The John and Mary Dahlem Environmental Education Center A Program of The Dahlem Conservancy November 2008

In this Issue

Holiday Bazaar pg. 1 New Communications Assistant pg. 2 Benefit Breakfast pg. 2 Bird Sightings pg. 3 November Weekend Programs pg. 4 New Guided Walks pg. 4 Communication Assistant Article pg. 5 Naturalist Corner pg. 5 People for Wildlife News pg. 6 Memberships/Donations pg. 7 Holiday Bazaar Craft Items pg. 7 Nutshell Gift Shop pg. 7 Turkey Facts pg. 8 Dahlem Center Hours

Tues - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m. Monday Closed The trails and grounds are open from dawn to dusk every day. The entrance gate is opened at 6:30 a.m. and locked at 9:00 p.m. Contact

Phone: 517 - 782 - 3453 Fax: 517 - 782 - 3441

Website: www.dahlemcenter.org

Address: 7117 South Jackson Rd.

Jackson, MI 49201

Mission Statement: The mission of The Dahlem Conservancy is to provide environmental education and land conservancy services to the residents of South Central Michigan.

Believe it or not, it’s that time again! Christmas is creeping ever closer and that means Dahlem’s annual Holiday Bazaar will be taking place. Shoppers can expect to find a wide array of items including hand-made crafts, baked goods, clothing items, and special Holiday gift shop merchandise. As always, plenty of bird seed and feeders will be available to keep your back-yard alive this winter. However, as most of you know, having large amounts of birds near the house tends to result in a few being severely injured or even killed on oc-casion. This problem can now be a thing of the past with our new Win-dowAlert decals. Virtually invisible to the human eye, the decals are placed on windows where they reflect ultraviolet light, sending a warning sign to all birds. The decals have been so effective they were honored by PETA as the 2007 Best Humane Wildlife Innovation. There are a bundle of them at the Nutshell, so hurry in and grab some! We look forward to seeing all of you out here for the Bazaar. The event will take place Friday and Saturday, December 5th and 6th, from 10 am to 4 pm in the Nutshell, exhibit room and classrooms. We will also be holding a Wreath-making session on December 2nd at 6:30 pm. Be sure to stop by on the 6th between 11 am and 2 pm to greet Santa Claus!

Paw Prints is published for members of The Dahlem Conservancy. DAHLEM CONSERVANCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: John McLaughlin V. President: Myrna Berlet-Dutcher Treasurer: Gary Krupa Secretary: Bob Grover

Trustees

Kathleen Clark Victor Marshall Betty Desbiens Robert Price Kelley Emerson Kathy Shaw Todd Emmons Andy Walz Robert Henning Denny DaPra - JCC Representative DAHLEM CONSERVANCY STAFF Executive Director: Brad Whaley Education Director: Currently Open Office Coordinator: Denise Bigham Receptionist: Linda Danley Naturalist: Carrie Benham Maintenance: Mark Snedeker Weekend Clerk:: Andrea Fitzgerald People for Wildlife Coordinator: Gary Siegrist Development Coordinator: Rebecca Mehall Communications Assistant: Cody Porter

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Are You A Dahlem Member? If not, become a member today and you will receive: • Free admission to most public programs • Advanced registration and reduced

rates for Day Camps and Goblin Walks

• 10% discount on purchases in the Nutshell Gift Shop

• Paw Prints monthly newsletter of events and information

• Access to trails for cross-country skiing.

Membership Fees: Individual Membership $24 Family Membership $36 Senior Membership $12 Memberships also make great gifts for friends and family!! Help us protect the outdoors for future generations!

Message from the Communi-cations Assistant… Hello all! As many of you have heard, due to Randy’s departure, there has been a lot of extra work around Dahlem. With everyone else already on a busy schedule, Brad and I agreed it would be logical for myself to step in and help out with some of Randy’s old duties such as Paw Prints, press releases, etc. I have been volunteering at Dahlem since April of this year and have grown to love the place. I see everything I do here as an extremely valuable learning experience that I will be able to use as I pursue a career in Evolu-tionary Biology. I hope this article finds you in good health and spirits as Winter draws nearer every day. I certainly know this is the case for myself. I found the vibrant, although short-lived Autumn explosion to be full of excitement and plenty of reasons to enjoy the great outdoors. Whether it was my weekly canoe trip through the secluded waters of Williams Lake, gasping at the breathtaking explosion of fall color among the tree-lined shores, or an intense yet satis-fying hike to identify as many of the puz-zling fall warblers migrating through the area, I found myself in a constant high at the hands of the intoxicating, flurry of wild-life. However, as I stop writing and blankly stare out of my office window, I am met with the grim realization that this weather is soon to become a figment of the past. The nearest Maple Tree, a once daz-zling display of fiery oranges, now on its way to becoming a dull, lifeless brown; a clever work of foreshadowing by mother nature herself to the months of freezing temperatures and scarce sunlight that lie ahead. It is no wonder that the early Celtics

referred to this as the time when the bound-ary between the alive and the deceased was completely dissolved. Now is the transi-tional period from the time of life-sustaining sunlight to the sun-less, dark months of winter. The Celts even went so far as to offer treats to these “spirits” to keep them satisfied and peaceful. A tradi-tion so apparently important, that we prac-tice it to this day with modern-day Hallow-een. I cannot say that the Celts were wrong in fearing the winter. Back in those days, winter was the time of famine and disease. However, tempting as it is to let oneself become enthralled into this ancient idea that the winter months are a time of death and despair among all life, as a wild-life enthusiast living in the modern age, I find myself anxious for the winter months. Though the wilderness is without question less active than during Summer and Spring, and conditions for life are less than ideal, it is for these reasons that any sign of life becomes even more precious. It also pro-vides us with a chance to witness life adapt-ing to even the most extreme of environ-ments. Whether it’s the Black-Capped Chickadee who is able to physically lower his body temperature to survive the frigid Winter nights, or a group of small rodents that have occupied a “community” den to stay warm, there is always something amazing to be witnessed. I hope you take the time to dis-cover all that mother nature has to offer this winter! I know I certainly will. If you’re ever around the Center, please feel free to drop in! I’m always looking for a good reason to get outdoors!

Cody Porter Communications Assistant

Celebrating the Gifts of Nature for This and Fu-

ture Generations

November 12, 2008 8:00 am — 9:00 am

The complimentary breakfast and one-hour program will be held at the Davis Conference & Banquet Center (3575 Francis Street Jack-son, MI). Reservation is required. Call 517-782-3453.

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As some of you may know, beginning in October, we began our Tuesday morning Bird Hikes throughout the trails. The walks start at 9:00 am and generally last for a couple of hours, depending on the activity of birds. With Gary guiding the walks, it is no surprise that on any given Tuesday morning, groups would come back with a solid 20 or more species spotted. Compiled are a few of the most notable species spotted, and a little information about them for the inquiring mind or the curious birder who wants to come out and try to hunt them down for themselves!

White-Throated Sparrow Numerous specimen spotted in thick shrubs, near trail leading to prairie with rain shelter on right. • White throat patch • Yellow spot between eye and bill • In winter, white head stripe turns

either a shade of black, brown, or light tan

• Song resembles the phrase “Oh Sweet Canada, Canada”

Cedar Waxwing Numerous specimen spotted high in canopy on Special Needs trail near stream. • Sleek, crested, brown bird • Adults have waxy red tips on sec-

ondary wings • Yellow tail-tip • White undertail coverts • Voice is a thin, high-pitched “zee”

sound

Winter Wren Single specimen spotted rustling around on the ground by stream bridge. • Very small, round, dark

Wren • Stubbier tail than House

Wren • Light line over eye • Song is a rapid succession

of tinkling warbles and trills

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet Single specimen spotted at mid-tree-level in trees overhanging stream/bridge area. • Very small olive-colored bird • Rarely seen scarlet crown patch on

male • Distinctive broken white eye-rind • Constantly moving and flicking

wings • Song is a rather loud 3 to 4 high

notes, several low notes and a chant

Golden-Crowned Kinglet Numerous specimen spotted with Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. • Bright crown patch (yellow in fe-

male, orange in the male) • White eyebrow stripe • Like the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet,

constantly flicks its wings • Song is a series of high, thin notes

ascending, then dropping into a little chatter

• Call is an extremely high wiry “see-see-see”

Lincoln’s Sparrow Single specimen spotted scratching around on ground of feeding station. • Very secretive bird • Similar to Song Sparrow, but

side of face is grayer, breast streaks much finer, and pos-sesses a creamy buff color on breast and face

• Song is a throaty, 2 clear minor notes followed by 2 higher notes

∗ Birds spotted but not featured above include Black-Capped Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Turkey Vulture, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Sandhill Crane, Mourning Dove, White-Breasted Nut-hatch, American Goldfinch, and Dark-Eyed Junco.

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New Fall Dahlem Program: Guided Walks Autumn is such a wonderful time to be outside...the leaves are changing color, the air is getting crisper, and wildlife is preparing for the winter.

Through November, The Dahlem Conservancy is offering guided walks along our trails every Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. until approximately 11:00 am.

So, if you would life to get some fresh air and learn about wildlife as we walk our beautiful trails, you won’t want to miss these adventures.

Advanced registration is preferred. This is free to members and $3 for non-members. To register for a particular Tuesday, call Gary Siegrist at 517-782-3453.

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Spiders & Their Kin 2:00 p.m. Sunday November 9: Did you know that spider webbing is considered, pound for pound, to be the strongest organic chemical substance on Earth? Join Dr. Cara Shillington of Eastern Michigan University as she shows us some spiders and talks about their interest-ing characteristics.

Free to Big Brothers Big Sisters

With ID

November 2008 Weekend Programs:

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Wolves: Past & Present 2:00 p.m. Saturday November 1: Once believed to be gone from Michigan, wolves are making a comeback, and have fairly recently been removed from the federal en-dangered species list. Join Dorothy McLeer, program coordinator for the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, as she informs you on the status and natural history of these magnificent animals.

Edutainer Series…………………. Nature Songs 12:00 p.m. Saturday November 8: This one hour workshop, put on by Tom Kas-tle, uses traditional work song and ballad forms to document and express a visit to the Conservancy. Par-ticipants will learn about traditional songs, write, rehearse, and perform their own song in small group set-tings. A concert will begin after the workshop at 2:00 pm. Suggested for ages 8 to adult but younger voices can join in as well.

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Winter Bird ID & Migration 2:00 p.m. Saturday November 22: Join Gary Siegrist as he teaches about the birds that will be migrating into our area this Winter and also tips on identifying the local birds that will brave the winter cold. Hand outs will include what feeders will attract which birds and what kind of seed to use in the feeders. He will also talk about what makes a good feeding station and how to keep unwanted mammals from the feeders.

All programs presented at the Dahlem Center at 7117 S. Jackson Rd.

Advance Registration is required. To Register Call 517-782-3453 Admission is $3.00 per person

Dahlem Conservancy Members Admitted Free

The Dahlem Conservancy is proud to announce that These Programs are Sponsored By a Generous Grant From

Free to Big Brothers Big Sisters

With ID

When I first came to Dahlem in

early April of this year, I found myself in a completely different state of mind when compared to my line of thinking today. After absorbing the Dahlem atmosphere for many months, in addition to my new stream of consciousness, I can without question, say that the Dahlem Center has been achieving its ultimate goal with fly-ing colors; informing the community of the importance of environmental conser-vation. I first came to Dahlem seeking early experience in the field of Biology, my declared career pathway. Since the time of my sophomore year of high school, I have had a profound passion for understanding how and why the world around me functions the way it does. I have decided Evolution will be my most concentrated field of study, as the ways in which the theory can explain so much astonishes me.

After being absent from Dahlem since elementary school field trips, I was

relatively naïve as to what would await me. My hopes had been that of a research center, where I would meet and establish ties with numerous scientists in the quest for knowledge. However, this pre-conceived notion was shattered upon my first conversation with Gary. After meet-ing him and conversing for a while, his first question to me was what I intended to receive out of my experience at Dahlem. Excitedly, I quickly established that I had hoped to learn through various research techniques and studies.

“We don’t really do any research out here”, Gary softly announced.

I suppose at the time, I was somewhat crushed. It was my desire to learn as much as possible about specific interactions between various species that I could somehow use later on as evidence for a possible Evolutionary tie between multiple forms of life, and all anyone here talked about was protecting and monitor-ing birds! How could I learn anything useful from watching over Bluebird nest boxes?

In fact, leading up until the time when my relationship with Dahlem began to grow, I had somewhat opposed the idea of conservation. I had always been a die-hard believer in the philosophy that nature will find a way to take care of itself. I mean come on. Life has survived a laun-dry list of problems far greater than cut-ting a few trees down! Why do humans constantly feel the need to intervene?

Despite possibly disagreeing with a number of people that frequented Dahlem, I continued to stick around and

help out when I could. And despite my pre-conceived notions, I found myself learning loads of extremely valuable in-formation regarding the world around me. Whether it was Gary informing me of the Evolutionary success and ways of the Sandhill Crane, or the experience of being dive-bombed by literally the entire prairie population of Tree Swallows in a com-bined effort to keep me from monitoring their young, I was finally finding the ex-amples of the ways of life to support vari-ous theories and ideas that I had hoped to find.

The question still lingered how-ever. How could I possibly justify the idea of man intervening with the environ-ment from a strictly scientific view? Thankfully, I have found an answer. By holding the idea that man must not inter-fere with nature, I was completely missing an obvious fact. By holding this belief, I was suggesting that man is outside the realm of nature, and not a part of it. This is obviously incorrect. Rather than view-ing man as a separate force influencing nature, it is accurate to view us as merely a part of it. And as a part of nature, our helping and destructive ways are natural phenomenon, and should be regarded as such. Just as it is the natural way of plants and flowers to produce the oxygen that has created an atmosphere in which we and many other forms of life thrive, it can be the natural way of man to help protect that atmosphere and ensure that this beautiful relationship continues.

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Cody Porter Communications Assistant

Naturalist Corner

With Fall Migration in full swing, and flocks of birds fluttering wildly in large numbers, it is more than expected to see a few cases of injured birds. Most of these cases consist of small Warblers or Finches flying into glass windows. However, there have been recent sightings of Raptors, such as Owls and Hawks, injured along road sides after being hit by speeding cars. It is not surprising that this occurs frequently with Owls, as they feed at

night and are more prone to these kind of accidents. Although it can be tempting to try to help the bird yourself, it may be unwise. Raptors are specifically named for their sharp, hooked beaks

as well as their curved, sharp talons; all of which are extremely strong. Rather than risking possi-ble injury to yourself and further stress and injury to the bird, con-tact the River Raisin Raptor Cen-ter at 734-428-8455 with the location of the bird in trouble. Our own Carrie Benham recently discovered a Great Horned Owl that had been hit by a car.

Rather than handling the bird, she con-tacted the Center, and within a short time the bird was picked up by trained professionals. We learned just re-cently that the owl is doing great, eat-ing well, and being tended to.

Injured Raptors

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With the beautiful, golden harvest fall days of October disap-pearing into what is mother nature’s warning month for all creatures that winter is on the way, lots of our feathered friends and non-feathered friends head for the warmth of the southern skies. Most people start readying their homes, yards, flower-beds and transportation for the lack of light and heat that winter months will bring to our doors. As I do heed the warning, I am also part of a hardy group (some think fool hardy), that heads for the nearest lake or pond. Yep, you’re right, it’s us birders. How did you guess? But I have to ask you a question, do we really have the rest of the world thinking we are nuts! Well maybe just a little off kilter. For when the wind has a cold bite to it, you will find us heading to places like Thorn Lake or even Lake Michigan. What you would see if you venture out with us is waterfowl migration at its best. Hundreds, if not thousands of Canvasback Ducks can be spotted with large concentrations of Canada Geese. If you are lucky, a Snow Goose, Cackling Goose (smallest ver-sion of the Canada that is now its own species), or the very rare Ross’s Goose may float by your position. Other ducks that come to mind that would be seen are Mallards, Black Ducks, Wood Duck, and American Wigeon. Teals (Blue-winged and Green-winged), Northern Pintail (my personal favorite), Redhead, Ring-

necked, and Lesser Scaup can also regu-larly come into your view. Scanning the deeper part of the lake will bring you possible looks at Com-mon Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, and the Merganser family, Com-mon, Red-breasted, and Hooded. Along the edge of the lake could bring Great Blue and Green Herons, as well as Great Egrets stalking the shore-line for prey. Sitting in the tree resting after a dip in the lake is a Double-crested Cormorant. Remember that all the before mentioned birds are potential prey them-

selves. Raptors will take an unwitting or injured duck or even a goose. So this time of year look for Northern Harriers skimming the marshes or wetland adjacent to the lakes. Red-tailed Hawks will be sitting in the trees or soaring and calling over head. There might even be a Bald Eagle keeping a watchful eye, hoping to find dinner. In the rarest of occasions a Golden Eagle can be spotted lurking in the tree line. So put on some warm clothes, take a thermos of warm bever-ages, and a scope if you have one. Don’t forget your binoculars, grab your bird guide, and get outdoors and enjoy the very best of what nature has to offer. Gary Siegrist People for Wildlife

Green-Winged Teal

It’s Waterfowl Migration Mania; Yahoo!

One of the most frus-trating things to deal with as a birding enthusiast has to be listening to stories from your fellow birders regarding how many species are arriving at their feeders, while your feeder is virtually empty (except of course for that one true and faithful Black-Capped Chicka-dee). To help prevent this from happening to you, our very own Gary Siegrist has compiled a list of various bird seeds and the species you can expect to see fighting over each type of seed at your backyard feeder.

Suet • Red-Bellied Woodpecker • Downy Woodpecker • (Possible) Hairy Woodpecker • Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker • White-Breasted Nuthatch

Thistle Seed • American Goldfinch • Purple Finch • House Finch • Pine Siskin • Common Redpoll

Peanut • Tufted Titmouse • Black-Capped Chickadee ∗ All Woodpeckers

Black Oil Sunflower • Black-Capped Chickadee • White-Breasted Nuthatch • American Goldfinch • Blue Jay

Corn • European Starlings • Brown-Headed Cowbirds • Blue Jay • Mourning Dove ∗ Most Sparrows

Mixed Bird Seed • Tufted Titmouse • Northern Cardinal • White-Breasted Nuthatch ∗ Most Sparrows

Thank You to the Following For Their Generous Donations: (9/26/08 - 10/30/08)

We Welcome the Follow-ing New Members

Members Corner (Through 10/30/08)

Cindy Allen Richard & Jacquelene Barczak Bob Callison Martin & Erin Darnell Helen DeLoy Shelly Farhat Kathie Ghesquiere Madeline Gifford Ronald Haselswerdt Kimberlie Haworth Marilyn Jonas Glen & Linda Kinney Annie Layman Doug & Sandy Leffler Ellyn Meyers Ed Lewis & Kristy Miller Chad & Vicki Noble Colleen Phenicie Connie Richardson Thomas & Carol Rier Cheryl Simonetti Donald Sowers Ed Stehno John Webster Randy & Heather Whisman Shawn White K.C. Wilkinson Todd Zeller

Thanks to the Following for Renewing Their Memberships

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Craft Items Needed for Holiday Bazaar!!

Our Annual Holiday Bazaar is coming soon, and we need your help. We are looking for people to make/donate craft items to be sold at the bazaar. All proceeds go into supporting the educational programs at Dahlem. Craft ideas include:

• Knitted or Crocheted items • Woodworking items • Sewed items • Etc.

• Fresh Wreaths & Greens

If you would like to donate a craft item(s), just call the Dahlem Center at 517-782-3453. Thank you for your support!

Just Starting to do some Holiday Shopping??

Have no idea what to get someone in your family? Help them experi-

ence the outdoors!

Visit the Nutshell Gift Shop for all your holiday needs……

Dahlem Members receive 10% off!! Items include… Books , Birdfeeders, Bird Seed, T-Shirts, Toys

It’s Never too Early to begin Holiday Shopping!!! And remember, all proceeds go into educating youth and the public about the Great Outdoors!

Evelyn Barbour Steve & Margaret Beison Carrie & Steve Benham Catherine Bilow Jennifer & Brian Daly Mrs. Jane Damm Clark & Linda Danley Patrick & Wendy Dentry Richard & Karen Der-aedt Elyse, Julie Steve & Jonathan Dickerson Diane Dray Kathleen Foster Ben Gilpin Dr. & Mrs. Edward Greene Mike Hoover Evelyn Hughes Michael Kinder Herbert Louis Rite Luppo Maria Maldonado Clyde & Laurel Mauldin Dan Messerly James & Betsy Meyers Patricia & Earl Miller Charles & Patricia Nel-son Edward Rockwell Karlene Rydjord Marilyn Scheffel Lilly Sill Dyane Snow Glen Spencer Keith & Lista Tipping Rosalyn Anderson

Benefit Breakfast Sponsor Maria Maldonado

Clyde & Laurel Mauldin McDonald’s

James & Betsy Meyers Marilyn Scheffel

Henry & Lynn Zavislak

In Memory of Forrest Black

Rose Adams Barbara Banker Betty Desbiens

Jerry & Susan Esiemann Lorna Frey Joyce Leslie Helen Neill

Hulda Stevenson

In Memory of Ruth Porter William & Anne Albright

Donald & Betty Depew Kristin hagar

Morris & Dolores Miller Phil & Judy Trudell

In Memory of John Duane

John & Elizabeth Biek Anne & Lloyd Fett

Theresa Fifelski Thomas & JoAnne Gaffney

Kathryn Jukuri John & Frances Parker

In Honor of John Lane

Alf & Connie Granholm Marilyn Hudler Evelyn Hughes

Phyllis LaChance Colvin & Kristine Matthews

Charles & Patrice Nelson R.R. & Janet Standley

...Donations Continued Work on Fire Pit & Benches

Gary Siegrist

Window for Office Area Ed Stehno

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID JACKSON, MI PERMIT NO. 36

The Dahlem Conservancy 7117 S. Jackson Rd. Jackson, MI 49201 www.dahlemcenter.org

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For approximately 387 years, it has been the main fixture of dinner tables for the autumn harvest feast in present day United States. The trouble for this feathered creature did not begin with the first Thanksgiving however. Early American Indians have hunted the bird since as early as 1,000 A.D. However, it was the first feast between these Native Americans and the early European settlers that began this bird’s rise to overwhelming fame. This is of course only a portion of the Turkey’s vivacious tale. Though it would be extremely difficult to do complete justice to our beloved gobbling friend’s story, provided are a few interesting facts about this infa-mous specimen to perhaps keep in mind as it occupies the center of your diet and dinner table this Thanksgiving.

• Wild Turkeys have lived in North America for almost ten million years • Wild Turkeys can run at speeds up to 25 mph, and they can fly up to 55 mph

• There are five subspecies of Wild Turkey throughout the continent of North America

• The turkey was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the

16th century