Negative 30
With an invitation from our Wacouta neighbor Sue Milbright, I was able to document the coldest temperature recorded in our area since the winter of 1995-96. The early morning recording on January 31 follows a temperature of minus 25 the preceding morning. Strong northwest winds on January 30 created a miserable wind chill of minus 51 degrees.
View of Red Wing Riverfront at Minus 22
During the three day polar vortex we were experiencing, I was prompted to think about how our native birds and wildlife were surviving these brutal conditions 24/7 To obtain a better appreciation of their challenges, I was motivated to extend an invitation to John Tittle to join me in climbing Barn Bluff.
When we left our vehicles at 10:00 am. bundled with several layers of clothing, the temperature was minus 22. Surprisingly, the hike to the top and traverse from the west to east end was invigorating, interesting and actually quite comfortable.
Canada Wild Rye
One of the more interesting observations made on our adventure was a prairie plant coated with hoar frost from moisture rising off the river With assistance from Nancy Berlin's botanical expertise, I learned the plant I had photographed was Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis). This prairie plant is native to much of North America and was very abundant in the tallgrass prairie of the Central Plains.
Killdeer
Getting back to the question of how do birds survive these dangerous winter conditions, I recently heard a Minnesota Public Radio interview with Andy Forbes, the leader of the Migratory Bird Program for the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service. Forbes started the interview by mentioning approximately 150 of the 300 bird species observed in Minnesota migrate to warmer climates in the winter. The killdeer, a shorebird, featured in this photo is one of those migrants.
Blue Jay
Some birds like black-capped chickadees, blue jays and several species of woodpeckers will actually cache food under bark and in tree cavities. Blue jays have a gular pouch which assists them in carrying and eventually storing food for future use. I have personally observed a jay putting 25 sunflower seeds in it's beak before flying away.
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Birds tend to have a high rate of metabolism which will generate heat. This is one more reason high energy food at our feeding stations can provide critical assistance enhancing bird survival. Such high energy foods include peanuts, black oiled sunflower seeds and suet.
This fact reminded me of an interesting ELC winter camping experience I had in March of 1997. We travelled by snowshoe for three miles into a white cedar swamp within the Remer State Forest. The wildlife section of the Minnesota DNR was conducting research within a major winter yarding area for whitetail deer. Fortunately, we were given the opportunity to observe some of their live trapping and radio telemetry efforts.
Our camping adventure was 5 days and 4 nights. Night low temperatures during this trip were minus 12, 19, 33 and 29 degrees. We discovered the only way to warm up effectively in the morning at breakfast was to pour bacon fat drippings directly into our oatmeal!
Black-Capped Chickadee
Another adaptation birds possess for keeping warm during extreme weather is by trapping air within their fluffy feathers. Air spaces close to their heated bodies provide excellent insulation.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Some birds actually lower their body temperature and go into a state of torpor to reduce the need for food. In recent winters, the warmer conditions have allowed some bird species to expand their range northward.
These birds are not as adaptable to extreme weather events and will enter a state of torpor just to survive. The most common bird exhibiting this behavior has been the red-bellied woodpecker.
On the morning of January 30 as wind chills approached 50 below, we observed a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers cling to the sunny leeward side of our backyard ash tree for two hours without moving.
White-Tailed Deer
At this time of year, deer tend to yard up in areas with potential food sources. In recent days, we have observed herds numbering up to 20 pawing through the snow covering fields of soybean stubble.
On my way into Red Wing on January 30 along Highway 61, I noticed a group of ten deer gathered out of the wind among several evergreen trees. Some of these deer were eating low hanging spruce boughs, an indication of hunger. Spruce needles are not considered a valuable high energy food.