Juliet - Aug 26, 2012 Part of this day was spent with the Ely Naturalist Group, wonderful people who love nature and want to learn about it. It was their annual picnic and a chance to explore whether they can help develop exhibits on local nature topics in the Hope Education Building.
Our last Black Bear Field Course group for this year arrived late this afternoon. Four in this group are returnees—3 of the 4 have attended 2 courses previously. We joke about folks having to repeat the course until they ‘pass’—but we know it’s really the bears drawing them back. After supper, we all headed out to change Juliet’s GPS batteries. It was a good demonstration of how we work with these bears and the ‘dance’ we do when the bear we’re working with has cubs.
Ruby-throated hummingbird - Aug 26, 2012As a nature note in this year of scarce bear food, ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are having a problem. The early spring brought on early blooming. That means blooming has ended early, too, leaving hummingbirds to seek more food from feeders as they prepare for migration. We’re seeing an unusual number of hummingbirds at the Wildlife Research Institute feeders this year—mostly females and immatures.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center