Megan's Nature Nook
Nature Notes, Phenology, Photography, Fun Facts, Trips, Maybe Even a Bad Joke or Two... and More!
Snow is melting, Pasque flowers are blooming, and birds are singing – all signs of Spring! Many birds have started their spring migration and some males have started staking out territories. We even have a few hearty birds here in Minnesota that despite the snow and freezing temperatures have already laid eggs, and some eggs have hatched!
One of our early nesters is the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). They will work on building their nest January – March depending on when they get back from their wintering grounds (if they left). Often times they will build upon the same nest year after year. Nests are usually 5-8 feet in diameter and 2-4 feet tall made of sticks and lined with softer materials. The Raptor Resource Project has an Eagle Cam in Decorah, Iowa. I had heard of it before, but hadn’t watched it very much. This year I’ve been checking in and have it up on my computer more often. It is really neat to have a glimpse into the lives of the eagles, and soon there will be chicks to watch! You can watch the Eagle Cam by clicking on this link. They have a few cameras set up for different views, and can also zoom in and pan so they best viewing opportunity is always shown. Also, check out the other interesting information on their site! There is a video you can watch to tell the difference between the male and female on the nest. For updates you can like their facebook page Raptor Resource Project. As I am writing this, the first egg is pipping. Which means the chick is working its way out! 2018 Decorah Eagle’s Nesting Record Egg #1 Laid: 2/21/18 Egg #2 Laid: 2/24/18 Egg #3 Laid: 2/28/18 Incubation is 34-36 days with a nestling period of 56-98 days. Enjoy watching the eagles and see how fast the chicks grow once hatched! Other Eagle Cam’s to check out: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Nongame Wildlife Program Eagle Cam Minnesota Bound Eagle Cam
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This winter I’ve been seeing lots of Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) tracks, and even spotted a few opossums, too! Opossums usually get a bad rap because people view them as bad and pest, when actually they are quite the opposite! Although they may not be the cutest to some, they actually are pretty awesome and important creatures! Here are a few quick facts about the Virginia Opossum:
Aren’t Opossums interesting? I bet you didn’t know a creature that we don’t see very often could have so many interesting things to know about it. And contrary to popular belief, they aren’t pests. They do quite a good job of minding their own business and helping us out in the dark hours of the night by taking care of yard and garden pests and helping to disperse the seeds they eat. Maybe they aren’t the cutest of critters, but they are awesome opossums and play an important role in the environment! If you thought these points were interesting, I encourage you to do more research about Opossums. There are plenty more fascinating facts about them to read! Also, check out: Opossum Awareness & Advocacy With warmer temperatures and Spring on the way, it’s a good time of year to keep your eyes open for Snow Fleas! Wait, what? There’s fleas in the snow?! Have no fear, they are not actually fleas at all, but you do find them on the snow. Snow Fleas, sometimes called Springtails, look like pepper flakes or flecks of dirt sprinkled on the snow. They can be seen on warm winter days, usually around vegetation, or at the base of a tree where some of the snow has melted away. They are present year-round, but easier to see against the white snow than the brown ground of warmer seasons. They can be found where there is leaf litter, moist soil, in compost heaps, and on the surface of water and snow. They play a big role in nature’s recycling program, decomposing decaying organic matter and eating spores of mold and mildews. Snow fleas are not actually fleas, or even insects, they are hexapods. They get their name “Snow Flea” because they can jump like fleas; but unlike fleas, they can’t jump with their legs. They jump using a tail-like appendage, called a furcula, that they tuck under their abdomen. When the furcula unfolds, it flings the snow flea. They can’t control where they “jump” to, so they just land where ever. If you see snow fleas, take some time to watch and see them jumping around.
Since Snow Fleas are present and active year-round, how do they keep from freezing during our cold Minnesota winters? Snow Fleas have a glycine-rich antifreeze protein that binds to ice crystals when they begin to form preventing them from getting any bigger and preventing the Snow Flea from freezing. Research has even been done seeing if this protein could be used in the preservation of organs used for human transplants. Next time you’re out on a nice winter hike, look closely at the snow. You may be lucky enough to see some Snow Fleas! Thank you to my friend and blog reader, Art Schilling, for sending me pictures of Snow Fleas earlier this winter and requesting a blog post about them! This weekend, the 16th Annual International Festival of Owls was held in South Eastern Minnesota in the small town of Houston. The International Festival of Owls is a fundraiser for the International Owl Center and the Center’s biggest event of the year. It is a three-day event held each year the first weekend in March. The festival started in 2003 as a “Hatch Day Party” (birthday party) for Alice the Great Horned Owl who lived at the Houston Nature Center as an education bird. The festival grew in popularity and people from all over the country and world started coming. The festival was run by the Houston Nature Center until 2015 when the International Owl Center took it over. The Owl Center was an outgrowth of the festival. Alice turned 21 this year and is now semi-retired and living at the Owl Center. They have the festival the first weekend in March because that is about the time of year when Alice hatched. We decided to go down on Saturday since it was the day with the most activities going on. You can see a schedule of their event from this year here. Some events going on:
My owl had eaten half a rat and I got the bottom half in my pellet! An owl pellet is not owl poop. They often eat their prey whole, and are unable to digest parts like feathers, fur, and bones. Since they cannot digest those parts, they spit them up in a perfectly packages pellet. You can dissect an owl pellet to find out what they have been eating. There was plenty to do, but enough time so you didn’t feel rushed doing everything. It was also nice to see the whole town of Houston get involved. Barista's Coffee House had owl themed drinks, and Carlson's Roasting Company had owl themed mini donuts! Along with other things throughout town, too. Overall, we had an Owl-some day! It was fun to see the owls, learn some new facts, and participate in the owl-themed activities. Being a nature enthusiast myself, it was fun to see so many others interested and excited about owls.
Since the 2018 festivities wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, mark your calendars for the first weekend in March 2019! It was definitely a fun way to spend our Saturday. For more information about the International Festival of Owls, visit their website: www.festivalofowls.com It has been a while since I've done a book review, although I've been busy reading other things! Kenny Salwey grew up in Buffalo City, Wisconsin and spent the rest of his life in the Driftless area of Wisconsin. Kenny is a “River Rat” who spends most of his time in the marshy area of the backwaters of the Mississippi. He knows how to live off the land and enjoy all the little things in life. Like the sweet smells in nature, beautiful bird calls, and the colors of the trout he catches. Kenny Salwey's Tales of a River Rat: Adventures Along The Wild Mississippi is one of Salwey’s books where he shares short stories about his adventures in the Swamp, poems, and songs. He shares stories about fishing, his dogs, and cattle that got loose in the Swamp. Tales of a River Rat is a fun, quick read that will make you feel more connected to nature. If you enjoy spending time in nature you'll enjoy this book. If you like this one, Salwey has a few other books about his adventures. Grab your book, a warm blanket, and sit by the window to watch some wildlife as you read Salwey’s stories. I gave Kenny Salwey's Tales of a River Rat 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, rating it as "Really liked it." Click here for more information about the book. |
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