ChickadeeOn this day of writing, the entertainment was out the window. A gray jay was busy all day filling its beak with suet and flying off to glue it to branches with its special saliva for winter. Gray jays are noted for their willingness to tame down and sit on a hand, but I’ve never seen that here. While some of the chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches have done that, gray jays have remained wary.
Red SquirrelBlack-capped chickadees were busy at the piles of sunflower seed hearts, flying off with one or two seeds to a branch where they hold a seed tight to a branch with a foot as they peck tiny pieces from it.
A red squirrel that let me look over its shoulder showed me that they don’t always grab just one sunflower seed at a time, they can grab handfuls.
Gray JayThank you again for GiveMN. I’ve heard stories of last minute donations, difficulties donating, and the efforts some made. Many thanks. We’ll appreciate every dollar and spend them frugally to further bear education. I’ve never experienced anything like Lily Fans—all started by one young mother and her lone cub.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center