David Astin - Learning To See Nature

Warbler Day 2015 - May 15th

By David Astin on May 7, 2015 7:03 PM

This years date is: Friday May 15th, 2015

Breakfast: Perkins in Hastings, MN one block south of the 61 and 55 intersection.

Time: 5:00 a.m. for breakfast (Don't let this scare you. You can join us anytime during the day. Just follow the route, and you will be able to find us.)

Dear Friends,

Warbler Day is a tradition that started over 30 years ago with a few birding friends. We soon learned that it was important to bring anyone along that was interested in a connection to nature in this interesting and exciting way. We are beginning to understand that birds are indeed the canaries in the coal mine, by paying attention to bird numbers through Citizen Science, scientists can make thoughtful and difficult decisions concerning the health of our planet.

You need not know anything about birds, just bring along what you have and interact with our friendly group.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE SEATED FOR BREAKFAST, AND I WILL BE ABLE TO ALERT PERKINS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDERS THAT WILL BE DESCENDING UPON THEM.

If you don't want to rise and shine, find us along the route that is noted below. No need to RSVP.

I will be traveling for most of may, but will be checking emails, so if you would like to RSVP for breakfast I will be able to take care of the reservations for breakfast.

With such strange weather again this spring who knows what we will see on the 15th. I think we can be assured of a few surprises and a good list of old friends.

My best to you, David Astin

Link for Route Map:

http://goo.gl/maps/DNtVH

Directions for the route and activities are found below:

We will leave Perkins at 6:00 a.m. and travel South on Highway 61. take the Meisville bypass and turn left out of Hastings on 316 which will again intersect H.61. Turn left onto 61 from the bypass and follow the signage to Welch Village Ski area. The right turn will be onto county 7. There will be a brown sign for the Welch Village Ski Area, and there is a country church on the corner. We will follow County 7 into Welch, across the bridge and eventually stop a few miles down the road for some upland warbler viewing, the only place that we will be viewing some of the warblers from above. Pass through Vasa, MN and intersect with Highway 19 that connects Red Wing with Cannon Falls. Turn Right onto H.19 and go downhill and across a small bridge (over Bell's Creek.) Turn Left onto White Rock Trail go to the bottom of the hill and turn left into the parking lot. We will bird in this historic MN. birding site for most of the morning letting the bird diversity dictate our departure.

We will then head back up the White Rock Trail, turn right on H. 19 and go into Red Wing, MN. It has been our custom to grab something in the fast food venue, and take it this year to Colvill Park where you will find parking, picnic tables a perhaps an eagle or two.

Take Highway 61 South and follow the signage to Frontenac State Park. ( A Left turn onto County 2 Blvd. We are now entering Old Frontenac and will turn right on Van Blarcum Ave.

Keep on Van Blarcum until you see the Cemetary on your right. Park in or near the cemetary. Turn right out of the cemetary until you intersect with Wood Ave turn right on Wood and it will intersect with County 2 Blvd. again. Turn right in less then a mile you will pass Villa Maria Retreat Center. Cross the bridge on Sand Creek and safely park. Last stop is in the Sandy Point parking lot, an old wayside on old 61. From this access point we can walk the Sandy Point trails. This can be a wet space so boots of the dry variety might be helpful.

If you go...

1. Let David know if you are going to eat breakfast with us at Perkins in Hastings email: sdastin@comcast.net Phone: 763-529-4342

2. Invite your friends. This trip is for ANYONE wanting to see warblers, chat about the world, and eat what you love to eat. There is no cost except for your food and petrol.

Everyone is welcome! Call or email for more information. I will make every attempt to find a car pool that meets the time that you would like to join us for this birding event.

Please forward website post to friends that have joined us in the past as well so that the coverage includes all past attendees Thanks for your help.

David Astin

Learning to See Nature
763-529-4342
Nature@DavidAstinGallery.com
DavidAstinGallery.com

Schaefer Prairie Preserve Phenology Project 2014

By David Astin on March 31, 2014 5:35 PM

Opening Day

2013 on the left

2014 on the right

My Citizen Science phenology project with The Nature Conservancy will be active this year, for the third season. One year before the study began, I visited Schaefers on a weekly basis to explore and to construct the pieces of the study. A weekly visit seems like a lot of time, however in this wonderfully diverse Eastern Tallgrass prairie remnant there is always something interesting going on to distract

even the most disciplined observer.

This male Red Winged Blackbird was one of a great flock of mostly males that were migrating north without females. They get on territory like this male, and then display uncontrollably until the females catch up an make mate selections.

Each week observations are made of the four species of plants that we are observing for the National Phenology Network. (Purple Prairie Clover , Big Bluestem, Common Milkweed and Tall Blazing Star, three specimens of each species ) Each trip we construct and Ebird list of the birds that we observe. The data for the National Phenology Network and Ebird are emailed directly from Schaefers.

In past years our method involved driving the perimeter on the north and east for an hour, birding before going to make the plant observations. After making the observations we would often spend time walking and photographing the wildlife and blooming plants. We recorded over 101 species of birds in 2012 and 116 species for birds in 2013.

This year I will sit in one area of the preserve for 2 hours, sometimes using my blind, and other times using natural blind materials. One of the reasons for doing this is make observations without disrupting life, as I photograph.

This blog will be a place for me to post a few photographs of the week, and to comment on the connections that come to my mind from the experience. Other photographers, writers, artists, and thinkers will be invited to Schaefer Preserve, and it is my intention to ask them to contribute their connections to nature sharing their experience.

Schaefer's Prairie 2012 Reflections

By David Astin on February 26, 2013 4:18 PM

On March 15th of 2012 the Temperature was high. . A citizen science project of the Nature Conservancy of Minnesota using protocols from The National Phenology Network collected over 3000 data points on a weekly basis to give a snap shot of the weather effects.

Schaefer's Prairie site: The Nature Conservancy

By Mark S. on May 23, 2012 9:26 PM

Birds and Blooms --

Please join David Astin for a morning in Schaefer's Prairie one of The Nature Conservancy gems near us in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Area.

On May 26, 2012 there will be an open house at Schaefer's Prairie, created by The Nature Conservancy. The small white orchids started blooming last Tuesday and David Astin has seen the Bobolinks, they are back and fighting for territories. (They arrived back last week May 14-16th)

There are wonderful photography and birding opportunities. Check it out just west of the Twin Cities near Glencoe, MN

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/minnesota/events/birds-and-blooms.xml

Directions

From the town of Glencoe drive west on U.S. 212 for seven miles, turn south on a gravel road, Nature Avenue, opposite County Road 4. Drive 0.5 mile to the first intersection. The preserve lies to the southwest of that intersection. Proceed on the gravel road to the southeast corner of the prairie. Nearest services are in Glencoe and Brownton.

Schaefer Prairie Preserve is a wonderful remnant of the once-vast northern tallgrass prairie that dominated the area for thousands of years. Both wet and dry prairie exist at Schaefer Prairie, and both ecosystems serve as instructional sites for students; from grade school to graduate school. The prairie also serves as a Nature Conservancy success story, replete with a highly regarded burn regimen, to ensure soil health and control invasive species too.

Conservancy volunteer David Astin will guide you through the landscape, exploring some of the more than 275 different native species of plants found on the property including Sullivant's milkweeds, Hill's Thistle, or perhaps even a small white lady's slipper in the understory too. Native grasses also dominate the area, with big and little bluestem, and Indian grass swaying gently in the breeze, providing habitat to a wonderful array of birds. Look for upland sandpiper, bobolink, and American bittern. You can check the weather here, the event will happen rain or shine.

RSVP and Contact: David Astin can be reached by phone at 763-529-4342 or via email.

Warbler Day since 1980

By David Astin on March 29, 2011 8:20 PM

Thirty-one Years of Warbler Days

This years date is: Friday May 13th, 2011

Breakfast: Perkins in Hastings, MN one block south of the 61 and 55 intersection.

Time: 5:00a.m.

Dear Friends,

Reading about natural history at the Natural History Network site, I found these two very interesting paragraphs;

Natural history--a practice of intentional, focused attentiveness and receptivity to the more-than-human world--is the oldest continuous human endeavor. For our human ancestors, attentiveness to nature was an essential matter of survival - knowing where and when food plants were available, when migratory animals would present themselves, and where the best stone and fibers for making tools could be found.

The practice of natural history is in decline - there has never been a moment in history when natural history was practiced less than today. Mindful awareness of our living world has been replaced by a myopic focus on the human world and a sedentary submerging in electronic media. The humility, insight, and sense of the world's interconnectedness once provided by natural history have been lost, leading to a widespread state of "nature deficit disorder." Nature study has been eliminated from school programs, college catalogs, and popular culture. This loss has fostered both social and environmental calamities. Survival was enhanced by paying attention and telling what we saw to others.

We will have time to talk about what we can do with this data collection excursion that gives us so much enjoyment.

http://www.naturalhistorynetwork.org/ and looking at the National Phenology site, http://www.usanpn.org/

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE SEATED FOR BREAKFAST, AND I WILL BE ABLE TO ALERT PERKINS ABOUTH THE NUMBER OF BIRDERS THAT WILL BE DESCENDING UPON THEM.

If you don't want to rise and shine, find us along the route that is noted below. No need to RSVP.

We will leave Perkins at approximately 6:00 a.m. and travel South on Highway 61. You can stay on 61 and follow signage toward Red Wing, MN or you can take the Meisville bypass and turn left out of Hastings on 312 which will intersect H.61. Turn left onto 61 from the bypass and follow the signage to Welch Village Ski area. The right turn will be onto county 7. There will be a brown sign for the Welch Village Ski Area, and there is a country church on the corner. We will follow County 7 into Welch, across the bridge and eventually stop a few miles down the road for some upland warbler viewing, the only place that we will be viewing some of the warblers from above. Pass through Vasa, MN and intersect with Highway 19 that connects Red Wing with Cannon Falls. Turn Right onto H.19 and go downhill and across a small bridge (over Bell's Creek.) Turn Left onto White Rock Trail go to the bottom of the hill and turn left into the parking lot. We will bird in this historic MN. birding site for most of the morning letting the bird diversity dictate our departure.

We will then head back up the White Rock Trail, turn right on H. 19 and go into Red Wing, MN. It has been our custom to grab something in the fast food venue, and take it out to the first road before the entrance to Frontenac State Park for a picnic. Take Highway 61 South and follow the signage to Frontenac State Park. You will be turning left off from Highway 61 on County 2, we will be on the last gravel road to the left ( Hill Ave Trail ) before the Frontenac State Park entrance.

After lunch we turn around and turn left on County 2 Blvd go in front of the entrance to Frontenac State Park. We are now entering Old Frontenac and will turn right on Van Blarcum Ave. Keep on Van Blarcum until you see the Cemetary on your right. Turn right out of the Cemetary until you intersect with Wood Ave turn right on Wood and it will intersect with County 2 Blvd. Turn right in less then a mile you will pass Villa Maria Retreat Center. Cross the bridge on Sand Creek and safely park. Last stop is in the Sandy Point parking lot, an old wayside on old 61. From this access point we can walk the Sandy Point trails. This can be a wet space so boots of the dry variety might be helpful. I will check the river levels before we go down, so if you are interested in this section of the trip give me a call or email.

If you go.

1. Let David know if you are going to eat breakfast with us at Perkins in Hastings email: sdastin@comcast.net Phone: 763-529-4342

2. Invite your friends. This trip is for ANYONE wanting to see warblers, chat about the world, and eat what you love to eat. There is no cost except for your food and gas.

Everyone is welcome! Call or email for more information.

Paying Attention to Our Relatives.

By David Astin on September 27, 2010 2:22 AM

Mitakuye oyasin!

"All my relatives" is a concept to which I was first introduced during my volunteer artist in residence at the Badlands National Park near Interior, South Dakota in 2006. At first it made me aware that all of the living things on this Earth are related to me, and that care for all is needed.

On this trip through the Badlands of South Dakota, and then on into the vast spaces of Yellowstone National Park, I have been elated to see such diversity, and to be gifted with so many images.

Click on this text to see the gallery of the Badlands and Yellowstone.

Sue and I have been discussing spiritual constructs while driving on some of the most remarkable "shunpikers' heaven" highways.

(shunpiker is a word to describe one who shuns the turnpike for the back roads). Driving highway 26 from Boise to 126 through The Mckenzie Pass is inspiring.

(Click on green link for detailed photographs and information.)

One of the concepts we discussed is that all of "Creation" (mountains, rocks, ocean, living organisms . . .) has the creator within them, and they are extensions that allow the Creator to sense the Whole. I am glad to be a part of the Whole. With this image I can now add that the atomic make-up of everything in the universe is congruent. There is enough empty space in each atom for the Mysterious One to reside.

By spending a little more than a week in Yellowstone, seeing the elk in rut, our great grizzly bear putting the finishing touches on its energy store for the year, the trumpeter swans preening as though they needed more beauty, I am able to glimpse a Celtic theology concept put forth by Columbanus in the 6th Century. "The wild creatures are not asleep as humans are, but can still hear the Great Heartbeat. " People of today are spending large amounts of time and money questing to be in the moment. Our still wild family members are always in the moment. I read that an African antelope was nearly caught by a cheetah but escaped. Minutes later the antelope was chewing its cud contentedly. . . not in the fear of the past or the fear of the future, but in the now.

Columbanus instructed that by studying the wild things, it would bring us closer to understanding the Great One. I am beginning to agree. The beauty of the land, water, sky, rocks and creatures informs us that it is special to follow Mary Oliver's Rules for Life, which are to: 1.) Pay Attention 2.) Be Astonished 3.) Tell what you see."

It's been a great backroads trip. The road is all encompassing.

Dedicated to John (Fire) Lame Deer, whose view of the world inspires me.

Mallard Island Reflection

By David Astin on July 1, 2010 6:17 PM

Birdsong, human song, poetry, and science,
all a part of a whole heart.

Twelve souls migrating to something.
Within the twelve, there is something for everyone.

The spirit of Mallard Island
provides...sees...when people

"Pay Attention."

"All our voices will blend when we touch common ground."
-Paul Winter

The reflection of the week on Mallard Island continues to grow. The fertile contributions pass to us as electrons and bring smiles and fond thoughts of those new friends.
It occurs to me that even those of us who were acquainted before have new relationships due to the week on Rainey Lake.

Click on the link to see the Mallard Gallery.
http://gallery.me.com/learningtoseenature1#

Swimming Hawk Island
channel, I laugh like a loon.
The island laughs back.
   - by James P. Lenfestey
   (without permission)

Rules for Living - by Mary Oliver
          1. Pay Attention.
          2. Be Astonished.
          3. Tell About it.

                                     David L. Astin -- June 20 - June 26, 2010

2010 Spring Warblers

By David Astin on May 20, 2010 6:00 PM

Sandy Point just North of Lake City, Minnesota is home to a neon yellow bundle of zest. aka the Prothonotary Warbler.

Walking with Katharine Grant and Della Boles over the boardwalk that keeps feet dry in the Mississippi River Backwaters on the sand spit called Sandy Point, we encountered the "cock of the rock". This little bundle of energy wowed us with his antics and song, making the photographer move back to allow a 12.5 foot focal distance.

After about 50 photographs a necessary step away from the camera for air and admiration, this little adventurer flew in for a closer look. Landing on the lense hood with an air of confidence and inquiry as to whether it might be a good nesting cavity.

Oh joy for feathered creatures.

See more warbler images

What is Life?

By David Astin on May 29, 2009 5:19 PM

This is the question asked and answered in Crowfoot's last words.

What is Life?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night.

It is the breath of the buffalo in the winter time.

It is the little shadow which runs across the grass

and loses itself in the Sunset.

-Crowfoot

It is the essential question that creates passion in me for using the camera as tool to collect natural history in images and think about and connect the gifts from my journey. To construct a whole from the bits and pieces that I encounter.