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MPG North

MPG North

Protecting Open Space for Future Generations

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09-10-15 Field Note

Allison Bernhisel shares observations of animals using muddy wetland shores.

Posted on 9/10/2015 by Anonymous

Habitat Type: 

  • Aquatic

Location: 

  • Home Pond
A haze of smoke smothered the Swan Valley last week. Dry summer conditions shrank ponds, creeks, and springs at MPG North.
A Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) paused for a moment while combing the mucky shores of Home Pond for insects.
At normal water levels, we see muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) swimming in front of the Home Pond game camera.
The Home Pond mudflat attracts various other birds and mammals.
The exposed mudflats and shallow water of Entrance Pond enticed several migrating Solitary Sandpipers to stop, sift, and probe the mud for prey like insect larvae, worms, and tadpoles.
Overlapping tracks made by shorebirds defy easy identification.
Bears also use the ponds and mudflats.
In the late summer, bears dig up insect nests to supplement their diet.
Tracks in mud.

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About MPG North

Established in 2005, the property boundary at MPG North encloses 200 undeveloped acres in Western Montana’s Swan Valley. Researchers and field staff manage the property to improve habitat quality for wildlife, discover new ways to restore damaged landscapes and study forest ecology. We also create opportunities to share what we've learned with local conservation organizations, students of all ages, management agencies and volunteers. Through these education and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire others to work together and protect undeveloped landscapes.