Hormel Nature Center Staff
Luke Reese - Director/Naturalist
Favorite Mammal: Beaver
Favorite Reptile: The Blanding's Turtle that lives at the Nature Center
Least Favorite Invasive Species: Japanese Barberry
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"In my life, humans have both shown we can work to improve the planet for other creatures and make it worse. I want to make it a better place."
FUN FACT about Luke: "I have trouble swimming in a straight line. I blame my webbed toes on one foot."
Favorite Mammal: Beaver
Favorite Reptile: The Blanding's Turtle that lives at the Nature Center
Least Favorite Invasive Species: Japanese Barberry
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"In my life, humans have both shown we can work to improve the planet for other creatures and make it worse. I want to make it a better place."
FUN FACT about Luke: "I have trouble swimming in a straight line. I blame my webbed toes on one foot."
Meredith Maloney - Office Manager/Naturalist
Email: [email protected] - scheduling rentals/general questions
Favorite Bird: Bar-tailed Godwit, nature’s most persevering creature!
Least Favorite Invasive Species: Cyanobacteria
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"To love, explore, and understand the natural world fills my cup. To be a part of increasing accessibility to the love, exploration, and understanding of the natural world is the best way I could think to spend my life."
FUN FACT about Meredith: I studied abroad in three different countries in college, conducting research about the rainforests of Costa Rica, shorebirds of New Zealand, and Bottlenose Dolphins of Panama!
Email: [email protected] - scheduling rentals/general questions
Favorite Bird: Bar-tailed Godwit, nature’s most persevering creature!
Least Favorite Invasive Species: Cyanobacteria
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"To love, explore, and understand the natural world fills my cup. To be a part of increasing accessibility to the love, exploration, and understanding of the natural world is the best way I could think to spend my life."
FUN FACT about Meredith: I studied abroad in three different countries in college, conducting research about the rainforests of Costa Rica, shorebirds of New Zealand, and Bottlenose Dolphins of Panama!
Sydney Weisinger - Teacher/Naturalist
Email: [email protected] - Austin school field trips/summer field trips
Favorite Mammal and Bird: Cats and Chickadees
Favorite Reptile: Painted Turtle
Favorite Tree and Wildflower: White Pine and Sunflower
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
"I grew up camping and hiking so being in nature is where I go to find my center again. I want to help kids find themselves in nature so that they can feel connected to something every time they step outside."
FUN FACT about Sydney: "I have a scar on my leg shaped like a half moon so my mom calls me Moon Child."
Email: [email protected] - Austin school field trips/summer field trips
Favorite Mammal and Bird: Cats and Chickadees
Favorite Reptile: Painted Turtle
Favorite Tree and Wildflower: White Pine and Sunflower
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
"I grew up camping and hiking so being in nature is where I go to find my center again. I want to help kids find themselves in nature so that they can feel connected to something every time they step outside."
FUN FACT about Sydney: "I have a scar on my leg shaped like a half moon so my mom calls me Moon Child."
Kelly Bahl - Outreach Naturalist/Teacher
Email: [email protected] - out of town field trips/special events/Sola Fide Observatory
Favorite Mammal: Hippos, beluga whales, cats
Favorite Reptile: Chameleon
Favorite Invertebrate: Cuttlefish
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"Nature is magical and awe-inspiring and we as humans owe it to the world to help protect it against ourselves."
FUN FACT about Kelly: "I once talked to a beluga whale and it talked back."
Email: [email protected] - out of town field trips/special events/Sola Fide Observatory
Favorite Mammal: Hippos, beluga whales, cats
Favorite Reptile: Chameleon
Favorite Invertebrate: Cuttlefish
Maple Syrup or Honey? Maple Syrup
"Nature is magical and awe-inspiring and we as humans owe it to the world to help protect it against ourselves."
FUN FACT about Kelly: "I once talked to a beluga whale and it talked back."
This position was created through a grant project. Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Katherine Schramek - Teacher/Naturalist Intern
Email: [email protected]
Favorite Reptile: Prairie skink
Favorite Mammal: Northern long-eared bat
Favorite Invertebrate: Cicada
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
“All around you is a densely interconnected web of nutrient exchange, competing interests, and cross-species communication. There’s an invisible world right in front of our noses, ready for exploration.” – Nathaniel Johnson
FUN FACT about Katherine: I once went backpacking alongside a herd of reindeer in the Arctic Circle.
Email: [email protected]
Favorite Reptile: Prairie skink
Favorite Mammal: Northern long-eared bat
Favorite Invertebrate: Cicada
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
“All around you is a densely interconnected web of nutrient exchange, competing interests, and cross-species communication. There’s an invisible world right in front of our noses, ready for exploration.” – Nathaniel Johnson
FUN FACT about Katherine: I once went backpacking alongside a herd of reindeer in the Arctic Circle.
This position was created through a grant project. Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Avery Wickham - Teacher/Naturalist Intern
Email: [email protected]
Favorite Bird: Great Blue Heron
Favorite Reptile: American Alligator
Favorite Tree: Staghorn Sumac
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
Fun Fact about me: I used to have a pet Buffalo leech, which was the size of a Snickers bar.
"No man ever steps in the same river twice. For its not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus
Email: [email protected]
Favorite Bird: Great Blue Heron
Favorite Reptile: American Alligator
Favorite Tree: Staghorn Sumac
Maple Syrup or Honey? Honey
Fun Fact about me: I used to have a pet Buffalo leech, which was the size of a Snickers bar.
"No man ever steps in the same river twice. For its not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus
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Sha - Education Bird
Favorite Food: Rats. I may be a picky eater, but I am always happy with a rat! Why do they call me Sha? Sha is the Lakota word for Red. Why am I a Nature Center Staff member? When I was a fledgling, I was hit by a car. I sustained injuries that made me "non-releasable", meaning I wouldn't be able to hunt on my own. Now, I work at the Nature Center and teach visitors about my species and why we are important to protect. Favorite Bird: Wiyaka, we've been together since the beginning! FUN FACT about Sha: As a red tailed hawk, I have a lot of adaptations that make me an excellent predator. Red tailed hawks have super sharp talons that help them snatch their prey, great eyesight, and the ability to dive for prey at a speed of 100 mph. |
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Cedar - Education Bird
Favorite Food: Rats and chicks. I even make these really cool pellets a while after eating! Why am I a Nature Center Staff member? When I was a fledgling, the tree I was living in caught on fire! While I can still fly and everything, I was so young when humans assisted in my recovery that it made more sense to become an education bird. Now, I am being trained to teach visitors of the Nature Center about my species and why we need to be protected. Least Favorite Species: Crows. Imagine wanting a quick flight first thing in the morning just to have a bird attack you. Yeah, crows can be mean to us owls. Luckily, my enclosure here at the Nature Center is protected from antagonistic crows. FUN FACT about Cedar: Those horns that I (and other Great Horned Owls) have are called plumicorns! They're just feathers and have nothing to do with hearing like some might think; they are actually meant to help with camouflage. |
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Tiger Salamanders - Educational Amphibians
Favorite Food: Worms, mealworms, and nightcrawlers. We don't have the best eyesight, but we do our best to catch worms dangled in front of us by Nature Center Naturalists. Least Favorite Species: Opossums. They try to eat Tiger Salamanders! Some other predators include bobcats, owls, great blue herons, coyotes, snakes, and more. Luckily, our home here at the Nature Center is protected from predators. FUN FACT about our Tiger Salamanders: Tiger Salamanders don't have teeth, and eat their prey whole. They actually use their eyeballs to crush and push food down in order to swallow! |
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Gray Tree Frogs - Educational Amphibians
Favorite Food: We munch on mealworms, brought to our enclosure by Nature Center Naturalists. Least Favorite Species: Lots of animals try to eat Tree Frogs, but one invasive species that eats our food and sometimes us is the Bullfrog. FUN FACT about our Tree Frogs: Gray Tree Frogs can freeze in the wintertime. They rest under leaf litter, rocks, and logs, and up to 65% of their bodies can freeze solid, while the frog is alive! In springtime, they thaw and return to normal. |
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Emy the Blanding's Turtle - Educational Reptile
Favorite Food: I am fed a diet of Nutritional Sticks and Shrimp, but Shrimp is my favorite. How did I get my name? Emy is short for Emydoidea Blandingii, the Latin name for Blanding's Turtle. FUN FACT about our Blanding's Turtle: I am a super rare turtle, so rare that our Naturalists had to get a permit to hire me! I've been at the Nature Center ever since I was little; when I first got here, I could fit in the palm of our Directors hand! Why am I so rare? Habitat destruction and fragmentation make it hard for us to survive. We also have a hard time crossing the road and often get squished. Protecting land like the Nature Center does helps animals like me have room to roam! |
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Cosmo and Wanda the Fox Snakes - Education Reptile
Favorite Food: Our Naturalists feed me mice when its time for me to eat. I like to swallow them whole! Favorite Plants: I love forested areas, particularly near a river. That's where I can camouflage the best! FUN FACT about Fox Snake: I know I might look scary to you, but I love meeting new people and showing visitors that I am a lot nicer than I might look! That's why I'm so good at my job. Snake handling at 10:00 am and 3:30 pm most days. |
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Russel the Monkeyface Mussel - Educational Shellfish
Favorite Food: I may not be real, but you can open me up and look at what the inside of a mussel looks like. If I did eat, I would filter feed, meaning I would get my food like bacteria and phytoplankton out of the water by sucking it into my siphon. Least Favorite Invasive Species: Zebra Mussels, yuck! FUN FACT about Russel: I was the lead actor in a movie that you can watch here at the Nature Center. Come and check it out to learn more about me! |
In Memory of Guka the Barred Owl
It is with great sorrow that we bring the news of the passing of our beloved barred owl, Guka. He has been a staple of programs and visits to the nature center for 17 years and has touched thousands of lives of adults and children alike. Barred owls’ live expectancy is 8-10 years in the wild and upwards of 20 in captivity so while our staff is devastated it is not completely out of the blue.
Back when Guka was around a year old he got hit by a car, sustaining injuries that made him un-releasable back into the wild. He found his forever home with us shortly after and lived the next 17 years of his life completely spoiled and loved by all nature center staff. The past few weeks his health started to deteriorate rapidly and to ensure the utmost comfort for him in his last days the decision had to be made to say goodbye with heavy hearts.
Guka taught thousands of children in his life and instilled a love of the natural world with his unparalleled cuteness and relaxed attitude. We know he will be in the hearts of many and his memory will live on.
Some of you might be asking what’s next? While Guka’s enclosure will remain empty for the immediate future, there will be a time where we will find another raptor in need of a great home and another education bird will join our family. Until then, fly high Guka, you will be missed.
-Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Staff
It is with great sorrow that we bring the news of the passing of our beloved barred owl, Guka. He has been a staple of programs and visits to the nature center for 17 years and has touched thousands of lives of adults and children alike. Barred owls’ live expectancy is 8-10 years in the wild and upwards of 20 in captivity so while our staff is devastated it is not completely out of the blue.
Back when Guka was around a year old he got hit by a car, sustaining injuries that made him un-releasable back into the wild. He found his forever home with us shortly after and lived the next 17 years of his life completely spoiled and loved by all nature center staff. The past few weeks his health started to deteriorate rapidly and to ensure the utmost comfort for him in his last days the decision had to be made to say goodbye with heavy hearts.
Guka taught thousands of children in his life and instilled a love of the natural world with his unparalleled cuteness and relaxed attitude. We know he will be in the hearts of many and his memory will live on.
Some of you might be asking what’s next? While Guka’s enclosure will remain empty for the immediate future, there will be a time where we will find another raptor in need of a great home and another education bird will join our family. Until then, fly high Guka, you will be missed.
-Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Staff
In Memory of Wiyaka the Red Tailed Hawk
It is with heavy hearts that we bring the sad news of the passing of our female red tailed hawk, Wiyaka. She was around 8 years old and with us here at the nature center since the new building opened in 2017. Her name comes from the Lakota word for feather and Wiyaka’s plumage was unmatched. A beautiful specimen of a red tailed hawk from her extremely dark brown back feathers, her very fluffy and light colored pantaloons, to her vibrantly orange tail.
Wiyaka had a fiery spirit and attitude fit for a top predator making her such a great education bird. Her highest motivator in life was food (extremely relatable) and she didn’t like anything to get in her way when it was lunchtime. Her motivation, smarts, and sharp wit made her such a fun challenge when it came to training. At times we wondered if we were training her or she was training us! For the past few years Wiyaka and our staff worked hard to get her gloved trained so she could enjoy walks in the sunshine, do programs for visitors, as well as have more one-on-one training. Her unique and strong personality made it impossible to not love her.
Fly High Wi, the skies are yours once again. We miss you already.
It is with heavy hearts that we bring the sad news of the passing of our female red tailed hawk, Wiyaka. She was around 8 years old and with us here at the nature center since the new building opened in 2017. Her name comes from the Lakota word for feather and Wiyaka’s plumage was unmatched. A beautiful specimen of a red tailed hawk from her extremely dark brown back feathers, her very fluffy and light colored pantaloons, to her vibrantly orange tail.
Wiyaka had a fiery spirit and attitude fit for a top predator making her such a great education bird. Her highest motivator in life was food (extremely relatable) and she didn’t like anything to get in her way when it was lunchtime. Her motivation, smarts, and sharp wit made her such a fun challenge when it came to training. At times we wondered if we were training her or she was training us! For the past few years Wiyaka and our staff worked hard to get her gloved trained so she could enjoy walks in the sunshine, do programs for visitors, as well as have more one-on-one training. Her unique and strong personality made it impossible to not love her.
Fly High Wi, the skies are yours once again. We miss you already.