They are the quiet volunteers. Known up and down the Minnesota River Valley for their enthusiasm and love of nature, Art and Barb Straub seek neither fame nor recognition. Characteristically, when informed they would be the featured volunteers in the Ney Nature Center newsletter, they responded, “Oh no, don’t write about us, write about the bird count.”

The Straubs have been living, working, volunteering, and contributing in the Le Sueur-Henderson area for decades. Barb was born into the Iten family and spent her childhood years in a house on North 4th Street in Le Sueur. Art is the eldest of the boisterous, if somewhat infamous, Straub clan. In full disclosure, Art’s mother was a sister of my own grandmother. High school sweethearts, they both went off to college to earn degrees in education.

Family lore says that Art and Barb were engaged one summer while working at Green Giant. According to the story, it was the “event of the summer” because they were “such a nice couple.” Apparently my grandmother and aunt also worked there that summer and were quite thrilled about the engagement.

Art and Barb were actively involved at St. Anne’s school in Le Sueur. When I was a student, Barb was my first grade teacher and Art the principal. Art even filled in part-time as my teacher when I was in fourth grade. (He taught us science, of course!)

While retired from their formal teaching positions, they both remain passionate about education, particularly nature-based education. They have also expanded their audience, working with children and adults from preschoolers to junior high students to the elderly.

For the Ney Nature Center, they remain “on call.” They are willing and ready to help with projects and activities around the Ney. In fact, our first fundraiser featured the Straubs giving a presentation on “Spring in the Valley.” Of course, it took place in April during a major snowstorm, so the audience was left to dream of spring. Every fall, the Straubs play host to Le Sueur-Henderson area preschoolers whom they lovingly refer to as “the clean slate.”

This past fall was quite the excitement as the Straubs had a real live opossum to show the children. They even got to see its sharp teeth! One year they had a mudpuppy swimming in water for the children to observe. The Straubs trap and catch live animals at their cabin perched along the Minnesota River.

The Straubs also host civic, religious, and community groups at the NNC. They led a moonlight walk as a joint Ney-Community Education class, have hosted the Le Sueur Lions, and recently led a church group in celebration at the Ney.

Beyond their work at the Ney, the Straubs continue to teach about nature and are currently offering sessions for children at both Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and at Bethany College in Mankato. They go into schools all across southern Minnesota – places nearby such as Green Isle and even as far as Marshall. At nursing homes they lead residents in both lessons about nature and in singing. They also remain active in their religious faith, singing and playing music for funerals. They volunteer at the JR Brown Center in Henderson.

The Straubs are birding enthusiasts. On the day of the interview, they are at the Ney Nature Center busy tabulating the results of the annual Christmas Bird Count. Every year, the Straubs invite local residents to keep tally of the birds they see on the third Saturday in December. The tallies are then submitted to the NNC where Art and Barb assemble the final count. Art can identify a bird flittering around the prairie or soaring over the river by its size, shape, call and behavior. They are commenting on who reported seeing what bird. Someone reported seeing a house wren. “Ahhh…but house wrens do not winter in Minnesota,” Art comments. “I would not believe this report,” he continues, “but the other morning the gentleman showed up at my front door with the bird itself.” Apparently, the bird had become entangled in a mousetrap. Art continues, “The Audubon Society is not going to believe this, but I have the specimen.” While the official results are not ready for distribution, it appears people saw everything from wild turkeys to chickadees to woodpeckers to pheasants. A redheaded woodpecker was spotted (unusual for this time of year) along with the aforementioned house wren.

Everyone, as well as the Ney Nature Center is indebted to the Straubs for their time, their energy, and especially their love of nature.

Over 120 bird enthusiasts and nature lovers residing near the Ney Nature Center participated in the 111th annual Christmas bird count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society. While the official bird count ran from December 14th to January 5th, NNC volunteers counted birds on Saturday, December 18th. Most exciting this year was the participation of youngsters learning the value of volunteering – in particular, Girl and Boy Scout troops and 20 members of the Le Sueur-Henderson sixth grade class.

Started in 1900, the “bird count” has become a family tradition among generations. It was a response to the Christmas “side hunt” where hunters would compete to see who could bring home the biggest pile of feathered quarry. Ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested counting birds instead of hunting them, and a new tradition was created.

Art and Barb Straub organize the annual NNC bird count. Willing families and residents within a 7.5-mile radius of the NNC are sent an invitation to participate in the bird count. Counters are instructed to observe birds during two to three periods of peak bird activity during the day. The highest single count of one species during the day then gets reported as the “count.” Results are mailed to the NNC. Shortly after Christmas, Art and Barb, along with a few helpers armed with a calculator gather at the center to open the returned envelopes and tally the results. The data is forwarded to Audubon officials where it becomes part of the “big picture” as to how our feathered friends are faring as habitat decreases, natural calamities befall migrating birds, and species are extinguished. Programs can be set into place as to preservation of our natural world.

Our family farm is located within the radius of the NNC bird count. For the last four years, we have been a few of the thousands of volunteers participating in the count. This year was no exception. My kids and I get very excited in advance of the count. We make sure our bird feeders are properly set up and filled with food. We start feeding when the snow flies and this year we had plenty of prep time before the bird count. We begin observing the feeders for a couple weekends prior to the bird count. That way we become familiar with the types of birds visiting us and their feeding patterns. On bird count day, we know who is likely to visit us and what times are best for observing the feeders. Snow or shine, warm or cold, we also take an early morning “hike” around the property to see what other birds might be out in the woods behind the house. My parents live on the property next door. This year, mom and dad also kept track of their birds.

Even though the snow was deep, fluffy and impenetrable and fewer participants stalked the woodland trails, it was a good day for bird watching. Winds were relatively calm, it was fairly clear, and not too cold. The chickadees were first to the bird feeders at our house. We also had our usual visit from the woodpeckers. By noon, we had three pheasants sitting in our wild cherry trees. My dad reported chasing 32 wild turkeys out of the yard. He also saw a red-tailed hawk. By mid-afternoon, the sparrows invaded my bird feeders. I am sorry to say that after four years, I still cannot tell exactly what species of sparrows we have on the farm. We do have a lot of them!

The bird count is a wonderful opportunity to stop and enjoy our feathered companions. The birds are in my yard every day, but with the hustle and bustle of school and work and activities, we seldom take pause to notice them. Standing in the front yard, listening to the chirps and squawks is truly a pleasure. A great day for the birds…and the rest of us also.

If you live near the Ney Nature Center and would like to participate in the annual count, feel free to contact NNC Director Becky Pollack. Next year will be the 15th for participation by the NNC. The NNC thanks all those who participated in this years bird count. To learn more about the history of the Christmas bird count please visit the National Audubon Society website at www.audubon.org.

At the Ney Nature Center we are dedicated to “learning through experience.” In that spirit, we are excited to be collaborating with the student-led TREES organization. NNC Board member Cheyenne Yates and fellow students at Belle Plaine High School formed TREES, or Totally Rad Extraordinary Environmental Students. In the fall of 2009, TREES founders began by putting flyers up in the school inviting other students to join in a new organization that would work to inform and educate others about the environment and environmental issues. Fifteen students came to that meeting and the group has been operating ever since.

TREES leader, Cheyenne Yates admits the first year was a bit of “trial and error.” They focused on three major projects: launched a newsletter with topics on environmental issues, put on an Earth Day event at Chatfield Elementary School with games, prizes, and other learning activities, and most notably, the group worked to implement composting in the school district. The composting project began relatively small, with TREES members educating students about the value and the methods of composting. They were also able to start a small composting bin in the school. While the project had some success, it was limited by the school district’s ability to handle the compost. The district has now signed an agreement with a new waste management provider that does composting, opening up opportunities for more composting activities in the schools.

As the group continues its second year, they are again planning an Earth Day event. They also hope to work on a conservation project with the chimney swift, and intend to build towers to provide nesting spaces. Swifts are being threatened with the removal of many old farmsteads and buildings that provide suitable nesting locations.

TREES has also been active at the Ney Nature Center. In addition to volunteer work, the group had a winter camping adventure at the NNC last winter. While camping is not currently allowed at the Ney, the group received special permission to hold this event. They spent the day snowshoeing the property, then set up camp outside for the night. Cheyenne notes that although it was cold outside, with the proper number of layers, she was warmer in the tent than she typically is in her own bed. NNC Director Becky Pollack got into the spirit and camped with the girls.

The Ney Nature Center is very pleased to be working with TREES, and are thrilled that Cheyenne is one of our NNC Board members. Our similar missions and enthusiasm make us natural partners. We look forward to watching the group grow and prosper.

It was indeed a splendid autumn afternoon for all those who participated in the second annual Fall Festival at the Ney Nature Center on Saturday, October 16th. The NNC staff and Board members planned a host of seasonal activities to celebrate the arrival of fall.

Highlights of the afternoon were the corn husk doll making, the newly created maze in the prairie north of the education building, and the tractor-pulled wagon rides around the farmsteads. The last wagon pulled out just as the moon was rising to give everyone a great view of the valley. Adults and children huddled together in the crisp night air as driver, Nick Pollack carefully guided the “people mover” around the Ney homestead. For many, this was a second or even third ride of the day.

Activities also included guided hikes, story time, scavenger hunt, family-style supper and a bonfire with hot dogs, s’mores and roasted apples. A special “thank you” to all the volunteers who assisted in any way with the planning, special activities and food. Overall, this second Fall Festival was an enjoyable event for families and nature lovers alike. If you missed it, then you must plan on attending this fall – usually the third Saturday afternoon in October. The prairie and the trees are a must in autumn, and a great way to celebrate such a beautiful season at the NNC.

The Annual Meeting of the members of the Ney Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) was held on Thursday evening, November 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm at Toody’s Sweet Treats in Henderson.

In addition to the usual reports and annual business five members were re-elected for three-year terms to the NEEF Board: Beth Beuch, Henderson; Earl Gransee, Belle Plaine; Karl Keup, Belle Plaine; Nick Pollack, Le Sueur; and Josh Reinitz, Henderson. Continuing Board members are: Orville Heitkamp, Belle Plaine; Carol Jackson, Eden Prairie; Dick Peterson, Belle Plaine; Becky Pollack, Le Sueur; Brigid Tuck, Le Sueur; James Weber, Le Center; and Cheyenne Yates, Belle Plaine.

At the December 9th Board meeting the following officers were re-elected for a one-year term: Dick Peterson, president; Earl Gransee, vice president; and Josh Reinitz, treasurer. Brigid Tuck, was elected to a one-year term as secretary. Reta Lind was thanked for her services on the Board and as secretary. We are pleased that she will be continuing in other roles as a volunteer.

Copies of the Annual Report for July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010 that contains reports on the activities for the year as well as the financial report were distributed. If anyone wishes a copy, please contact Becky at the Ney Nature Center – by phone 507-248-3474 or send an e-mail to info@neycenter.org.

Members and visitors to the Ney Nature Center will be interested to learn that an adjacent parcel of land managed by the MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is growing in size. The Ney Wildlife Management Area (Ney WMA) is located just north of the Ney Nature Center in Scott County, and its entrance is located just across State Hwy 19 from the Ney Center’s driveway.

Having the Ney Nature Center and the Ney WMA right next to each other might be a little confusing, but I’ll try to clear it up here. The land that is now the Ney Nature Center was donated by Ruby Ney to Le Sueur County in her will. Her nephew, Don Ney, donated an additional 80-acre parcel to Le Sueur County. The family also owned land across Hwy 19 in Scott County, and Don Ney donated that parcel to the DNR for use as a wildlife management area. The main difference is that the Le Sueur County land (Ney Nature Center) is a wildlife preserve and nature center and does not allow hunting, and the Scott County land is managed by the DNR for all types of outdoor recreation including hunting.

The DNR has decided to consolidate the Ney WMA with a 280-acre parcel of land directly north and formerly managed by the DNR’s parks and trails department. This land has been a state wayside for many years, and is known as the site of one of the first releases of wild turkeys in the MN River Valley in 1987. The DNR calls this move “housekeeping”, or a way to simplify management by having the two adjacent parcels of public land managed by the same department.

This move does not directly affect the Ney Nature Center, and the Ney WMA is a completely different parcel of land despite sharing the same family name. What it does mean, though, is that the Ney WMA is growing from its current 160 acres to 440 acres, and will likely receive improved parking, signage, ecosystem management, and public attention. The 280 acres being added to the WMA has not had much attention paid to it by the DNR through the years, leading to some abuse by ATV’s and trucks among others. This move by the DNR will encourage more responsible use by hikers, hunters, and birders and will streamline the management and money spent on this land by the DNR.

As a neighbor to the Ney Nature Center, I am pleased to see so much land east of Henderson being dedicated to public land. There’s the Ney Nature Center, Ney WMA, and the recent acquisition of hundreds of acres of river bottom land by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – close to 2000 acres of contiguous public wildlife land surrounding the Ney Center. Only 30 years ago I remember much of it was farm fields, so I am happy to see so much turned back to nature and preserved from now on.

I am pleased the Ney Center land does not allow hunting and is used primarily for education and low-impact nature appreciation, but I also believe everyone has a right to use certain public lands for things like hunting and fishing. I also hunt and I farm, so I understand how land is used by many people for many different things. It is truly a gem to have this much public land in my neighborhood with some reserved for hunting and some that is not. We have a great model here of how a large public space can be used by different interests and can be managed by people who care about preserving the ecosystem first, whether it be the Ney Foundation or Minnesota DNR.

Recent visitors to the Ney Nature Center’s education building may have noticed a new wall display in the building. The display features plants “in bloom” around the Ney Center property and catalogs when they were seen blooming. It was assembled by Michelle Bridges, who is interning at the Ney Center while working on a Master’s degree in Geography with a focus on biogeography at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Michelle’s passion is plants. While she appreciates all kinds of plants, she is currently studying native species and in particular, weeds. Michelle originally began interning at the Ney with the idea of conducting a study on the differences between the restored prairie (located near the education building) and the spontaneous prairie growing in various locations around the Ney. After spending some time at the Ney, Michelle changed her thesis topic to buckthorn management. As part of this work, she is mapping, using GPS technology, the location of buckthorn on and near trails at the Ney. The goal is to use the results of this study to help control buckthorn on the property.

Like all volunteers and interns at the Ney, Michelle has been active in many other projects as well. Using her research into weeds and how to control them, she assembled several resource books for the Ney. Topics include: controlling weeds, soil, and natural ecosystems. She is also working with fellow Ney volunteer Ollie Heitkamp to develop a brochure on the ravine trail. I heard a rumor she may also be helping to create a maze in the prairie for the upcoming Fall Festival (shh…don’t tell!).

Michelle is also helping the Ney in the management of the prairie lands including developing a fire regime to maintain the prairie. She also hopes to be working to help restore some of the savannah lands located on the property.

When she finishes her degree, Michelle would like to find a position with a non-profit or private environmental organization, such as the Ney Center. She is in her third year of being a teaching assistant at MSU.

Michelle and her husband reside in Mankato with their 9-year old identical twin boys. Originally from Minnesota, she spent 20 years living in Texas, but moved back because she loves the beauty of Minnesota and the changing of the seasons. Michelle and her husband have started a Special Needs Cub Scout pack in Mankato.

If you are at the Ney, please stop in and say, “hi” to Michelle. She is a wealth of information and a real asset for us. The work Michelle has done will go on to benefit the Ney Center, and its members, for years to come! Thank you, Michelle.

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” – Al Batt

Humorist and self-proclaimed “bird nerd” Al Batt will be the featured speaker at the Ney Nature Center’s 3rd annual Spring Fling benefit dinner and silent auction.

Batt, a native of Hartland, Minnesota, is an outdoor enthusiast, author, cartoonist and speaker. His humorous commentary is primarily focused on bird watching and the outdoors. While laughing, his audience will also be learning. Al writes three weekly humor and nature columns for many newspapers, and some local newspaper readers will be familiar with his column. He has written for numerous magazines and books, including the Chicken Soup For the Soul series, and is a contributing writer to the book, Minnesota Bird Watching. He does a regular radio show about nature on a number of radio stations, and writes a number of popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally. Al has written for the movies, and can be seen regularly on KMSQ-TV and heard on the radio at KMSK (Austin), KMSU (Mankato) and KATE (Albert Lea). WildBird Magazine named him Birder of the Year.

Spending years watching and studying nature, here is a quote from one of his ruminations: “I watched blue jays at a feeder that offered peanuts in a shell. A blue jay would pick up several of the shells before choosing one. The bird was finding which one of the peanuts was the heaviest, as that one would contain the most nutmeat.” For additional information visit www.albatt.net.

Please join us for a special evening of dining, entertainment and fun. The Spring Fling will be held May 15, 2010 at the Lakeside Supper Club near Montgomery. A flyer with details and a registration form is included in this newsletter. Chef George Kukacka has planned a special menu and the committee is assembling lots of fun donations for the silent auction and raffle.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone on May 15th!

More than 100 children, women and men participated in the 2009 annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Saturday, December 19. Due to the inclement weather the day was, as many put it, “for the birds.” They made themselves scarce as area ponds, lakes and streams froze over early and eliminated most waterfowl. The number of bird species observed was 41, about average for the annual count.

The event was conducted within a 7.5-mile radius the Ney Nature Center. The species that garnered the migratory bird population prize was the Dark-Eyed Junco with more than 800 reported. Often termed “snow-birds,” juncos arrived especially early in autumn 2009. Their numbers escalated in this area especially after the accumulation of deep snow and have greatly increased over the 13 years of the local bird count. They may be readily seen in weedy roadside ditches and darting near woody copses and ravines.
Wild turkey numbers were the greatest ever – 420 observed – which coincided with recent DNR action. Turkey hunting permits will be awarded at an all-time record high this spring, providing of course, that the deep crusty snow and depredation by heavy coyote population doesn’t reduce their numbers drastically. January’s weather will determine their winter survival. Just 18 of these newly reintroduced birds in 1957 were counted during the CBC.

Other birds enumerated in large numbers included Black-Capped Chickadee (330), American Goldfinch (264), Northern Cardinal (253), and Blue Jay (232). An abundance of American Crows (264), House Sparrows (535), and European Starlings (385) were spotted as well.

Just two surprises in the 2009 count – a lone Fox Sparrow braved the bluster under the feeders at the Ney, while an observer counted four Pine Siskins, the first reported observation of that species in the area.

Comments regarding the CBC report are welcomed, while a complete tally of the 2009 census may be obtained by contacting the Ney Nature Center at 507-248-3474. Christmas Bird Count organizers are grateful to the many actors and actresses in the 2009 enumeration, and look forward to the 2010 CBC.

This past spring and summer, three boy scouts completed service projects at the Ney Nature Center (NNC) on their way to earning Eagle Scout honors. These important and impressive projects were completed to improve the Ney property.

Cedar Point Amphitheater – Scout John Taylor (J.T.) Callahan of rural Le Sueur helped to create the Cedar Point Amphitheater. He constructed benches that are arranged to form a natural outdoor amphitheater on the bluffs of the river southwest of the education building. The amphitheater provides an excellent place for Ney Center outdoor programming. Already put to good use, it was used for story hour during the Fall Festival. It is also a nice quiet place to sit and reflect especially after a hike through the woods. J.T. made the benches from Western Red Cedar donated by the Callahan family. A big thanks to J.T. and his family for a lasting gift to the NNC.

Fresh Paint – Scout Tim Marsolais of Belle Plaine provided several of the NNC outbuildings with a much-needed coat of fresh paint. Tim helped to spruce up the Quonset hut, the pump house, the granary, and the ski chalet, amongst others. Assisting Tim with his project was the Nick Slavick Painting and Restoration Company. Thanks Tim and your supporters for your hard work, and Nick Slavick and Sherwin Williams for your cooperation on the project.

Trimmed Trails – Scout Brad Walechka of Le Center dedicated time to trimming and maintaining some of the NNC’s much utilized trail system. Brad used pruning shears and saws to clear the paths to the required 10 feet high by 10 feet wide clearance levels. He also removed buckthorn in locations that were recorded using GPS by Michelle Bridges, NNC’s Resource Management Intern. This project allowed our many park visitors to enjoy the assets of the park. Thank you Brad.

The Ney is very pleased to have worked with these young gentlemen. We are always open to working with youth organizations such as the Scouts. If you want to learn more or have an idea for a project, please contact Ney Nature Center Director Becky Pollack.