MN State Fair First Glance Aug. 20th

Minnesota State Fair First Glance Event

Tues., Aug. 20, 2024

5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Fine Arts Building (the corner of Randall Ave. and Cosgrove St.)

Minnesota State Fairgrounds

The Minnesota State Fair Foundation 501(c)(3) invites artists, friends, family and art enthusiasts to support the future of the arts at the Minnesota State Fair through the ticketed event, First Glance. This is your chance to get a first look at the selected works and purchase artwork prior to the Minnesota State Fair opening. Tickets are available for purchase at msffoundation.org or by calling (651) 288-4323. All attendees for the First Glance Event must have a ticket. 

Showing "Superior Reflections"

Oil, 12 x 24 inches

Artwork will be on view for the First Glance event and the duration of the Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 22 - Labor Day, 2024

Entrance to the Fine Arts Building is free with your State Fair ticket during regular State Fair hours

Blackbird in the Bog

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is an oil painting of a female Brewer’s Blackbird, a species of bird quite unfamiliar to me. I am grateful for the research available, there’s always more to learn! 

     Depending on what part of the country you live in, these birds can be common and perhaps a nuisance as they await alongside humans for the opening of big box stores. In Seattle, for instance, once the doors open at a mega-superstore, they fly in to seek shelter from the elements or to score crumbs off the floor from its indoor café. 

     My experience with Brewer’s Blackbirds is very different. I’ve never seen them waiting for stores to open, let alone hanging out anywhere near them in my area. The invasive House Sparrow makes up for that. But on July 5th, I observed two female Brewer's Blackbirds tending to a nesting site in Sax-Zim Bog in northern Minnesota, a location far from urbanization. 

     The two blackbirds were near a roadside adjacent to agricultural fields. One female was perched on a wooden post surrounded by tall grass. Her wings were drooped, and she was frequently looking downwards. Another female flew in with what looked to be a grasshopper. She landed on a barbed wire fence close to the other female. Soon both were side by side on the fence as if the grasshopper was under inspection. Within moments, the blackbird with the grasshopper disappeared into the tall grass below. 

     Brewer’s Blackbirds nest in colonies, so it makes sense that there was more than one adult near the supposed nest, or nests. However, only observing two females and no males, I wonder if the colony consisted of a maximum of two nests. Brewer’s Blackbirds can nest in colonies as large as 100 nests. The colony I observed was nowhere near that. 

     Over time, Brewer’s Blackbirds have adapted to human behavior, and perhaps the birds in Sax-Zim Bog have learned the safety of nesting near roadside ditches and barbed wire fences. The combination of the two might allow them to stay relatively clear of nest destruction when farmers plow their crops; while the low presence of automobile traffic in remote farming country adds another layer of protection for reproductive success.

     Stay wild, my friends.

References

A Birding Interview with John Marzluff. (2019, April). Birding, 51,(2), 24-28. 

"Brewer’s Blackbird." Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds. Retrieved Aug. 9, 2024 from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brewers_Blackbird/lifehistory# 

Horn, Henry S. “Social Behavior of Nesting Brewer’s Blackbirds.” The Condor, vol. 72, no. 1, 1970, pp. 15–23. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1366470. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024. 

Kreiner, J. (2020). Legions of pigs in the early medieval west. Yale University Press.

Art on the Edge Opens Thursday

Showing "Ballyhoo" – 16 x 12 inches – oil

Art on the Edge, 18th Annual Juried Exhibition

Aug. 8 - Sept. 9, 2024

Artist Reception Friday, August 9, 5 pm - 7 pm

The Edge Gallery

101 2nd Ave.

Bigfork, MN 56628

Gallery Hours: Thurs, Fri, and Sat from 1 pm - 4 pm

A Fondness for the Blues

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

“The bluebird comes, and with his warble drills the ice, 

and sets free the rivers and ponds and frozen ground.” - Henry David Thoreau

 

     The Eastern Bluebird belongs to the family of thrushes, and is one of 167 species of thrushes found throughout the world. In North America, its arrival in spring is a welcome sight to those that live in the open country, and a trip to Wild River State Park in May of this year brought several sightings of Eastern Bluebirds. The male depicted in my painting above was hanging around a cavity in an old pine tree (photo below) along the Amador Prairie Loop, alongside a female. 

     These days, most people associate bluebirds with nest boxes because of efforts to save the species from extinction. Nest boxes were erected all over eastern North America and Bermuda from the 1970s and onward to help the bluebird when it was discovered that two invasive species, House Sparrows and European Starlings, were outcompeting them for nesting sites, and in the case of the House Sparrows, killing them. 

     Bluebirds faced other threats also, such as habitat loss, most notably from the destruction of over 90% of Bermuda’s cedar trees from a scale endemic that occurred in the 1940s and 50s. Bermuda is of particular importance because it’s the only place outside of eastern North America where Eastern Bluebirds reproduce. 

     Today, Bermuda’s nest boxes have allowed this bird to flourish on the island, especially alongside their golf courses, but they are now completely dependent upon nest boxes for their survival. 

     In North America, nest boxes play an important role, too. When properly built, nest boxes can contribute to this bird’s overall occupancy and brood success; but without monitoring, the fate of the Eastern Bluebird’s breeding success is in jeopardy. 

     Specifications for building nest boxes can be found on the North American Bluebird Society’s website (nabluebirdsociety.org), or in your state's bluebird nest box program if it has one. Minnesota’s program for bluebird recovery efforts can be found at bbrp.org. 

     As for proper placement of nest boxes, bluebirds nest in open habitat and have greater success when tall or woody vegetation isn’t present near the box. This is likely due to the fact that bluebirds feed by dropping, a method whereby they see their prey from a perch and drop to the ground to snatch it. In addition, less vegetation may deter one of this bird’s biggest predators, rat snakes. At the very least, bluebirds will have an easier time spotting their predators when the area is kept clear of vegetation. 

     As for the directional placement of the nest box hole, whether it be north, south, east or west, the general rule used to be southeast-facing. However, this isn’t always the case. Studies have shown that in northern populations, more nestlings fledged when the hole faced northeast. In Georgia, they liked northwest-facing holes the best. In a Vermont study, there appeared to be no directional preference. And in Michigan, more bluebirds nested in boxes facing southeast, the traditional direction specified in guidebooks. If only we could ask the birds themselves which direction they’d prefer. 

     If you’d like to help in the continued survival of the bluebird, it’s important to consider the bluebird’s preferred habitat, nest boxes that are built to required specifications, predator deterrents, hole orientation, and the vegetation immediately surrounding the box. Lastly, without regular monitoring for predators and invasive species, all of your efforts could be for naught.

     Even though I don't live in this bird's environment and only see it when I travel, I am thankful it is still around, and if you have contributed to this bird's survival, thank you! 

     Stay wild, my friends.

Male Eastern Bluebird at Wild River State Park, MN.
Photo 5/14/2024 ©Becca Mulenburg.

Tree showing the nest cavity where the Eastern Bluebirds
were hanging out at Wild River State Park, MN.
Photo 5/14/2024 ©Becca Mulenburg.

Bermuda's beautiful $2 currency. 

References

Arlott, N., Perlo, B. van, Carrizo, G., Chiappe, A. A., Huber, L., & Rodríguez Mata, J. (2021). The Complete Birds of the World. Princeton University Press. 

Bermuda bluebird society. Bermuda Bluebird Society. (2024, January 30). https://bermudabluebirdsociety.com/ Accessed 26 July 2024. 

“Bermudian Dollar.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermudian_dollar#Banknotes#Redesign Accessed 26 July, 2024. 

Bluebird Recovery Program of Minnesota. Bluebird recovery program of Minnesota. (n.d.). https://bbrp.org/ Accessed 26 July, 2024. 

Buff, S. (1991). Flights of fancy: A treasury of bird quotations. HarperCollins Publishers. 

Forest Preserve District Will County. (n.d.). Bluebirds are back from the brink thanks to human interventions. The Buzz. https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/bluebirds-saved-from-extinction/ Accessed 26 July 2024. 

Navara, Kristen J., and Erin M. Anderson. “Eastern Bluebirds Choose Nest Boxes Based on Box Orientation.” Southeastern Naturalist, vol. 10, no. 4, 2011, pp. 713–20. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41475415 Accessed 26 July 2024. 

North American Bluebird Society. (n.d.). https://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/ Accessed 26 July 2024

DAI Members Show Opens June 25

 June 25 - July 24, 2024

Reception and gallery opening Tuesday, June 25, 4:30 - 8 pm

Duluth Art Institute's Annual Members' Show

US Bank Building

130 W Superior St., Suite 400

Duluth, MN 55802

Free and open to the public

Gallery hours: Monday - Friday, Noon to 5 pm

Also open Saturday, July 20, Noon to 5 pm

Click here for parking, bus, and skywalk information

info@duluthartinstitute.org

218-733-7560

Pond Charmer

 Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     Male Hooded Mergansers have interesting mating dances, they’re worth a look on youtube and may make this bird memorable, especially if you've never seen one. This particular lone merganser visited my neck of the woods just after 7 am on Monday, April 29th. I was able to take several photos while disguised in dark clothing and hiding behind trees. The noise of the wind, rain, and rushing creek helped too, but I am quite certain this duck knew of my presence even though I oftentimes like to think I'm invisible. It is arrogant, or perhaps delusional, but sometimes I get lucky. 

     Luck allowed me to blend in with a tree, so much so that I became a tree while photographing this bird. Soon, two gray squirrels were at my feet. Not wanting to get squirrelitis (is that a thing?), I was going to have to move because I didn’t want them realizing I wasn’t a tree after it was too late. This meant sacrificing my cover. But it was either that or my life. Okay, I’m being dramatic here, but I sorta kinda thought that. The bottom line was that I wasn’t going to allow either of those squirrels to touch me ... no matter what. So, I nudged my right shoe, my faithful squirrel deterrent, three inches to my right. And that was that. The squirrels bolted and the merganser flew away. I was exposed, and it came as no surprise. Had nothing happened, this story would’ve been the tallest tale ever. 

     Stay wild my friends.

Summer Affairs

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

I have determined that this bird, the male Bobolink, is my father-in-law's favorite bird. Why? He is a man, his name is Bob, and he is a passionate golfer.

Sometimes in life, a little humor and a break from the norm can be a welcome reprieve. Happy Friday, everyone! Or Saturday, depending on where you are in the world ;)

The Lost Winter

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     For the first time in ten winters at my home in Duluth, MN, American Tree Sparrows have stuck around all season, and that is most likely because we had very little snowfall. Just how little? Before the snowstorm of March 25th, Duluth was over 40 inches below normal, giving these seed-loving birds lots of areas to forage from bare ground, month after month. 

     In addition to a generally snowless winter, Duluth’s just experienced its second warmest winter on record. In all likelihood, the record would have fallen had the current weather station’s locale been in the same spot as it was in 1877-78, the winter that still covets first place. Currently, official temperatures are recorded at the Duluth International Airport, but it is approximately 5 miles further inland from the old weather station on Superior Street, just 1000 feet from Lake Superior. If anyone took temperature records at the old location, it would be interesting to know if the record was broken. It’s always nice to compare apples to apples. 

     During more normal winters (is there such a thing as normal anymore?), American Tree Sparrows aren't around. Big seed eaters, if the ground is covered with snow, they’ll typically stay further south. However, this is one bird that has a tendency to flock to urban areas during cold spells. Urban areas can be up to 10° F (6° C) warmer, and can provide this species with much needed warmth to survive. Known as the urban heat island effect where roads, buildings, and dense concentrations of similar materials absorb and retain heat, other birds like Carolina Wrens, Northern Cardinals and House Finches benefit from this scenario as well. Just like American Tree Sparrows, these birds are less tolerant of cold temperatures compared to Downy Woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees; but when Duluth is covered in snow for months at a time, regardless of its temperature, American Tree Sparrows are likely to stay away due to its food source being inaccessible. 

     So, consider this an update to my blog entry from Feb. 9th. Based on my most recent research, it appears the lack of snow probably had more to do with the American Tree Sparrows’ presence than this winter's warm temperatures.

     If your neck isn't too sore from viewing today's solar eclipse, keep your eyes on the skies. The migration has begun. Yard sightings include the following: American Robins, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Mourning Dove, Fox Sparrows, Purple Finches, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (heard), hawk (species unknown), and soaring Bald Eagles migrating north. Our resident mallards have returned. Hoards of Common Redpolls and Dark-eyed Juncos are common each April and this year is no exception. 

     Enjoy the migration everyone. Stay wild !

References

Devokaitis, M. (2021, Winter). Feeders in Urban Areas May Provide Refuge for Wintering Birds. Living Bird, 40(1), 60.

Latimer CE, Zuckerberg B. Habitat loss and thermal tolerances influence the sensitivity of resident bird populations to winter weather at regional scales. J Anim Ecol. 2021; 90: 317–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13332

Sundgaard, S. (2024, Feb. 13). A break in the snow drought? First measurable snowfall in weeks coming. Minnesota Public Radio. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/02/13/a-break-in-the-snow-drought-first-measurable-snowfall-in-weeks-coming

From Misery to Missouri

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     Almost 8-1/2 years after moving to our home in Duluth, I finally saw wild turkeys in my yard. But if I had lived here in the early 1970s, I wouldn’t have seen any because they were wiped out by hunting and habitat loss throughout all of Minnesota. 

     Thankfully, enough people cared about their return, and efforts to reintroduce turkeys to Minnesota by the DNR were successful in 1973 when twenty-nine wild birds were transported from Missouri to southeastern Minnesota. Eventually, that small flock grew and more turkeys were moved to other parts of the state. There’s a high probability that the turkey represented in my painting came from the original twenty-nine, according to James Burnham, a biologist from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

     This particular bird depicted in my painting was a member of a flock of five that visited my bird feeders’ spoils on Oct. 26, 2023. They are the largest birds to have visited, barring Canada Geese which rival their size, standing almost 4 feet tall. With last year’s record snowfall and few oak trees in our area to provide acorns, wild turkeys probably had a hard go of it, but they are tough birds and can survive difficult conditions if proper food is available. 

     During car rides, I just love seeing wild turkeys feeding off in the distance. “Turkey lurkeys!” I’ll shout with excitement. It’s a feeling that never gets old.

References

Petersen, C. (2023, Sept.-Oct.). Wild Neighbors: A creature of woodlands, the wild turkey now lives across much of Minnesota, including in towns and cities. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, 86(510), 44-55.

Stokes, D., & Stokes, L. (2010). The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Little, Brown and Company.

An Illuminating Journey

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is an oil painting of a Blue-headed Vireo. These birds do not display plumage dimorphism, meaning there is no coloration difference between males and females, i.e. they are monomorphic. Therefore, it’s a toss up whether this particular bird as seen on Oct. 1, 2021, was a male or female. 

     An interesting discovery by Canadian ornithologist Bridget Stutchbury of Toronto’s York University found that female Blue-headed Vireos venture out from their nesting territories to mate with other males after their young fledge, all the while their first mate attends to the remainder of the youngsters’ needs. 

     In the 1936 edition of Birds of America by T. Gilbert Pearson, the author writes the following about this bird: “It does not avoid mankind but dwells near him only when he lives in its favorite forest retreats. Like some other species it has proved so confiding at times as to allow a person to stroke its back as it sat on its beautiful pensile nest.” Can you imagine stroking a wild bird in the forest, let alone one on its nest? Not in my wildest dreams could I believe that would be possible these days, especially as humans continue to pursue, whether intentional or not, their separation from nature.

References

Pearson, T. G. 1., & Fuertes, L. A. (1936). Birds of America. Garden City, N.Y., Garden City Publishing Co., Inc.

The Forgotten Female Now a Focus of Study. (2019, Summer). Living Bird, 38(1), 41.

Wood Duck

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is an oil painting of a male Wood Duck. A couple of interesting tidbits about this bird is that their young are born precocial, which means they're able to survive almost immediately without the help of their parents. The opposite of precocial is altricial – baby robins and humans are examples of altricial species. Both need copious amounts of help to survive.

     Also interesting is that Wood Ducks will eat acorns and other nuts as part of their diet. Maybe one day when my young oak trees grow up, these ducks will have more options for nourishment during their stopovers at my home besides insects and arthropods.

Bounty in the Land of Yellow Medicine

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

This small oil painting of a Field Sparrow is from the Upper Sioux Agency State Park near Granite Falls, Minnesota. I visited this park in 2021, but it is now permanently closed as of February 16, 2024. In a first-ever for the state of Minnesota, ownership of a state park has been transferred to a Native American community, specifically the Dakota people of the Upper Sioux.

Per the Minnesota DNR, “The Upper Sioux Community has a longstanding request to the State of Minnesota that the land at Upper Sioux Agency State Park (USASP) be returned to the Upper Sioux Community, given the extraordinary significance of this land to the tribal community. The land is the site of starvation and death of Dakota people during the summer of 1862, when the U.S. Government failed to provide food promised to the Dakota by treaty. Continuing to operate the land as a recreational use site is inconsistent with this profound history.” 

This particular sparrow was perched on a bur oak, by far the most widespread oak species in Minnesota. Large sunny areas can really make these trees shine in all of their hugeness. Bur oaks are crucial to wildlife, providing homes to birds, animals and a large number of invertebrates – and of course, a perch for a Field Sparrow.

My field notes (aka scribbles) from my visit to
Upper Sioux Agency State Park in my most treasured
and used book when birding in Minnesota,
"Birds of Minnesota State Parks" by Robert B. Janssen,
author and teacher who passed away last year,
known as a "pioneer of ornithology in Minnesota."

References

Associated Press. (3 Sept. 2023). Upper Sioux Agency State Park to be returned to Minnesota tribe. Kare11.com online. Retrieved from https://www.kare11.com/article/tech/science/environment/upper-sioux-agency-state-park-daktota-land-back-minnesota/89-476b7c0d-6f22-4244-8603-07569c51a5f6 

Hutton, R. (2023, Nov. 3). He wrote the book on Minnesota birding. Star Tribune, A1, A5.

Janssen, R. B. (2015). Birds of Minnesota State Parks. State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources. 

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2024, Feb.). Upper Sioux Agency State Park is permanently closed. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/parkfinder/upper-sioux-agency-state-park-land-transfer.html

Smith, W. (2021, Sept.-Oct.). Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa). Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, 84(498), 96-97.

Unfinished Season

 Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

This is an oil painting of an American Tree Sparrow. At my home in Duluth, winter has been extraordinarily warm which could be the reason a flock of 3-6 of these birds have stuck around all season. It is an observational "first" at my residence of 10 years.

There are slight differences in range maps as to where this bird normally spends its winters. One map shows Duluth on the edge of where this bird is either common or uncommon in winter; the other map indicates this bird is common in my neck of the woods.

When the weather warms and the snow melts in the coming weeks (there is limited snow now), these birds will fly to northern Alaska for their breeding season.

References

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds. American Tree Sparrow. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024 from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Tree_Sparrow/maps-range

National Audubon Society. American Tree Sparrow. New York, New York. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024 from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-tree-sparrow

Canada, Ahead

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is an oil painting of a Broad-winged Hawk as seen in my woods on May 12, 2022. During the fall, they migrate in such immense numbers their flocks have been called a “river of raptors” – flying through Veracruz, Mexico, and Panama to the Andean forests of Colombia and Bolivia. At my home, I have oftentimes gotten out of my chair upon hearing this hawk outside of my window, only to find a Blue Jay imitating it perfectly.

     Their migration route spans approximately 4,000 miles and they travel around 70 miles per day. If this one came directly from the south of my home, it would have been in Burnett County, Wisconsin, the day prior.

References

Epic Journeys. (2021, Winter) Living Bird, 40(1), 26.

Kricher, J. C. (2020). Peterson reference guide to bird behavior. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

September's Respite

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is my oil painting of an immature Harris’s Sparrow. It’s a bird that will soon have a new name. That’s because the American Ornithological Society recently decided to rename every bird that was named after a person. Starting this year, the process of renaming approximately 152 North American birds will commence. 

     This bird was originally named by John James Audubon after his friend Edward Harris. Harris provided Audubon with financial assistance for the publication of his book, Birds of America. Strikingly, it was not Audubon or Harris who originally discovered this bird, it was Thomas Nuttall in 1834. He named the bird “Mourning Finch.” Although the word mourning appropriately describes this bird’s non-juvenile plumage (the face, cap, and neck of adult birds are black, perhaps representing the togas worn by humans as far back as the ancient Romans to mourn the loss of a loved one), this bird is not a finch. 

     Historical names of Harris’s Sparrow have been “Hood-crowned sparrow” and “Black-hooded Sparrow.” 

     An interesting tidbit about this bird is that it’s the only songbird that breeds exclusively in Canada. It prefers to nest on the ground in the cold, short summers of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northeastern Manitoba. The first-ever recorded nest found was located west of Hudson Bay, specifically in sphagnum moss and Labrador tea, two common wetland plants. 

     This bird is yet another tipping point species. As mentioned in some of my recent blog entries, tipping point species are those species that have lost half of their population in the last 50 years and are on track to lose another half of their remaining population in 50 years if nothing changes. 

     Harris’s Sparrows typically come through my neck of the woods in the spring and fall. In fall, they're on their way to their wintering grounds in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. During migration, I have to pay close attention to spot them. Some years, I don’t see any. I photographed this presumed Canadian-born migrant on September 29, 2021 at my home.

References

Cassidy, J. (Ed.) 1990. Book of North American Birds. Reader's Digest Association.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Harriss_Sparrow/id

Edward Harris (ornithologist). (2023, June 30). In Wikipedia. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Harris_(ornithologist)

Enns, Amie, Dan Kraus and Andrea Hebb. 2020. Ours to save: the distribution, status and conservation needs of Canada’s endemic species. NatureServe Canada and Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://www.natureserve.org/canada/ours-to-save#:~:text=Ours%20to%20save%3A%20The%20distribution,that%20are%20endemic%20to%20Canada.

Heisman, R. (2023, Nov. 1) All North American Birds Named After People Will Soon Get New Names. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://www.audubon.org/news/all-north-american-birds-named-after-people-will-soon-get-new-names

Pearson, T. Gilbert. (1936). Birds of America. Wise & Co. 

Sivakumar, A. (2020, Nov.) The Case for an Ornithological Thesaurus. Birding, 52(6), 38.

Thomas Nuttall. (2023, Oct. 28). In Wikipedia. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Nuttall&oldid=1182342328

Three Years After 3 Billion Birds Lost, America's Birds Are Still in Decline. (2023, Winter). Living Bird, 42(1), 19.

Wallace, T. The History of Mourning Dress and Attire in the West. Eterneva. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2024 from https://www.eterneva.com/resources/mourning-dress

29th Arts North Int'l Opens Saturday!

 Showing "Superior Reflections"

Oil on Textured Linen Panel - 12 x 24 inches

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), Lake Superior, Duluth harbor

29th Arts North International Juried Exhibition

Jan. 13 - Feb. 24, 2024

Hopkins Center for the Arts

1111 Mainstreet

Hopkins, MN 55343

952-548-6485

Galleries are open every day of the week!
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday Noon - 5 p.m.

Free and open to the public.

Bog Attraction

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

Like the Golden-winged Warbler (3 posts before this one), the Evening Grosbeak has also been given the unfortunate distinction as being a tipping point species. It is a bird that has lost half of its population in the past 50 years and is on track to lose another half if nothing changes in the next 50 years. "It's unknown what's causing the decline – disease, climate change, shifts in land use, some combination of those, or a different factor that scientists have yet to uncover."(1)

This bird is an irruptive species whereby in certain years, it will appear in erratic numbers far south of its normal range. It also has a unique survival technique that is beneficial during harsh winters. Their esophagus contains an extension called an esophageal diverticula (a pouch) that's used to store whole seeds which are later regurgitated, broken up, and swallowed as food when needed.

Sightings of the Evening Grosbeak can no longer be guaranteed in certain parts of the country, and if they are spotted, their numbers have declined substantially. Specifically since 1966, they have declined by 75% across their entire range. 

References

(1) Where are the Grosbeaks? (2022, October). Birdwatching. 36(5), pg. 6.

Kricher, J. C. (2020). Peterson reference guide to bird behavior. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Three Years After 3 Billion Birds Lost, America's Birds Are Still in Decline. (2023, Winter). Living Bird, 42(1), p. 19.

Von Herff, W. (2023, Dec.). Frontiers in ornithology: How winter finch irruptions are changing-and what that means for birders. Birding, 55(7), 22-25.

When You Were Mine, in the Cosmos, So Fine

 Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

The Canada Warbler and the Muskrat
(A Fable)
by Becca Mulenburg

     Deep inside a northern forest, a Canada Warbler sang. Some distance away, a muskrat heard the bird and became annoyed. With little appetite for the bird’s song, the muskrat stormed off to have a few words with the bird. It ran past the messy willow, the budding burdock, and the chokecherry in great haste, ignoring last year’s spoils scattered here and there on the ground. As the muskrat grew closer and closer to the bird, it began to sing less and less – until it stopped. This puzzled the muskrat, but soon the animal was at the base of the tree where only moments earlier the bird sang. Without being able to locate the hushed bird, the muskrat shouted towards the treetops, “Bird, I am tired. I have come a long way, and have left my home and my family. Wherever you are, please don’t sing anymore.” Overcome with peace and a great sense of satisfaction, the muskrat turned to go home. Suddenly, the eyes of a fox peered around a red baneberry stalk. The muskrat was terrified. “Don't worry,” the fox said. “Be annoyed no more. For you did not heed the warnings of a woods gone silent.”

International Miniature Exhibition

Three miniature oil paintings on exhibit.

90th Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature
The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society
of Washington, D.C. (MPSGS)

The Mansion at Strathmore

10701 Rockville Pike
North Bethesda, MD 20852

 

Nov. 18, 2023 thru Jan. 13, 2024

Golden-winged Warbler

 Oil on Panel, 4 x 4 inches

     The Golden-winged Warbler is a very special bird to the state of Minnesota, and that’s because Minnesota supports the highest breeding population (about half) of this bird compared to any other state or province. 

     In the summer, the greatest concentration of this warbler exists west of Duluth and Minneapolis. When I saw this bird on May 17th in Minnesota, that date coincided with the males’ average first arrival to northern Wisconsin in the springtime. My latitudinal location wasn’t far off from northern Wisconsin and it was my first time seeing this bird. 

     However, before I saw it, I heard its call. I’m not proud to write that I dismissed its call as belonging to that of the Clay-colored Sparrow. It was buzzy, and with little thought I carelessly misidentified it as the sparrow, one that I’d seen and heard many times before. But something didn’t feel right. I was hearing more than one, perhaps a handful, and all very close; so I kept trying to locate them in a thicket of shrubs around 7-8 feet high – shrubs that weren’t fully leafed out yet – but to no avail. How strange, I thought. Why couldn’t I see them? After all, spotting a bird’s silhouette on relatively naked branches seemed effortless, or so I thought. Finally, one flew across the path and landed in sight. Nope, definitely not a Clay-colored Sparrow. That’s when I got my first photograph of a Golden-winged Warbler. Its ability to camouflage itself in the willows was extraordinary. 

     These birds were singing their type I song (sung especially at dawn during mating) “zeee bee bee”. I only heard two "bees" in all songs, songs that are characterized as sibilants. Sibilants are sounds that are made by pushing air through one’s teeth and simultaneously forming the tongue to pronounce hissing sounds such as zip, ship, and tzip. The usage of sibilant sounds in birds is plentiful. A few birds that come to mind are empids, Canada Geese (think of them hissing when you get too close), Eastern Phoebes and Clay-colored Sparrows. The Barn Owl is another example with its snake-like hiss. 

   Golden-winged Warblers like to eat tortricids (a type of moth – don’t worry if you didn’t recognize that word, I didn’t either!), their pupae, and other moths and winged insects. Spiders are also a favorite, and unlike flycatchers, their food is sought after mostly on the ground by probing into rolled-up leaves versus catching them on the wing. 

     Birding magazines and newspaper articles have been sounding alarms about the health of this bird, and that’s because the Golden-winged Warbler has suffered one of the steepest population losses of any songbird species in the past 45 years. This bird has been given the unfortunate distinction as a tipping point species… birds that have lost half or more of their population in the past 50 years and are on track to lose another half of their remaining population in the next 50 years, unless something changes. And while humans have managed woodlands for efficiency and tidiness, it’s a trait opposite of what this bird needs to survive. Golden-winged Warblers need complex forests with natural disturbances, those that offer patchy habitat along with open areas for nesting and mature forest to protect fledglings from predators. 

      If you’re wondering how Minnesota is doing in regards to conservation, consider the following. The U.S. pledged to meet one of the most ambitious goals agreed to at the United Nations biodiversity conference held in December of 2022 (COP15) by “putting 30 per cent of the planet and 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030.” (UNEP.org) 

     “Currently, Minnesota is well short of the goal, which it has not adopted. About 7% of Minnesota’s land and water is permanently protected, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That number rises to 18% if it includes protected areas that allow multiple uses such as logging, mining and off-road vehicle riding.” (Stanley, 2022) 

     Per the U.N. agreement, businesses across the world, especially large companies, are to gauge, monitor and reveal their impacts on biodiversity. “Specifically, the deal includes a promise to reduce the loss of ecosystems of ‘high ecological integrity’ to near zero.” (Stanley, 2022) 

     Just down the road from my house, a Marriott hotel is currently being built by Iowan developer Kinseth Hospitality smack-dab in an environmentally-sensitive area surrounded by wetlands and within feet of an impaired trout stream. Yet, Duluth’s leaders (Mayor Emily Larson and her administration), Marriott, and Kinseth bypassed the potential ecological impacts of their project, all without sitting down at the table with citizens to strategize and agree to a better site for construction.

     If you want to know how you can help, pay attention to your local government and projected developments in your area. Demand the environment comes first. We will never forgive Marriott for selecting such an important environmental area to build, nor Duluth’s leaders for allowing it.

References

Confer, J., Hartman, P. and Roth A. Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera, NT, Near Threatened. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/gowwar/cur/introduction, Pub. Mar. 4, 2020. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2023. 

Golden-Winged Warbler. Living Bird, vol. 40, no. 3, Summer 2021, pp. 28-29. 

Information from the United Nations website, https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/cop15-ends-landmark-biodiversity-agreement. Retrieved Nov. 16, 2023. 

Ramanujan, Krishna. “Three Years After 3 Billion Birds Lost, America’s Birds Are Still in Decline.” Living Bird, vol. 42, no. 1, Winter 2023, p. 19. 

Stanley, Greg. “A call to save world’s species.” Star Tribune [Minneapolis], Dec. 27, 2022, A1, A8. 

Stanley, Greg. “Our Woods Save This Song.” Star Tribune [Minneapolis], Oct. 20, 2022, SH1-SH3.

Stephenson, T. and Whittle, S. (2015) The Warbler Guide. Princeton University Press. 

 

Festival of Trees this Sat/Sun

 

Saturday, Nov. 11 • 9 am to 5 pm

Sunday, Nov. 12 • 10 am to 3 pm

Showing a selection of miniature oil paintings,
in addition to prints, note cards, totes and more.

Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802

I Lichen the Beard

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This warbler, a Northern Parula, was spotted during migration at my home on September 5th, 2023. It was a yard-list first, and noticed by its song – the one with distinct pauses in between bouts of a rising buzzy trill as described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Examination of my photographs shows it was a male. 

     In my neck of the woods (northern Minnesota), Parulas nest in Old Man’s Beard, a type of lichen that contains usnic acid, a medicinal component of the plant. Historically, when used as a compress by the Native Americans, Old Man’s Beard prevented infection and gangrene. It is apparently edible and contains high levels of vitamin C. Perhaps these two traits of this plant are valuable to remember if I’m ever stranded in the wild. 

     In the south, Northern Parulas nest in Spanish moss. When I lived in San Antonio for a while, Spanish moss took getting used to. I found it unsightly at first, then grew accustomed to it. That which is different should be studied and given proper thought. Now I know Spanish moss is prized by homeowners, and gives Northern Parulas a place to raise their young. 

     When Hurricane Andrew came ashore in 1992, it negatively affected the numbers of Northern Parulas in the Atchafalaya Basin of Louisiana. Over 80% of the trees were damaged due to high winds, but few fell to the ground and few were lost altogether (<10%). One would assume less Spanish moss from being sheared off of the trees would have been the underlying factor in this bird’s reduction, but that wasn’t found to be the case. 

     In a study done by Torres and Leberg from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, the lack of Spanish moss didn't correspond with fewer Northern Parulas. So, what else could have caused their decline? 

     This bird gets its food by gleaning insects off leaves at the ends of branches, often high in the canopy. Because the canopy was heavily damaged, food in the canopy was reduced as well. Without the canopy, the number of understory plants increased heavily, as is often the case with hurricanes. A defoliated canopy and a denser understory both negatively affected the population of the Parulas; and while Spanish moss is highly sought after for nesting by this bird, it was perhaps more affected by the disappearance of its food source high in the canopy of the forest. 

     Many birds get their food in specific ways, and from specific sources. This bird prefers to eat insects from leaves high up in trees, a defining attribute of the Northern Parula.

My photo of the Northern Parula flying as seen on 9/5/2023.
Orange and black on the breast is indicative of the male sex.

References

Information from the All About Birds website, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Parula/sounds © Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2023.

Information from the Wikipedia website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew © Wikipedia. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2023.

Information from the Woodland Trust website, https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/fungi-and-lichens/beard-lichens/ © Woodland Trust. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2023.

Stephenson, T. and Whittle, S. (2015) The Warbler Guide. Princeton University Press. 

Torres, A. R., & Leberg, P. L. (1996). Initial Changes in Habitat and Abundance of Cavity-Nesting Birds and the Northern Parula Following Hurricane Andrew. The Condor, 98(3), 483–490. https://doi.org/10.2307/1369562

Superior Reflections Wins Award of Excellence

Oil on Linen Panel - 12 x 24 inches

My painting of a Rock Pigeon won the Award of Excellence at last night's opening reception at the Edge Center's 17th Annual Juried Exhibition in Bigfork, Minnesota. The show had a wonderful turnout, it was nice to meet new people, and congratulations to the Edge for putting on a fine show. I hope you're able to visit the Edge to see the exhibition.

Art on the Edge, 17th Annual Juried Exhibition
Aug. 3 - Sept. 2, 2023
The Edge Gallery
101 2nd Ave.
Bigfork, MN 56628
Gallery Hours: Thurs, Fri, and Sat from 10 am - 4 pm

DAI Annual Members Show

 

May 22 - June 18, 2023

Duluth Art Institute Members Show

The Depot Great Hall (street level)
506 W Michigan St
Duluth, MN 55802

April Showers

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

Happy Spring, everyone!

Sky Berries and Castle Kisses

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

Every year, my fruit trees provide food for Ruffed Grouse, a bird that is most abundant in aspen forests, but which seem to like my neck of the woods just fine. Birch, conifers, cedars, and alder thickets make up a good portion of the forest nearby, while crabapple trees dot the landscape. 

I noticed Ruffed Grouse actively feeding in late January through mid-February, picking my front yard’s fruit trees clean. I also watched them feed on the catkins of a river birch on February 5th. In mid-February, six Ruffed Grouse fed from a fruit tree, the most I’ve ever observed in one location. I hope they’ve been able to find other sources of food since then, considering this year’s high snow totals. My neighborhood won’t see bare ground for weeks. 

When forest logs are sufficiently free of snow, drumming should commence. On April 5th and May 5th, upcoming full moon dates, my chances of hearing the males drumming might increase, although it’s highly unlikely the woods will be clear of snow on the earlier date; but I’ve marked my calendar because there is some evidence Ruffed Grouse prefer full-moon drumming. 

Ruffed Grouse feeding on River Birch catkins, Feb. 5, 2023.

My journal entry showing found Ruffed Grouse feathers.

References
Archibald, Herbert L. “Spring Drumming Patterns of Ruffed Grouse.” The Auk, vol. 93, no. 4, 1976, pp. 808–29. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4085007. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.

Kling, George W., et al. “Ecological Vulnerability to Climate Change: Terrestrial Ecosystems.” Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Impacts on Our Communities and Ecosystems, Union of Concerned Scientists, 2003, pp. 57–66. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep00033.11. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.

Boreal, Among the Lichen

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

    This is a painting of a Boreal Chickadee as seen in Sax-Zim Bog recently. I spent time in two locations hoping to see this bird, and was rewarded. When it comes to birding, patience can be the thing that is tested the most. At the second location I visited, I heard its call. That’s when I knew for certain there have been Boreal Chickadees at my home in Duluth, it’s just that I haven’t seen them yet. A year or two ago, I heard the same call that I heard from the Boreal Chickadee in the Bog. Their call is described as sounding like a Black-capped Chickadee with laryngitis. Next time I hear them at my home, I will pay closer attention. 

    This particular Boreal Chickadee was bouncing around a tamarack tree containing lichen (pronounced “liken”). Lichens are hardy organisms, both algae and fungi, and can survive our frigid winter weather. To me, lichens add interest and color to trees; but of course, trees are great all on their own, too.

Chasing Angostura

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

    Ring-necked Pheasants could be considered a bird with extreme sexual selection, a trait whereby one sex will exhibit behavioral displays or physical characteristics to attract a mate. Males differ widely from the females in color and size. They are extraordinarily colorful compared to the brown females and have much longer tails. 

    Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced into North America from China around 1880. In Minnesota, they were successfully introduced in 1916 and live in the southern half of the state. They survive in grassland and wetland areas, compete with native grouse and are known to parasitize the nests of many species. 

    Pheasant hunting is a well established tradition in many parts of the country, contributing millions of dollars in revenue.

Swans at Crex Meadows

 Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

An October visit to Crex Meadows in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, was the inspiration for this painting. The gray-brown swan in the forefront is a juvenile.

The Reformers

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

There are some images that have stuck with me over the years, ones that I’ve had in my collection for a very long time but haven’t painted. I affectionately refer to them as “I wanna be a painting some day.” Well, these goslings have finally gotten their day in the sun. On May 24, 2011, these four youngsters were out for a stroll, exploring the world alongside Mom and Dad and five additional brothers and sisters. I found these four particularly interesting because they were just a bit outside of the main group. To me, they exhibited more independence, curiosity, and confidence than the others.

I hope you're enjoying the holidays. Happy New Year everyone.

Orbiting the Desdemona

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

Each fall, I look forward to Nashville Warblers parading through my front yard, heading south during migration. Whether they land on the highbush cranberries, dogwoods, alders, goldenrods, or in this case a ligularia, they are a joy to watch. Bouncing from branch to branch, they radiate happiness whenever I see them.

International Miniature Exhibition

Three miniature oil paintings on exhibit.

89th Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature
The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society
of Washington, D.C. (MPSGS)

The Mansion at Strathmore

10701 Rockville Pike
North Bethesda, MD 20852

 

Exhibition – Nov. 19, 2022 thru Jan. 7, 2023

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