Ripples 3/4/2021

Posted on by March 8, 2021

by Kennedy Zittel, Woodland Dunes land management intern

Even though the temperatures will warm soon, as I am writing this, the temperature is hovering at a toasty 7℉ which is the highest it has been for the past few weeks. This cold spell has really had me appreciating warm socks and lots of layers of blankets. Looking outside though, I can’t help but feel sorry for all of the animals out in the freezing cold. Granted, I know that they are well adapted for the weather if they are still here in the winter. In fact, bird’s feathers have amazing insulating capabilities. If you notice birds looking puffed up or a bit fluffier than usual, it is due to them contouring their feathers to create more airspace between their bodies and the outside air. This trapped air acts as insulation for the bird. Sort of like how we put on extra layers of clothes in the winter, each layer puts our bodies further from the cold air, as well as adding more insulation of course. Even though the birds still here are clearly well adapted to surviving the freezing Wisconsin weather, there are ways that we can help them survive and thrive in the winter. 

There are many ways that we can help birds in winter. One thing that I personally think is very important is a water source. Birds technically can use snow as their water source, but the process of converting snow into water uses up a lot of calories that the birds really should be allotting for staying warm. Heated bird baths are a great option for keeping a reliable source of water available for birds when the weather gets below freezing. Placing large rocks in the bird bath will not only give extra standing space for birds to drink from, but also keeps them from attempting to bathe in the water, as you could imagine this weather is no time for an outside shower…Brr! 

Another good way to help birds in winter is to provide them with good quality food. High-energy foods such as black oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanut butter, mealworms, etc. give birds a good boost of energy during the winter. Instead of feeling bad about extra snacking in winter, I like to imagine that it is just our way of trying to give us a good boost of energy on cold winter days too. Scattering seeds in sheltered places will also help birds that are not adventurous enough to want to go eat in the open at bird feeders to get a good meal. Some bird species actually prefer eating in thickets, brambles, brush piles, and other secure areas. I know here at Woodland Dunes, when we put seed out under the ninebark shrubs the Juncos and Tree Sparrows happily choose that location to feed rather than at the bird feeders. 

Providing roosting boxes or natural plant coverage like a brush pile, old christmas tree, etc. can help birds by providing shelter from the cold weather but also can help protect them from natural predators. Placing wood shavings, dry grass, and other nesting materials in the roosting boxes and houses can help keep birds warm, similar to how we would want to sleep under the covers on cold winter nights. Looking outside, the birds seem to be oblivious to the cold as they sing their songs and eat at the feeders. Though I still do feel a bit sorry for them all sitting out there when the temperature is this cold…I can’t help but also be a bit envious. The birds are out there enjoying nature with the happiest of attitudes, whereas when it gets this cold I usually require many layers and some good persuasion to make me want to go outside!

photo- northern cardinal from US Fish and Wildlife Service

Ripples 2/26/21

Posted on by February 26, 2021

Spring has arrived in our Lakeshore, even though just a week ago temperatures were below zero.  Days are longer, the sun is higher in the sky, and all around us wildlife is responding.  A few robins and red-winged blackbirds stayed for the winter, finding sheltered places and enough food to get by- they will soon be joined by their brethren who have found their way north on their journey to summer homes.  Canada geese have returned to the still-frozen marsh at Woodland Dunes to wait in pairs for the ice to melt and the nesting season to begin.  Out on rural roads, horned larks wait on the shoulders, ready to nest when the snow melts.  Great horned owls are already incubating eggs, and bald eagles will be close behind them.  Foxes and coyotes are readying their dens for the pups that will be born in a few weeks.  While the weather forecaster talks in terms of astronomical spring, biological spring is already in full swing by the first of March, but its only just the beginning.

Far to the south, birds, and butterflies for that matter, are beginning to stir.  In Mexico the monarchs are coming out of their winter sleep and will soon make their way north to Texas and similar latitudes.  It will be three months before their offspring reach our area.   Purple martins and other birds which lounge in the tropics during winter are beginning to work their way north, at least a few of them.  Just to our south, sandhill cranes, woodcock, and killdeer are all becoming agitated, and ready to move as soon as conditions allow.  

In the forest, the first signs of spring may take some effort to detect- taps are being placed to capture maple sap, and beneath the snow unearthly skunk cabbage flowers are forming and will soon bloom.  The footprints left behind late-season hikers fill with tiny snow fleas as they become more active in the leaf litter- but they are fleas in name only- really they are springtails,  and won’t infest our canine friends.  Willow catkins will swell before opening later in the month- their pollen feeding the earliest emerging bumblebees.  

Soon our world will become so much more diverse in wildlife species, and nature watching all the more enjoyable.  At this time, the change in season is subtle but undeniable.  Taking a few moments to appreciate the progression of spring adds much to our lives and our well-being, and gives us hope for the future.

photo- a snow flea, by Daniel Tompkins 

Ripples 2/18/21

Posted on by February 18, 2021

Ripples from the Dunes by Jessica Johnsrud, Education Coordinator.


Recently one afternoon, I was driving along a country road and noticed a large, chunky bird perched on a stop sign. No cars were behind me, so I slowed down and pulled over. Once I got a good look, I realized this was a very exciting nature encounter – it was a barred owl!

Though we may not see them often, barred owls are found through most of North America and live in woodlands and wooded wetlands and swamps with mature trees. They are one of the larger owls in our area standing at 20-24” tall and have a 3 ½ foot wingspan. They have a brown and gray body with dark barring on the upper chest and vertical streaks on the belly. The barred owl lacks ear tufts and has large, dark brown eyes which stand out from most other owls.

photo of Barred owl on stop signIn February and March, barred owls are preparing for the nesting season. Like many animals, they have their own special courtship rituals, including bobbing and bowing heads, raising wings and calling to each other while closely perched. The males may also amp up the romance by feeding the female during courtship. The classic call of the barred owl is “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all,” but they may be heard making barks, shrieks and “monkey” calls. A courting pair of barred owls can sure put on a concert! 

Barred owls nest in cavities of old trees (snags) and often take up residency in the same cavity year-after-year. Some pairs will use old hawk, crow or squirrel nests and even nest boxes. The female will lay two or three eggs (though in some cases up to five) and they hatch 28-35 days later. The young are born helpless, with white fluffy feathers and closed eyes, but develop quickly and are able to take their first flight around 40 days after hatching.

Barred owls eat a variety of animals such as mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels, amphibians, fish, beetles and other invertebrates. They do most of their hunting right after sunset and during the night, but may also hunt during the day. I read that barred owls will even wade into shallow water to catch a fish or crayfish. As with other owls, barred owls will store food in cavities or in the crook of a branch when food is plentiful.
 
The barred owl I was observing kept glancing at the snowy ditch below, perhaps keeping an eye out for mice or other prey. After a couple of minutes, another vehicle slowed and then stopped to observe the owl.  A woman rolled down her window and explained her son had been on the bus and saw the owl on his way home from school. When he got home, he immediately asked his mom if she would drive him the short distance back to the bird. This made me smile in gratitude and appreciation that the young boy wanted to share his nature encounter with his mother.

Amazing brushes with nature can happen anytime and anywhere, and often they are unexpected.  Even a casual drive on a country road can result in an unforgettable memory, and appreciation for the life around us.

photo- barred owl by Jessica Johnsrud

Ripples 2/11/21

Posted on by February 11, 2021

I think naps are wasted on the young.  Not that children don’t need them- they definitely do, but with age sleep becomes more precious. A good night’s sleep, taken for granted when I was younger, is now something that is remarkable when it happens.  However, the positive side to sleepless nights is an awareness of creatures whose sleep patterns are different from ours.  

During warmer months, I generally have a window open at night. In part because it seems easier to sleep well when it’s cool, but also because there are interesting sounds outside. Even in winter, with windows closed, the night sounds of nature can sometimes be heard.

Earlier in winter, great horned owls are courting. They are large birds, and it takes a long time to fledge their young, so they begin nesting in February. Even after nesting they continue to call, the males and females often calling back and forth to each other, unlike most other birds. They sometimes come right up to the yard, either at the nature center or at home, and I often wonder if their sound causes fear in the hearts of the neighborhood rabbits. When the great-horneds aren’t around, screech owls can be heard, whinnying or whistling in the middle of the night. During this cold snap, one decided that the water heater exhaust pipe at my brother’s house next door was a warm perch for the day.

photo of coyoteValentine’s Day marks a season of romance for wild canines as well, and they sometimes make themselves heard at night.  At Woodland Dunes, there are coyotes which are starting to den now, in preparation for pups to come in the next couple of months. Foxes, too, are doing the same, although they are much more solitary.  I seldom hear a fox, but many nights at home the coyotes are singing. They usually start in response to  the signal from the train which travels into and out of Manitowoc each night. When they first hear that horn in the distance, they sing as if they were part of an old western movie- mournfully howling away, sometimes just a few yards from our house. Our dog never responds at all- I wonder what our tiny furball thinks of her wild cousins outside. Their chorus doesn’t last long- probably less than a minute, and then they are silent again.  

Coyotes are, I think, more numerous than they were when I was young. Despite a continuous hunting season in Wisconsin, they have managed to grow their population, feeding on rodents and other small animals, and deer carcasses- even fruit during the appropriate season. Hearing them, and other animals in the night, reminds me of all the remarkable wildlife that we don’t often see, but live all around us. I look forward to the coming weeks when the songs of coyotes and owls are joined by those of frogs and different birds- it won’t be long now.

photo- coyote by Yathin S. Krishnappa

Ripples 1/28/21

Posted on by February 8, 2021

A Pool Party in the Middle of Winter? 

by Kennedy Zittel, Woodland Dunes intern

The temperature was around 10℉ as the wind blew cold snow across the boardwalk. Even though the air was frigid the other interns and I were on a mission to go down Cattail Trail to see if we could find any new tracks or other animal sightings. As we rounded a bend we heard a splashing noise where an underground spring keeps water from fully freezing. As we crept closer, to our surprise, a small furry ball was splashing around in the freezing water as if it was a summer pool party. Even with my full winter gear on I was still chilled, I couldn’t even imagine being in water…Brr! For the muskrat though, it was no big deal at all. 

Muskrats have two layers of fur that provide protection from cold water. Their rat-like tails are covered in scales rather than hair, which they use to propel through water. Muskrats spend most of their time in the water regardless of the season. They can even stay under water for around 12-17 minutes! Muskrats can also close their ears when they swim to keep water out. Muskrats create trails through marshes that even when the water freezes they can continue to follow underneath the ice. Instead of storing food for the winter, they go out and find food each day or eat part of the house that they made out of cattails. About 95% of their diet is composed of plants, mainly cattails, and the rest of their diet is made up of small animals like frogs and fish. 

We watched the muskrat rip up some cattail from below the water and use its little hands to hold the stalk as it munched away. Though we were trying very hard to stand still and be quiet, I am sure it heard the occasional boot shuffle or sniffle. Whether it be that the muskrat was very brave, or that it just trusted that we did not want to take its meal nor make a meal out of it, the muskrat did not stop munching. Our hands were beginning to turn bright red as we held tightly onto our phones to take pictures and videos of the little animal. We knew that we were not going to be able to stay out there for much longer. Unlike the muskrat, our layers were not enough to keep us warm. A distant car honked its horn and that was enough to send the muskrat diving under the ice out of sight which allowed us to go scurrying back to the warm nature center!

Though most people would not find a muskrat to be the most exciting of sightings, I was still grateful that I got to see a glimpse into its life in that moment. No matter how much I read or have learned about in school, nothing ever compares to getting to witness things in person. I am always thankful and appreciative that I get to see things here that some people never get to see, whether it be a muskrat munching, bald eagles soaring in the skies, or well camouflage weasels. Cattail Trail is one of our more popular trails that visitors use, and it is no wonder why! Each time I go I end up seeing animals, plants, tracks, and beautiful sunrises. The trick is to walk down it quietly, and bring very warm gloves! 

Photos by Kennedy Zeitel, Muskrat on Cattail Trail