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Time to Talk Turkey! Merriam’s Wild Turkeys Thrive in Mountain Regions

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Merriams Wild TurkeyWhat is known as “turkey time” is right around the corner again. A time for families and friends to celebrate all things they are thankful for, usually gathering around a table piled high with white and dark meat from our favorite holiday avian species, the turkey. Right here in Colorado we have some species of wild turkey – interesting animals that few realize are close by.

This author’s special respect for wild turkey species grew tremendously during a camping trip several years back when he stumbled out of his tent to find a bathroom spot. In his walk through the pitch-black, moonless night he walked underneath a tree where a dozen turkeys happened to be roosting unbeknownst. Spooking these turkeys caused all dozen to take flight simultaneously. The sudden noise of flight from a dozen 15-20 pound birds circling at all sides when you’re half asleep and the mind isn’t processing data at normal speeds leads to a new level of fright not previously realized. Once the flutter of turkey wings finally subsided and I removed myself from the fetal position, I stumbled back to my tent with a new appreciation for the large bird that is best known for its appearance at Thanksgiving dinner.

Here in the mountains of Colorado, those lucky enough to encounter one, can see the Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami).  In North America we have six specific breeds of turkey and a few hybrids, but in Colorado we only see the Merriam’s and the Rio Grande. The Merriam’s thrives in the mountains regions of Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and Washington. Known for its darker coloration with reflections of blue, purple and bronze in its feathers, Merriam’s Wild Turkey is distinguishable by a white rump.

As with all species in nature, survival isn’t a guarantee. Merriam’s Wild Turkey has a few special adaptations that help with its plight through the juvenile stage and into adulthood. Once in adulthood, predation becomes much less likely and survival more secure. Initially, a young turkey, or poult, is protected by the mother hen through communication. These lines of communication are established even before the poult breaks free from the egg. The incubation of a clutch of eggs takes 26-28 days. The hatching process begins with pipping, or the poult rotating inside of the egg prior to breaking free. Once the hen hears the pipping, she begins to vocalize a soft cluck at random, to imprint her voice to the poults. Poults that recognize this clucking early are more likely to survive to adulthood. The clucking becomes the warning signs for the new offspring, and adhearing to the warning raises survival rates. The poults also mature quickly. They begin following the hen away from the nest as early as 12 hours after hatching. By the second day the poults are performing most of the mature characteristics the hen has demonstrated for them such as feeding, ground movement and grooming. By their second week of life they can fly short distances and by their third they can begin to roost in low braches of trees. Once they are able to be off the ground in roosts, survival greatly increases. As long as a steady diet of grasses, nuts and insects are available, the opportunistic omnivore we know as the turkey can continue growing into adulthood. Once full grown, evasion of predators becomes easier since adult turkeys can run up to 25mph and fly at 55mph.

Turkeys in our area tend to move to lower elevations once the snow starts flying, so seeing them this time of year proves difficult. But during the summer here in the Eagle Valley a fortunate wildlife observer can might across turkey. The place to look is in undisturbed forests mixed with open areas that the turkeys seek out for feeding. These places tend to be free of development, overgrazing or timber harvesting.

As you enjoy the holiday and some turkey on your table, be thankful for this hardy bird that calls Colorado home and for the biodiversity all around us in this beautiful area.

Author Travis Long is an Educator with Walking Mountains Science Center.  Located in Avon, the Center is open Monday – Saturday, 10am to 6pm.  Admission is free to the public.  We will be closed 11/24 – 11/26  in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday (reopening in 11/28).

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Winter Preparations – Learning From The Utes

October 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As the summer winds down and we begin to prepare for the winter, I think about wildlife making their preparations. Bears are busy eating for as many as 20 hours a day to fatten up for their winter sleep. Squirrels and many other year-round residents of the region are gathering and stockpiling food to eat once the snow covers the ground. Every year at this time, thoughts turn to survival and every species has a specific strategy. Our preparations may include trading summer clothes for parkas and long-johns, and maybe storing up food and firewood.

People throughout the world have different cultural practices to prepare them for this dark and cold season. There is considerable of overlap of traditions among cultures that live in regions with cold winters. Since the time of the Ancient Romans, there are reports of bringing nature inside during the cold and dark months to cheer people up. People have always been aware of the curative powers of nature on the human soul. This may be why I buy my wreath as soon as I see one in the store and keep it on my wall until April. As animals, we feel our deep connections to nature and attempt to capture this feeling in our homes.

During my winter preparations, I am reminded of the longest continuous residents of Colorado, the Utes, and the lessons we can learn from them. We have records of seven Ute bands living in the Eagle Valley as early as 1300 AD. The Utes originally sought shelter in this mountainous area in order to avoid the more aggressive plains tribes. Although the mountains provided protection from these other tribes, the climate in this region made life for the Utes very hard. In order to adapt to the harsh environment of the mountains, the Utes were nomadic, meaning they traveled to different locations throughout the seasons. Bands would break up into family groups to gather food in the spring through the fall. Before the 1600s the family groups would follow the same circuit each year, journeying up into the alpine meadows and forests to gather food, even planting a few crops in the meadows to harvest in the fall. In late fall, the bands would gather together in the valleys to seek shelter from the harsh winter. During this time, the Utes had many dances, festivals and parties. One of these dances was the Bear Dance in early spring, where the Utes showed respect for the spirit of the bear, which makes one strong and would lead the family groups to food. The Utes worship several deities and every living thing has a spirit. They believe everything comes from the sun and are very thankful and respectful of nature. The ecosystem of this region was the Ute’s bank account, guaranteeing them resources for the next year.

Just like the Utes, we depend on the Earth for our survival. While we as a culture value security in monetary form, we are still tied to nature for our most basic needs. Even though we have mastered the skills required to survive the harsh withers of the Colorado Rockies, this lifestyle is still fueled by natural resources which must be managed properly if they are to be here for our children to use. Our heat comes from natural resources and our food in its most basic form comes from the ground. We still must breathe clean air and drink clean water. The Utes learned that the key to their survival was sustainably harvesting food and resources from the land around them, always leaving enough for next year. My hope is that as we hunker down for the winter and celebrate the summer’s bounty we give thanks to the Earth for sustaining us and learn to use our resources more thoughtfully.

The author, Jessica Foulis, is a winter naturalist for Walking Mountains Science Center. The new science and nature center is open in Avon, M-Sat 10am – 6pm. Admission is free to the public.

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Cave Closures to Battle Bat Epidemic

September 26, 2011 By 2 Comments

UPDATE: It has been brought to our attention that this “Curious Nature” article contains a few errors.  Walking Mountains Science Center wishes to correct and clarify. The presented information that “it has been observed that human transmission has been the number one way for the fungus to spread from cave to cave” is incorrect.  Since the discovery of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in the U.S. in the winter of 2006-2007 research has been inconclusive that humans play a role in the spread of the fungus that causes WNS. Through research it is now certain that the primary vector for the spread of the fungus Geomyces destructans is bat to bat, with the secondary vector being from cave to bat. While there has been suspicion of human assistance to the spread of the fungus in instances with long-distance jumps, none have been directly tied to the work of visitors to caves. We apologize to our readers for this misinformation and for any confusion this may have caused.

The author’s statement that: “Until we can learn more about white nose syndrome, caves will remain closed in the Rocky Mountain region and foothills including Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas” lacked the clarification that the author was referring only to caves and abandoned mines on US Forest Service Lands. This closure is not applicable to commercial or privately owned caves. Again, any confusion this may have caused was unintentional.

Here is the original article, please note the false statements remain below in strikethrough.  Thank you to Richard Rhinehart, Editor of Rocky Mountain Caving and Peter Youngbaer, White Nose Syndrome Liaison at the National Speleological Society for bringing these errors to our attention.

Adventuring through natural caves and non-active mines in Colorado have been popular hobbies and destinations for spelunkers and tourists, alike. However, plans for cave exploration have been put on hold in order to protect one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures: bats.

North American bats are under attack by the White Nose Syndrome (WNS), Geomyces destructans, a fungus originating in Europe that is already established and prevalent through the Northeast and South United States. Over 1,000,000 bat fatalities have been reported due to WNS, and the worry in the West is that the disease will soon migrate this way.

Bats are a vital component to their ecosystems, acting as pollinators, seed dispersers, a food source for predators, and pest controllers, as they eat thousands of insects a night. In the winter, they hibernate in dark, moist environments where their metabolism slows down and their immune system virtually shuts down for the season. This is when the fungus attacks. Both organisms seek out caves with temperatures ranging from 41-59 degrees Fahrenheit, with at least 90% humidity.

Affected bats show signs of white powder on the nose, ears, and wings. The fungus irritates the bat and wakes it from hibernation. The bats prematurely use up fat stored for the whole winter, and the unnatural extra activity results in starvation. So far this has been observed among little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus, northern long-eared bats, M. Septentrionalis, and the already endangered Indiana brown bat, M. sodalis. Two other species, the Ozark big eared bat, and the Virginia big eared bat are on the endangered species list and at a high risk of contracting WNS.

So what does this have to do with spelunkers? It has been observed that human transmission has been the #1 vector for the fungus from cave to cave. Although there have been no reported human illnesses attributed to the fungus, spores can travel and establish in new caves due to improperly disinfecting climbing and caving equipment and clothing. The United States Forest Service has therefore prohibited the public from entering bat inhabited caves as a preventative method to control WNS. The fungus has a 90-100% kill rate, so it is much easier and more effective for the USFS and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent the fungus from establishing in the Rocky Mountains rather than eradicating it.

Those who obtain permits to handle bats for research and conservation practices must follow protocols established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The protocols can be found on the USFWS website, and include rules such as:

  • No gear/clothing can be used East of the Mississippi River and reused out West without proper disinfection with bleach, or professional Lysol agents.
  • Dead bats, bats with radio collars, or tagged bats must be reported to the USFWS for species counts.
  • Never handle a bat without a disease transmission barrier, due to bats sometimes carrying the rabies virus.

Until we can learn more about WNS, caves will remain closed in the Rocky Mountain region and foothills including Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. A severe decline in our populations of bat species in the United States could potentially alter and disrupt our natural ecosystems with permanent and damaging consequences.

Please visit this site for more helpful information about WNS: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Research/WildlifeHealth/WNS/Pages/WNS.aspx

Nikki Bauman is a naturalist at Walking Mountains Science Center. The new Avon Science and Nature Center offers free admission and is open to the public M-Sat, 10am – 6pm.

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Breaking Free From Cabin Fever – Beaver’s Spring Regiment

May 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

Time for Beavers to do some spring cleaningAs old man winter begins to loosen his grip on the winter wonderland that we have been playing in for the past 6 months, we notice drastic changes in the landscape happening daily. The white blanket covering the mountains is returning to the familiar brown and green hues that lead us into the vibrant colors of wildflower season. Mud is following us with every footstep we take and the rivers are beginning to pick up steam with increased snowmelt runoff. All of these factors serve as great indicators that summer is right around the corner, and there is an end in sight to the cabin fever that many of us begin to feel towards the end of each winter.

Humans are not the only members of the animal kingdom saying goodbye to cabin fever.  Imagine spending your entire winter huddling with your family – mom, dad, brothers and sisters- on a platform in the middle of a pond.  Oh and did I mention your mom is pregnant?  Ice and snow have covered and insulated your surrounding home made of sticks and mud for months while the pond that surrounds your home is also encased in ice. Your only escape from the lodge is exiting via the underwater doorway and swimming through icy waters to reach your underwater stash of aspens and willows. When you return, you share the food with your family and get back to huddling on the platform to stay warm.  After five months of living this way the cabin fever is probably setting in so deep that you are in dire need of a break from the ultimate in family togetherness.

Luckily, this is not the typical over wintering strategy for the majority of human beings, but it is how nature’s architects spend their winters.  You can only imagine the relief beavers feel as the temperatures warm and the icy environment begins to melt away. Freedom! Your isolated and sedentary winter lifestyle finally comes to an end and you once again become busy as well, a beaver.

Just as late springtime serves as a time for change for us- skis to bikes and boats, down coats to raincoats, snow boots to sandals- many things begin to move and shake in a beaver colony as well. A typical beaver colony consists of the mom, dad, and two generations of kits. In the spring, the kits that are two years old are essentially forced to move out of the lodge and establish their own territory. This helps ease the pressure on the family’s food supply as the matriarch gears up to give birth to the next generation. So, the beavers are saying goodbye to some family members and hello to new ones.

When the female gives birth to one to four kits around May, everyone in the colony is expected to share in the responsibility for caring for the young. In addition to helping take care of the young, there is also an “all hands on deck” approach to spring cleaning in the lodge.  While we air out our homes, mop the muddy floors, and take care of all of those repairs that the persistent snowpack prevented us from getting to all winter, beavers are also taking care of business around their homes.

Spring runoff presents a bit of a challenge for beavers. The faster and more powerful flow of springtime mountain streams can cause structural damage to the beaver lodge and dam. The sound of running water stimulates an internal response in beavers. When they hear that sound, they immediately begin investigating their structure for leaks and breaches that may have occurred. If any damage is discovered, beavers will use any of their winter food cache leftovers along with mud to repair their lodges and dams. After repairing holes, replacing damaged logs, and ensuring their habitat is once again fortified, their work is not yet over.

Each season, beavers must re-establish their territory, which is done with extensive scent mounding.  Every beaver has a unique scent called castoreum, which is an oily secretion. The colony members perfume the mud and vegetation surrounding their lodge with their scents. These scent mounds serve as sign posts for dispersing animals. If there was a loss of a matriarch or patriarch over the winter, the scent may indicate that there is a vacancy in the lodge. If not, it is a clear warning to visitors that it is an active colony and the visitor should steer clear of that territory.

Even when these tasks are checked off the to do list, life as a beaver remains busy throughout the summer and fall as these diligent mammals prepare to settle back in to life under the ice. So, as the snow clears from the trails and you transition into the summertime sports of hiking, biking, and paddling, be on the lookout for beavers breaking through their cabin fever and making a splash as they once again regain their title of nature’s busiest creature.

Beth Garrison is the Curriculum Specialist at Walking Mountains Science Center.  When she is not writing Curious Nature Columns, she can be found playing outside in the snow and mud and enjoying free live music as she anxiously awaits the arrival of summer.

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Nature Cycles Impact Animal Behavior Patterns

May 11, 2011 By 2 Comments

On average we will all have the opportunity to experience 28,470 sunsets in our lives. Each of these sunsets and the night that follows will be slightly different, but many of these differences will go unnoticed.  During these sunsets and following nights stars will appear to rise and fall at different times or sometimes not at all, the moon will cycle through its phases and the duration of night will lengthen and shorten all due to the Earth’s relative position to the Sun. During all of these changes however some things will remain constant. Polaris the North Star will appear as the central point in our skies, seasons will change and the Earth will experience the spring and fall equinox, winter and summer solstice and the forming and melting of snow – all of which are significant events that impact all life that surrounds us.

It is these continual changes occurring slowly over time which control our circadian rhythms.  This rhythm typically occurs over a 24 hour period and ensures that our bodies take the time to complete various physiological and behavioral processes.  All of these processes are completed in an effort to promote personal health and well being.  Once we start looking beyond our daily circadian rhythm the human internal calendar begins to fall apart.  We must then rely on various other natural indicators to determine date and time accurately.  Amazingly though in the natural world it is these subtle changes that living things rely on as their internal clock.  Changes in star location, day and night length along with others all combine to provide living things with the cues they need to signal the appropriate time to change various physiological or behavioral processes.  If these cues were not cyclic and relatively constant, living things would not be able to determine the appropriate time to start hibernating, migrating, caching food, changing colors, loosing leaves, or reproducing; making survival that much harder.

Pygmy OwlSaw-Whet and Pygmy Owls are just two species that use the differences between night and day lengths to determine the appropriate times to reproduce. As the sun begins to climb higher in its azimuth and our seasons change from winter to spring and the length of our day increases.  This gradual increase is one that may go unnoticed by many on a daily basis.  At this time of year however, it becomes increasingly apparent to us as we leave work or the mountain after skiing in daylight rather than twilight.  These changes in day length hours, also known as the photo-period, cause hormone levels in many species to either raise or lower.  Hormonal changes then result in physiological or behavioral adjustments that alter the level of desire to migrate, mate, store food or enter into hibernation in many species.

When it comes to the Pygmy and Saw-Whet Owls, longer days and shorter nights spur on changes that result in the owls becoming vocal callers for mates.  From March 1 – July 1, 2001, our nights steadily decrease from 13 hours to 9 hours and 4 minutes.  Take the time to explore your curious nature in a nocturnal setting and listen for the Pygmy and Saw-Whet Owls which will be calling for mates.

Dale Versteegen is the Adult Programs Coordinator at Walking Mountains Science Center, visit him up at the Nature Discovery Center at the top of the Lionshead Gondola for free, guided nature tours – 11am and 2pm daily.

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Is Winter Over yet? Ask a Marmot

April 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yellow Bellied MarmotThe vernal equinox, or the first day of spring took place on March 20th at 5:21 P.M.  Meaning, the Sun’s path across the sky crossed the equator providing the planet with an equal amount of daylight and darkness. We can expect more sunlight everyday until we reach the summer solstice on June 21st. Average temperatures are already greater than they were a month ago, and will continue to rise well past the longest day of the year in June.

Although the snow hasn’t stopped yet in Vail, winter is officially over, but not necessarily for the Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris). If you’ve been outdoors in the Vail valley during summer, then chances are you have heard or seen this animal. Unless you were picking up boulders this winter, you haven’t seen a Marmot since October when they retreated to their burrows under rocks for a six to eight month commitment to sleep.

Marmots are textbook hibernators, with the oldest and fattest entering their burrows starting in October. Imagine gaining 30% of your body weight from summer to autumn, that’s what this little fur-ball does! The Marmot’s weight increases in the form of brown fat stored over most of its body. Brown fat acts like a heat pad for the hibernating animal; it warms the body without any need to shiver.

During hibernation, its heart rate drops from 100 to four beats per minute, respiration rate slows to one breath every few minutes and body temperature falls 50 degrees. This allows the Marmot to use very little energy and live off of its fat reserves for the duration of winter. Its metabolism slows so drastically, a marmot falls into a very deep sleep and little will wake it from its slumber. Marmots will wake occasionally during winter (about every two weeks) to defecate. This may occur in special chambers below ground or, less frequently, on the surface. Once the deed is done, they return to their grass bed for more rest.

If the Marmot eats enough plant matter in the fall and weather conditions are just right, it will be lucky enough to hibernate through mid-April. If this animal comes out of hibernation too early, it will be vulnerable to predators, have a hard time finding food, and waste valuable brown fat reserves needed to sustain it through some more cold days ahead.

Males usually exit a few days earlier than females in late March, April or sometimes in May. They will emerge having lost approximately one half their fall body weight. Mating generally occurs within the first two weeks following emergence from hibernation. Young Marmots emerge from the natal den in late June and July with weaning occurring in mid-July. Keep your eyes pealed very soon for our waking old friend, especially near talus fields on south facing slopes.

Author Brock Nedland is an Educator for Walking Mountains Science Center.  When he’s not out exploring nature with the kids, he enjoys snowboarding or fly fishing in our beautiful surroundings.  Would you like to learn more about local critters?  Visit us at the Nature Discovery Center daily at 3pm for free nature tours.

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Snowpack – Colorado’s Water for the Future

March 23, 2011 By 1 Comment

CO Watershed awarenessResources for Colorado Snowpack Information:

Have you seen a raging river on a hot summer day? Or a calm flow accompanied by a cool summer breeze? Ever notice how the flow of water differs throughout the summer? We have our winter snowpack, along with temperature fluctuations, to thank for those variants in summer river currents. The snow that is falling down on us now is an important part of Colorado’s water for the future.

Our drinking water in the valley, which is filled by melting snowpack, comes from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater so keeping it clean is a community responsibility. Protecting our water is a way to protect our health and livelihood. The Eagle River provides a large part of the drinking water for the Eagle Valley. We can protect our water source by making sure our properties don’t produce toxic runoff that flows into the river, by cleaning up after our pets, keeping storm drains clean, planting trees and other vegetation that take pollutants out of the ground, not flushing anything down the toilet that shouldn’t be, and so on.

Not only do we need to protect our water by keeping it clean, we need to conserve our water to ensure everyone gets some. Since we aren’t the only ones benefiting from our winter snowpack we need to be conscience of how much water we consume. Once melted, some of the snowpack water is diverted to the Front Range and some flows down the Colorado River towards Mexico. Life would be much harder for those outside the Eagle Valley without our snowmelt.

On average Americans are using more than 100 gallons of water per person per day but there are simple steps we can take to reduce our water consumption. Toilets are the greatest water consumer of indoor fixtures using three to five gallons per flush! Installing a water-saving fixture can save ten or more gallons of water per day. Summer is peak water usage time and irrigation for lawns draws out between half to three-quarters of treated water in the Eagle River Watershed. Therefore planting native species that are adapted to Colorado’s climate or less water intensive species can also be a clever water-saving technique. In addition we can cut down on water use by turning the water off while brushing our teeth and taking shorter showers.

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” is one of the most famous lines in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Although Coleridge’s story expresses the plight of a mariner in 1797, the quote remains very much a part of our culture today. However in contrast to the poems most noted line, Colorado’s snowpack will create water, water everywhere, with plenty to drink, just not only for Eagle Valley. Colorado’s snowpack not only sustains our own drinking water source, but also contributes to the drinking water for many of the western areas along the Colorado River as well as east to the Front Range. So as you’re out skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing on top of our drinking water, remember how important that will be for Colorado’s future.

Rachel Solomon is a Winter Naturalist at Walking Mountains Science Center. When she’s not teaching about porcupines she’s out enjoying the beautiful snowpack. Come visit her at the Nature Discovery Center on Vail Mountain! The Discovery Center is located at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola and is open daily from 10-6 Tuesday thru Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday & Monday.

Learn more about snow science, avalanche danger, red snow, winter wildlife habitats and water conservation. What are you doing to increase your watershed awareness?

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