Wandering Blog

As I mentioned in my October post, this time of the year tends to run away with me in terms of sleepless nights due to owl banding, and trying to keep up with diurnal activities while operating on a minimum of sleep.  This year was actually not as bad as some past years, since we had a number of bad weather nights that facilitated cancelling banding activities… hence, I did get more sleep on those nights.  At the same time, I’m not getting any younger!  But regardless of the challenges, owl banding season is the highlight of every year for me, and I’m certainly not complaining!  

This year was a bit slow in terms of the number of owls moving through our area during fall migration, but we still managed to band 57 Northern Saw-whet Owls in total, such as the one pictured here.  I’m extremely fortunate to have 16 volunteers who work with me throughout the banding season.  I wouldn’t be able to maintain two banding stations, or conduct the public programs I facilitate, without these talented owl-loving folks!  I’m a very lucky woman indeed!

But owl banding season is over, and I’ve caught up on my sleep enough to now catch up with you… sorry for the delay!

During the banding season I didn’t do much in the way of dedicated walking, but I did get in some occasional relaxing wanderings from time to time.  Autumn is my favorite season… the brilliant colors, the aromas carried on cool breezes, identifying summer’s end.  The light.  The sometimes raucous passing of birds overhead, on their way south for winter.  I love being outside during the fall months, just to experience these fleeting sights, sounds, sensations.  So I took as many short walks as I could, in areas such as West Twin Lake in Nisswa, pictured above.

I was also blessed with several lovely days to ramble a little in Carver Park. These pictures are of Crosby Lake, which is very near to Lowry Nature Center in Carver Park.  Since I do take care of the three resident raptors at Lowry, I am there every Sunday, and try to take advantage of those visits to get a bit of walking in, most often with one of the birds on my arm.  There’s nothing like taking a walk in the woods or down to the lake with an owl or a hawk as a companion!  Again, I am one very lucky woman!

The last of my photos from Carver Park was taken the day after a windy night that blew the last of the leaves from the trees.  A blanket of gold covered the ground that day, and the sunlight captured that richness one last time before those colors began to dim, signaling the end of yet another stunning fall season.  

 

 

 

 

I also spent a little time walking around Staring Lake, and caught this misty, peaceful autumn photo…

Hopefully I’ll get in some walks in the near future, but I’m also hoping to do a little cross-country skiing this year.  Either way, I’ll keep you in the loop!   Until then, a quiet autumn sunset to end the season with…  

 

Oh goodness, where to begin?  I suppose the beginning is always best, if I can remember where it actually started!  It began so very long ago…

To be honest, I’ve wanted to put this in writing for a very long time, but how?  That has been the long, lingering question.  Now, right now, there seems to be no other choice.

My earliest memories are of life in an old farmhouse huddled atop a bluff overlooking the Wisconsin countryside.  To my child’s eyes the rural views were expansive, endless, the far-off hills and woodlands a misty purple with distance.  What mystery, what adventures, what promise those horizons held!  The images I carry today, although likely tinged by childhood fantasy, are of open spaces, and boundless nature right on my doorstep.  I also have vivid memories of the many animals that lived with us, including cats, dogs, and rabbits. I loved them all.

This was the start of a life-long love affair with nature.

My grandfather was a landscape oil painter.  One of my favorite of his many paintings is a green and lush ravine, which was located not far from our house.  My grandfather gifted this painting to me many years ago, and it remains a treasured possession today, due not only to the fond memories of my grandfather, but of that dell as well.  His paintings take me back to a time of innocence and wonder.  He introduced me to much of the natural world I’ve come to love.

When I was ten we moved to northwestern Wyoming, near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.  Such a rich and vibrant space to grow up in, with wildlife and unspoiled nature all around us!  The wonderful images of my youth in this beautiful area I hold close, and are too many even to count.  But I will relay a few that stand out for me.

We lived outside a small town in a largely rural area.   I loved going for nighttime walks in the winter, especially if there was a light snow falling.  It often felt like the night was calling to me to come outside and sit with her.  There was  a large tree a couple of acres behind our house, which became one of my favorite spots to visit.  I would nestle against the protective trunk of this sturdy, welcoming tree and watch the snowflakes fall around me.  I always felt warm and secure, an integral part of all the nature that surrounded me here.

I was fortunate to have horses while growing up, and will always be grateful for this.  My BFF lived just down the road from us, and after school I would often ride my horse to her driveway.  She and her horse would meet us there, and we’d continue down the road to a trailhead.  This trail wound up a beautiful canyon, which we often hiked.  But our after school destination, not far up the canyon, was a small meadow with a lively stream running along one edge of it.  I remember chattering aspens, a cool green meadow, the warm smell of sweaty horses after a good gallop, our toes dangling in the bright water of the stream, and our laughter echoing down the canyon. These memories will live with me the rest of my days, and I can’t begin to express the gratitude I feel for having the opportunity of growing up in such a magical place.

Over the years since then, I’ve had even more chances to explore a variety of landscapes, to walk the trails in many unique countrysides.   From Arizona to Vermont, Canada to Mexico, Europe, India, Ecuador.  I’ve explored so much of the infinite variety of earth, and met some of the wildlife we share the richness of this planet with.

As individuals, we each have our own unique experiences with nature.  For some it’s all about the challenge:  climbing mountains or participating in endurance races.

Some take a more scientific approach:  oceanographers, geologists, biologists, naturalists, ornithologists, field scientists, meteorologists, astronomers, the list goes on and on.

There are so many other ways to experience nature:  the intellectual, the health-minded, the poetic, the spiritual…

Nature has so much to offer all of us, even if our experiences are limited to watching butterflies around a potted plant on a balcony, or a couple of trees in a neighborhood park.  She is rich enough to supply all of our individual needs and passions.

For me, she is an integral part of my life, of who I am.  My spiritual life is rooted in soil, my poetry is inspired by dancing streams, whispering trees, birdsong.  The aromas of each season, carried by the winds, bring back memories of layer upon layer of my life.  I work with birds.  I loiter in forests.  I find infinite peace in closing my eyes in the warmth of sunlight and letting the sound of moving water carry me to places unexplored.  The feel of gentle snowflakes melting on my skin.  Watching a fox move across a field.  I embrace it all.

We need to disconnect, even if it’s just now and then, from the artificial world we’ve created, and venture back into the natural world again.

We tend to see ourselves as separate from nature, but nothing could be further from the truth.  The more damage we do to her, the more damage we do to our own lives and our future as a species.  The sooner we learn to embrace nature, respect her, protect her… the better.  For our own sakes, yes, but more importantly for the sake of our children and grandchildren.  Take the time to learn about and experience our natural world.

She’s supported us for as long as we’ve existed.  It’s time we stop denying the damage we do to her, and return the favor.

First of all, my apologies for such a long absence.  This time of the year is so full of color and life, so beautiful and vibrant – autumn is really my favorite season!  But it’s also the time of year that I become relatively single-minded… it’s owl banding season.  For those who don’t know what the heck I’m talking about here, let me explain.  I’ve been working with birds of prey, in varying capacities, for nearly 25 years, and I often say it’s still the coolest thing I do every week!  In 2009 I met the man I would marry, who also happens to be a Master Bird Bander, and right away I began learning to band alongside him.  Banding is the process of safely catching wild birds, taking some measurements, attaching a light-weight band onto one leg (kind of like a loose-fitting bracelet), then releasing them.  The band has a nine-digit number on it that is unique to that bird, so when (if) it is ever captured again, found deceased, or possibly even spotted through a spotting scope, that number can be sent to the Bird Banding Lab, along with the circumstances of the encounter.   In this way we can begin to learn things about birds we wouldn’t otherwise know, such as their migration route stop-overs, populations, how old they can get in the wild, etc.  After working alongside Mark for a couple of years, banding songbirds, I decided I’d like to combine that new skill with my knowledge of raptors… owls in particular.  So I did some research, including reconnaissance to determine best locations, collected the tools I would need, and in the fall of 2011 my owl banding station was born!   The owl in the photo above is one of the many owls I’ve banded since then.  A team of 15 volunteers are now helping me, and together we manage two banding stations in Carver Park Reserve, just west of the Twin Cities.  Since 2011 we’ve banded almost 600 owls.  The species we focus on (pictured above) is the Northern Saw-whet Owl, the smallest owl in Minnesota, and a species of owl that is a well-known migrant.  Many of the owls we’ve banded have been encountered by others afterwards, so we’ve gotten some very interesting information back concerning their movements.  A couple of weeks ago we got word that an owl I’d banded in 2016 had been recaptured by a bander in Saskatchewan, which is the most westerly location any of our owls have travelled… that we are aware of!

I will write more about our owl adventures in future posts, as we certainly have had some interesting, frightening, hilarious, beautiful, and generally wonderful experiences at the banding station!  Sometimes hours go by with nothing to do but watch the march of stars across the night skies, and listen to the comings and goings of night creatures.  Night can be such a magical time, and all of my crew loves being out in the woods under moonlight, even when we aren’t catching many owls!

I’ll write more posts about our adventures, as I mentioned, but for now I wanted to touch base to let you know where I’ve been.  Getting ready for the fall banding season is fairly labor-intensive for me, so I’ve been focused on that and obviously neglecting my wandering ways!   During the banding season, which lasts roughly six weeks or so, I try to commit to very little else.  This is because we are out a good chunk of each night, and sleep becomes tough to get enough of, particularly for me and a couple of my volunteers who are out nearly every night.  So please bear with me during this time!  I will hopefully have some fun stories to share with you in the weeks ahead, as well as some photos of owls that, aside from being the subject of a fascinating scientific endeavor, are also some of the cutest critters you’ll ever see!

This week has been dry, warm, and breezy…perfect weather for a little rambling!  We opted for Crow-Hassan Park Reserve this time around, a wonderful park that borders the eastern shores of the Crow River outside Hanover.  We only walked a few miles, just the tip of the iceberg in this large and diverse park.  We encountered peaceful woodlands, miles of prairie, and walked along a ridge above the river for a time.  But there are miles upon miles of additional trail that we have yet to explore, so this park is one we will definitely be coming back to!

Our wandering began in the trees: sunlight flickering along the path, leaves whispering in the breeze, the brilliant greens of the forest wrapping around us.  We walked at a leisurely pace, enjoying the cool, the quiet, the serenity.  But soon enough the woods opened onto prairie, and although the day was still fine, suddenly walking became a much warmer proposition!  Even so, the sight of the tall grasses flowing in response to the wind, and the many terns calling and criss-crossing the air over our heads made it easy to continue taking our time.  The trail wound between the hills of waving grasses to our right and a good sized pond to our left.  I was excited to spot my very first Prairie Skink, but it disappeared into the tall grass before I could get a photo of it.  Grasshoppers were everywhere along this portion of the trail…leaping away from the path as we moved along, a bit like erratic little waves parting to allow us passage.

I have to admit I did get a little overheated today.  I hadn’t stopped to think that much of the trail could be in open country, as it was – not my cleverest bit of planning.  We did have water, but had left it in the car.  After a while under the heat of the sun we did opt to move along a bit faster, in search of shade.  Once we reached the ridge above the river, however, we were in woodland again, thankfully, and slowed our steps once more.  The views of the river along this stretch (between trail markers 15 and 16) were brief, with only broken glimpses through tree branches.  But we could hear the water rushing along below us, and found a picnic bench to rest on for a short time to enjoy the view.

Our walk took us in a loop, and as we moved north and east the vistas opened up again into prairie.  As I understand it, there is over 600 acres of prairie in Crow-Hassan Park.  They are expansive, and display layer upon layer of color and texture.  We haven’t spent much time in prairies this summer, so it was a wonderful (albeit hot) change of pace for us.  The critters accompanying us on this leg of the journey were primarily dragonflies (such as the Autumn Meadowhawk pictured here) and butterflies.  While raising Monarch butterflies for the first time this year, I’ve learned that they gather in staging areas, much like some migratory birds do, and travel from there as a group.  Monarchs are fascinating, and I will definitely continue to raise them in the years to come.  We released 14 of them this year, with our tiny milkweed patch.  That seems like a small number to me, but hopefully that number will grow as the milkweed patch expands.  On the trail today we did see about a dozen Monarchs, presumably making their way to the nearest staging area!  Then, just as we were moving toward the fringes of the prairie, we spotted a Northern Harrier flying low over the grasses.  Watching all of these winged creatures was an uplifting note to end our prairie experience with!

As we reached the point at which our loop connected to the path we’d initially branched off on, we entered woodland once again, and slowed our pace in relief as the cool washed over us.  The entire afternoon we’d only encountered two people, although we saw a couple riding horses along another route as well.  The trails had been pretty much ours alone, making it easy to take the photos I wanted, explore at our leisure, and walk at our own pace.   I found a wealth of textures both in the prairie and the forest, spinning me low to the ground in one moment, looking for the highest vantage point the next.  Crow-Hassan has about 17 miles of trails to explore, so we will definitely be going back to check out more of what this beautiful park has to offer!

My apologies for the delay in getting this post out – I’ve had some technical challenges. This is the last installment in relation to the desert wanderings we undertook during our trip to Arizona in August. We saved the last day for our favorite ramble… Ramsey Canyon.  Sierra Vista is located at the base of the Huachuca Mountains in southeast Arizona, and Ramsey Canyon reaches up into those mountains from just  outside Sierra Vista.  The mountains are diverse and unique, the canyon breathtakingly beautiful : the paths are mostly wooded in the lower portion of the canyon, and much of it winds alongside or very near to Ramsey Creek, making it dappled and pleasant.  The high canyon walls are dotted sparsely with vegetation, but your eyes will inevitably be drawn to the imposing cliffs towering periodically over the trails, some of which have been home to Golden Eagle nests.

Ramsey Canyon is owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy. Parking is free in the small gravel parking lot, but there is a small charge to access the canyon trails. There is a gift shop and bathroom facilities here, as well as maps and information about the canyon.  There are usually a couple of friendly naturalists on hand to answer questions and fill you in on the latest wildlife  sightings along the trails. Behind the building you’ll find several seating areas located within good viewing of multiple hummingbird feeders, which are often quite busy!  This hummingbird was visiting a feeder just off the back of the Nature Conservancy building.

Our day began quite warm, but the shade offered by towering cottonwoods and sycamores kept us fairly comfortable.  We walked slowly, savoring the beauty of the canyon and lazily scanning the trees and trailside for birds, reptiles, mammals… and anything else we considered of beauty or fascination.  I loved the way these leaves stood out in such contrast against the tree trunk (photo to the right) – I know I’ve said it before, but I find textures such as this so intriguing!  In contrast, and more in keeping with the desert flora you might expect to find in Arizona, the Prickly Pear cactus jutting from the top of these rocks was certainly eye-catching as well!  Ramsey Canyon offers an interesting variety of habitats, including meadows and, in the higher reaches of the canyon, more arid and open areas of sparse vegetation and rocky outcroppings.  The Nature Conservancy has built and maintains a series of ponds as well, to help support a population of endangered Chiricahua Leopard Frogs.  The woodland we spent our morning in is dotted with buildings, most of them abandoned, or remnants of buildings that have a rich history, and serve to punctuate the nature trails with a hint of nostalgia.

As we walked along, we did manage to spot a few creatures, such as this stunning  lizard, one foot poised in readiness to respond to danger.  Apparently we kept a distance that he considered quite respectable, as he moved only slowly, with no signs of being alarmed by our presence.  We spotted a couple of additional lizard species further up the path, including a tree lizard that virtually disappeared when standing on tree bark – very aptly named critter!  Mule deer are seen quite often in Ramsey Canyon, and this visit was no exception, we counted about a dozen at various points along the trail.  Hummingbirds could be heard whizzing by, woodpeckers calling, and many species of butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies kept us company along the way.

We spent several hours wandering up and down the canyon trails, happy to explore and stroll at a leisurely pace.  If you ever find yourself near the Sierra Vista area, I would definitely recommend a visit to Ramsey Canyon!

And now… to wrap up our trip to southeastern Arizona, I will leave you with an image that, to me, has always evoked warm and very happy thoughts of the Grand Canyon state… the majestic Saguaro Cactus.

Until next time!

Our second day in Arizona found us wandering in the desert.  As it was pretty darn hot while we were there, we didn’t linger much, as we are often known to do.  Even so, we were out long enough to spot some pretty cool things…like a Barn Owl flying toward a small stand of nearby trees.  We were also fortunate to spot a Groove-billed Ani (a first for me), but it was buried too deeply in foliage to get a photo.

Our first jaunt was around the area of Whitewater Draw in the Sulphur Springs Valley.  Due to sporadic monsoons this year, there was very little water, but a few small ponds could still be found.  In winter this lake is a favorite watering hole for Sandhill Cranes, by the thousands!  It’s quite a sight – if you ever have the chance to visit in the winter months, I’d highly recommend stopping to see them.  There is a viewing platform with spotting scopes, offering the opportunity of seeing cranes up close for those who haven’t got binoculars. The lake lures in many other birds as well.  We’ve seen herons, rails, harriers, ducks, geese, owls, and mammals such as javelinas (wild pigs), to name a few.  But in August, during a reluctant monsoon, the abundance and variety just weren’t there.  Both the Barn Owl and the Ani were exciting and unexpected sights, but otherwise the only creature I spotted was this wasp.  I believe it’s some type of pepsis wasp, possibly a Tarantula Wasp.  It was very large, I actually heard it moving on the tree before I spotted it, and with the naked eye it looked like a small bird.  But seen through the camera lens, I was astounded to find it was an insect!  I’m working on a definite ID, but whatever it was, I certainly wasn’t in any hurry to get closer to it!  …Yeah, I’m a coward.

From Whitewater Draw we ventured west to a piece of land we bought some years ago.  It’s in an area of open range that had been overgrazed for decades, so there wasn’t much left  but red dirt and scrub.  There are a few cacti that have taken hold, such as cholla and an occasional prickly pear, but it’s pretty bare otherwise, with patches of mesquite shade only large enough for a lizard.  Our local friends have tried to slow down the water that flashes through during rains, in order to plant some native grasses, and in one area they’ve been fairly successful.  Tom had also placed a couple of motion sensitive cameras near the draws (where water was most likely to be found), to see what wildlife might be moving through.  We didn’t expect much, to be honest, so we were quite surprised and more than a little pleased when he sent us photo after photo…I think we stopped counting at around 40 different species! Javelina, skunk, roadrunners, owls, kangaroo rats, bobcats, and many more.  It was thrilling to see so many creatures making use of our land, even if it was only using the arroyos as critter highways.  We continued to keep track of these visitors until someone stole the cameras…can you believe that? Sheesh!  This time around we noticed a few footprints (one we thought might have been a fox), but mostly I found a number of intriguing patterns in the rusty red dirt, left by rapidly moving water brought by rains that fell before we arrived.  Usually these patterns are trampled, windblown, and faint when we stop by in the winter or early spring.  But look closely… even dirt has beauty to show us and stories to tell.

After wandering around our land, watching vultures and hawks circling overhead, we turned in another direction.  This time we visited a residential area in the foothills where a family of Harris’s Hawks had recently been reported.  Sure enough, we found three young hawks calling incessantly to their parents for food.  Mostly hidden in a large evergreen, the fledglings were tough to spot, but the adults came and went several times.  These hawks are strikingly handsome, and distinctive in that they will hunt cooperatively, in groups, which is not typical in the raptor world.  Although I’d handled Harris’s Hawks in the past, either birds that were permanently disabled or used in falconry, I’d never seen them in the wild until this day.  The sight of them drove all thoughts of my recently melted sandals (which I’d stupidly left in the hot car) from my mind!  What majestic birds!