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By Sheri Mcwhirter GRAYLING, MI—Chris Mensing stood inside a chicken-wire cage, reached out and nabbed a Brown- headed Cowbird from the air. Mensing is a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and spends much of this time of year checking more than 50 cowbird traps scattered across nine northern Michigan counties. The program is part of rehabilitation efforts in place for more than three decades to help the endangered Kirtland's Warbler. Cowbirds are a major threat to warblers, as they evolved to lay their eggs in other species' nests and leave the host bird to raise cowbird chicks. Often, the subterfuge occurs at the expense of the host bird's own young. (Brown-headed Cowbird) "Cowbird parasitism is ingenious, really. The female cowbird stalks and... Read On | ||||
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WANT TO GROW flowers and plants in woodlands—especially evergreen woods—where there’s little or no sunshine? Look to nature for your answer. Trillium, Jacob’s ladder, wild geranium, trout lily and Virginia bluebell are just a few spring- blooming wildflowers that will add subtle bursts of color. Add black cohosh (Cimicifuga) for summer color. Cultivated plants, such as ferns and astilbe, can add texture and color to your shade garden. Check with your county Extension Service or a local nature center to obtain the names of local wildflowers and retail sources that sell them. – Birds & Blooms (Virginia
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WAYNESBORO, VA--The Wildlife Center of Virginia is developing a national surveillance network that would help detect diseases in wildlife that may be linked to bioterrorism. While there are already systems designed to detect diseases in humans and domestic animals, Project Tripwire would be the first comprehensive effort to monitor wildlife for signs of bioterrorism, Wildlife Center President Ed Clark said recently. (Rehabber releases Falcon) "Terrorism is not just killing people," Clark said. "Bioterrorism could...Read On | ||
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Tim Flanigan of Nature Exposure in Bedford, PA captured the preening of this Goldfinch just as it stretched its wing. . | ||
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A Wildlife
Corridor From Yellowstone To Yukon? A GROUP called Y2Y wants to create a wildlife corridor stretching from Yellowstone National Park to the Yukon in northwest Canada that would allow animals and people to coexist peaceably. According to the Daily Grist, this collaboration of conservationists, scientists, and government officials, have worked on overpasses and underpasses (See photo) that let wildlife safely cross highways, and negotiated to curb some use of golf courses and ski slopes to clear the way for animals to traverse them. The goal is to link numerous shrinking wildlife habitats into one long contiguous corridor...Read On Mystery Nest
Builder
WHAT AMAZES ME, says Cathy Gilleland, is that, with a lot of acreage surrounding my house, and plenty of natural settings for a nest, two birds decided that my front door, with all of its nearby human activity, was the best place to raise a family. I've heard similar stories from other people, and certainly the local wrens live up to their reputation of nesting in odd spots (in my case, an old bird feeder and a flower planter so far). In a way it's rather flattering, sort of an expression of trust from nature... Read On | ||
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That's it for this week. Be sure and sign up for the American Wildlife Blog for the latest commentary and please feel free to add comments of your own. Have An EXCELLENT Day in your WILDLIFE HABITAT! (Eastern Bluebird Birds of a Feather by Michael L. Smith>
 Tom Patrick email: wildlife@windstar.org
phone: 301-293-3351
web &
blog: http://www.windstar.org |
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