Today turned into a blowing blizzard. Deer that came in with snow on their backs and heads as it started disappeared when it got bad. From what I remember from walking with deer back in the 1970’s, 
Woods lake in snowthey probably went to bed down in dense shelter. Here in the northwoods, that’s often a cedar swamp or a dense balsam fir thicket. With sunflower seed hearts being covered up with snow as fast as I put them out, black-capped chickadees streamed to the suet where we don’t usually see them. Red squirrels burrowed into snow for seeds.
Red squirrelAt the Bear Center, a Lily Fan caught two more videos, one 7 ½ minutes https://youtu.be/S1zmq2z4-RQ and the other 5 https://youtu.be/DYxdc4nAZgk. Could it be that Lucky keeps a little distance from Holly because she is so often moving to find or swat at Vinnie?
Deer in snowDo you know of a student in an animal or environmental field of study? Now is when students often begin planning for summer/fall internships. Can you let them know about the Bear Center internship program. We can’t imagine a better, more varied learning opportunity. We want them to learn all they can. Past interns have had wonderful things to say about their experiences and all they learned and how they changed their view of bears. That’s what we want them to take away—firsthand experience and the ability to communicate it. 
Chickadee on suetWe love seeing inexperienced students turn into confident, committed young adults who surprise themselves with their ability to work as a team sharing what they know with visitors or using the microphone to share with people around the world as part of our Worldwide Podcasts. At other times they are absorbing bear behavior, personalities, dietary needs, etc., or learning the personalities of wild bears under the guidance of some of the most experienced people in the world. We want interns to get as much experience as possible so they can become the best voices for bears after they leave. The internship program provides experience that will enhance a resume for future internships or a job. The Bear Center provides $1,200 per intern to defray their expenses.
Contact Judy Thon at
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center