tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28160243998300788162024-03-13T08:34:51.797-05:00Restore Saint PaulFollow the natural resources team as we restore Saint Paul's natural areas with the help of generous grants, project partners, and volunteers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-53527285907458552672017-08-30T09:04:00.001-05:002017-08-30T09:04:09.764-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: August 28, 2017<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ten more bluebirds fledged in August. The season is now over and all
the boxes have been removed for cleaning and winter storage. A total of 53
birds fledged from the trail this year: 33 bluebirds, 11 chickadees, and 9 tree
swallows.</span><span style="font-family: "century" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "century" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gy-dejwttis/WabFgp2hW1I/AAAAAAAAEjM/Z0hspfNOrTcvPyVsVp98u-fQJeWaQ7HaQCLcBGAs/s1600/Bluebird%2BTrail%2BChart%2B2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1462" height="187" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gy-dejwttis/WabFgp2hW1I/AAAAAAAAEjM/Z0hspfNOrTcvPyVsVp98u-fQJeWaQ7HaQCLcBGAs/s400/Bluebird%2BTrail%2BChart%2B2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<!--[endif]-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-30423842763721322252017-07-27T08:46:00.000-05:002017-07-27T08:49:09.846-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: July 27, 2017<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">In the
past two weeks, 4 bluebirds and 7 tree swallows fledged. Eight nest boxes are
now empty as the </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zjCiZYslhf0/WXntgRHnADI/AAAAAAAAEhs/uN47v9tDHScqPVljQ-1xC32EPx98_BSLwCLcBGAs/s1600/Damaged%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zjCiZYslhf0/WXntgRHnADI/AAAAAAAAEhs/uN47v9tDHScqPVljQ-1xC32EPx98_BSLwCLcBGAs/s200/Damaged%2Beggs.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damaged bluebird eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
nesting season winds down. There are 12 bluebirds in the
remaining three occupied boxes, 8 likely to fledge soon. Vandalism is
unfortunately a recurring problem on the trail—two weeks ago a pinecone put
into a box prevented bluebirds from laying eggs. Those bluebirds moved to
another box, built another nest, and laid 5 eggs, only to have another pinecone
put into their box—this time two eggs were destroyed, the rest could not be
incubated, and the pair gave up for the season. A predator guard in the same
area of the trail was also broken.<span style="font-family: "century" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BcrgW7aLS9E/WXntlvAFf2I/AAAAAAAAEhw/MieLHlozj747BMPXeLRvj43dASvToXMHgCLcBGAs/s1600/Bluebirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BcrgW7aLS9E/WXntlvAFf2I/AAAAAAAAEhw/MieLHlozj747BMPXeLRvj43dASvToXMHgCLcBGAs/s200/Bluebirds.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last four bluebirds of the season</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-73729519524472860182017-07-14T14:36:00.001-05:002017-07-17T08:38:27.031-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: July 12, 2017<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NEeNfvcrs0s/WWkcZwo7jRI/AAAAAAAAEgo/6d0O2PXLL64TO2ojfhpsDqZ8DZAM9SjWQCLcBGAs/s1600/Bluebird%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="132" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NEeNfvcrs0s/WWkcZwo7jRI/AAAAAAAAEgo/6d0O2PXLL64TO2ojfhpsDqZ8DZAM9SjWQCLcBGAs/s200/Bluebird%2B01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male bluebird on a sultry morning in<br />
the park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
bluebird trail is still very active. Five boxes are occupied by bluebirds—two
have a total of 9 bluebird eggs in them and three have 12 nestlings (4 each)
both newly hatched and almost ready to fledge. Two boxes have at least 7 tree
swallow nestlings in them. In the past two weeks 6 chickadees and 2 tree
swallows fledged. Four boxes are now empty, including the one that had a
pinecone stuffed into it. The bluebirds who used that box quickly moved to
another one, built a nest, and laid five white eggs.<u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jqwgMKNPLek/WWkc1Rj-dbI/AAAAAAAAEgs/UFyh6GNzgnUj76--GiIB0fDV2IfV2uYnwCLcBGAs/s1600/Bluebirds%2B02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jqwgMKNPLek/WWkc1Rj-dbI/AAAAAAAAEgs/UFyh6GNzgnUj76--GiIB0fDV2IfV2uYnwCLcBGAs/s200/Bluebirds%2B02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly hatched bluebirds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zf8dr24WVtA/WWkc8T4L05I/AAAAAAAAEgw/xHFK1xwwjM4PZ2_9f7MFZRhcJa3LjNYmwCLcBGAs/s1600/Tree%2Bswallows%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zf8dr24WVtA/WWkc8T4L05I/AAAAAAAAEgw/xHFK1xwwjM4PZ2_9f7MFZRhcJa3LjNYmwCLcBGAs/s200/Tree%2Bswallows%2B01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female with her week old tree swallows in the nest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-21162345016453264012017-07-05T11:05:00.000-05:002017-07-05T11:05:33.373-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 26, 2017<div class="MsoDate">
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ten more bluebirds fledged in the past two weeks, bringing the total for
the first round of bluebird nesting to 19. Round 2 has begun with 9 bluebird
eggs in three boxes. A fourth box has a bluebird nest in it that probably would
have had eggs in it, if not for a thoughtless person stuffing a pine cone
through the entrance hole and blocking the nest. With the pine cone removed we
shall see if the birds return to use that nest, or find another box to use.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
A tree swallow nest with at least four week-old chicks in it
failed—the chicks were dead and covered with flies. It may be that this pair of
tree swallows began another nest right away on top of an old bluebird nest in
another nearby box—the new tree swallow nest has four eggs in it. Another two
boxes have at least 5 tree swallows at various stages of development.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fuPJk8bTK64/WV0NZVwraAI/AAAAAAAAEf4/bU97MO_XTPgEPIzfuVwXwWWgh8JNDnSHACLcBGAs/s1600/Bluebird%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="439" height="291" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fuPJk8bTK64/WV0NZVwraAI/AAAAAAAAEf4/bU97MO_XTPgEPIzfuVwXwWWgh8JNDnSHACLcBGAs/s320/Bluebird%2Beggs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three bluebird eggs from round 2 of nesting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
There are 6 healthy chickadees approaching two weeks old in
another box. Two weeks ago mom was on that nest, and a week ago, she was also
on the nest along with her nearly week-old chicks! Next time I checked, the 6
youngsters had feathered out and filled up the nest and mom would have been
hard put to find room to fit on the nest with them.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-22132429108999862082017-06-15T14:55:00.001-05:002017-06-15T14:55:46.803-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 14, 2017<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QevabW5xDo/WULlx_Vgy8I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/htOvgRdYnPU44pg08DiMKeDguyNr0PtlgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Tree%2Bswallow%2Bon%2Bnest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QevabW5xDo/WULlx_Vgy8I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/htOvgRdYnPU44pg08DiMKeDguyNr0PtlgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Tree%2Bswallow%2Bon%2Bnest.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find the mother tree swallow's tail<br />
in this picture?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fourteen birds fledged in the past week—nine bluebirds and
five chickadees. There are ten more bluebirds ready to fledge in the next week
or so, and three new bluebird eggs laid. Two boxes have at least six young tree
swallows in them, and one more box has tree swallows in it, but mom was sitting
on the nest and didn’t allow any observations. A chickadee mom is also hunkered
down on her nest, staying put no matter what—she probably learned this was
necessary when fending off the encroachments of persistent tree swallows two
weeks ago. If she’s still on the nest next week, though, it could mean her eggs
are not viable and won’t hatch.<u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-15225521058803901372017-06-15T14:51:00.002-05:002017-06-15T14:52:12.485-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 31, 2017<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;"><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ksUhIldRTzw/WULksWouOlI/AAAAAAAAEe4/-kgRDkPbabQ5oSnMVkH7563SxRqMxTl1QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Bluebirds%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ksUhIldRTzw/WULksWouOlI/AAAAAAAAEe4/-kgRDkPbabQ5oSnMVkH7563SxRqMxTl1QCK4BGAYYCw/s200/Bluebirds%2B01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recently hatched bluebirds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The cool weather in the past two weeks hasn’t stopped the
bluebirds, chickadees, and tree swallows from progressing with their nesting
activities at <st1:place><st1:placename>Como</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
Four nest boxes contain 19 bluebirds—9 over a week old and 10 more recently
hatched. Two boxes have chickadees inside—one has 5 over-a-week-old chickadees
and the other has eggs. The chickadees with eggs in their nest are being
challenged by a pair of tree swallows who sit on top of the box and claim it as
their own. I installed a smaller 1-1/4” entrance hole guard so only the
chickadees could enter the box, and maybe that will encourage those tree
swallows to look elsewhere for a box of their own. Two nest boxes have at least
8 tree swallow eggs inside, and three nest boxes contain partial nests that may
have been abandoned.</span></div>
</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3lusBTqgWQ/WULk-EOp3iI/AAAAAAAAEfI/9JZlirls94sJbUc-_pkYOTTF3wsLb-88ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Chickadees.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nest full of chickadees, over a week old.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aamqZZJ9V9M/WULkzawY9kI/AAAAAAAAEfA/kYafxuSRKigq-kHiUCJSxRI0W2cu_v5dQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Bluebirds%2B02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3lusBTqgWQ/WULk-EOp3iI/AAAAAAAAEfI/9JZlirls94sJbUc-_pkYOTTF3wsLb-88ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Chickadees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-86038520456369464032017-05-16T13:30:00.003-05:002017-05-16T13:30:36.995-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 15, 2017<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;"></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif;"></i></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iJwJLmgXyho/WRtBnpydQWI/AAAAAAAAEdg/Q415VuTG37oQkjschIIN72ut7YJfFFrRwCEw/s1600/Pale%2Bbluebird%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iJwJLmgXyho/WRtBnpydQWI/AAAAAAAAEdg/Q415VuTG37oQkjschIIN72ut7YJfFFrRwCEw/s200/Pale%2Bbluebird%2Beggs.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebirds usually lay between 3-5 blue<br /> eggs,but for the last few years we've <br />had a pair that lays 6 or 7 <br />pale white eggs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nesting
season is well underway this week—things can happen fast once they get going.
Now there are 20 bluebird eggs in four nest boxes, six chickadee eggs in one
box, and four tree swallow nests built. Two other boxes have some nesting
materials inside but not enough to identify the creators. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVklO2j3sJw/WRtBjmYauMI/AAAAAAAAEdc/12XKJXGVpI0CcJGpGxCzBv6q2P-TYEFtACLcB/s1600/Chickadee%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVklO2j3sJw/WRtBjmYauMI/AAAAAAAAEdc/12XKJXGVpI0CcJGpGxCzBv6q2P-TYEFtACLcB/s200/Chickadee%2Beggs.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickadee eggs are smaller and speckled.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-69485486069385748992017-05-04T11:52:00.004-05:002017-05-04T11:52:48.682-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 2, 2017<i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoSAmeCvFuI/WQtb9SGfoYI/AAAAAAAAEcc/lxgyTH-in1gZgPTaOTm38TBwCMk3gtqXACLcB/s1600/Bluebird%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoSAmeCvFuI/WQtb9SGfoYI/AAAAAAAAEcc/lxgyTH-in1gZgPTaOTm38TBwCMk3gtqXACLcB/s320/Bluebird%2Beggs.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The
first bluebird eggs of the season.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On the trail today there are two bluebird nests,
one with three eggs and the other with one. Tree swallows seem interested in
several boxes, but haven’t yet started building any nests. Chickadees started a
nest in one box, but may have been stopped from finishing it by tree swallows,
even though last week I installed a chickadee entrance hole guard (at 1-1/4”
the opening is too small for other birds like tree swallows). Things are off to
a slow start this year.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DqfL9e3o6Tk/WQtb_O66GKI/AAAAAAAAEcg/Dq2huHBInwcVb7cPDhN6-gB4CRg4J1PfACLcB/s1600/Tree%2Bswallows%2Bon%2Bbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DqfL9e3o6Tk/WQtb_O66GKI/AAAAAAAAEcg/Dq2huHBInwcVb7cPDhN6-gB4CRg4J1PfACLcB/s320/Tree%2Bswallows%2Bon%2Bbox.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree
swallows seem to have claimed this box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-18180812194467317462017-05-04T11:49:00.000-05:002017-05-04T11:49:11.707-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: April 17, 2017<div class="MsoDate">
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">No nests yet. Some years nest building begins earlier than others. In
the past few years, the first nesting activities began as early as April 8 and
as late as May 5. No doubt the bluebirds know what they are doing. Signs of
spring are everywhere, and I heard squabbling bluebirds in two areas of the
park.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-59489450693953580002017-04-03T16:09:00.000-05:002017-04-03T16:09:13.710-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: April 3, 2017<div class="separator" style="border-image: none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; height: 312px; text-align: left; width: 226px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hG2W7f5MvYc/WOK3K7ePwSI/AAAAAAAAEYc/MVr7SSNycIg7JLAusMyDXQPBq2-iQ9r6ACLcB/s1600/Bluebird%2BBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hG2W7f5MvYc/WOK3K7ePwSI/AAAAAAAAEYc/MVr7SSNycIg7JLAusMyDXQPBq2-iQ9r6ACLcB/s320/Bluebird%2BBox.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Waiting
for occupants</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i>
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All 11 Como Park Bluebird Trail nest boxes have
been up since March 22 and are awaiting occupants. No nesting activity yet, but
a bluebird was singing softly in the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom, where
three of the boxes are located. Bluebirds and chickadees will start building
their nests soon, and tree swallows will arrive a little later.</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-14149861754968529822017-01-09T11:47:00.000-06:002017-01-09T11:47:38.289-06:00Restoring the Floodplain<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Post contributed by Brett Stolpestad and Brad Chatfield, Conservation Corps of Minnesota:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQREHhEQNNs/WHPBbnw53NI/AAAAAAAAEWI/NICRICviOOoqqQ-VUx0ZEVUQQjfW6FX4QCEw/s1600/Hidden%2BFalls%2BOwlets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQREHhEQNNs/WHPBbnw53NI/AAAAAAAAEWI/NICRICviOOoqqQ-VUx0ZEVUQQjfW6FX4QCEw/s320/Hidden%2BFalls%2BOwlets.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Horned Owls are one of the many species that use Saint <br />Paul's floodplain parks to raise their young.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/riverslakes/explore/mississippi-river-and-its-floodplain-restoring-connections-for-people-and.xml"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Mississippi River floodplain</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> is Minnesota’s centerpiece. A
patchwork of cottonwood, maple, boxelder, hackberry, and ash </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">make up the
forest ecosystem, providing </span><a href="https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">critical habitat</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> for migratory birds and other river-dependent wildlife. The
City of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Saint Paul is home to a beautiful winding chain of parks along the
Mississippi and uses a variety of management practices to augment the health of
the floodplain ecosystem. One particularly useful and beneficial technique is </span><a href="http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/fmg/nfmg/fm101/silv/index.htm"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">shelterwood harvesting</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, the process of gradually removing mature
trees in a given area with the goal of establishing the next generation of
desirable tree species. This process has the potential to increase
biodiversity, improve wildlife habitat, and eliminate invasive species.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>How does
shelterwood harvesting work?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Step one</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Land managers begin by surveying
forest transects using satellite images, GPS units, and GIS software. At this
stage, typically called a forest composition survey, surveyors attempt to create
a map that clearly illustrates the distribution of tree species, the total
canopy cover, the average size of the trees and perhaps their age. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Step two</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Surveyors identify potential
shelterwood harvest sites by analyzing sections of forest that may lack
diversity or contain undesirable species like </span><a href="http://dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/index.html"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">buckthorn</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span><a href="http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/mulberry/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">white mulberry</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, or </span><a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/siberianelm.html"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Siberian elm</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Step three</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Through several gradual stages, foresters
begin removing trees that lie within the designated shelterwood harvest area. Removing
these trees helps to open the canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the forest
floor where the next generation of saplings can become established. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Step four</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Native tree species can then be
planted in the newly created pockets, adding to the biodiversity of the
ecosystem and improving wildlife habitat. Trees or shrubs such as cottonwood,
silver maple, sugar maple, black willow, elderberry, and red osier dogwood
might be selected! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VS1Y8IE8gAs/WHO_WrQP95I/AAAAAAAAEV0/QK_HPT-4GS45vOWMe1gBCDHJEaQxSTwnACLcB/s1600/Surveying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VS1Y8IE8gAs/WHO_WrQP95I/AAAAAAAAEV0/QK_HPT-4GS45vOWMe1gBCDHJEaQxSTwnACLcB/s400/Surveying.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Conservation Corps member completing a canopy survey at Hidden Falls<br />Regional Park.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In recent
years, prominent Saint Paul Parks including </span><a href="https://www.stpaul.gov/facilities/hidden-falls-regional-park"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hiddens Falls</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,</span><a href="https://www.nps.gov/miss/planyourvisit/lilydale_park.htm"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Lilydale</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, and </span><a href="https://www.nps.gov/miss/planyourvisit/crosfarm.htm"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crosby Farm</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Regional Parks have all been selected
as sites for shelterwood harvest. The decision to focus on these parks has
been, in part, a response to ecological threats including the encroachment of </span><a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/eab/index.html"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">emerald ash borer</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. The threat of emerald ash borer has
led to the preemptive removal of ash tree throughout the floodplain, followed
by several large-scale volunteer planting events. Over the past few years,
volunteers have helped plant hundreds of trees and shrubs throughout Crosby,
Lilydale, and Hidden Falls. If you visit these parks today, you will
undoubtedly see dozens of young maple, cottonwood, and black willow standing
straight in their “tree-tubes,” along with an understory smattering of black
willow, dogwood, and elderberry.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vXieAFqZdCg/WHPAGv6IHRI/AAAAAAAAEV8/mS8S7FtzUEYKkYfBJdI6pz38KQpkz-RCACLcB/s1600/IMG_0237%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vXieAFqZdCg/WHPAGv6IHRI/AAAAAAAAEV8/mS8S7FtzUEYKkYfBJdI6pz38KQpkz-RCACLcB/s320/IMG_0237%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shelterwood harvest areas are replanted with native tree<br />species. These young trees are protected with tree tubes, which<br />facilitate growth and protect the saplings from hungry animals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Mississippi River floodplain remains a gorgeous and dynamic landscape in the
heart of our state. The floodplain parks of the Twin Cities offer the
opportunity for city-dwellers to walk the long winding paths through towering floodplain
giants, and to become immersed in the wildlife sanctuary that the floodplain provides. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-60416931751133032852017-01-03T11:57:00.002-06:002017-01-03T11:57:31.104-06:00Lake Como Restoration<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Post contributed by Liam Krause and Dennis Walsh, Conservation Corps of Minnesota:</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing jaunt around Como Lake? With almost two miles of walking and biking
paths, paddleboats available for rent, and refreshments waiting at Como
Dockside, there is something to do for everyone. For over 100 years, Como Lake’s proximity to
Saint Paul has been a welcome respite for from urban life for residents, but
Como's proximity to the city is beginning to take a toll on the health of our
lake. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Problem</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-saHHRx0NSrw/WGvky_WzzyI/AAAAAAAAEVU/6zON-3VBc54Z3VyYXIrfeuFj_hwiMGEgwCLcB/s1600/Nutrient_Loading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-saHHRx0NSrw/WGvky_WzzyI/AAAAAAAAEVU/6zON-3VBc54Z3VyYXIrfeuFj_hwiMGEgwCLcB/s320/Nutrient_Loading.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Have you ever noticed
the greenish hue on Como Lake during the summer months? That coloration is
indicative of a process called<a href="http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/short_series/lakereservoirs-3/3.asp"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> nutrient loading</span></a>. This phenomenon occurs when
too much of one or more nutrients makes its way into a body of water. This can
happen when runoff draws sediment off the roads or fertilizers off our lawns as
it drains into a lake, pond, or river. When a body of water takes in excessive
nutrients, it promotes disproportionate algae growth. The algae soon dies,
leaving decaying organic matter. The decomposition process consumes dissolved
oxygen in the water, oxygen that other living things in the lake depend on.
This could potentially create a "dead zone." This is happening to
Como Lake. For a more detailed outline of contributing factors and findings
specific to Como Lake, visit the report published by the <a href="https://issuu.com/capitolregionwd/docs/final_approved__como_tmdl"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Capitol Region Watershed District</span></a> (CRWD).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What We've Done</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EY1heBxOlxo/WGvikPzoBOI/AAAAAAAAEU4/5dLNrGzeKtMzjSbpxoJys5hSwL2-2E7GwCLcB/s1600/nebraska%2Bbrush%2Bpile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EY1heBxOlxo/WGvikPzoBOI/AAAAAAAAEU4/5dLNrGzeKtMzjSbpxoJys5hSwL2-2E7GwCLcB/s320/nebraska%2Bbrush%2Bpile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge brush pile of invasive species created by volunteers.</td></tr>
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With the help of a CRWD cost-share grant program, and the
efforts of the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa, the City of Saint Paul
has taken big steps in reducing the sedimentation and runoff going directly
into our lake. The North Lake Como Restoration project has targeted 4.25 acres
of disturbed land in order to enhance and restore important oak savanna and
woodland habitats. When completed, the changes to the target areas will help
recharge groundwater, improve the water quality of the lake, and provide a diverse
environment for wildlife. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_gjdgxs"></a>First, the target areas were swept for
invasive species such as buckthorn, black locust, mulberry, and
honeysuckle. These species disrupt natural biodiversity and choke out
herbaceous ground cover, which can result in increased erosion. Thanks to the
hard work of volunteers, all of the cut material was hauled offsite. The site
was then prepared for seeding. Along East Como Lake Drive, all of the leaf
litter was removed in preparation for a process called hydromulching. Hydromulching
is the application of seed and mulch to reestablish vegetation, often used to
control erosion and retain soil moisture. A cover crop, and a native grass seed
mix was broadcast throughout the project area and erosion control materials
have been laid. With any luck, Saint Paul residents will start to see healthy
shoots of little bluestem, canada wild rye, and indian grass popping up as they
walk around Como Lake this spring.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwGXWnogxzM/WGvin0HY0LI/AAAAAAAAEVA/rRh2eRtm7NEpvi3iMFLgbD8LIpxkGx17ACLcB/s1600/before%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BPDZmQq3DRE/WGvkEbdkVbI/AAAAAAAAEVM/SXNNKZ_YLucSeyaX9xw7j6jn0NOXLDxJACLcB/s1600/Hydro%2Bmulch%2Bbefore%2Band%2Bafter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BPDZmQq3DRE/WGvkEbdkVbI/AAAAAAAAEVM/SXNNKZ_YLucSeyaX9xw7j6jn0NOXLDxJACLcB/s400/Hydro%2Bmulch%2Bbefore%2Band%2Bafter.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Como Lake Drive before invasive species removal and hydromulching (left) and after (right).</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What You Can Do</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></div>
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</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Nutrient loading is the effect of too much moving from our
lawns to our lakes. In order to counteract the process, it will take the
sustained combined effort of everyone in the area to restore Como Lake to a
healthy state. Some of the things you can do to help are limiting the use of
lawn fertilizer, install buffer strips or rain gardens, and keep your eye out
for <a href="https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/parks-recreation/natural-resources/volunteer-resources"><span style="color: #1155cc;">volunteer events</span></a> with the City of Saint Paul.
If you are interested in making greater changes to combat the effects of nutrient
loading, the <a href="https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/15-ways-reduce-nutrients-lakes-and-streams"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Minnesota Pollution Control Agenc</span></a>y has a list
of steps you can take. Together we can protect this popular Saint Paul
destination.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comE Como Lake Dr, St Paul, MN 55117, USA44.9814018 -93.13889849999998244.9701703 -93.159068499999975 44.9926333 -93.118728499999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-31666726775186005682016-08-29T12:59:00.000-05:002016-08-29T13:55:16.356-05:00Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary Small Mammal Survey<i>Post contributed by Erin Carter, volunteer Restoration Supervisor with Saint Paul Natural Resources:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VbKkt4G6LbU/V8R2eYP1xPI/AAAAAAAAEP4/9b6o2CCiTKwdkYjQF9RvI-t4UgnjSnz6gCLcB/s1600/IMG_8021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VbKkt4G6LbU/V8R2eYP1xPI/AAAAAAAAEP4/9b6o2CCiTKwdkYjQF9RvI-t4UgnjSnz6gCLcB/s320/IMG_8021.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Natural Resources
Technician, <br />Emily Dunlap, displays a baited trap.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Body">
If you were out walking through <a href="https://www.stpaul.gov/facilities/trout-brook-nature-sanctuary"><span class="Hyperlink0">Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary</span></a> during the last
weekend of July, you may have noticed some small metallic boxes to the side of
the path. These are Sherman Traps and are used for capturing live small
mammals. 2016 is the third year that Saint Paul Natural Resources has used a
grant from REI to conduct a small mammal survey in Trout Brook. For decades, <a href="https://issuu.com/capitolregionwd/docs/history_of_trout_brook_valley__feb_12__2013/1"><span class="Hyperlink0">trains ran through</span></a> what is now Trout Brook Nature
Sanctuary. Over the last few years there has been an effort to clean up and
restore the natural habitat of the park. One measure of determining the health
of the ecosystem is by surveying the animals in the area and seeing whether
each year has brought changes to the number or diversity of small mammals in
the park. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_bXKTBD8RY/V8R2emFD64I/AAAAAAAAEQA/ld40R0KvBzU1xq-65nzvVuLQQA7Jce9uwCLcB/s1600/IMG_8042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_bXKTBD8RY/V8R2emFD64I/AAAAAAAAEQA/ld40R0KvBzU1xq-65nzvVuLQQA7Jce9uwCLcB/s200/IMG_8042.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Volunteers set live
mammal <br />traps on the prairie transect.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
On Friday evening, the Natural Resources staff and volunteers
gathered at Trout Brook to learn how to set the Sherman Traps. We also set out
a few larger traps and track plates. The track plates are baited with peanut butter
in the center and the edges are painted with a graphite mixture. Contact paper
is placed on the track plate, sticky-side-up, so when an animal walks through
the graphite and across the plate you can see the tracks they leave behind. We
set the small traps in three different transects of the park: woodland,
prairie, and riparian and then baited these small traps with peanut butter and
oats. This process was then repeated Saturday, Sunday, and Monday evenings. In
the morning, a mammologist from the University of Minnesota, along with several
staff and volunteers would open the traps to see what animals we had caught.
One year, we unexpectedly caught a flying squirrel! I showed up on Sunday
morning with my camera, eager to see what we would find this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mTd2uNEgshk/V8R2eVs3fWI/AAAAAAAAEP8/-A0RXK-MJGkYS-mHdNOYzOfsu-1PGa43wCLcB/s1600/IMG_8121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mTd2uNEgshk/V8R2eVs3fWI/AAAAAAAAEP8/-A0RXK-MJGkYS-mHdNOYzOfsu-1PGa43wCLcB/s320/IMG_8121.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dakota Rowsey holds up a white-footed mouse.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Body">
As Dakota Rowsey from the University of Minnesota opened up trap
after trap, I quickly became familiar with the <a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/mice_voles_rats/index.html"><span class="Hyperlink0">white-footed mouse</span></a>. Seven of our traps contained
these critters which are common throughout much of the state. Two of our traps
contained <a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/shrews/index.html"><span class="Hyperlink0">short-tailed shrews</span></a>, the largest shrew species
found in Minnesota. One of our track plates showed evidence that a raccoon and
skunk had walked across it, as well as another animal that wasn<span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span>t
as easily identifiable. Perhaps a mink? I<span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span>m thrilled to have been a part of
monitoring the health of this new park and am looking forward to continuing to
watch Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary evolve into a welcoming habitat for native
plant and animal species as well as Saint Paul<span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span>s human residents.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Zw2lz3wNjQ/V8R2e4T7R3I/AAAAAAAAEQE/D4K-YuEZejgGJLEVlbI7JyX5zd93WfdbwCLcB/s1600/IMG_8160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Zw2lz3wNjQ/V8R2e4T7R3I/AAAAAAAAEQE/D4K-YuEZejgGJLEVlbI7JyX5zd93WfdbwCLcB/s320/IMG_8160.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Determining which
animals crossed the track plate.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comTrout Brook Nature Sanctuary, St Paul, MN 55117, USA44.9728275 -93.0923801999999819.450793 -134.40097419999998 70.494862 -51.78378619999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-43451072923789434722016-08-22T12:55:00.000-05:002016-08-23T13:02:33.595-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail: Final Update 2016<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a_4QCcqGhmo/V7yN9xfJEaI/AAAAAAAAEPg/0lXY0qiH3vgTHUs_xDO3268Sp0hBu3-XACLcB/s1600/Como%2BPark%2BBluebird%2BTrail%2B2008%2Bto%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a_4QCcqGhmo/V7yN9xfJEaI/AAAAAAAAEPg/0lXY0qiH3vgTHUs_xDO3268Sp0hBu3-XACLcB/s640/Como%2BPark%2BBluebird%2BTrail%2B2008%2Bto%2B2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Nesting season
is done and the last box has been removed for winter storage. This year, a
total of 55 birds fledged from 11 boxes: 33 bluebirds, 10 tree swallows, 9
chickadees, and 3 cowbirds. Of the 50 bluebird eggs laid on the trail, 66%
successfully hatched and fledged. In the nine years this trail has existed a
total of 273 bluebirds have fledged.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.978829 -93.15161460000001619.456794499999997 -134.46020860000002 70.5008635 -51.843020600000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-50436728849000295552016-08-08T17:28:00.000-05:002016-08-09T17:28:56.700-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: August 8th, 2016<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucq8T3Dn14o/V6pY4A9mUXI/AAAAAAAAEPI/XcTD6eejpusv80KQPmCy99g2RACFFmEFQCLcB/s1600/Woodland%2Bbluebird%2Bbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucq8T3Dn14o/V6pY4A9mUXI/AAAAAAAAEPI/XcTD6eejpusv80KQPmCy99g2RACFFmEFQCLcB/s400/Woodland%2Bbluebird%2Bbox.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Eight bluebirds fledged
from this box in the woodland!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Only
two boxes remain active on the trail—one has 3 soon-to-fledge bluebirds and the
other has 2 just-over-a-week-old bluebirds. I removed the other nine empty
boxes for cleaning and winter storage. In the past two weeks 10 more bluebirds
fledged, bringing season totals so far to 29 bluebirds, 10 tree swallows, 9
chickadees, and 3 cowbirds.<u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Kaufman Dr, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-37727681671116840892016-07-25T15:04:00.000-05:002016-07-25T15:04:17.736-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: July 25th, 2016<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TW28ojvsQXg/V5ZwBiUzr4I/AAAAAAAAEOQ/S26nM2Gb4CE8hEqyuhzVLwEqAeWfrQ4BACLcB/s1600/Male%2Bbluebird%2Bon%2Bbox2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TW28ojvsQXg/V5ZwBiUzr4I/AAAAAAAAEOQ/S26nM2Gb4CE8hEqyuhzVLwEqAeWfrQ4BACLcB/s320/Male%2Bbluebird%2Bon%2Bbox2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male bluebird feeds nestlings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i></i><br /><i></i>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
week, there are active bluebird nests in five boxes. One has 3 eggs in it; four
have a total of 15 bluebirds of various ages in them. Fortunately, the extreme
heat of the past week seems not to have harmed any eggs or young. Two more
cowbirds fledged from two bluebird nest boxes, but sadly none of their 7
bluebird nestmates survived. The cowbird nestlings either smothered the smaller
bluebirds or outcompeted them for food. Six boxes are now empty.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xB5OxKzrc4/V5ZwBm4l4mI/AAAAAAAAEOU/bdNzrD-7erQfZMoszxwKQFCGDK1ennYmACLcB/s1600/Deer%2Bin%2Bwoodland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xB5OxKzrc4/V5ZwBm4l4mI/AAAAAAAAEOU/bdNzrD-7erQfZMoszxwKQFCGDK1ennYmACLcB/s320/Deer%2Bin%2Bwoodland.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fawn and mother in the woodland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<u2:p></u2:p><o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-56860588624399510162016-07-13T13:13:00.000-05:002016-07-13T13:13:45.949-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: July 13th, 2016<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the past two weeks, 10 tree swallows and 1
cowbird fledged. Eight nest boxes are still active. In those boxes there are 14
bluebird eggs, 8 recently-hatched bluebirds, 2 young cowbirds, and 2 bluebird
nests without eggs.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ0nR5IOsjU/V4aEE4KzryI/AAAAAAAAEM8/ueOyh4YK6ZQjxhknoYVKNbQxKt4waryUQCLcB/s1600/Cowbird%2Band%2BBluebirds%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ0nR5IOsjU/V4aEE4KzryI/AAAAAAAAEM8/ueOyh4YK6ZQjxhknoYVKNbQxKt4waryUQCLcB/s200/Cowbird%2Band%2BBluebirds%2B2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hungry bluebirds and
cowbird <br />(cowbird's mouth is pink)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLyJOjJmJME/V4aEE0dAabI/AAAAAAAAENA/g1FUAkR32V4yfUxFICjP57O9z5Rc1RR_ACLcB/s1600/Cowbird%2Band%2BBluebirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLyJOjJmJME/V4aEE0dAabI/AAAAAAAAENA/g1FUAkR32V4yfUxFICjP57O9z5Rc1RR_ACLcB/s200/Cowbird%2Band%2BBluebirds.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fast-developing cowbird
with pin feathers <br />and two bluebird siblings</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u2:p></u2:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-91673342200208105792016-06-27T11:56:00.000-05:002016-07-11T11:59:24.542-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 27th, 2016<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WbeLFNgui4A/V4PQLDJfEqI/AAAAAAAAEMg/0g_bVw5K_KEE1BCyxE3IDtFEkgdiSGFTQCLcB/s1600/Bluebird%2Band%2Bcowbird%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WbeLFNgui4A/V4PQLDJfEqI/AAAAAAAAEMg/0g_bVw5K_KEE1BCyxE3IDtFEkgdiSGFTQCLcB/s320/Bluebird%2Band%2Bcowbird%2Beggs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebird and cowbird eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So far this nesting season 19 bluebirds and 9 chickadees
have fledged from the 11 boxes on the trail. In round number two of nesting,
there are currently 8 bluebird eggs and 3 cowbird eggs in 5 bluebird nests.
Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, usually one or two eggs
per nest. The cowbird eggs hatch sooner and the young birds grow faster, giving
them an advantage over their host birds. Up to 11 tree swallows will fledge in
the next week. Four boxes are now empty.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-41169800539622851722016-05-23T18:11:00.000-05:002016-06-13T18:12:05.918-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 23rd, 2016<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPkMFxXmYdA/V189bRl4PrI/AAAAAAAAELA/8mri83oCCNoU8j9lztZVUwE4TDqiBFqPgCLcB/s1600/Chickadees2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPkMFxXmYdA/V189bRl4PrI/AAAAAAAAELA/8mri83oCCNoU8j9lztZVUwE4TDqiBFqPgCLcB/s200/Chickadees2.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly hatched chickadees</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This week, no more bluebirds have yet hatched,
but 4 out of 6 chickadees in one nest did. The first 4 bluebirds to hatch are
now a week old and doing well. In three boxes there are 15 bluebird eggs: 6
white ones and 9 blue ones (these should hatch very soon, if all is going
well). Another chickadee box has 7 eggs. There is one tree swallow nest that
probably contains eggs under all the feathers and three partially made
not-yet-identifiable nests in three other boxes. One box is still empty.<u2:p></u2:p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-1561235840720280132016-05-21T09:59:00.000-05:002016-05-21T09:59:28.560-05:00Como Park Sakura Cherry Trees: Enjoy Hanami in Saint Paul!<i>Post contributed by Kaitlin Ostlie, volunteer Restoration Supervisor:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mJDVfDUtxxo/Vz3Un62spOI/AAAAAAAAEKo/X46mC8-eGP88SRId-vUwKx9IANKYzqFEACLcB/s1600/Como%2BPark%2BCherry%2BTrees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mJDVfDUtxxo/Vz3Un62spOI/AAAAAAAAEKo/X46mC8-eGP88SRId-vUwKx9IANKYzqFEACLcB/s320/Como%2BPark%2BCherry%2BTrees.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Como Park cherry trees</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Move over Washington, DC! You’re not the only American city
where citizens can enjoy the Japanese spring tradition of <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_how.html" target="_blank">Hanami</a>, or cherry blossom viewing. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation has its own grove of
cherry trees, also known as Sakura, ready for you and your family to discover. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The original 20 trees were a <a href="http://www.twincities.com/2012/06/06/como-regional-park-ceremony-celebrates-gift-of-20-cherry-trees-from-japan/" target="_blank">gift from the Japanese government</a>
in 2012 to mark the 100th anniversary of the gift of cherry trees to Washington, DC. In
2015, the Sakura cherry trees were named Landmark Trees in Saint Paul for their outstanding
quality, historical value, and significance. The Sakura trees are special for
more than just their beauty. They were specially selected to withstand
Minnesota’s harsh winters by the Department of Forest Resources at the University
of Minnesota. The specialized tree, the Sargeant Cherry Spring Wonder Hokkaido
Normandale, was grown from seeds taken from the northern-most island of Japan
that has a similar climate to Minnesota. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFFJNysHfj0/Vz3Un_9d-bI/AAAAAAAAEKs/gNZfM1NbJc8vvEtDQbGMMAFt1Fp3VsQqwCLcB/s1600/Children%2Bplanting%2Bcherry%2Btrees%2Bat%2BComo%2B2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFFJNysHfj0/Vz3Un_9d-bI/AAAAAAAAEKs/gNZfM1NbJc8vvEtDQbGMMAFt1Fp3VsQqwCLcB/s320/Children%2Bplanting%2Bcherry%2Btrees%2Bat%2BComo%2B2012.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children planting Como Park cherry trees in 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phenological research on the tree is still on-going with
Department of Forest Resources working to answer the most important question of
all – when will the tree bloom each spring? You can follow their prediction at
their <a href="http://trees.umn.edu/research-outreach/sakura/" target="_blank">Sakura tree webpage</a> or post your own predictions at Saint Paul – Nagasaki Sister City Committee <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1075685352453761/" target="_blank">Cherry Tree Celebration Facebook page</a>! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Sakura cherry trees can be found at the Mannheimer
Memorial in Como Park near the Butterfly Lot and Global Harmony Labyrinth. Join
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation and local Japanese culture organizations on
Saturday, June 4, at the Mannheimer Memorial for the annual <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1075685352453761/" target="_blank">Cherry TreeCelebration</a> featuring taiko drumming, crafts, Sakura theme treats, and the
planting of two additional trees. </div>
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-81172960043117807782016-05-18T09:37:00.000-05:002016-05-19T09:39:06.895-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 18th, 2016<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlFCwfCUqIk/Vz3PX-d7yNI/AAAAAAAAEKY/H6NmvgRMyQkC70olMYTiqH98T0XbM-oVgCLcB/s1600/Bluebird%2Bchicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlFCwfCUqIk/Vz3PX-d7yNI/AAAAAAAAEKY/H6NmvgRMyQkC70olMYTiqH98T0XbM-oVgCLcB/s320/Bluebird%2Bchicks.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First bluebird hatchlings of 2016!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The first bluebirds have hatched! There are 4 young birds
in one nest, and 12 more bluebird eggs in three other boxes. Three of those
eggs are white rather than blue—it is thought to be a genetic trait of the
mother—and last year the trail also had a female who laid white eggs.<u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wSAyfzrNTlg/Vz3PXxniA1I/AAAAAAAAEKU/mZsvklQoXp4xfg1mUvzfonl4peXVK1UmQCLcB/s1600/White%2Bbluebird%2Beggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wSAyfzrNTlg/Vz3PXxniA1I/AAAAAAAAEKU/mZsvklQoXp4xfg1mUvzfonl4peXVK1UmQCLcB/s320/White%2Bbluebird%2Beggs.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White bluebird eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">There
are 13 chickadee eggs in two boxes. One box has a feathery tree swallow nest
and another has a nest topped with some knobby sticks from pine trees, possibly
the work of a house wren, but maybe only partially finished, as they tend to
fill the whole box with sticks. Three nest boxes are empty.</span><u2:p></u2:p><br />
<div class="MsoDate">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-630688117702223082016-05-10T18:28:00.000-05:002016-06-13T18:29:05.001-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: May 10th, 2016<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V4Tk4_U-0rU/V19BXzkMoeI/AAAAAAAAELM/nEn1dMltancm-CtlWr9q_ZOYfkoWn98VQCLcB/s1600/Chickadee%2Beggs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V4Tk4_U-0rU/V19BXzkMoeI/AAAAAAAAELM/nEn1dMltancm-CtlWr9q_ZOYfkoWn98VQCLcB/s200/Chickadee%2Beggs2.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickadee eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWYymXRRigc/V19BZrafuDI/AAAAAAAAELU/B9LuyGcEdzwR90fsA9UwIXleSmW95O1zwCLcB/s1600/Nodding%2Btrillium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWYymXRRigc/V19BZrafuDI/AAAAAAAAELU/B9LuyGcEdzwR90fsA9UwIXleSmW95O1zwCLcB/s200/Nodding%2Btrillium.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nodding trillium in the Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i></i><br /><i></i>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
promises to be a cool and rainy week on the trail, so it will be very important
for parent birds to keep their eggs warm. Nesting season is well underway and
there are many eggs this week. Three bluebird nests have a total of at least 13
blue eggs (one female stayed on her nest so I was unable to count her
eggs—there were 4 last week). One chickadee nest has 6 brown-speckled white
eggs, the other may have 1 egg, but with so much fur inside and a blurry photo,
it was difficult to tell. Nine of eleven nest boxes are now up, and only one is
still empty. There are three with nest beginnings inside—one of them includes
feathers and may belong to tree swallows. Two more newly-installed posts await
the attachment of the last two nest boxes.</span></div>
<br />
<u2:p></u2:p><o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000944.256737799999996 -94.4374092 45.7011268 -91.855622200000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-53982012086431887692016-04-26T13:15:00.000-05:002016-05-02T13:16:55.004-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: April 26th, 2016<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nT25f9YKWhA/VyeYvYgyFWI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/41TxopreE-QpEg9kXMhNNpY-O6tWQJxOgCLcB/s1600/Jacob%2527s%2Bladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nT25f9YKWhA/VyeYvYgyFWI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/41TxopreE-QpEg9kXMhNNpY-O6tWQJxOgCLcB/s200/Jacob%2527s%2Bladder.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob's ladder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q02hbODRDjo/VyeYvU_bprI/AAAAAAAAEKA/btcfor1eXpM1gJ13VHvaAy_SQjnHx8MfgCLcB/s1600/Jack-in-the-pulpit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q02hbODRDjo/VyeYvU_bprI/AAAAAAAAEKA/btcfor1eXpM1gJ13VHvaAy_SQjnHx8MfgCLcB/s200/Jack-in-the-pulpit.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack-in-the-pulpit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
cold damp day on the trail. Bluebirds completed nests in two boxes. One box has
a partial grassy nest, another, a few bits of grass, and a third, some moss
placed by chickadees. The sixth box is still empty. In the woodland, Jacob’s
ladders and Jack-in-the-pulpits were in bloom. In the park I came upon a raptor
(perhaps a broad-winged hawk) being heckled by a crow high up in a pine tree.<u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-69420505348219828022016-04-18T10:56:00.000-05:002016-04-19T10:57:53.373-05:00Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: April 18th, 2016<i>Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:</i><br />
<i></i><br /><i></i>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uQKrrot3KMk/VxZUr9Gq_1I/AAAAAAAAEJo/3yQvA98wuc0azWyo4v8i1Fw85JvWbQ6qQCLcB/s1600/Bluebird%2Bnest%2Bbeginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uQKrrot3KMk/VxZUr9Gq_1I/AAAAAAAAEJo/3yQvA98wuc0azWyo4v8i1Fw85JvWbQ6qQCLcB/s200/Bluebird%2Bnest%2Bbeginning.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebird nest beginning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ7BQi_oX1A/VxZUrj-sb9I/AAAAAAAAEJg/R1QKWpFqDF0eFnY0kQgJfAqMWqoyBXJtQCLcB/s1600/Male%2Bbluebird%2Bon%2Bbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ7BQi_oX1A/VxZUrj-sb9I/AAAAAAAAEJg/R1QKWpFqDF0eFnY0kQgJfAqMWqoyBXJtQCLcB/s1600/Male%2Bbluebird%2Bon%2Bbox.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male bluebird guarding his box</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoDate">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Six
of eleven bluebird nest boxes are up and ready for action. Bluebirds have
already begun building nests in two of them, and two more had a few pine
needles and bits of grass in them. <st1:state><st1:place>Pennsylvania</st1:place></st1:state>
sedge and corydalis were in bloom in the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. City
employees were just about to burn the shortgrass prairie in the woodland, since
wind conditions were right. They promised to protect the empty nest box located
in the middle of that prairie.</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u2:p></u2:p></span><o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrlEeS7R47s/VxZUr4m3vcI/AAAAAAAAEJk/_yt5Ir_Dq1ceX9Fwtnq6EykdKtv2HcwuwCLcB/s1600/Corydalis%2Bin%2BCWOC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrlEeS7R47s/VxZUr4m3vcI/AAAAAAAAEJk/_yt5Ir_Dq1ceX9Fwtnq6EykdKtv2HcwuwCLcB/s320/Corydalis%2Bin%2BCWOC.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corydalis blooming in the park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.comComo Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55103, USA44.9789323 -93.14651570000000919.456897799999997 -134.4551097 70.5009668 -51.83792170000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2816024399830078816.post-41392020249104038412016-01-29T09:20:00.004-06:002016-01-29T09:20:42.485-06:00It's nesting season for Great Horned Owls!<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post contributed by Maggie, seasonal Natural Resources Technician:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s my favorite time of the year! It’s the time of
year that you can expect to hear Great Horned Owls (<i>Bubo virginianus</i>)
beginning their nesting season. Great Horned Owls (GHO) are one of the most
common owls in North America, and can coexist very closely with humans in the
city. They are not only one of the earliest nesting birds in
Minnesota, but also in the Americas. Usually by this time of the year (January-February),
the male owl has established his territory and found his mate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPbKm1DcoOE/TZFrJ9qswXI/AAAAAAAABcc/DDmZiFa0YYY/s1600/424931928_f6a24e1a66_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPbKm1DcoOE/TZFrJ9qswXI/AAAAAAAABcc/DDmZiFa0YYY/s1600/424931928_f6a24e1a66_o.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GHOs have great camouflage!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Male and females begin their mating rituals by <a href="http://www.audubon.org/sites/default/files/GRHOOW_1.hootsofpair_MBle.mp3?uuid=56ab4609b86ad">calling</a>
to one another once they have found a nesting location. If you listen
closely to their calls, you can easily distinguish between the male and female:
the male has a much lower pitched voice than the female does. It’s also
thought that female Great Horned Owls only call during the mating and nesting
seasons. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Great_Horned_Owls_in_Nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Great_Horned_Owls_in_Nest.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult & Juvenile in nest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Great horned owl pairs keep the same territories
year-to-year, and mate for life. Great Horned Owls are found in so many
different habitats that their nests can be very diverse. They don’t
usually make their own – instead, they adopt other large birds’ nests, nest in
live tree cavities, snags, or in human-constructed nest boxes. Great
Horned Owls have even been known to make their nests on the ground in parts of
the prairies of Canada and the Western US.
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The female owl will usually lay 3 eggs, but can lay up to 5
depending on the year and prevalence of food. She lays one per day and
begins incubating the eggs as soon as they’re laid. The female doesn’t
leave the nest for long periods of time due to the cold weather during the
incubation period, and is brought food by the male. Eggs are incubated for a
period of 30-37 days. Similar to other raptors, the owlets often hatch on
different days and there is usually a noticeable size difference amongst
them. Typical broods of Great Horneds in our area include 1 to 2
fledglings, but I’ve seen up to 3 survive during a good food year! Once
the owlets have hatched, the female and male take turns catching prey for their
young. The female owl usually stays in the nest when she’s not hunting,
and the male can often be seen perched nearby. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3746/13312101654_970fb5175c_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3746/13312101654_970fb5175c_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3923/14353062754_e420c078ef_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3923/14353062754_e420c078ef_b.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fledglings </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The owlets begin branching (leaving the nest and testing
their wing feathers) within 6-9 weeks. During this period, the adults
will still bring food to the fledglings, but after a few months, the new owls
are on their own! They will stick around their parents’ territory for the
summer, but then need to find their own territory. When they reach 2 years of age, they will begin mating. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Keep watch for signs of this common, yet well camouflaged
and hard to spot bird in our parks! Common signs of an owl nearby are
very vocal groups of crows, whitewash on trees (the droppings often left behind
on favorite perches of raptors) and agitated songbirds -- maybe if you’re lucky
you’ll hear them calling and be able to spot one!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check out <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id" target="_blank">this page</a> for more owl vocalizations and other info about GHOs!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721862159808015416noreply@blogger.com