pounds of corn in addition to the date mash. Broken Antler was especially frisky trying to run off deer that quickly circled back. To threaten the deer he lowered his head and moved it, brandishing his antler. Does competed by standing up and striking out with their hooves. Neither Broken Antler nor any of the does made contact. Ravens can be half tame in Ely but one of the wariest birds in the woods. It was interesting to see one ignore a passing deer.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OiYbwRCNjs.
Ted is ending the year with a lot of straw and is moving it around to find the best places for it.Hampered here by computer problems that prevent access to the servers. Hoping for help from the server manufacturer at some point soon now after the holidays.
Looking forward to the New Year and all we hope to accomplish for bears.
Happy New Year to all of you.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center