Week #35 Great Egrets on the Hunt
Great Egrets frequent marshes, streams, and many other productive hunting grounds. They use their patient stealth and heightened senses to make precision strikes on their targets.
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Late Fall Beauty in Little Lake Valley
December 1, 2021 The Little Lake Valley grasses are growing rapidly with help from the rains we had a couple of weeks ago and the warmth in the air. As I walk out in these wet meadows, the morning fog drips from the branches of the ash and oak trees, helping to keep the moisture…
Read moreBears In Little Lake Valley
After many weeks of reviewing hours of black bear footage on our wildlife video cameras, it is time to write something about them! This is a masting year for many of our oak species in Little Lake Valley, meaning they have produced a huge number of acorns. Many animals are reaping the benefits this fall,…
Read moreHappy Thanksgiving!
(repost) As Thanksgiving approaches, I always want to write about our Wild Turkeys that are found throughout the area in grasslands, wet meadows, mixed forests, and on the drier hillsides. Last year I wrote about how these turkeys are not native to this area and talked about their impact on the native animals such as…
Read moreWeek #34 Turkey Toms Strutting
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy footage of these Turkey Toms strutting and displaying!
Read moreWeek #33 Bears Eating Acorns
As winter approaches, these American black bears are feasting on up to hundreds of acorns a day, important nutrition that helps them get through the chilly winter months.
Read moreAn Unusual Woodpecker Visitor
November 1st, 2021 The last two weeks as I have been performing wildlife surveys in Little Lake Valley, an unusual sound has caught my attention along the riparian corridors and oak woodlands. A sort of churring and rapid squeaking that I had not ever heard before. When I investigated, I was excited and thrilled to…
Read moreWeek #32 Elk Rut Interactions
Watch these fascinating elk interactions during this year’s rut as cow elk mingle, compete with each other, and relax while their bull elk fends off smaller bulls. Two younger bulls are also seen practicing their fighting skills.
Read moreWeek #31 Dining Beavers
Watch as this beaver gets its fill on tree bark and cambium!
Read moreThe Resilient and Beneficial Beaver
October 19, 2021 What a wonderful time of the year it is when the rains begin, and the trees are lit up with fall colors. The creeks have started to fill as the water level rises and the trees drop those brilliant leaves. As I walk along Outlet Creek, I am thrilled to see that…
Read moreThe Hidden World of Funnel Weavers
October 12, 2021 Walking through the Little Lake Valley grasslands every fall and winter, I notice many interesting funnel-like spider webs strung between the taller grasses and stalks of dead plants. Upon closer observation I notice they are a complex system of many silk threads coming together in a funnel with a hole at the…
Read moreWeek #30 Bear Patrol
Watch as these American black bears explore their surroundings, forage for food, and inspect some of the infrastructure out on the Mitigation Lands. These Black bears are well adapted to living in the woodlands and using thick vegetation for cover during the day.
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