April: Idaho Nature Calendar

Dubois Grouse Days - April 16 & 17 (Dubois). Grouse Days, in its 8th year, offers a great chance to see strutting sage grouse, one of Idaho's incredible natural spectacles. Dubois, located in eastern Idaho, is near some of the best sage grouse populations in the west. The event includes tours to see grouse on their leks (strutting grounds), including a visit to The Nature Conservancy's Crooked Creek Preserve (pictured above). Support a local community, enjoy educational presentations and see plenty of grouse.

Silver Creek enhancement plan public meetings - April 22 and 24 (Picabo Store) and April 26 (Nature Conservancy's Hailey Office). There's still time to provide your input for the Silver Creek enhancement plan, a comprehensive effort to improve fish and wildlife habitat in the Silver Creek watershed. The first meetings have been held, gathering thoughts from landowners, anglers, guides, birders and others regarding where habitat projects can have the most effect. Silver Creek has been a conservation success due to community involvement. With your help, we can make the creek even better.

Ignite Boise 4 - 6:30 pm April 22 (Egyptian Theater, Boise). Five minutes, twenty slides. What would you say? That's the premise of Ignite Boise, which has participants present with the added challenge of an automated timer. This installment is on Earth Day, with plenty of environmental-themed topics. Join an enthusiastic crowd for Boise's best ideas. (While it's officially sold out, you can always get a seat by showing up at 6:30 pm the night of the event. It's free).

Crooked Creek Preserve photo by Bob Griffith.

Cold Weather and Invasive Species

What's the most effective way to control invasive species? In Florida at least, the answer might be "cold weather."

As reported in the Seattle Times, a cold snap that brought temperatures in the 3o's and 40's had profound impacts on South Florida's non-native fauna: Thousands of non-native fish went belly up, iguanas dropped out of trees and the much-feared pythons were found dead.

(Unfortunately, the frigid temperatures also killed as many as five percent of the native manatees in Florida as well).

Certainly, the cold did not kill all the invasive critters, and over time, populations could become more adapted to cold weather. However, hopefull this puts to rest some of the wilder and more sensational predictions; watch some cable programs, and it has sounded as if pythons would soon be eating children in Central Park.

More importantly, the invasive species die-off raises interesting questions for conservationists. For instance, when are invasive species merely a localized threat? (Certainly continued efforts will be needed to locate pythons in South Florida, but we don't have to worry about them in Idaho).

When will natural factors quickly control populations, reducing the need for costly control measures? What species won't have much effect at all?

Will feral hogs in Idaho remain confined to the Bruneau Valley, or will they spread throughout the state? What invasive species pose the biggest threats to our state?

In a global society, new introductions of plants and animals are inevitable. Currently, many conservationists assume all non-native species are bad. But that is neither strategic nor cost effective. Hopefully, research can help determine where control efforts can have the most effect, and best protect native species and their habitats.

Thanks to writer Steve Bodio's blog for the tip on this story.

Photo: Python and alligator in South Florida, by the National Park Service.

Where Have All The Naturalists Gone?

Do old-fashioned naturalists still have a place in the conservation movement? Does field knowledge still matter as we solve increasingly complex environmental problems?

I suspect many readers of this blog are amateur and professional naturalists--birders, wildlife watchers, observant sportsmen, field biologists, wildlife photographers and those with similar interests.

I think some in the conservation movement have been a bit too quick to dismiss naturalists' contributions in protecting wildlife and wild places, for nature and people. And I believe field skills still matter. Read my blog at The Nature Conservancy's Cool Green Science to read more, and add your own opinions. --Matt Miller

Prairie chicken photo by Bob Griffith.

Counting Silver Creek

I get a lot of questions about what goes on at the Preserve in the winter months.

We do a lot of monitoring at Silver Creek in order to track and ensure that the habitat is remaining healthy and viable. In a nutshell, we spend a lot of time counting things throughout the year and when the weather gets bad, we analyze the things we have counted. We watch the water quality and quantity, track bird and fish numbers, monitor upland vegetation and willow communities, and much more. We also monitor visitation- where do the people come from, how many are there, and what are they doing. Counting things. Analyzing them. What does it mean when visitation has increased? When trout numbers are down? Bird numbers up? More vegetation? Less weeds? These are the things I think about in the winter.

This summer (June), with the help of Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Geological Survey, we will be monitoring trout populations. It is a really exciting time on the Preserve. The fish monitoring only happens every three years and, yes, we need volunteers. We usually shock (in order to measure and weigh them) the fish at night, and then the next morning I kayak the creek to make sure there were no fish fatalities. It is a great way to spend time and easily the most exciting monitoring that we do.

Sometimes, in the winter when I am thinking about the exciting things to come in the spring and summer like the fish population surveys, I like to try and make connections in our data analysis where there may not be connections (I do this in my free time, at work, my focus is more serious).

For instance, you would think monitoring people and monitoring fish would be completely different. But it seems to me that there are some of the same challenges and there are definite parallels. You would think it would be simple to count people and to count fish. Amazingly, counting things is not so easy.

For instance, to count visitors, we ask that people sign in (Please do it. Since the Silver Creek Preserve is private property, it gives visitors a ‘trespass permit’ for the day). Some people treat signing in at the visitor center as a very important ritual. They park their car, amble up the walk, look around, talk to the volunteers, sign in slowly (often in all capital letters), and meander back to their cars while they get ready for their visit. Others screech to a halt in the parking area, run up the walkway, scratch their name on the sign in sheet, and then peal out in the parking lot on the way to their fishing spot. As far as the trout, the same behavior occurs. Some of them just meander into our nets. Others hear us coming from a mile away and are long gone by the time we reach them. You can see their wake in the moonlight… much like the night fishermen who never sign in. In the summer, the trout are everywhere. In the winter, they disappear. In the summer we get about 80% of visitors signing in, and in the winter we get about 80% not signing in.

So, as the summer and spring season are upon us and more people are visiting the Preserve, my advice to you--- please don’t be a bad fish. Sign in.
-Dayna Smith

Cinammon Teal

After spending the winter in the Caribbean or South America, cinammon teal are back in Idaho.

A small but colorful duck, migratory cinammon teal nest almost exclusively in the western United States. They are quite common in shallow wetlands around Idaho, and are easy to see on the Camas Prairie and at Silver Creek Preserve.

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and wetlands around the Great Salt Lake are also important habitat.

You will almost never see a cinammon teal in the autumn here. They rest in the Salt Lake area before heading south.

So now is the time to observe this small but colorful duck. Spring is a great time to visit Silver Creek--birds of many species are very active, and many waterfowl are starting to set up nesting sites. The preserve is open all year, so we hope to see you there this year!

Photos by Tom Grey.

Join Our Silver Creek Public Meetings

Tomorrow--Thursday, March 25--will begin a series of public meetings to gather public input on the Silver Creek enhancement plan.

The Nature Conservancy has announced that it will work with Ecosystem Sciences, a non-profit Boise-based consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive plan to restore stretches of Silver Creek and its tributaries that need most help, and to use the restoration methods that will have the most conservation benefit.

The effort will result in habitat projects that benefit the fishery as well as many wildlife species.

Silver Creek has been a community-based conservation project since the Conservancy purchased the preserve in 1976. That's what has made it such a success.

Your input is important. Tomorrow's meetings will be at noon at the Picabo General Store and at 3:30 pm at the Conservancy's Hailey Office on 116 First Avenue North.

Other public meetings include:

April 22 – noon, Picabo Store

April 24 – noon, Picabo Store

April 26 – 5: 30 pm, The Nature Conservancy’s Hailey Office

May 29 – Opening Day. Presentations for review and input at the Silver Creek Visitor Center all day.

You can also stay informed of the enhancement plan and provide your feedback on the Silver Creek Enhancement Plan blog.

If you have questions or want more information, please contact Dayna Gross at 208-788-7910.

Photo by Kirk Keogh, first2lastlight.com

Nutritious, Delicious Native Shrubs

With the official beginning of spring, it may seem like the worst of winter is past. But for mule deer and other big game animals, March is often the cruelest month.

Having starved much of the winter, many animals are simply too stressed to make it through spring--particularly if there is little forage available. (Learn how you can reduce that stress).

A healthy sagebrush ecosystem can provide the nutritious food that deer, elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep need to make it through the winter. A landscape still covered in shrubs can often make the difference between a thriving deer herd a non-existent one.

Sagebrush is a protein-rich, highly digestible plant. Numerous studies have shown that sagebrush often makes up a majority of a deer's winter diet.

There are 16 species of sagebrush, and they vary in palatability for mule deer. But as Dr. Carl Wambolt of Montana State University notes, even the least palatable species are valuable as forage.

Sagebrush sticks out of the snow, so deer can browse on it even in harsh winters.

A healthy sagebrush ecosystem, though, consists of more than just sagebrush. Other plants help vary a deer's diet and provide additional nutrients.

Other shrubs--like bitterbrush (pictured above), horse brush, winter fat and salt brush--are an important part of a mule deer's diet. Bureau of Land Management botanist Roger Rosentretter calls bitterbrush "deer candy" and notes that it aids in the deer's digestion to have a variety of shrubs.

"A mule deer diet of sagbrush and a little bit of bitterbrush is high-quality winter forage," he says. "The deer prefer the bitterbrush but they will do very well if you have both. They compliment each other with proteins and nutrients. It also aids deer digestion to have both."

In a healthy sagebrush ecosystem, native bunch grasses cover the area between the shrubs. Unlike non-native cheatgrass, bunch grasses stand upright all year--even during periods snow, allowing deer to access them more easily.

Non-native cheatgrass exists as a monoculture. It can be eaten by deer when it greens up in the spring, but it makes it very difficult for deer (and other wildlife) to thrive. As is almost always the case: Diversity rules. A healthy sagebrush system has so many values for wildlife. By protecting and restoring this habitat, we can ensure thriving big game herds remain a part of Idaho.--Matt Miller

Lend a Hand at Thousand Springs

Our state parks have received severe budget cuts, so volunteer help is more important than ever.

There will be an active volunteer effort at Thousand Springs State Park this spring and summer. By pitching in, you can assure that this park--consisting of five units--continues to protect beautiful springs, canyons, hiking trails, wildlife habitat and historic facilities.

The next volunteer outing will be March 27, planting trees at Billingsley Creek.

Email contact@visitsouthidaho.com if you would like to participate.

The Nature Conservancy donated the Ritter Island portion of Thousand Springs to the State of Idaho in December 2006. We also played important roles in the creation of the Box Canyon and Billingsley Creek units.

Our state parks deserve an adequately funded department. They also deserve our help. This park can continue to be a jewel in the Hagerman Valley. Please lend a hand for our parks!

Keep informed on Thousand Springs issues at the Visit South Idaho blog.

Snake River Birds of Prey

The Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area--located near Kuna, Idaho--has one of the highest densities of nesting raptors in the world, not to mention the highest density of badgers, many sagebrush bird species like Says phoebe and canyon wren, and stunning views of the Snake River.

In short: It's a great place to visit if you're a birder or naturalist.

And now is the time to catch incredible raptor interactions there.

Yesterday, I visited the conservation area with friend Ryan Andrus, a falconer, raptor enthusiast and biologist.

We hoped to see some interesting raptor behavior; we weren't disappointed. Prairie falcons (pictured above), golden eagles, ferruginous hawks, red-tailed hawks, harriers and kestrels were numerous.

At one stop, we watched as a prairie falcon snagged a ground squirrel, only to be chased by a harrier and two ravens. When the falcon dropped the dead squirrel in mid-flight, a golden eagle swooped in and calmly took it away.

At Dedication Point, we watched territorial disputes among prairie falcons.

The best way to catch the action yourself is to take Swan Falls Road from Kuna. Here are a few stops to make along the way:

Dedication Point offers excellent views of the Snake River Canyon, and is a fantastic viewing spot for prairie falcons and other raptors. The birds will often soar right by the viewing area.

Initial Point is the best spot to see badgers. The road is rough in this area so drive carefully.

Swan Falls Dam is a good place to look for ducks, pelicans, grebes and other water birds, as well as marmots in the nearby canyon.

The 485,000-acre conservation area is a great place to explore and see raptors hunting, soaring, fighting and breeding. Sit quietly and you'll be amazed by what you'll see.--Matt Miller


Photo courtesy USGS.

Want to Help Idaho State Parks? Buy an Annual Parks Pass.

Earlier this week, the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted to cut the fiscal year 2011 general funds budget for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation by 80%.

This obviously has major implications for our state parks and their management. Many people have asked how they can help.

The Nature Conservancy continues to advocate for an adequately funded state parks department, which we believe offers so much to Idaho. We need to continue to work to ensure more adequate funding in the future.

However, our parks need your support now. One of the best ways to help this year is to buy an state parks annual pass.

Doing so will provide vital funds to continue management, maintenance and visitor services at our parks. At $35 per year, your pass will enable you to visit our parks without paying the daily fees. Whether you're climbing dunes at Bruneau, hiking along the crystal clear springs of Box Canyon (pictured above), skiing at Priest Lake or fly fishing at Harriman, the state parks pass has you covered.

If you are on Facebook, please become a fan of the Friends of Idaho Parks and Recreation.

This fan site is growing fast, and it's a great way to organize and show your support. The Friends Facebook page has all the latest news and information on the parks situation.

Our parks provide us so much. Now is the time to show your support for an adequately funded department.

Photo: Box Canyon, a unit of Thousand Springs State Park near Hagerman, by Phares Book.

Horned Larks

I saw the first horned larks of the year yesterday (along with migrating sandhill cranes and snow geese), on grassy flat areas of the Boise Foothills.

I see horned larks fairly frequently around southern Idaho. They're a bird of open ground, so they prefer areas without much cover.

Like many grassland birds, horned larks are in decline over much of their range. This is due to a variety of factor, including the dramatic loss of prairie habitat. These birds are also one of the species most likely to be killed by wind turbines.

Interestingly, I've often seen horned larks--and other grassland species like burrowing owls, long-billed curlews and Western meadowlarks--in degraded sagebrush habitat. Is it possible that these declining species are actually utilizing areas converted to non-native annual grasses?

I have not seen any studies suggesting this, but I think it would be worthy research. Oftentimes, conservation in our altered world presents many interesting dilemmas.

This is undoubtedly another instance where birders and citizen-conservationists can help researchers in tracking where horned larks are now living, and whether they are utilizing new habitats.

So keep an eye out for horned larks this spring. They're a distinctive bird and well worth searching for on your next outing.--Matt Miller

Photo by Tom Grey, of Tom Grey Bird Photos.

Canvasbacks

The canvasback is known as a duck of large ocean bays and other big water, where they congregate in large flocks. However, they nest in small wetland areas. Look closely in the coming months, and you may be lucky to see some around Idaho.

The canvasback is a large, striking duck, easily distinguished from other speces by its sloping beak profile.

It was once the famous waterfowl species of the Chesapeake Bay, but has declined significantly there due to the loss of its primary food source, wild celery. In fact, in the 1980's, the canvasback population crashed across the continent.

According to Ducks Unlimited, this was due to a loss of nesting habitat in the prairie pothole region of the Dakotas and Canada and also due to ingesting spent lead ammunition (this ammunition has since been banned for waterfowl hunting).

The bird's populations have since rebounded, but they are still heavily dependent on healthy wetland habitat, particulary in the prairies.

Idaho is not in the canvasback's main nesting range, but some do nest here.

Last year, two batches of canvasback ducklings were recorded at The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve. You can also often find a few on the wetlands of the Camas Prairie near Fairfield, including Centennial Marsh.

Photo by Calibas on Wikimedia Commons, under a GNU Free Documentation License.

Property Acquisition Benefits Salmon, Agriculture

When the summer heats up, young kids go to the pool. Young salmon go to Kenney Creek.

The Lemhi Regional Land Trust has announced the purchase of a 520-acre ranch along Kenney Creek, a tributary of the Lemhi River important for salmon, steelhead and other native fish.

The Nature Conservancy played an important role in the project from its beginning.

The acquisition is part of a complex conservation project that will ensure that sufficient water remains in the creek to meet the needs of both fish and agriculture.

The property will be protected with a conservation easement and transferred to a local rancher, in exchange for another conservation easement that will protect additional salmon habitat.

Read more about the Kenney Creek acquisition.

Photos by Jim Foster.

Burrowing Owls

It's hard to deny: Burrowing owls are cool.

And while that might not be objective, how else to describe a soda pop can-sized owl that lives underground?

Last evening, Katie McVey, environmental education specialist for the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, presented a program on her burrowing owl research to the Golden Eagle Audubon Society.

Katie and others have studied these owls at the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area for years by building artificial dens and conducting extensive research on nesting success, diet and owl habits.

The Snake River area has one of the highest densities of burrowing owls in the country, creating an excellent environment to learn more about these curious creatures.

The owls have very interesting habits. They move into abandoned holes dug by badgers and other mammals, and hatch large broods of chicks (one in the area hatched 16).

They feed on a variety of smaller critters, including mice, voles, scorpions, grasshoppers and small snakes. They catch as much as they can and deposit an extra prey underground in a cache, to be eaten when the hunting isn't as good.

Owls may be doing well in Idaho, but lots of owls are living near agricultural fields which raises some conservation concerns. Can they thrive alongside agriculture? Does this expose them to new dangers? What if those farms are developed? These are all questions being explored by the researchers.

About 95% of Idaho's burrowing owls migrate, most likely to southern California, for the winter. Some are already showing back up at the Birds of Prey area, according to local birders.

They are found in grassland areas of the United States as well as Central and South America.

In fact, I took these photos on the expansive Llanos grasslands of Colombia, where the owls were amazingly abundant. Riding horseback across the plains, it was not unusual to encounter dozens of them. Every time I encountered them they made me smile--with their big eyes and curious look.

Unlike almost all other owls, burrowing owls are active during the day. So keep your eye out in southern Idaho this spring: you might just be rewarded with a sighting of this interesting little bird.--Matt Miller

Kent Christopher Memorial

Sagebrush country has long been considered under-appreciated: After all, many drive through southern Idaho at 80 mph and see nothing but a barren, empty land.

Kent Christopher knew better, and wanted to show others the wild side of this open land: dancing grouse, beautiful wildflowers, racing pronghorns, the opportunity for incredible outdoor adventures.

A new memorial (above) at Camas National Wildlife Refuge will remember Kent's many contributions to sage grouse and sagebrush habitat conservation. (Click on the image for a larger version).

Kent was a passionate falconer, conservationist, educator, poet and photographer. His connection to the land was formed by flying his gyrfalcons on sage grouse, but he loved it all: the birds, the ranches, the country.

Kent worked closely with The Nature Conservancy at Crooked Creek Preserve, and created the first-ever Dubois Grouse Days, an event that offers tours to see sage grouse on their spring breeding grounds (called leks). The event has become tremendously popular and is a great way to see this natural spectacle in all its glory.

This year's Grouse Days will be April 16 and 17. Kent's memorial will be dedicated during the event.

Kent was tragically killed in a ski accident in March 2008, much too soon. We need more like him. In eastern Idaho, his legacy lives on. Long may his work serve as an inspiration to the falconers, birders and conservationists continuing the hard work of protecting and restoring sage grouse and sagebrush.

Support Idaho's State Parks

The Nature Conservancy supports an adequately funded, professionally managed state parks department in Idaho. These parks provide so much for our quality of life: world-class outdoor recreation, affordable places for families to spend time outside, abundant wildlife, beautiful scenery, historic preservation.

That's why we're happy to see a strong grassroots effort forming by those who love our parks: the Friends of Idaho State Parks.

The best way to get involved right now is by becoming a Facebook fan of Friends of Idaho State Parks. The Facebook page contains a lot of great information on how to help and how you can best be an advocate for our parks.

Become a fan today and show your support!

Photo: Ponderosa State Park offers great cross-country skiing and snowshoeing near McCall. Jennifer Miller photo

Tundra Swans are Here

The tundra swans have really been showing around Idaho in the past week. They'll stop for a bit before heading north to their breeding grounds on the Arctic and sub-arctic tundra.

The calm waters provided by wetlands offer an excellent pit stop before continuing on a long journey.

While the tundra swan population is estimated at 170,000 birds, they seem to be in a slow decline in the western United States.

Polluted water--which causes declines in the aquatic vegetation on which they feed--is suspected as a major culprit in the decline.

If you want to see swans in Idaho, here are some suggestions:

The Nature Conservancy's Ball Creek Ranch Preserve, Bonners Ferry

The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve, Picabo

Fort Boise Wildlife Management Area, Parma

Ted Trueblood Wildlife Area, Grandview

Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Nampa

Photos by mdw under a GNU Free Documentation License.

Conservancy Sponsors Walkin' Jim Stoltz Concert

The Nature Conservancy presents Walkin’ Jim Stoltz, one of America’s most unique folk singers and backcountry travelers, at 7:30 pm Tuesday, March 16 at the Colonial Theatre in Idaho Falls.

The mix of stunning photography, stories, and music make this one-of-a-kind concert an inspiring journey into our nation’s last wilderness areas.

Walkin' Jim gets his name from nearly 27,000 miles he has walked through the wild country of North America. Carrying a guitar and writing his songs along the way, his lyrics express a great love and respect for the Earth and the wild places he knows so well.

Tickets are $10 for the concert and are available at the Idaho Falls Arts Council, 450 A Street, Idaho Falls or by calling 208-522-0471. Children under 12 are free, but must have a ticket. This event is sponsored by The Nature Conservancy in Idaho. For more information call 208-522-4350.

Read more about Walkin' Jim Stoltz.

Reviews: Feathered Obsessions

I love identifying and observing birds, but I admit that I've never been interested in competitive listing--ticking off bird species seen for the purposes of amassing a long "life list." In its most extreme forms, listing seems to reduce the beauty of birds to mere tokens to be collected, while ignoring their habits and the stunning places they inhabit.

Most birds about competitive listing similarly leave me cold; these stories too seem more about numbers than birds.

But not this one: Olivia Gentile's Life List is a compelling portrait of Phoebe Snetsinger, a woman who took to birding to escape a life she considered mundane, and from there became the first person to see 8000 of the world's bird species.

Snetsinger makes a fascinating character. As a young woman in the '50s she aspired to be a scientist, but instead fell into the expected roles of housewife and mother. She turned to birding as an escape, becoming ever more passionate about recording birds she'd seen.

In 1981, at the age of 49, diagnosed with cancer and given a year to live, Snetsinger set out on a string of international birding tours to see as many species as she could before she died. She lived another 18 years--and in that time accumulated a life list larger than any other birder.

Gentile presents a complex story of a complex individual. It's hard to not admire Snetsinger, a woman who at times braves terrible conditions and rugged travel to add a few birds to her list. But the other side of obsession is also here: the toll on her husband and children, the increasingly competitive nature of her birding, the neglect of her mental health following a horrific assault on a birding trip in New Guinea.

Best of all, Gentile also captures the genuine thrills of seeing new birds in their habitat. This ultimately, is not a story about numbers, but of birds--and the great places birds can take us.
Falconers have their own breed of feathered obsession. The art of hunting game with trained birds of prey is an ancient pastime, and given the inherent difficulties of training a raptor coupled with the strict regulations and apprenticeship process, it's nearly impossible to be a casual falconer.

Rachel Dickinson's Falconer on the Edge is her attempt to understand what drives falconers in their passion. Married to falconer Tim Gallagher--the writer and naturalist who rediscovered the ivory-billed woodpecker--she decided to learn about her husband's passion by spending time with one of the sport's most fanatic devotees.

Steve Chindgren flies his falcons on sage grouse at least five days a week in the autumn and winter near his cabin in Wyoming. Sage grouse hawking is considered one of the most beautiful and difficult forms of falconry.

In her book, Dickinson captures the many elements that add up to make a falconer--the raptors, of course, but also the sage grouse, the land, the regulations, the camaraderie.

As any book involving sage grouse today must be, it's also about conservation--especially as so many of Chindgren's hawking grounds are overtaken by energy development on Wyoming's sagebrush country.

Falconers have a long history of conservation, including the highly successful restoration of peregrine falcon populations. They pursue conservation with the same obsessive nature as they do hunting.

Falconers have already become heavily involved in sage grouse conservation, in places like Idaho's Crooked Creek. We'll continue to need their help as we work to stem the decline of sage grouse populations.

Obsession can mean many things, not all of them positive. But a close connection with the natural world--be it through birding or falconry or another activity--inarguably also makes the strongest conservationists. --Matt Miller

Badger Ambassador

Badger posts always generate a lot of interest on this blog, so I thought I'd share this unusual photo of a badger on a leash.

No, it's not a pet, but a rescued badger at the High Desert Museum near Bend, Oregon.

Badgers are common in sagebrush country, but can be difficult to find. I recently hosted a naturalist trying to see all the world's mammals who came to Idaho to try to see a wild American badger. He has seen pandas and clouded leopards and all manner of rare and elusive animals, but no American badger. He finally found one at the Snake River Birds of Prey Conservation Area--but it took a lot of patience, careful searching and spotlighting.

Idaho has the highest density of badgers on earth. Still, most kids won't see one unless they're lucky. The badger at the High Desert Museum offers an up-close look at this cool mammal. Hopefully it can instill curiosity and interest in badgers, and their sagebrush home.

Watch a video about the museum's badger.

Wood River Valley: Mountain Lion Encounter!

Story and photo by Sara Sheehy, donor relations manager in the Conservancy's Hailey office.

I told my friend I had “quite the story to tell.” He retorted by saying “Quite the story to tell – that was the understatement of the decade.” I so rarely tell stories here, but this one is a good yarn.

And it’s all true.

I woke up this morning in a scream. I couldn’t figure out why, until I focused enough to hear the howling and snarling outside the window. My first thought was that a fox or coyote was after one of the barn cats, and that our neighbor’s dog was fighting it off. I sensed a faint scuffle happening near the barn but it was too dark to see.

After dragging Mike out of bed, we grabbed a flashlight and headed outside. My main concern was that there might be an injured cat in the yard.

Just outside the barn we came across a sizable patch of blood.

I heard a faint noise, and something rushed out of the darkened barn towards us. I screamed, and shone my light on what turned out to be my neighbor's dog. She didn’t come near us, but I started to worry that it was her blood we had seen.

I called the neighbors in my concern, and shortly all the lights went on in their house. I proceeded to get ready for work. As I was walking through the living room, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a large shadow lurking on the side of their house.

My first thoughts were “No way. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t.” The shadow turned its big head in the reflection of light against snow and I couldn’t deny it. Cougar.

After calling my neighbors again to warn them to stay inside, a car pulled into the driveway. A woman I didn’t recognize got out, unaware that she was 20 feet from the shadowed cougar. The cougar crouched.

I panicked, flung open the window, and yelled at her to return to her car. She moved her headlights to flash at the house. The mountain lion stood up, turned, and stalked away.

The woman left, with our neighbor’s dog (and the neighbors) a short time after. Once it was fully daylight, I returned outside and hunted down the large paw tracks. The one pictured above was behind the barn.

The circumference of the paw print was bigger than my palm, but smaller than my fully extended hand. A big cat.

The happy ending to this story is that the dog is recovering from her run-in with the cougar, and we are hopeful that the one missing barn cat will return (barn cats have a tendency to disappear occasionally, and they are great hiders).

I am grateful that when I went out to investigate the “fox” this morning, that it was only the dog that came out of the barn, and not the cougar, too.

I live in a very narrow valley where large animals are feeling the constant pressure of fragmentation and development where they once traveled.

It is a constant struggle in these situations to do what is best for humans and animals, while remembering that we as humans have invaded their home. I don’t yet know what the resolution in this particular situation is, but it is never easy.

For now, I will be keeping my two dogs close at hand and being careful not to venture outside during dawn and dusk. I hope the cat got a healthy scare and will move into a more wild locale. I hope that for the cougar, and for us.

The Goshawk

Blog by Dayna Gross, Silver Creek Preserve manager

One of my favorite times of the year, winter at Silver Creek inevitably brings with it a rare bird sighting or two.

I am always quick to point out to people that the winters, although quiet, are quite busy with wildlife. It seems that all the critters congregate at Silver Creek for the open water, the shelter, the midge hatches, and the abundant rodents.

This year, we had a barn owl at the visitor center for a few weeks--scaring the hunters first thing in the morning.

Last week I was told a great Silver Creek story--- the remarkable story of a bird that came to Silver Creek during the winter from hundreds of miles away. It appears that this journey may have helped make her one of the longest lived northern goshawks on record.

Jack Kirkley, biology professor at the University of Montana, trapped this goshawk at her nesting site in the Big Hole Valley in southwest Montana in 2003. The tag led him to find that she was originally banded by a Boise State University graduate student in 1991.

After a tip that she was seen around the Silver Creek area in 2004, Jack drove down here and confirmed that it was the same bird.

He has since lost radio contact and believes she is probably dead. Fourteen years and four months is a very long run for a goshawk, though.

When I asked him the normal age range for the bird, he told me that he sees a lot of one and two year olds die from starvation in the winter and most don’t live past five or six.

He thought that she travelled all the way from the Big Hole Valley to Silver Creek in the winter and speculated that this may have been the reason for her living so long—winter site fidelity.

For me, this story really struck a chord. I think of the mountain ranges she would have had to cross just to get here.

And, why here? Of all the places, I wonder why she chose Silver Creek.

It is in my nature to be a little imaginative, so my guess is that she was drawn here, like we all are, because it is such an awesome and remarkable place! (With lots of rodents, of course).

Photo: A goshawk caught at Silver Creek in the 1990s.

Birds on Open Water

With ponds and lakes frozen, one of the best places to look for birds is wherever you find open water. Silver Creek Preserve, the South Fork of the Snake, the Boise River, the Salmon River and its tributaries and the Henry's Fork are just a few places to check out for excellent winter birding.

Flocks of waterfowl congregate at deep river pools; you'll see many species now that can be difficult to spot in large flocks at other times of year. Look for American and Barrow's goldeneye, bufflehead (pictured above) and other diving ducks. Gadwalls, green-wing teal and widgeon also spend the winter on Idaho's rivers.

American and hooded mergansers are a common sight. These birds are fun to watch as they dive under water and come back up with whitefish and small trout. At times, a merganser will seem to swallow a ten-inch or longer fish, which seems a difficult feat for a bird of that size.

In East Idaho, trumpeter and tundra swans make a dramatic sight as mist rises on the Henry's Fork and South Fork.

It's probably the best time of year to see bald eagles. I've seen as many as six along the Boise River while sitting quietly there in the early morning. While in Coeur d'Alene last week, many nature lovers reported seeing a lot of eagles around Cougar Bay.

Willows and other vegetation along streams are alive with black-capped chickadees, red-shafted flickers and many other birds. In the early morning and at dusk, great horned owls--hooting as the begin to nest--can often be seen silhouetted on tree branches.

So take a walk along a river or stream this winter--the birds are there in abundance.

Hogs in Idaho, Hippos in Australia

Recently, I reported here on the confirmation of feral hogs in Idaho, a most unwelcome announcement.

Now comes the strange case of a pygmy hippo roaming freely in Australia.

Welcome to the strange new world where we never know what animal might show up in your backyard. Read more on my blog at Cool Green Science.--Matt Miller

A Stanley Bird Journal, 1971-1983

Last week, The Nature Conservancy's Idaho field office received via mail an interesting notebook from 83-year-old Betty Jo Olson of Twin Falls.

Betty was doing some house cleaning and thought we might be interested. Her little notebook details all her bird sightings from 1971-1983, while living in a trailer in Stanley.

She certainly saw a lot of birds, from Audubon warblers to ouzels to golden eagles. She documented when birds like sandhill cranes showed up in the spring, and how long birds like towhees hung around her place.

On an Audubon bird count, she even saw loons on Redfish Lake.

Her notes were sprinkled with colorful descriptions of bird behavior. For instance, here's an entry on a pair of bluebirds: "The female has asked him over to the new house several times, but he seems to want the swallow house. I can hear her saying: I want a 'new' house..."

Betty wondered if her notebook would be of any use. Do such observations help conservationists?

Actually, personal observations of birds and other wildlife are playing an important role to help document population trends, occurences of rare species, appearances of new non-native species and the effects of climate change.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology counts on observations from thousands of individuals for its Project Feeder Watch and the Great Backyard Bird Count (mark your calendar; this year's count is from February 12-15). Both track long-term trends for bird conservation.

Today in Cool Green Science, the Conservancy's Dave Mehlman shares how birders are being asked to help track sightings of the imperiled--and little studied--rusty blackbird.

Conservation biologists can't be everywhere at once, so observation from citizen-naturalists is a tremendous help.

We always value hearing from nature lovers, friends and members. If you have something you'd like to share, contact the Idaho office nearest you.--Matt Miller

Photo Credit: Cephas under a GNU Free Documentation License.

Give Deer a Brake

New signs are being installed on Highway 21, between Boise and Idaho City, urging motorists to "Give Deer & Elk a Brake."

The signs will also include tallies of the number of deer and elk killed on that stretch of road each year.

While this may seem grim, hopefully it gets drivers' attention, and gets them to drive slowly and carefully.

Such signs have been used in many different areas as way to draw attention to big game deaths on roads. (I photographed the sign below in Woburn, England). This is a project of the Idaho Transportation Department, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Ada and Boise counties.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is also installing a wildlife underpass along this road.

To protect migratory wildlife and wintering big game from the dangers of roads, conservationists must use a variety of methods--habitat protection, overpasses and underpasses, education and signage. Otherwise, we will lose many populations of large mammals. Efforts like these signs are important steps.--Matt Miller

Feral Hogs Confirmed in Idaho

As reported Friday by the Capital Press, the presence of feral hogs has been confirmed in Idaho.

A feral hog was killed in February in the Bruneau Valley of Owyhee County. Trail cameras set up by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have confirmed additional animals present in the area.

Feral hogs are one of the most adaptable and invasive mammal species worldwide. Once established, they are extremely difficult to control. They spread livestock diseases, damage stream habitat, tear up native plants and eat bird nests and native plants.

In many states, isolated reports of feral hogs have led--quickly--to established hog populations that are difficult, if not impossible, to control.

The Nature Conservancy helped lead an effort on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California to eradicate pigs, which had upset the ecological balance on the island. The pigs attracted golden eagles, which in turn preyed on the native island gray fox--found nowhere else on earth. The pigs were eradicated, and golden eagles were relocated.

But on mainland areas, pigs can be extremely wary and difficult to find. They also have large litters of piglets--allowing their populations to rebound from control measures quickly.

It is believed that hunters introduced feral hogs to the Bruneau Valley from California--a terribly short-sighted action. Such illegal introductions can have long-term impacts on both wildlife and livestock.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is undertaking a control program this winter, when the hogs will be easier to track. Now is the time to make sure these hogs don't become established in southern Idaho. If you see one, please report it to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture immediately.--Matt Miller

Photo by NASA, on Wikimedia commons.

Silver Creek: Year in Review

Submitted by Dayna Gross. Photo by Sara Sheehy.

It’s already winter at the Silver Creek Preserve—the sandhill cranes are long gone and the trumpeter swans are making their winter home here. Waterfowl sparkle on the water and a barn owl is taking care of the rodent problem at the visitor center!

These are some just of the wonders The Nature Conservancy hopes to preserve for future generations.

We are grateful to all our partners in conservation, to all of the landowners who have contributed conservation protection agreements, and to everyone who values the natural world and its many wonders. This year has been remarkable—with a new easement adjacent to the preserve, record student numbers, amazing (although unusual) hatches, great fishing, and high water levels.

Some of the accomplishments in 2009 include:

Molyneux easement: Thank you all for your generous contributions to make this happen! We closed on a conservation easement on the Molyneux property, adjacent to the preserve and visitor center!! We are still raising money to pay for this easement, however, so please donate.

Budweiser Conservation Award: John French was one of four finalists for the Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. John and Elaine French have a property under easement along Silver Creek and have contributed time and resources to make sure Silver Creek remains an amazing and productive spring creek. We will know soon whether he won the Budweiser Conservationist of the Year!

Silver Creek enhancement plan: An effort with our neighbors and partners to better plan and fund restoration work throughout the Silver Creek area is underway. Public meetings will be organized in 2010.

Graduate research: Our graduate student from Montana State, Bri Schultz, who is studying spring creeks and what makes them healthy completed her field work this summer. She will be completing (and presenting) her thesis in the spring of 2010, so stay posted.

Fire restoration: The fence and signs that burned in 2008 were replaced and the seeding that was conducted in 2008 paid off-- you can hardly even tell that 20 acres of the preserve burned. We will be focusing on weed control in 2010 to ensure native plants thrive.

Record student and volunteer numbers: More than 1000 students visited the preserve in 2009. We clocked over 1400 volunteer hours with more than 50 volunteers! In addition, visitor numbers were up slightly this year—right around 7200, with 80% of those anglers.

There are already many activities planned for 2010. Check back frequently for the latest news at Silver Creek Preserve!

Flying Friendlier Skies

Blog by Ginny Glasscock

Everyone appreciates the modern conveniences that electricity brings to our homes, from utilities and communications to entertainment. But we don’t always think about the problems that the equipment that supplies this power can cause for our feathered friends.

Natalie Turlie, of Idaho Power, addresses these concerns in her job as Avian Protection Coordinator. Working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor problem areas, she then plans improvements to Idaho Power equipment.

She trains company crews to retrofit older poles and lines with more bird-friendly features, and to use these same features on new or replacement installations.

At The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve, several power poles were scheduled for replacement prior to winter, as they had been partially charred by the fire of 2008.

Crews recently completed the job, using several bird safety devices. Additional protection was provided on a nearby power pole with three transformers, where an osprey had been recently electrocuted after it perched to eat its meal of just-caught trout.

Birds can run afoul of power lines by actually flying into them, or by electrocution. Natalie explains that birds can die if they simultaneously touch two energized wires, or one live wire and a ground. Birds can perch safely as long as they don’t make these two points of contact.

Protective devices work by making power lines more visible so that the birds can avoid them, discouraging birds from perching in dangerous locations, or by covering energized wires to allow safe perching.

Firefly bird diverters are mounted directly onto long spans of wire in high traffic flight areas. These small, reflective flappers are also luminescent, to be visible to night-time flyers.

Perch preventer strips are rows of small spikes mounted on power pole cross pieces, nudging birds away from dangerous spots. T-shaped perches provide a sitting area well above electrified parts. Large PVC sheaths cover wires and insulators at the tops of poles, and plastic tubing is installed over smaller wires.

You will be able to find all of these on power lines and poles at Silver Creek Preserve.

The preserve is a popular bird-watching destination, with more than 150 different species reported.

All birds and birders are grateful to Idaho Power for their work in mitigating possible conflicts between human needs and avian ones.

Wildlife at Point of Rocks

Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc. (CSR) sent this Flickr photo gallery of wildlife on the Point of Rocks section of Silver Creek, on the property of John and Elaine French.

Check out the entire photo gallery.

CSR has undertaken extensive habitat restoration on the Frenches' property, which is also protected through a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy.

There is still time to vote John French for Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. Vote here.

The deadline is December 15. Vote today!

From Idaho to Colombia

In 2008, I spent a month in Colombia as part of a fellowship with The Nature Conservancy. I gave a presentation on my adventures there last night in Boise and will give another next week in Ketchum (6 pm Dec. 15 at The Community Library).

For those interested in more stories from Colombia, here are some links:

Saving Cotton-Top Tamarins--and Helping People Too: My article on the Conservancy's work in the tropical dry forest near Cartagena.

Mochilas for Monkeys: My Cool Green Science blog post about Conservancy partner Proyecto Titi and how making mochila bags benefit communities in the dry forest.

A Ranch Called Hope: My story on Eduardo Martinez and his ranch on the Llanos grasslands.

The Nature Conservancy's Colombia page: Lots of good information about the Conservancy's work in Colombia.

Colombia blog: More photos I took during my fellowship.

If you have questions or would like to discuss more about Colombia, please feel free to email me. I'm always happy to share stories about my time in that beautiful part of the world.--Matt Miller

Your Vote Counts

Don't forget to vote for Idaho conservationist John French for the Budweiser Conservationist of the Year.

Vote here: http://budweiserconservationist.young-america.com/Register.aspx

John has worked tirelessly on behalf of Silver Creek and other natural areas in Idaho and around the world. Voting takes just a minute.

Recognize a great Idaho conservationist and help the Conservancy continue to protect special places in Idaho!

Update on Mercury Levels in Silver Creek Trout

As widely reported today, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a press release explaining that the 2007 report that found elevated mercury levels in Silver Creek brown trout was based on a laboratory error and that mercury levels in Silver Creek are not as high as thought.

The health advisory for Silver Creek trout has been lifted.

At The Nature Conservancy, we're relieved by this news. Obviously, we must continue to monitor trout in Silver Creek for mercury levels, as mercury is still present in these fish.

The Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve is strictly "catch and release" so the new findings do not change anything on our preserve.

It's important to note that about 2o southern Idaho lakes, reservoirs and waterways still contain mercury advisories--and on many of these waters, people do catch fish for eating.
This is still a serious issue. The Idaho Conservation League has been a leader on addressing mercury in southern Idaho waters, working to educate and advocate for healthy waters.

Wild Idaho fish should be a sustainable, healthful food--not come with health warnings.

Journey to Colombia - Free Presentations

Can monkeys save a village? Can armadillos help a family through years of darkness?

Colombia is a country notorious for its violence, but in many parts of the country, that dark past is history.

Colombia is also the country with the most bird species, with seemingly endless grasslands and beautiful colonial cities.

Join The Nature Conservancy's Matt Miller in two presentations as he shares the dramatic stories and images from his conservation fellowship in Colombia. You'll learn how people are looking to wildlife and the land to shape a more hopeful, peaceful future.

BOISE
6:30 pm Tuesday, December 8
Foothills Learning Center (directions)

KETCHUM
6 pm Tuesday, December 15
The Community Library (directions)

Phone 208-343-8826 for more information.

The events are free and no registration is required. We hope to see you there!