Wednesday, December 29, 2010

We are not alone



Looking at the windblown snow is fascinating as my mind wanders looking at the seemingly random lines and shapes. Yesterday I was looking at much more specific shapes, tracks made in the woods. Winter allows us to see our neighbors: wolves, otters, bobcats, and the ubiquitous deer. I wandered through Fish Lake Natural Area, west of Hickerson Rd, and came across both bobcat and wolf tracks in the woods, a humbling experience while wandering through the dense brush.

As I review the blog statistics for 2010 I also realize we are not alone in cyberspace. There were over 1360 new visits from people in 38 states at the blog this year. The vast majority were from MInnesota and Wisconsin, Illinois was a distant third place in visitation. A total of 3880 visits were recorded on the blog. This blog was created by Kathy J. and it has been a great outlet for me to share Crex.

We thank you for reading.
Dale

Thursday, December 16, 2010

New addition to Crex



I got to meet the new Crex educational Screech Owl today in between programs that Ali Thomas was giving to Grantsburg school children. This little owl acquired West Nile Virus as a hatching and as a result she's flightless. She never lost her down feathers until she was 2 years old and by the time her flight feathers finally came in her pectoral muscles were not strong enough to allow for flight.
She came from the Raptor Education Group, Inc. (REGI) in Antigo, WI. and is now being kept by Mary Wicklund.  She will be a valuable addition to the educational program at Crex.
Click here to learn more about the Eastern Screech Owl

Kathy J.


 
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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Last Stolte Drive?



Red Breasted Nuthatch





I drove Stolte Rd yesterday looking for tracks and the northern hawk owl that visited last year. It was not around but who knows, it might return. The tracks on the road were surprising! A pack or three coyotes were hunting along the road all the way to Dueholm. No wolf tracks were seen. With the number of coyotes I wonder if the wolf pair is spending time elsewhere. They seemed to be moving along at a leisurely pace. While snowshoeing later in the day Sandi and I found a wintering hole of either a fox of coyote. A camera trap is planned to identify the owner. This morning's storm may put an end to leisurely driving on Stolte since it is not plowed north of the Dueholm overlook.
Dale

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Wandering Bear



This young bear came through Crex this spring. I have been trying to find its origin since photographing it. No one in MN or WI is missing a bear except maybe Fort Ripley in MN. The researcher there was missing a couple collared bears when I talked to him this summer. If this is a Wisconsin bear it might come Stevens Point or from a research project that is no longer operational. Dave MacFarland who leads the bear studies in Wisconsin has seen the photos and talked to researchers but has had no luck identifying the collared bear's researcher. That leaves the likelihood that it may have wandered 90 air miles to Crex from Ft. Ripley.

Perhaps it will be around next year or the collar will be found.
Dale

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Wolves and Deer




I have been watching this doe and 2 fawns for the last six months on a trail cam positioned at a wolf scent marking location. On multiple occasions the deer and wolves pass the camera within hours of each other. A red fox has also had the audacity to leave its mark at the scent post, a very brave guy given wolves known antagonism toward foxes. Because of the recent freezing rain the camera was covered in ice and had to be pulled for a few days. Wolves are now patrolling the roads and two were seen this week on Hickerson Rd. on Fish Lake Wildlife Area.

With the onset of winter and conclusion of hunting season I hope to place cameras at various locations with the goal of getting new species such as a bobcat and better fisher images (if only they would hold still).
Dale

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A hint of the sun

I spent yesterday afternoon in the Amsterdam Sough area where a local trapper was setting traps for mink and fisher. As a visitor to the area I forget the economic resource Crex properties are to many residents. This gentleman had memories of trapping beaver through the winter for the pelts and to help feed his family of six. He commented on the high cost of gas and how it cuts into his profit margin. Thank goodness I don't have to worry about my photography profit margin.

With the overcast light black and white images were the only photo opportunities and I stopped several times to create various compositions of the pines and snow.


On the way back to the cabin there was about 15 minutes of sweet light, just enough to remember what the sun looks like and get a couple shots.

Dale

Friday, November 26, 2010

First Snowfall


I happened to be in the blind on the morning of the first heavy snow two weeks ago. It wasn't so cold as it was wet. The cranes were very quiet and until the blastoff I had no idea there were so many. They milled around in the air and did not leave the roost during the time I watched them. It's hard to believe the first snowfall was only 2 weeks ago.
Dale

Monday, November 15, 2010

A new wolf pack

Last week a new pack arrived at the scent post. A pack of seven wolves that had not previously been seen arrived in force. What happened to the other pack? The black wolf of the previous pack was euthanized a couple weeks ago because of blindness and close human contact. At this point it is not known whether a necropsy will be done. The wolf encyclopedia by Mech, et al lists blastomycosis as a cause of blindness. Given the appearance of the animal over the summer months this may very well be the case, if it is this is an isolated illness which probably will not affect the pack.

Did 7 new animals arrive? I don't think so, my guess is when the previous pack of 4 lost a member it was unable to defend its territory and two of the members joined a pack of five led by the mottled alpha male. This would account for the bewildered appearing previous alpha appearing at the scent post the day after the new pack left its calling card; pure speculation of course.

The wolf survey this winter could be interesting if the pack stays in the area.
Dale

Friday, November 12, 2010

More on the Trumpeter Swan

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has posted a blog about the injured swan. There is a link to a video on their blog showing the swan release at Fish Lake. I'm happy to report that as of this afternoon (Nov. 12th), the swan is still at Fish Lake and doing fine although he has not been reunited with his mate yet.
WRC blog


Hopefully this will happen soon.
Kathy J.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Swan shooting at Fish Lake


I have never been known for my writing skills but I will attempt to tell this story of a successful wildlife rescue.
Late Friday afternoon, Oct. 29th, Mary Wicklund, our local and truly dedicated and caring wildlife rescuer, received a call from a local hunter that he had seen an injured and bloodied  collared Trumpeter Swan on North Dike in the Fish Lake Wildlife Area. An attempt was then made to capture it but due to the ability of the swan to still fly short distances and the approaching darkness, the rescue attempt was called off. The calls went out and a time was set up for 10 AM Saturday morning to meet up at North Dike flowage on Fish Lake Rd, to attempt another rescue. Mary and her husband Donny pulled up with their kayaks, canoe and large fish nets. Chris Spaight, our local game warden interrupted his vacation and came out with his wife and young son. Steve Hoffman, the Crex Wildlife Biologist came.  Barry Wallace came all the way from Hudson  (Barry is the “Swan Man” from Hudson akin to the “Swan Lady” of Monticello ). Dave Roelfs, myself and a few other bystanders were also there.
After spotting a collared swan lying in the grasses a fair distance out, waders were donned, the strategy was planned and big fish nets were handed out to Dave and I. We had it easy. Our job was try and net the swan should it try to get across the road thus preventing if from getting into the water on the other side of the road.  Soon 4 kayaks and a canoe were launched into the flowage. The strategy is to make a large circle around the swan  and slowly close the circle at the same time cutting off access to other areas of the flowage. This is not as easy as it sounds as sedges and grasses must be maneuvered around, over or through.  Soon the kayaks were speeding off and shortly most were not even visible from the road. Slowly they started making the circle smaller and by this time the swan knew something was going on and started swimming back deeper into the flowage but was cut off and flew back towards the road. It was at this time that I noticed the bloodied right wing through my camera lens and realized the extent of the injury. Now a young man standing on the road grabbed an extra kayak off the trailer, donned a life preserver and joined in.  Several times the swan was surrounded and would fly a short distance away from the kayaks but with each flight you could tell it was becoming weaker and weaker. In the meantime the injured swan’s mate was flying in circles overhead probably not understanding that everyone was there trying to help it's mate.  At this point the swan was so exhausted it couldn’t fly anymore.  The rescuers surrounded it but weak as it was it still evaded several attempts to catch it. Finally Donny caught it and handed it off to Steve. The interesting thing about swans is that the majority of times,  as soon as they feel a hand around their necks, they become completely docile and make no further attempts to escape.  The swan was brought into shore and Mary carried it up to the road and set it on the side of the road while Donny ran to the truck to get the transport crate. The swan laid it’s head on the ground and there were fears at this time that he might not make it.  He was put into the crate and Barry brought it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville, MN.  Chris was pretty sure it was a shotgun injury and this was confirmed by the vet at WRC in a call to Mary later that day. They found 2 pellets in the swan. One in the soft tissue in it’s right elbow and another pellet was lodged in it’s abdomen. It appeared as if another pellet had gone through it’s body and out his back causing a lot of blood loss. They said they would not try to remove the pellets as it would probably cause more damage. Now the good news….the swan should recover. They plan on keeping it for a couple of weeks to allow the swelling to go down in it’s elbow and allow it to recover from the blood loss. In addition, tests showed it was lead free which is also excellent news.

Now on to the question of how or why this swan was shot. Was it an accident? Was it deliberately shot?  If it was accidental, an ethical hunter would have reported it. We will probably never know but hopefully the investigation will result in an arrest and conviction. Many thanks to "Sammy" the hunter that reported this.

Kathy J.
(double click on all photos to enlarge)








Donny Wicklund ready with the net.


Steve Hoffman bringing the swan in to shore.


Mary Wicklund carefully transferring the swan from the kayak to land.

03A was hatched in Totogatic Lake in Bayfield County in 2003. He is the male of a breeding pair that have been nesting on North Dike for the last few years. He will be returned to North Dike where his mate is waiting. Hopefully he will recover completely and will return next spring to sire many little cygnets.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Blind Intact

I was relieved to find my photo blind completely intact yesterday. It is still out in the elements at a new location. At some point there will be a video entitled " A day in the life of a sandhill". One of the hardest behaviors to film is the warm up exercises done at dawn. This is in addition to the always present challenge of getting up close and personal. By the time I get back to the cabin tonight I will have spent about 8 hours in the blind since yesterday; not very exciting.

This is footage from September

Dale

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Crossed fingers


I put a blind on the edge of a crane roosting site last week and had some good action the first night but not much the second night. It took about 20 minutes to walk a quarter mile through brush and knee deep water to place the blind so I thought I would leave the tent blind out and use again in a couple weeks, not anticipating the current storm. It is tied to a couple bushes so it may only be shredded. Every time a wind gust hits the windows here in southern Minnesota I can see the blind being whipped.
Dale

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The last bright colors


The brilliant aspen, maples, and oaks have given way to the pastel colors of late autumn, only the bright tamarack colors remain. However, most people are looking for the brilliant red and flat gray of the sandhills at this time of year. Roads are congested with travelers from all over the world, the cranes are a major attraction for tourists and photographers. The best viewing is on Grettum Dike Road since more birds are on Fish Lake WMA this year than on Crex Meadows. This presents a great opportunity to see another wildlife area that is best known for its prairie wildflowers. If you get a chance drive Hickerson Road or Stolte Road.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Where are the cranes?


This October the cranes are really spread out and it's hard to find a consistent location, except the corn fields, to view and photograph them. They seem to move roost sites frequently. Flight photography is best on East Refuge Rd. as they fly in and out of the Refuge. Grettum has the highest numbers and either parking lot along 87 or near the lone oak along Grettum Rd. are good spots to get a few flight shots.

Flocks of ducks are starting to show up and I expect the crane numbers to dramatically increase over the next couple weeks. Corn harvest south of Grantsburg will give better viewing of flight paths to and from the Refuge. The dispersion of the flocks is good for the cranes but frustrating for us.
Dale

Friday, September 24, 2010

Changing Colors

We had to get out yesterday afternoon despite the rain. The colors are changing and the rain was not going to stop us, unfortunately it really started raining while we were out. The maples will be at peak in a few days. Currently County Road O has good color along it. Prairie grasses look great with the muted color of asters mixed with the big blue stem. With today's wind the ducks should blow in soon. Cranes are here, my guess is a thousand or so.

This was the best way to take in the fall colors yesterday.
Dale

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

September Blues


The pinks of early summer have transitioned to the yellows of mid summer and now the blues of September signal the coming burst of fall color. The gentian family, like this closed (bottle) gentian, has three members on Crex or Fish Lake. This one can only be opened by a strong insect like a bumble bee. On the other hand, the prairie gentian opens and closes depending on the cloud cover during the day. Like all prairie plants they have medicinal uses in the past. It is amazing what people have tried for various ailments. The roots of this were thought to aid digestion.
Dale

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Wolf Howl

About 25 people showed up to go on the "Wolf Howl" last night.  As you can see, the Wheeler family was dressed appropriately for the occasion. After a presentation at the visitor center by Steve Hoffman with a slide show of the different wolves captured by Dale Bohlke's trail cam, we all carpooled out to the Meadows. Although we had experienced howlers, the wolves were not co-operating. We stopped at several spots around the refuge and listened intently but no wolves answered back.  The evening was not a disappointment though as it was a beautiful, mosquito free night. Especially memorable was the cloudless view of the sky from Riegel Overlook.  We stood silently and took in the beauty of the evening stars and watched in awe as several meteors streaked across the sky.

Afterwards we went to the rest area where a bonfire was going.  We roasted marshmallows and made S'mores. The end to another great evening at Crex. Many thanks to the Crex staff for organizing another enjoyable event at Crex. 
   

Friday, August 20, 2010

Mushroom Time



Another 2+ inches of rain today, on top of 4" last week. The wetlands are indeed wet with the crew checking the dikes for any problems. Between showers today I went looking for mushrooms. Hot, wet, and dark equal perfect mushroom weather and habitat. I'll let people smarter than me identify them, I just like to photograph them. The common white ones were developed using HDR techniques to preserve the detail in the caps.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Starry, starry night


We went looking for the aurora borealis last week and didn't see it but I decided to try some light painting while waiting. The sky was star filled otherwise completely black and quiet.
Dale

Friday, July 30, 2010

Recent Wolf Images







The scent post trail cam was checked after a month with several interesting captures of wolves, cranes, and deer. Two wolves came through during daylight and their summer coat is a marked contrast to the winter one. A pair of them marked the scent post one night. This pair wolves firmly established their territory by marking this small oak bush. The sequence is interesting with what appears to be the female waiting for the male to mark first; age before beauty? I don't know enough about wolf behavior to interpret this behavior. My style is to shoot first and ask questions later. For the last several months only 3 wolves were beeing seen in the pack and it appears the pack is back to four animals: a brown, a black, and two grays. If there are pups maybe they will be brought to the scent post for a portrait shoot.
Dale

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Butterfly Battles


Several species of butterflies were jockeying for position on this fox scat a few weeks ago. It was a quiet morning and after laying down near the scat for a few minutes the butterflies became very active and tolerant of the camera. This footage was taken on the same day as the previous still images.
Dale

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Skipper Behavior



I recently did some dusty belly photography on the Corduroy Dike until a car came along and stopped the fun. Several butterflies were busy at fox scat and this an image shows a skipper depositing a drop of water and then using its proboscis to collect the nutrients in solution. A connection between a red fox and skipper butterfly seems impossible until you see something like this; another example of the complexity of nature.
Dale

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Nature's Bounty


While roaming the Meadows last week I found a patch of blueberries already ripening so my husband and I went "pickin" this morning. Thank goodness there was a strong wind as it kept all the bugs away. Just watch out for the Poison Ivy that seems to be mixed in among the blueberries.
Kathy J.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Wood Lily Field


There is a field of wood lilies in bloom along County Rd O, more lilies than I have ever seen in one place. This is wildflower season with a rainbow of color on the prairie, including a few late blooming lupine.
Dale

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Corduroy Dike Evening


Five inches of rain within the last two weeks have put the water levels higher than they have been for years. It will be hard for the migrating shorebirds to find mud but the ducks may be stop by in numbers we haven't seen for awhile. Butterflies and prairie flowers are now taking front stage. Mosquitoes and flies are doing well. This is one of the most colorful times of the year. Summer is a great time to get out of the car and stroll the prairie. Sometimes watching a single flower is amazing as butterflies and insects visit it. It's time to enjoy the small wonders of the world.
Dale

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Mystery solved...

I got an email back with info on the Sandhill Crane with leg bands. How exciting to get news like this.
Kathy;
Thank you so much for forwarding this observation on to us!  I remember this bird very well....
Our team from ICF was at Crex in the summer of 2007 banding chicks for a project by a colleague, Matt Hayes, who is currently working up his PhD at the UW-Madison. He is looking at the dispersal of Sandhills in the upper Midwest, and these birds were part of the genetic component of that question. So - the bands may look worn, but they are only 3 years old! That glorious brown mud that has stained the feathers of this bird has gotten the bands as well. I've attached a picture of one of these bands, how it SHOULD look!
When we found this family group on 14 July, just east of County Rd F north of the headquarters, it was well out into the wetland.  We thought we would try and sneak up on them anyway... well, our team ended up chasing that poor chick for a half hour before it was finally in hand! We quickly banded, measured, obtained a blood sample (it turned out to be a male) and released it to waiting parents. It is simply priceless to see evidence that it is not only alive and well, but likely near its natal area.  Could you provide coordinates or other description of where you observed this bird?  It may even be a paired, breeding bird. On that same trip we also caught birds in Amsterdam Slough and Fish Lake areas; All have the red number band, plus the one inch color/US Fish & Wildlife silver band combination. Do let us know if you happen to see more!
Such great information; thank you so much. 

Sincerely,

Anne Lacy
Long Term Crane Research Coordinator

International Crane Foundation
E-11376 Shady Lane Road   P.O. Box 447
Baraboo, WI 53913-0447 USA
608-356-9462 x146 / Fax: 608-356-9465

Visit our website! www.savingcranes.org
 
"Working worldwide to conserve cranes and the wetland, grassland, and other ecosystems upon which they depend." 
 
 

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Sandhill Crane bands

Of all the thousands of Sandhill Cranes I have seen over the years, I have never noticed one with leg bands until today. I was driving down Main Dike Road and about 1 mile before James Road, a crane flew out of the deep woods right in front of my car. It landed on the other side of the road and I could see it was being harassed by deerflies. I started taking photos as it walked away and it was then that I noticed it had leg bands on both legs. Unfortunately, I couldn't read any of the numbers but I have reported it to an email address I found on the internet (savingcranes.org).
I'll report any information I get back from them.
Kathy J.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Storm Clouds


I'm experimenting with time lapse video and last Thursday's storm gave me the perfect opportunity to try it. An intervalometer that allows me to set the interval between shots on the DSLR arrived last week and I was anxious to use it. Video is played at 30 frames per second so at least 300 frames are needed for 10 seconds of viewing. Doing the math, 30 second intervals is a time lapse of 2 1/2 hours. This video was captured over about 45 minutes. Experience will eventually determine the best interval for each subject. The Animal Planet series "Life" is the inspiration for this, especially the plant segment in which they compressed a whole growing season into 10 seconds. That 10 seconds took two years to build, more energy than I plan to expend.

The storm looked too threatening in the house and I went into the prairie for better visibility and to get away from it although Sandi says it was just an excuse to play with a new toy.
Dale

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Cranes and Wolves


I have had a camera at this scent post for about a year and a variety of species have been recorded. This is an interesting reaction from the cranes to the wolf scent. I would like to thank the photographer who did not bother another camera trap that was set up on Crex. That location has been good for bears this spring. Since it's Father's Day, I'm hoping for Obsession cologne. Check out this link: Cat Attractant

It's about six weeks until the Third Annual Crex Photo Seminar which has a theme this year of Creative Nature Photography. Another speaker has been added to the already diverse group of presenters. Kyle Krohn from West Photo will be here to answer equipment questions and show a selection of products. Check the Crex website if you are interested.
Dale

Friday, June 11, 2010

Swans in the rain

Z72 with his mate and 3 cygnets

From the information I have, Z72 is a male that was hatched at Grettum Flowage at Fish Lake Wildlife Area in 2003.
Originally this pair had 5 cygnets when I first spotted them on May 18th. This video was taken June 5th so they've lost 2 cygnets. It's a tough world out there.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bear Strolling

This guy was peacefully ambling along last Saturday morning. I'll let you in on a videographer's secret. The original audio was unusable because of my panting after running 200 yards across the prairie, carrying the camera and tripod, to get in front of him. As he headed away from me the camera battery died. This was edited from about a minute of raw footage.

I have a collared bear captured on the trail cam that I am trying to get info on and can't wait to post it with the details. This has been a good year to see bears.
Dale

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Killdeer Family

I have been watching this nest for the last several weeks and happened to be on hand the day the eggs hatched. I came back the next day in morning light to film them. These offspring are about a day old and ready to fend for themselves but still like to stay warm under mother's wing. Does this sound familiar?
Dale

Monday, May 31, 2010

Phantom Lake Sunset

We had a very successful basic DSLR class on Saturday and finished the day watching sunset at Phantom Lake. It was great to see young faces learning the basics of photography. With nearly one on one instruction from photo club members the students received individual attention. From an instructor's viewpoint it was great to see the light bulb of understanding switch on several times. There is a fall class tentatively scheduled for the first weekend in October.
Dale

Friday, May 28, 2010

Morning Stroll

At some point I realized this skunk was within my comfort zone and there was nothing to do but remain motionless. The closer it came the more my attention became focused on its tail. At some point it must have been aware of me but decided I was not a threat.
Dale

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Mating Osprey

This nest is in a remote area and I've been watching it for the last several weeks,setting up a tent blind about a week ago. On the first evening in the blind this pair arrived within minutes of getting situated. I was hoping for nice warm light but had to settle for overcast.
Dale


Monday, May 17, 2010

Franklin's Update


This guy is getting harder to see and seems to be spending more time in the brush prairie. A couple mornings he has crossed the road at 9 AM and I have been lucky enough to see him. The first time he went between my tripod legs and I didn't work the camera well enough to capture him. His range is at least 250 yards from the where he is first seen and when I lose him. Except when he is in the open he is very tolerant as long as there is no sudden movement. Moving on to other subjects, he has had enough of my attention.
Dale

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Trail Cam Surprise


My weekly card exchange on the trail cams had the expected wolves and this cat. There were bobcat tracks at the rest area a year ago but I think this is one of the few images of one. It posed for 5 seconds and moved on. It's a nice to see one passing through, a breeding pair to add to the nearly complete Crex ecosystem would be even better. However, birders may not be too excited to have another nest predator.
Dale

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day


This was taken last week and it seems to fit with today. Perhaps the young will be around later and I can see the results of this mother's careful settling in on her nest. I marvel at the seemingly random placement of killdeer nests, most must be successful given the large number of adults seen throughout the year.
Dale

Friday, May 7, 2010

Wild Edibles at Crex

Ali Corde put on a great program at Crex last Tuesday with samples of some of the wild edible plants available at Crex including: dandelion greens salad,  dandelion flower fritters, dandelion creamed greens, cattail shoots, popped wild rice, fern fiddleheads and pine needle tea. Everything was delicious.  Many thanks to Ali for going through all the trouble she did to collect everything and to the staff that helped her prepare these things for us.


Kathy J.











After the program we left the visitor center and were treated to an amazing sight of a  double rainbow. I hurried up to Phantom Trail before it disappeared and took this shot. Crex truly is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.