WOW! I can’t believe it’s been 4 months since the last newsletter. I guess time really does fly. It doesn’t help that Spring is also my busy time. I’ll try to get everyone caught up on Green Creek activities and research projects…..and volunteer projects too. And there’s no better place to begin than the “Big” trip for 2008.

This was the trip that was, then wasn’t, then was again! Let me explain: I was scheduled for a Canadian fishing trip with Steve and Andy Gruner, Matt Brown and myself. We had already sent in our deposit to lock in a week in late July.

Things started to change in January when forecasters predicted $4.00 to $5.00 a gallon gas prices in the summer and the value of the U.S. dollar weakened. The group decided to cancel for this summer. Once that was settled, I contacted Dan Ragen in Arizona, and said we had a go for a trip to Arizona but it had to be scheduled in March before the rail season started (usually around March 20^th). Jim Fisher would be unavailable unless we returned on the 13^th or 14^th. So our best bet was March 3^rd to March 12^th.

Dan started forming an itinerary and I tried to organize a group. Both of us had a tough time……Arizona is not exactly the warm mecca in early March and only retired members or home-schooled kids could go. At a Green Creek meeting Auriel showed interest and Tyler was a go…..that put us at 3, possible 4. Anne couldn’t go because Samantha was in a national cheerleading competition. Tonya was working in Arkansas and couldn’t get time off. We decided if we only had 4 we would still go. Then Auriel said that her brother Hank and father, Jim, wanted to go. Now we’re at 6, plus Dan and, hopefully, Jim Schroeder, would make 8….the same as last year.

We arrived in Phoenix on the morning of March 3^rd. Jim flew in from Chicago and Dan drove his pick-up from northern Arizona. We picked up our mini-van for the week, loaded all the gear in Dan’s truck, and off we go…..destination Lake Havasu and a campground called Cattail Cove. We arrived at the campgrounds around 5:30 P.M. and didn’t like what we found……all camping trailers on small stone lots…..and they wanted $26.00 per vehicle to camp….$52.00 to camp with a tent……HA!!!!

We started driving…..people were camping all over the place on B.L.M. land. Of course there were no facilities whatever, but, at least it was free. This was the first of many nights we camped free on B.L.M. land. We discovered something real fast in Arizona…..you might be in the desert but the temperatures fall into the 20’s and 30’s at night.

Dan had scheduled a 15 mile kayak trip down the Colorado River the next morning. We had a choice between a one-man kayak, or a two-man kayak. Ty and I took a 2 man, Jim V and Hank took a 2 man, and Jim F, Auriel, and Dan selected the one man (person). What an adventure! The current was pretty decent, maybe 3-4 M.P.H. and the water was crystal clear…..you could see bottom at 10-15 feet. We weaved in and out of some spectacular canyons….California was on our right and Arizona on our left. The area we were in was called Topoc Gorge. We were just about the only ones on the river…..I say just because several times the solitude of the canyon was interrupted by the sound of house boats or jet-skiers! We cursed a little but the quietness returned in moments and once again we had the river to ourselves.

That evening we found another “free” campsite and this one had some special significance. We were traveling on Rt.66……and who hasn’t heard of Rt 66……the original road from Chicago to California. It was a beautiful drive…..the road was in terrible shape but the scenery made up for it. Our campsite was in a very isolated area, in fact, we were visited by a coyote just before dark!

The next day took us to Oatman, Arizona, a top-notch old ghost town…..at least that’s what the literature said. I’m glad we arrived in the early morning…..before they opened for business. They did have some historic buildings but, basically, the place was a tourist trap! The drive to Oatman was spectacular…..hairpin curves through the mountains…..all kinds of switchbacks…great views. We found a cemetery on the side of a mountain…..got out and took pictures….it was like no cemetery I’ve ever seen.

We took RT 66 as far as INT 40 and then to Williams, Arizona. At this point we had to decision to make….north to the Grand Canyon or south to Sedona and our campsite. Auriel and Hank had never seen the canyon so we decided to head north.

The first Green Creek trip, 22 years ago, was to the Grand Canyon and I wanted to see if anything had changed (obviously not “in” the canyon). They built a brand new Visitor Center….but still had the same problem……not enough parking! And, who would have thought that the Canyon would be crowded in March……it was!!!!!

Arizona is huge….the 5^th largest state in the U.S. We wanted to see as much as we could in 10 days so we spent a lot of time on the road. Most of the time we arrived at our campsite around 5 or 6, just in time to set up camp and fix supper before dark. We stayed at many interesting campsites….Dead Horse State Park being one of them.

We “camped” at Dan’s house in the White Mountains and visited the fish hatchery that he is in charge of……that was the coldest night of the trip…..glad we were at Dan’s!

Some of the highlights of the trip were: Red Rock Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Natural Bridge State Park, Fort Apache, Salt River Canyon, Apache Trail, Tonto Monument, and the Desert Museum in Tucson.

Our campsite outside Tucson proved interesting for 2 events that happened. The first concerns Ty. As he was walking around the campgrounds he accidently got too close to a cactus plant and 13 spines was imbedded in his hand (the cactus is called “jumping” Cholla). The spines had to be removed with pliers! The second event concerned me. I came down with a very sore throat and it continued to get worse. I finally had to have the crew take me to the emergence room in Tucson. I had strep throat and, thankfully, with some much needed antibiotics, I was back to normal within a day.

March 12^th came much too soon. And what does next year look like? Right now I’m looking at August 1-10 for a trip to Idaho and the Snake River and Glacier National Park in Montana. Of course a lot will depend on flight cost and the price of gas. Let me know if you’re interested.

Congratulations to Auriel VanderLaar, the recipient of this year’s $1,000.00 scholarship. I don’t need to tell you how valuable Auriel has been to Green Creek over the past 4 years….just check any newsletter and what name appears over and over again. We wish Auriel much success in her college pursuits at Michigan Tech and look forward to her continued support of Green Creek.

And while I’m on the subject of Green Creek’s scholarship, I would like to thank the following members for supporting our scholarship with financial assistance: Rita Claypool, Dan Ragen and Corrine Schaeffer. Here’s how our scholarship program works. The Board has agreed to set aside $500 each year to support the program and the other half is to come from member donations. If you would like to contribute to this fund please send a check to me at 949 CR 42, Helena, OH 43435. Thank you.

Congratulation to Carl Depner and Tom & Debbie Kirwen for becoming Life Members. We now have 26 members in that category.

The 2008 Rail season came to an end on May 24^th and what a year it was. Our total was 188, mostly Virginia Rails, a few Sora Rails, and 1 King Rail. The total number of birds banded is a new record. We also attached radios to 6 Virginia Rails this season to study stop-over times and habitat usage. Our research with rails is becoming known throughout the United States. I’ve been contacted by fellow researchers in Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Maryland and Kentucky on the various trapping methods we use and our success rates.

I hope to have a more detailed synopsis of this year’s data for the next newsletter.

This has been a real success story for Kirwen’s Market, Green Creek Wildlife Society, and the citizens of Gibsonburg. By the beginning of May we had completely sold out our original purchase of 250 bags. We had to reorder another 150 bags and sales continue to go well. If you haven’t purchased any bags yet, we encourage you to do so.

In the last newsletter I asked if any member would be interested in continuing our Highway Clean-up Program. Karen and Charlie Peck have stepped forward and accepted the responsibility to oversee the program. They are in the process of selecting a date, some time in July, for the first clean-up. I will contact members via email as to the date and time.

Thanks Karen & Charlie.

One research project ends and another begins….I will begin the Bank Swallow banding project at the Millersville quarry on June 13^th. I’m always looking for volunteers. The work is easy……if you don’t mind getting up early……and is over by 11:00 A.M. If interested contact me at 419-638-1027 or 419-355-5944. This isn’t an every day project….I need days when the winds are calm with no rain. Call me…..thanks.

Last Saturday the Solid Waste District held their annual recycle day for old computers and old TV’s. They asked Green Creek if we would be interested in volunteering to help that day. The drop-off at the Health Department parking lot ran from 9:00 A.M. until noon. Last year they had 105 cars participate in the drop-off.

Well, the word must have got out that GC would be there because in that 3 hour time slot 392 cars went through!!!!!!!

The following members volunteered: Steve & Andy Gruner, Karen & Charlie Peck, Jeannie Brink and Tom Kashmer.

I’m getting ready to make another run to the recyclers with aluminum cans. If you have any lying around, get them together, and drop them off at my house. Thanks to the following people donating cans: Cindy Peter, Jeannie Brink, Tom & Sandy Kashmer, Don & Tammy Jacquot, Bob & Sharon Linke, and Bill & Shirley Fisher. A special thanks to Bill & Shirley Fisher for maintaining the recycling cans at the Marathon and Sunoco stations in Gibsonburg.

Hey, we have another addition to the Green Creek family. Congratulations to Amber and Jeff Clay on the birth of their daughter Regan Marie Clay on January 15, 2008.

I also received word from Steph (Peter) and John Seeley that they will welcome a new addition to their family in mid-November. Congrats.

I asked Anna Damschroder if she could update GC members on what she’s been doing since she left to Colorado State University in 2006. Here’s her story:

Go West Young Woman: Adventures of a Small Town Girl in Colorado

In August 2006 I left my small hometown of Helena, Ohio and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado. I began attending Colorado State University (CSU) as an Animal Science and Agriculture Economics Resource major. I had no idea what kind of doors were about to be opened for me, and I was excited to see what was behind them!

I quickly made connections at the school farm, Agriculture research Development and Education Center (ARDEC). The farm is on 400 plus acres and has 150 head of cows, 30 plus heifers, and a herd of bulls. We hold an annual bull sale in the latter part of March (does anyone need a bull?). I have been working there since September 2007 doing everything from feeding the animals to moving cows to our various facilities in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming.

After moving here, I immediately dove into extracurricular activities. I enjoyed being an active member of GCWS and other organizations during high school and I wanted to find new groups with whom I could participate in college. First, I joined the Block and Bridle Livestock Club for which I began showing lambs in the Little National Western (LNW) competition. LNW is a showmanship competition modeled after the national Western Stock Show in Denver. This past year I was the Sheep Chairperson and next fall I will be the head Chairperson. My duties in the past included teaching people about the sheep sector of the agriculture industry; my duties for the upcoming year will include directing species chair people, organizing the show, and obtaining sponsorships.

I also joined the CSU Wool Judging team (yes, you can judge wool!). As part of this team I traveled to judge wool at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Co. and also the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in Houston, Texas – both in 2007.

In December 2006 I was selected to be an Agricultural Ambassador for the College of Agriculture Sciences. Not only do my duties require me to be a good will ambassador, recruit, call and visit prospective students, give tours of the campus, and represent both the college and university at events, but I am also the current secretary of the group.

CSU has provided me with so many opportunities! One such opportunity came soon after I moved to Colorado when I applied for and was selected to represent CSU at the AFA Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. During the past two Novembers, I attended this fast paced, four day event with industry leaders, which included an opportunity fair and personal growth development sessions.

Just to be clear…..Colorado is not all work and no play! There are so many beautiful natural environments to see here and, of course, the best feature of all is practically just outside my front door….the Rocky Mountains! I have had the opportunity to enjoy the Rocky Mountains through skiing and snowboarding at Cooper Mountain, Mary Jane/Winter Park, Breckenridge, Arapaho Basin, and Keystone. I have also hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park numerous times over the past two years and was even able to ride on horseback through a section of the park last fall.

Colorado has many other natural national landmarks, some of which I’ve been fortunate enough to explore. Last spring I traveled with my roommate to the Garden of the gods, a national natural landmark in Colorado Springs, which is quite amazing. Last fall I hiked to the top of Horsetooth Mountain with a few friends in Fort Collins. It was a rather quick hike but I was able to clearly see Wyoming from the top.

Denver is about an hour away from where I live and although it’s hard to get to the city very often when I have so much homework and so many activities keeping me busy in Fort Collins, I was able to cheer on the championship Colorado Rockies at the Coor’s Stadium last year and eat barbequed buffalo sandwiches at the annual Taste of Colorado. In April I plan to visit the Denver Mint with my Uncle Gerry (I said visit, not rob!).

Fort Collins is less than an hour away from Wyoming, so I’ve been able to see some of that state, too. When my brother, Matthew, lived in Wyoming, I ventured up to northwest Wyoming where we camped, hiked, and toured around Yellowstone National Park where we were able to see Old Faithful and Grand Teton National Park. We saw lots of elk and buffalo in the park and even a grizzly momma bear and her cub!

In addition to exploring my new home area of Colorado and Wyoming, I’ve also been able to explore other states….and countries…..since I’ve been on a college student’s schedule. This past November I travelled down to Costa Rico with my sister, Carrie. We enjoyed (if you call maneuvering your way through rutted dirt country roads in a tiny Suzuki rental car “enjoyable”) exploring the varied countryside. We had to hide our lunch food from the very friendly monkeys in Manuel Antonio National Park along the Pacific coast and we saw the infamous Quetzal at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We also watched Arenal Volcano erupt right outside our hotel balcony and got up close with a two-toed sloth and tarantula in the Children’s Ecological Forest.

In January I traveled with three of my fellow Ag Ambassadors to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the National Ag Ambassador Conference. It was a four day conference meeting with agricultural leaders and focused on the future of the agricultural industry and how we can improve our own college programs and ourselves.

After I arrived back in Colorado, I represented CSU at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Along with three other students, I showed a flock of ten Southdowns (that’s sheep, for those of you who don’t know) and came home with numerous top honors.

My most exciting trip, though, is still yet to happen: this May I will be traveling with a group of 20 of my peers to southeastern Australia! We will spend two and a half weeks touring the countryside, meeting with agricultural industry leaders, and learning about the Aussie culture.

This summer, after I return from Australia, I will work as an intern with the American Sheep Industry Association. I will be traveling around Colorado to gain a first hand view of the sheep industry. And so, I’m sure I will experience more of that “Colorado Rocky Mountain high” and will have all sorts of outdoor adventures to write about by summer’s end (maybe even see a bird or two!). I am grateful that I can say that I’m “from Ohio,” but right now, in the words of John Denver, “I’d rather spend my time out where the sky looks like a pearl after the rain…..I guess I’d rather be in Colorado.”

This note comes from member Betsy Wonderly.

I hope this mote finds you all doing well as summer approaches! I am writing to you to share the celebration of my graduation from college. After a year and a half at Smith College in Massachusetts and two and a half years at Cornell University here in New York, I have attained many skills and experiences that have earned me an amazing degree and many exciting opportunities. Over the past four years, I have enjoyed participating in Varsity Volleyball and Track & Field as a member of the East Coast Athletic Conference. College athletics were a great transition for me from High School to College life and it provided me the opportunity to visit campuses and friends throughout New England. I also acted as the lead role in the Smith College production of “Golden Girls: and served as a Residence Life Advisor of an all women’s dormitory. Smith was a unique experience that enabled me to develop my own beliefs and opinions about the world and determine how exactly I can do my part to better it. However, I found that Cornell, a much larger and more diverse institution, was able to provide the opportunities necessary to put learned skills to use.

I was privileged to travel to India and Nepal with my grandparents, Glenn and Evelyn Maddy, and my older sister, Abby. While in Asia, we enjoyed visiting locations where my family had lived and worked in the past. I also had the opportunity to travel with the President of WATCH a women’s rights organization. This was my first glimpse at inequality, health care, and poverty abroad. Fortunately, when I came to Cornell, an international health organization was looking for someone to design and lead a Nutrition and HIV/AIDS project in Kenya; a first of its kind. I have been the co-director of the organization since the beginning and co-authored the original manuscript that is continuously updated and used by western volunteers at the collaborating NGO (ICODEI) in Kabula, Kenya.

My experience with Project Kenya has had the largest impact on my future plans. But, I also participated in club volleyball, Kappa Delta sorority, and a Senior Honor Society while at Cornell. I backpacked across Europe, visiting friends from Smith and Cornell, and I traveled with housemates to Jamaica as a “final hurrah” that capped off our college experience. I studies neuroscience, psychology, and took all the coarses required for admission to medical school while here on the hill. However, it was through collaborating with Cornell faculty and my experiences abroad in developing countries that I realized what my future entailed. I have spent two years conducting research on breastfeeding and HIV transmission, vitamin A deficiency, and maternal and infant nutrition with the World Health Organization and Professor Michael C. Latham, a world-renowned Professor and the Faculty Director of Project Kenya.

With much support, I have accepted a position with the Infectious Disease Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. For the next two years, I will serve as a Clinical Education Assistant for the HOPE conference series, a program of the Harvard University Center for AIDS research. I will be organizing a bi-monthly teleconference series that feature discussions between HIV?AIDS clinicians around the world. I will also serve as the assistant editor of Partners Infectious Disease Images, an online database designed to help clinicians share unique case findings. I will also be collaborating with Dr. Rajesh Gandhi on an NIH funded clinical research study that focuses on HIV and JC Virus, a rare autoimmune disease. I am hoping that these experiences will further prepare me for a career in international medicine.

I would like to thank each of you for your encouragement and love throughout the years. Without you, none of the accomplishments mentioned above would have been possible. Please do keep in touch using the address below, starting June 1. Again, I can’t thank you enough.

Most Sincerely,

Betsy

I would personally like to thank both Anna and Betsy for sharing with us some of their very important life experiences. Letters such as these should touch each one of us in a special way.

You both are truly making a difference. Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

WINTER GENERAL MEETING

2008 DUES

Same old…..same old! Ever since 1984 I’ve requested that individuals send me their $12.00 annual dues during the month of January. Let’s see, we’re 24 years old now…..maybe it’s time for an increase. I mean, what can you buy today with 1984 dollars? A dues increase will be on the agenda for January’s meeting. We need your input. Any change will take place in 2009 so….send in your 2008 dues today.

NEW BLUEBIRD TRAILS

CABIN BANDING

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

GREEN CREEK FAMILY

SAW-WHET OWLS

DYING FOR A MANICURE?

NO CHILD LEFT OUTSIDE

IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE…..

THE TOXIC TOUCH

TAPPED OUT

THEY DIDN’T MEAN THAT

CHANNEL 24…….WEATHER

KASHMER’S KOMMENTS

KASHMER’S KOMMENTS 

MAY/JUNE

2007

If it seems like a long time since the last newsletter there is a very logical explanation…..I screwed up! When I entered a bunch of your email addresses in my database I forgot to save them. Hence many of you did not receive the March/April report. But, all is not lost……you can retrieve it by visiting our website at GCWS.org. Sorry about the mix-up….my lack of computer skills is, once again, evident!

Green Creek has been very busy the past couple of months and it doesn’t appear that things will slow down during the summer months. Keep this newsletter on hand because there will be plenty of volunteer activities this summer.

Green Creek would like to announce the addition of four new Life Members to our growing list;

Mary Lou & Dave Blausey

Michael & Bethany Fork

Our Life Member list now includes the following:

Sarah Overmyer & Mackenzie Egbert Jim & Melissa Schroeder

Jim & Sharon Fisher The Mike Haubert Family

Gerry Damschroder Rita Claypool

Josh & Andrea Henline Cheri Copeland-Shull

Tom & Sandy Kashmer Corinne Schaeffer

Deb (Reineck) Meek Britt Bowe

The Charlie Gerwin Family The David Kohler Family

Dan Ragen Ruth Zoeller

Steve Gruner Mary Lou & Dave Blausey

Michael & Bethany Fork

The rail field season officially ended on Friday, May 25th. Numbers were down considerably from the previous two seasons when I averaged 160 birds. This year’s total was 99……one shy of the magic number. I believe weather played a major role in the decreased numbers. During the months of April and May the prevailing winds, instead of out of the SW, were generally out of the NE. Birds on their migration north have a tendency to stay away from the lake until favorable winds assist them on their flight across the lake. Hence, the rails waited several miles inland for favorable winds and hop-scotched over the refuge. Another downside to this year’s results was the lack of King Rails……I captured none! In fact, I only spotted one the entire season. I have no explanation for the lack of Kings. I also added three new traps this season…..two King traps and one Yellow Rail trap at Magee Wildlife Area. Nothing was captured. I do have an explanation for those results…..the traps were placed in what I considered good rail habitat…..however, the manager decided to drop water levels in the unit and by May 4th there was no water left! It was nobody’s fault….just a lack of communication.

Another note on the Rail season……Auriel VanderLaar, who spent considerable time assisting me in the field, presented a program to the Ohio Young Birder’s Club on Rail research. The presentation was done before a packed house at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge’s new Visitor Center on Saturday, May 27th. Auriel did an excellent job and if you see her, congratulate her on a job well done.

I would also like to thank the many members that volunteered throughout the rail season………Jordan and Mike Eddings, Kevin Okonski, Aron Burmeister, Tom Bartlett, Scott Urig and especially, Tyler Weaver and Auriel VanderLaar.

Any member who is monitoring a bluebird trail……be prepared……the bluebirds are back and nesting is well underway. I’ve banded about 30 so far and it seems as if every day there’s another box to band. Keep up the good work monitors! Tree Swallows are also sitting on eggs and should be hatching in the next few days. I’m hoping that the first batch hatch before June 7th.

May 05 Tom Kirwen

06 Karen Peck

07 Jim Fisher

10 Holly Brink Ashley Sneider

11 Erin Noss

12 Gerry Damschroder

18 Matt Brown

22 Sarah Gruner

31 Tom Kashmer

June 04 Anne Baldwin

11 John Brink

12 Brooke (Bowe) Krieger

16 Mike Eddings

18 Auriel Van Der Laar

19 Theresa Maldonado

22 Corinne Shull

25 John Seeley

26 Michael Fork

Mark your calendars for July 8th at 1:00 P.M. at the cabin for our next general meeting. Hopefully, I will have a program ready on the Arkansas trip, plus other important subjects that we need to discuss.

Green Creek volunteered to assist member Sara Mason, the Wildlife Refuge Specialist from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, in planting flowers at the entrance to the “new” Visitor Center. It was a beautiful day and the following GC members did an outstanding job: Don & Rita Claypool, Charlie Peck, Jeannie Brink, Mary Lou & Dave Blausey, Scott Urig and Tom Kashmer. We were provided an excellent lunch for our efforts and viewed a short film on the refuge.

I would recommend a visit to see the new Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The 3.6 million Center is state- of- the- art, using environmental friendly lighting and heating/air conditioning. Ohio’s only Wildlife Refuge is but a short drive……make a point of visiting this summer.

Mexico has announced that all 109,000 acres of federal lands surrounding San Ignacio Lagoon, the world’s last undisturbed gray whale nursery, will be donated for conservation. These were precisely the lands where Mitsubishi had planned to build key parts of a proposed industrial saltworks. The newly announced donation will thwart any future attempts to revive Mitsubishi’s plan. Member Tonya Kieffer visited this area recently as part of a team doing critical research into the whales needs. I’m sure Tonya will be especially pleased with this announcement.

After a four year battle waged by the National Resource Defense Council and a coalition of 30 state, city and environmental partners, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled 5 – 4 that carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions are “pollutants” under the Clean Air Act and that the EPA has the authority to start curbing them. The decision is a rebuke to the Bush Administration’s do-nothing policy on global warming and directs the EPA to take a fresh look at cutting the pollution from new vehicles that is wrecking havoc with our climate. The decision is likely to help forge consensus in Congress for comprehensive global warming legislation.

The Bush Administration has revived a highly unpopular plan to sell off hundreds of thousands of acres of our national forests and public wildlands to cover budgetary shortfalls. First proposed last year and rejected by the Republican-led Congress, the renewed raid on our public estate would sacrifice stretches of two Bio-Gems, including prime habitat in Greater Yellowstone for bears, elk, and wolves; wildlife-rich ecosystems in the Greater Cumberland Plateau region; and hundreds of other natural treasures. Franz Matzner, a public lands advocate says, “The administration is still determined to auction off our nation’s natural heritage. This was a bad idea that went nowhere last year because of public outcry. Offering it again shows just how out of touch the Bush Administration really is.”

My plan is to begin the bank swallow research project after we return from Arkansas. The targeted date would be June 20th. My research focus’s on one large swallow colony in Millersville. It’s a different type of banding and calls for early-rising but…..ending by 9:30 A.M. If you are interested in helping on the project contact me for more details. Thanks.

Heavy rains throughout March kept the fish traps in the barn. With April’s drier days I was able to place the traps on the 16-17 and 18th. Muddy Creek produced some amazing fish in April…a 28” Rainbow Trout…..3 Northern Pikes, 22 ½”, 24”, and 26”….plus White Suckers, Rock Bass, Yellow Bullheads, Green Sunfish, Goldfish, Creek Chubs, Common Carp, Common Shiners and a Grass Pickerel. The water temperatures were in the mid 50’s.

May was about as dry as April so the creek is very shallow and exceptionally clear for this time of year. The traps were placed on May 25-26-and 27. The water temperature is now in the upper 60’s and low 70’s. The Lake temperature this week was still 58 degrees. Quite a difference between creek temps and lake temps! We captured White, Spotted and Red-horse Suckers, along with Yellow and Black Bullheads, Green Sunfish, Bluegills, Orange-spotted Sunfish, Grass Pickerel, Stonecat MadToms, and some huge Rock Bass……one was a record for us….11”!!!!

We also recaptured a Painted and Map Turtle from previous years, plus an Eastern Spiny Soft-shelled Turtle.

If you are interested in helping with the fish research, give me a call when I get back from Arkansas. Thanks.

I’m still doing bird censuses at three Sandusky County Park District sites: Blue Heron, Creek Bend Farm and White Star Wetlands. The two hour survey’s take place every month during the summer. It’s a great opportunity for you to get out and visit the parks when no-ones around but you and the “critters”. I usually start around 6:00 A.M……I know that’s early but, you know what, if you want to see the good stuff you got to get out early. At the White Star Wetlands this week I added three new species: Sandhill Crane, Prothonetary Warbler, and Red-headed Woodpecker. Let me know if you would like to go on an “early nature walk”. Thanks.

Here’s a couple of interesting stories that happened in the past week. I always used to tell my students that if they ever found a dead bird they should check out the legs in case the bird might be banded. To find a banded dead bird is rare. Usually Mother Nature takes care of dead things by recycling them back into the environment quickly. Over my teaching years I probably had about three individuals that actually found dead birds……they lived in the country and while waiting for the bus to pick them up would wonder down the road checking out the edges. The information obtained from banded birds is crucial to bird research. Well, here’s what happened this week. First, on the way to show Tyler Weaver his bluebird trail, he mentioned that his sister and he spotted a dead bluebird on Napoleon Road, near SR 590. Tyler and I located the bird and I told him about always checking for bands……guess what? There was a band on the bluebird. I’m sure it’s one of my bands and I also think it’s quite old. As soon as I get the info I will tell you about it. Second, on the way to put up one of the fish traps in the wooded area along Muddy Creek at Creek Bend Farm, Derek Eddings and I spotted a dead Wood Thrush. I mentioned to Derek that it looked like a Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shimmed Hawk had breakfast this morning. I didn’t think about checking the leg. After putting the fish trap in, as we were walking out of the woods, I thought…..here I’m telling everyone to check for bands on dead birds and I’m not even doing it. So back I go and guess what? It had a band on it! Four years ago Matt Brown banded in that area and I’m sure it was one of his birds. I will also get that info to you.

So what’s the morale of the two stories…….it might be gross, but if you ever find a dead bird, check it’s leg……..call me if you don’t want to detach the band. The information derived from that bird is very important. Thanks.

THE GREEN CREEK NATURALIST

MARCH/APRIL

2007

Little did I know that when I ended the last newsletter with the words…..”Enjoy the cold weather….it’s about time!......that I was forecasting the record cold temperatures for the end of January and almost all of February!!!! (Twenty-two straight days with below freezing temperatures….BRRRRR……BRRRRR.) January, according to the meteorologists, turns out to be the warmest January ever recorded, and February could end up one of the coldest ever……go figure.

Everyone has done a great job in forwarding to me their email addresses and their birthdays. Just a little reminder that if you have a family membership, I need everyone’s birthday. If you are still receiving this newsletter via snail mail that means I still need your email address. Right now we are at about 75% receiving via email and the rest by snail mail. Every penny that we can save on mailings increases our ability to funnel money towards worthwhile projects. Thanks.

We would like to welcome the following new members to the Green Creek family:

#403 Steve Younker

#404 The Laughlin Family, Frank & Angie and their children, Tyler & Audrey

If you’ve ever wondered what the numbers in front of the names represents, it is number of total Green Creek members since we began in 1984. Of course, many of them are no longer members. We have maintained around 100 members every year, sometimes a few more and sometimes a few less.

Our newest member….Olivia Leigh Aldrich…..born on Jan. 17^{th to Michelle (Williams) and Todd Aldrich. Congratulations!}