White Bear Lake, MN – Wildlife Forever is proud to announce the Songbird Art Contest™ as the newest opportunity to connect the public to the outdoors using the Art of Conservation™. In partnership with the Jay N. Darling Legacy Center based in Des Moines, Iowa, this competition is inspired by the legacy of artist and conservationist Jay Norwood Darling, encouraging participants to learn about North American Songbird Species and inspiring the next generation of stewards.

Throughout history, North America has been home to a tremendous diversity of bird species. Since the 1960s, Songbird populations in North America have dropped 29 percent over historic averages. Three billion birds have been lost and many species of songbirds are at risk of becoming endangered. While one single factor cannot be attributed to these losses, the data is clear that public awareness and education about this critical issue is needed now, more than ever.

The Songbird Art Contest™ will focus on conservation education and will be open to all ages with a strong focus on youth engagement. Participants will be required to submit an original piece of artwork accompanied by an essay detailing the unique characteristics of their chosen bird species and conservation needs. Participants will have until November 30th of each year to submit their entry to the contest by mail to Wildlife Forever. Winners being announced on National Bird Day, January 5th. The Songbird Art Contest™ is looking for additional partners and sponsors to kick off the contest, opening on May 1st, 2021. Read more

Proposals accepted through Dec. 11

Michigan’s Invasive Species Grant Program is now accepting proposals for the 2020 funding cycle, with an anticipated $3.6 million available to applicants.

The program – a joint effort of the Michigan departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development – is part of a statewide initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent, detect and control invasive species in Michigan. Read more

One of the best ways to enjoy Michigan’s fall colors and fresh air is to take in the many majestic migratory birds that dot our skies and landscapes this time each year. Better yet, birders of all experience levels can lend bird research a hand by sharing observations of what they see and when and where they see it.

Michigan’s fall migration includes waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, songbirds and raptors that head south to their wintering grounds. Such bird patterns, often complex and misunderstood, are key to helping identify conservation priorities that best support these winged wanderers.

Why does that matter to you? Well, researchers need help. You can help advance Audubon’s Migratory Bird Initiative by visiting public lands and reporting bird sightings on eBird – an online database of bird observations providing scientists, researchers and amateur naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and abundance. Plus, eBird makes it easy to keep track of your own bird observations, photos and audio files. Read more

Colder temperatures this weekend mean it’s time to start pruning oak trees with minimal to no risk of spreading oak wilt. The best way to prevent the spread of oak wilt is to prune during the tree(s) during dormant season.

“There have been a few days in a row that were at or near freezing and with the weekend forecast the risk of oak wilt is very minimal,” says Tivon Feeley DNR Forest Health Program Leader. “For that reason, we suggest that you start pruning your oak tree now until about the first of March.” Read more

Photo courtesy South Florida Water Management District

Members of the Python Action Team set up to reduce the number of invasive pythons in south Florida under the Python Elimination Program recently captured an 18-foot, 9-inch Burmese python that apparently sets a new length record for snakes captured in the program.

Ryan Ausburn and Kevin Pavlidis caught the behemoth of a snake, which weighed a whopping 104 pounds

The removal of the pythons is an effort to reduce predation on native wildlife, which has been dramatic since the snakes began multiplying in the Everglades some 20 years ago. The giant snakes have been found to prey on water birds, all sorts of small mammals–which have largely disappeared in vast swaths where the snakes are most abundant–and even on alligators and deer occasionally.

Ausburn and Pavlidis make a living selling products made of snake skin leather. Reportedly, the skin of this snake will go into making special footballs for the 2021 Super Bowl in Tampa. Read more

When Bill and Betty Perkis of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula plan their vacations each year, an enthusiasm for the outdoors always shines through; they love to camp and tour national parks to explore the beauty of nature.

That passion led the couple to wonder — how could they bring the wonders of nature home?

Working with forestry and wildlife experts, the Perkis family incorporated new techniques into their property management to turn the 40-acre parcel around their western Upper Peninsula home into a wildlife paradise. Read more

Grand Prairie, TX – Evolved’s new 5 Card Draw™ combines the growing powers of oats, wheat, white clover, turnip and chicory for a food plot that’s as diverse as it is palatable. The forage variety annual/perennial blend is designed to be eaten, grow back, then be eaten again. With a deer favorite always growing, you’ll quickly build regular hoof traffic and a stronger overall herd.

5 Card Draw™ is a unique annual/perennial blend that features 42 percent forage oats, 42 percent forage wheat, 4 percent perennial white clover, 2 percent Barkant turnip, and 2 percent chicory. Each 10 lb. bag will cover approximately one-quarter acre, or 11,000 square feet, and is best planted in tilled soils with a pH range of between 6.0-8.0. It can be planted in summer through fall.

MSRP is $19.99 per 10 lb. bag. More information is available atwww.evolved.com. Read more

MONTPELIER, VT – The onset of fall sends Vermont’s bats into motion as they begin either migrating south or moving to regional underground hibernation sites for the winter.

Summer groups of bats that roost in buildings start to scatter in the fall, making it the perfect time to safely evict these uninvited guests from your attic, barn, or office building following the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Best Management Practices, available at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Bat houses provide an alternative location for safely evicted bats to remain in your yard and continue eating huge quantities of insects that may be forest, agricultural, or human pests. However, bat houses do require some simple maintenance. Late fall or winter is the time to look up inside your bat house and make sure all the bats have left before cleaning out any abandoned wasp nests and planning any needed caulking or repainting.

You can also help bat conservation efforts by reporting large colonies of bats living in structures to the department’s website. Locations with rare colonies of endangered little brown bats are eligible for free bat houses from Vermont Fish and Wildlife. Read more

FWC biologist Pierson Hill recently documented an extremely unusual “patternless” eastern diamondback rattlesnake in north Florida, which he then microchipped and released safely for identification by researchers in the future. This color morph is exceptionally rare – only a small handful of patternless diamondbacks have been documented by biologists, according to FFWCC. It is worth sharing with you because it’s still warm enough for cold-blooded creatures to be active in the woods, despite it being hunting season.