camp ripley and arden hills minnesota army national guard training ...

nine American kestrel (Falco sparverius) nest boxes located at AHATS, fledged 44 American
kestrels.
Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator)
A pair of trumpeter swans with one cygnet was
observed on Marsden Lake during June 2009 (Figure 65);
it‟s unknown if the cygnet survived into the fall. During
late summer, up to 13 adult and juvenile trumpeter swans
were observed on Marsden Lake. Trumpeter swans are
listed as a threatened species in Minnesota and have been
monitored each year at Marsden Lake for presence and
reproduction (Dirks et al. 2009) (Table 20). The MNDNR
introduced a pair of wing-clipped trumpeter swans to the
Marsden Lake wetland in 1993, and again in 1994. Seven
young free-flying wild swans were observed at the
wetland during the summer of 1994, presumably after
observing the presence of the introduced pair. A wild pair
nested at AHATS in 1995, and subsequently raised two
cygnets in the wetland. This made AHATS the first site in
Ramsey County in approximately 150 years to support
the production of cygnets from wild swans.
AHATS Mammals
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Aerial Survey
Page 101
Table 20. Trumpeter swans raised
at AHATS since 1995.
Year Cygnets Raised
1995 2
1996 3
1997 1
1998 5
1999 6
2000 0
2001 1
2002 0
2003 2
2004 3
2005 2
2006 7
2007 5
2008 6
2009 1
Total 44
Historically, winter deer populations at the AHATS and Twin Cities Army Ammunition
Plant (TCAAP) properties have fluctuated from an estimated high of 400 in the late 1960s
(Jordan et al. 1997) to 30 in 2001 and 2003. Overpopulation of deer may negatively impact
vegetation and efforts to restore oak savannah at AHATS, impact the vegetative structure
required for military training, and cause hazards due to vehicle collisions along perimeter
roadways. Aerial deer surveys are conducted annually to track population changes. The number
of deer counted during winter deer surveys has increased in the past few years to a high of 124 in
2007. Although the properties are fenced, deer are not completely restricted from moving in and
out of AHATS and TCAAP. Since control of the deer population at AHATS and the surrounding
area occurs primarily on the training site, management of this population will rely heavily on
hunting pressure. As the number of deer surveyed increased since 2003, the number of hunts and
total number of deer harvested have also increased to try to keep the deer herd from becoming too
2009 Conservation Program Report