Beaver Creek Reserve Celebrates the Season of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for family, friends, and good food. But, as the name implies, it is also a time to remember what you are thankful for. 

Here at Beaver Creek Reserve, we have much to be thankful for. In the last three years, we have experienced tremendous growth and have completed several large-scale capital projects. Our staff would like to share what we are each thankful for. 

Jeanette and her son enjoying
Tadpole Toddler Camp

"I am thankful for the new Tadpole Toddler Camp; my child loved it and can't wait to attend next year! I am thankful for all the new opportunities at BCR geared towards early childhood. I am thankful to be able to work on things I truly care about. I am thankful to have such great people to work with. I am thankful to call this 400 acres my office. I am thankful to have work in an environment that is open to the staff's ideas. I am thankful and amazed to have such committed and passionate volunteers. I am thankful for every person that approaches me with questions about nature.  It shows people are thinking, concerned, and care. I am thankful for every parent and grandparent that bring their kids to BCR.” 
             --Jeanette Kelly, Citizen Science Director

Jim Schwiebert Tagging Monarchs

"I am thankful for all the people who consistently step up to volunteer for all things butterfly related here at Beaver Creek. It is such a tremendous outreach to our region of the state and beyond, and we simply cannot do it without the dedicated core of volunteers that we have. I'm also thankful for all of the relationships I've developed with those volunteers! We are blessed to have such a wonderful group of people to call our volunteers and friends!

           --Jim Schwiebert, Naturalist

"I am thankful that I work for such a family-friendly place. I am thankful for my great coworkers that make work a fun and happy place.” 

       --Julie Felske, Database Coordinator

Bcr Staff catching butterflies

“I am so thankful to come to work each day and feel like what I do makes a difference.  I am thankful for my supportive co-workers who have become my extended family.  I am thankful that BCR is so supported and respected in the community. I am truly grateful to all the volunteers, board members and donors who give their time and money to ensure the future of this incredible place!”

         --Brianne Markin, Marketing and Development Coordinator

"I am so thankful to the members and donors who gave not only money but considerable amounts of time.  We accomplished a lot this year, and we could not have done it without them!"
        --Jerad Polden, Caretaker

Ruth Forsgren tapping trees with a guest at French Toast Breaskfast

"I am thankful for all the volunteers that help our programming go so well.  I am thankful for the contagious excitement of a 5-year-old, that makes my job new and fresh each day as well as the wide-eyed wonder I see when people meet Luna, Aurora or any of our animal ambassadors for the first time.  Lastly, I am thankful for the opportunities I have to share the awesomeness of nature with visitors of all ages."
       -- Ruth Forsgren, BCR Naturalist 

"I am thankful to have a dream job. Really, I have thought about what it would be like to work at a place like Beaver Creek long before I ever realized it could be a possibility here. Prior to working here I always placed a strong value on the land and programs that make this place so special, but as work here longer the relationships with the “friends” of Beaver Creek are most rewarding part. Getting to work alongside so many talented and amazing volunteers, staff, board and members makes me look forward to my job each day.

Solar Ribbon Cutting August 2017

2017 has been an especially thankful year with our large donation and the creation of the solar array on the Nature Center and then being able to generate all our electricity through solar power with the leasing of Eau Claire Energy Coop’s solar program. Having something like a solar-powered nature center was something that I hoped that could be accomplished in a decade and it all happened in a few months this year! I learn new things every day, I’m inspired, I’m humbled and most of all I am Thankful to be a part of such a great organization."

         -- Erik Keisler, Executive Director

Thanksgiving is also a time to consider end-of-year giving-- how you can use what you have to benefit others. For six years, Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, has been an amazing global campaign to give the season greater meaning and to channel funds, gifts, and time into worthy causes. This year, Giving Tuesday is November 28th, and it is the perfect way for you to give back. 

As you think about Giving Tuesday, we ask that you consider giving to Beaver Creek Reserve. We need your help in order to continue our mission of connecting people with nature. 

To make a monetary donation, visit our donation page at https://www.beavercreekreserve.org/support/donations/. 

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Beaver Creek Reserve, visit our volunteer page at https://www.beavercreekreserve.org/support/volunteer/. 

We are thankful for you! We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday filled with many things that make you grateful. 

Get Your Holiday Craft On!

Holiday Crafting for Kids 2017

Holidays are the perfect time to continue long-standing traditions and one of Beaver Creek Reserve’s favorites is Holiday Crafting for Kids.

For over 15 years, this event has brought people together in the spirit of the season to be creative and make something fun for a gift or decoration. Join us on Saturday, November 18 from 10 am – 12 pm for this year’s holiday fun!

Over the course of the morning, each child will work on 4-6 crafts or activities focused on Thanksgiving and Winter themes. Watch as upcycled or recycled materials, from pinecones to sticks to toilet paper tubes, are transformed into something truly precious. Your child's boundless imagination will show through in the adorable projects they make. This program is great for kids of all ages, so you can bring the whole family along!

This year, there will also be a special “Green Saturday” sale in the Nature Center Store where everything is 20 percent off for both members and non-members.   

Holiday Crafting for Kids costs $6 per child for members and $8 per child for non-members. There is no charge for adult helpers—enjoy spending festive time with your young ones! All materials are included in the cost of the program, and a snack (gluten-free)  is also provided. 

Registration closes on Monday, November 13^th, so register now! at https://www.beavercreekreserve.org/reservation/event/1063/.

We can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with you!

To Migrate or Not to Migrate: That is the Question

What do birds do in winter? This article from the November/December 2017 edition of Woodprints has all the answers to that age-old question. Plus, stay tuned for links at the end to great homemade bird feeders that are the perfect projects for a cold, winter day!

Written by Ruth Forsgren, BCR Naturalist

When I ask kids what birds do in the winter, the common answer is migrate or fly south. Honestly, I think a lot of adults would answer the same way. But, there are a lot of non-migratory birds that tough out the winter months.  That raises an interesting question: why wouldn’t a bird head to milder climates for the winter months?  Well, migration is hard. Flying hundreds or even thousands of miles requires a lot of fuel. You have to find a safe hotel in a good neighborhood, compete with the crowds for everything, and have top notch navigation equipment. There are flight delays due to weather, plus many other trials for the avian traveler.

Make no mistake—staying here in the north isn’t a picnic in the park either. The birds that stay have special coping mechanisms for our variable winter weather.  Whenever temperatures take a severe nosedive, I hear people say how badly they feel for the wildlife. Yes, -20°F is tough, but 10°F to 20°F all day and night isn’t easy either. 

Black-capped Chickadee by Jason Mikelson

Small birds like chickadees have several ways to help them survive winter. As winter approaches, they store seeds in cracks of fences, tree bark, or wherever they can stuff a seed. Studies have shown that they can remember a lot of these hiding spots because they actually increase the number of neurons in their brains, expanding their brain volume by up to 30% and allowing for more memory storage (Cal State University study). Once the snow and cold temperatures arrive, these small birds are eating machines. They eat for most of their waking hours, filling up on the heaviest, fattest foods they can find. 

You may notice that birds seem to come to the feeders in flocks during the winter months. There are a couple of advantages to this behavior. When there are a lot of eyes watching, it is harder for predators to sneak up, and if they do, you simply have to be faster than the guy next to you. Huddling together with friends is also a great way to conserve heat during the dark nights.

Many small birds practice regulated hypothermia. A chickadee may be able to drop their core temperature by 15°F, which can save them about 25% of energy needed to maintain body temperature per hour. They fluff their feathers to trap air near the body and provide insulation against heat loss.  Small birds are also experts in shivering. Unlike the entire body jiggle that cold humans experience, birds activate opposing muscle groups, and these muscle contractions generate heat.

Can we help make winter a little easier for our feathered friends? You bet! You can offer black-oil sunflower seeds or suet at your feeders, since both provide the heavy fats birds need. If you leave nest boxes closed, birds can use them as roosting spots out of the wind and precipitation. You can also place brush piles or old Christmas trees near feeders so birds can get out of the wind. Finally, you can offer water in a clean, heated birdbath because water is needed and hard to find during long cold stretches.

These DIY Winter Bird Feeders and Homemade Bird Feeders will help you take care of your bird friends this winter and make a fun project in the meantime! Make these bird feeders with your kids, and enjoy their wonder in caring for the birds.