Jun-Jul-Aug 2003 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society

8/9/2019 Jun-Jul-Aug 2003 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society

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Western Prairie Addition by Marsha Cannon

In the March CAWS it was reportedthat 194 acres were recently acquired atGoose Pond. This spring the croplandand pasture has been rented out. Anintern project for this summer will be toprepare a wetland and prairie restora-tion plans for the property.

The Madison Audubon fundraisingcommittee is making plans for a majorcapital campaign. To date two majordonations have been provided andMAS is working on securing two majorgrants. Much additional funding will beneeded and you will be hearing moreabout this campaign. Please contactMarsha Cannon at 251-1276 for moreinformation.

Thanks to the Agrecol Company fordonating prairie seedlings and seed forsale at the art fair. About $500 wasraised from the sale of seedlings andseed for purchase of the "WesternPrairie Addition".

MAS Protects More Land

Jackson WaterfowlProduction Area

Dedication by Mark and Sue Martin

The dedication of Jackson WaterfowlProduction Area on Saturday, May 10,coincided with International MigratoryBird Day. It was a wonderful day,shared with wonderful people. The Fishand Wildlife Service coordinated thededication ceremony. Thanks to Williamand Jean Damm for helping withrefreshments.

Fish and Wildlife Service presented a"Certificate of Appreciation" to the

Jackson Family and also to MadisonAudubon Society. Thanks to the Fishand Wildlife staff for all their acquisitionand restoration work. The 150-acreproperty, about three miles southwest ofGoose Pond at the corner on Oak Laneand Patton Road, is open to bird watch-ing. Habitats include restored prairie,wetlands and woodlands.

THE AUDUBON

NEWSLETTER

OF THE

MADISON

AUDUBON

SOCIETY

222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-BIRD / http://madisonaudubon.org JUNE 2003

HonoringKathryn Jackson

by Mark and Sue MartinKathryn Jackson passed away in

April after a brief illness. She was aspecial friend. Kathryn loved theoutdoors and enjoyed traveling. Sheparticipated in outdoor activitiessuch as sailing and skiing. On thefarm many remember her largeasparagus patch. Arnold andKathryn retired to a home on LakeWisconsin. She enjoyed viewing themany birds around her home andalso the spectacular sunsets overLake Wisconsin. Kathryn was alsoan avid basketball fan. We weresorry Kathryn was not at the dedica-tion in body but we were sure shewas there in spirit.

Madison Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society

Joanne Herfel, Marsha

Cannon, Sue Foote-Martin, Mark

Martin, Arnold Jackson, Steve Lenz

and Sheldon Myerchin at the

Jackson Waterfowl Production

Area Dedication.



Z02

7xCH

JOIN MADISON AUDUBONA Chapter of National Audubon

Introductory New membership - $20Membership Renewal - $35

Student/Senior Membership - $15Foreign - Add $10 in US funds

Make check payable toNational Audubon Society

Mail check to Madison Audubon Society,222 S. Hamilton St. Suite 1,

Madison, WI 53703

NameAddressCityState Zip

__ I do NOT wish to receive theNational Audubon magazine__ Do not release my name to outsideorganizations.

The Audubon Caw

MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETYPresident: Joanne Herfel, 241-8009

Vice-president: Debra Weitzel, 836-4051Goose Pond Resident Naturalists:Mark and Sue Martin, 635-4160Editor: Abbie Kurtz, 245-1758

[email protected] design: Paul Capobianco

Printed by Roemer Printing

The mission of the Madison AudubonSociety is to educate our members and thepublic about the natural world and the

threats that natural systems are facing, toengage in advocacy to preserve and pro-tect these systems, and to develop andmaintain sanctuaries to save and restorenatural habitat.

ScintillatingSummer Field Trips

Friday, June 6: Night BirdsAl Shea, one of Wisconsin's most

experienced birders, will lead this trip.During this night birding field trip wewill travel north of Madison to fields,woods, and fens searching for a variety

of late night birds and sounds. The tripwill last about 4 hours as we explore theinteresting world of night birds. Pleasedress appropriately, bring mosquitorepellent, rainwear, etc. Flashlights arenot needed.

Meet at 7:00 p.m. in the parking lot ofCub Foods' east side store. Go north onStoughton Road (Hwy 51), past theintersection with Hwy 30. Turn east(right) on Nakoosa Trail and follow theroad to Cubs. If you have a questionabout the trip, contact Al at 608-825-6232.

Saturday, June 7:Birding Brooklyn Wildlife Area

Join us for a hike at one of DaneCounty's most interesting birding loca-tions. Some of the habitats we willexplore include long-grass prairie, edgeand deciduous woodlands. This areahas a long bird list, and some of thehighlights for the day could be ScarletTanager, Ovenbird, Bobolink,Henslow's Sparrow, Dickcissel, and

hopefully Yellow-breasted Chat. Thistrip will involve walking on uneven ter-rain, so wear proper footwear.

Meet to carpool at 7:00 a.m. at the CubFoods parking lot on Verona Rd./USHWY 151, south of the Beltline (next toHome Depot). If you have questions,contact trip leader Aaron Stutz at 608-294-9618 or [email protected]

Saturday, June 14:Beginning Birding at Picnic Point

This trip will help beginning birdwatchers develop their skills at locating,identifying and observing birds. Thisarea at the west end of the UW campusoffers a varied habitat and a goodopportunity to observe a variety ofwaterfowl and nesting woodland birds,including flycatchers, thrushes, wood-peckers, warblers and sparrows. Tripleader Allen Holzhueter will spend a lotof time identifying birds and teaching

the skills of bird watching. Special atten-tion will be paid to answering begin-ning birders' questions.

Meet in the parking lot by the 1918Marsh, across from the entrance toPicnic Point, at 6:00 p.m. Please bring

binoculars and a bird guide if you can.If you have questions, call AllenHolzhueter at 238-0546 after 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 15:Birds of Indian Lake County Park

Come enjoy a day of birding at IndianLake County Park. This northwesternDane County Park has extensive woods,open meadows, the lake and wetlands.Trip leader Kay Burcar has surveyed birdhere for a number of years. She hasobserved Tufted Titmouse, CeruleanWarblers, Acadian Flycatchers, Scarlet

Tanagers and Orchard Orioles. Aroundthe lake Kay has observed breeding TealWood Ducks, Pied-billed Grebes, GreatBlue Herons, Sandhill Cranes andWoodcocks. Bring a lunch as the trip isexpected to continue into the afternoon.

Meet to carpool and leave at 6:30 a.m.from the Kohl's Food Store in Middletonon Century Avenue at the north end ofAllen Boulevard. (Or meet at 7:00 a.m. atIndian Lake County Park. From Madisondrive northwest on Highway 12 then tak19 to the west for 2 1/2 miles or so until

you reach the entrance to the Park. Turnleft into the park).

Thursday, June 19:Evening at Black Earth Prairie

This is a joint trip with the PrairieEnthusiasts. We will tour a NatureConservancy Preserve and State NaturalArea called the Black Earth RettenmundPrairie, which is located a few miles soutwest of Black Earth. Our trip leaders will

be Kathie and Tom Brock, prairie enthusasts who have a large prairie and oak

CAWS Newsletter Subscriptions AvailableI am not a member of National Audubon, but am interested in receiving Th

Audubon CAWS newsletter to stay informed of chapter activities. I've enclosed$15.00 payable to Madison Audubon Society to cover printing and mailing forone annual year.

Mail to: Madison Audubon Soc., 222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1, Madison, WI53703

THE AUDUBON CAWS is publishedSeptember through July by:Madison Audubon Society,

222 S. Hamilton St.,Madison, WI 53703,

(608) 255-BIRD (2473).Birding hotline, 255-BIRM

Madison Audubon Web Page:http://madisonaudubon.org

E-mail: [email protected] services donated by Berbee

Contribution deadline is August 11for the September issue, for which itemsmay be sent to Abbie Kurtz, 313Moulton Ct., Madison, WI 53704.

[email protected]

2


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savanna restoration on their own proper-ty nearby. We are hoping that the out-standing population of wood lilies at thissite will be in peak bloom. We will alsolook for other flowering plants, as well as

birds. Learn about the history and man-agement of this prairie! The trip will lastabout two hours.

Meet at 6:30 p.m. at Black EarthRettenmund Prairie. Allow about 30 min-

utes driving time from the west side ofMadison. Go west from Madison on U.S.Hwy 14 to the traffic light at Black Earth.Turn left (south) on Hwy 78 throughBlack Earth. At the south edge of townturn right (west) on County KP and F.About 1/2 mile west, turn left (south) onCounty F. Go about 200 yards toFesenfeld Road. Turn right on FesenfeldRoad to the prairie entrance, about 300yards west. Park on the road. If you havequestions, call Kathie or Tom at 608-238-5050.

Sunday, June 22: Birds of Devil's Lake Join us for a morning of scouring the

southern half of Devil's Lake State Park tolook for nesting bird species includingVeery, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher,Scarlet Tanager, Blue-winged Warbler,plus possible Cerulean and Worm-eatingWarblers. In all, we'll probably find 50-60species. We may also extend the trip toinclude Baxter's Hollow if time and inter-est permit. The two leaders, ChuckHeikkinen and Delia Unson, are intimate-

ly acquainted with this area from theirexperience covering it for the WisconsinBreeding Bird Atlas. During their twoyears of coverage, they found 117 possi-

ble nesting species.Please note that a state park sticker is

required to park at Devil's Lake. Bringsturdy walking shoes, water and insectrepellent. We will be there until aboutnoon or even later, so you may want to

bring a sack lunch.Meet in Middleton to carpool and leave

at 6:00 a.m. from the parking lot of

Copp’s (formerly Kohl's Foods) at theintersection of Century Ave. and AllenBlvd. Or, meet us at 6:30 a.m. in the park-ing area for the boat landing on the south-west shore of Devil's Lake. If you havequestions, call Chuck or Delia at 274-4043or email them at [email protected].

Saturday, June 28:Dragonflies of Rocky Run (West)

We will travel to the west section ofRocky Run Creek in Columbia Countyfor a two-hour morning walk along wet-land, old field, and woodland edge,focusing mainly on those fascinating, bigand beautiful "macro-insects", dragon-flies. While interest in butterflies and but-terfly-watching has grown considerably

over the past decade, dragonflies have been, until recently, one of the mostneglected of nature's beauties. On thistrip we will give them the attention andrespect they deserve and learn about theidentification, biology, behavior, beauty,and life-style of the various species weencounter. (If we have time in betweenthe dragonflies we'll check out some but-terflies too!) Leaders will be dragonflyenthusiasts Karl Legler and DaveWestover. (They have produced a colorphotographic guide to Common

Dragonflies of Wisconsin). We will returnto Madison about noon.Bring binoculars if you have them

(close focusing ones work best) or just getclose! It's best to wear long pants and ahat for sun protection. Bring mosquitorepellent for the shady areas.

We will carpool and leave at 9:00 a.m.from the middle of the parking lot at CubFoods on the east side of Madison. Fromthe intersection of Highways 30 and 51(Stoughton Rd.) go north on 51 and takethe first right turn, which leads toNakoosa Trail and Cub Foods. Or meet at

9:30 a.m. at the west side Rocky RunCreek parking lot. From Madison gonorth on Highway 51. Nearly 4 milesnorth of Poynette turn right onto MorseRoad and go east for about 3/4 mile.There is a small parking lot on the northside of the road. If you have any ques-tions about this trip, call Karl Legler at(608) 643-4926 (Sauk City).

Saturday, July 5:Madison Butterfly Count

Our 13th annual count! This year we

will be counting at a new location, theArboretum's Grady Tract on the southside of the Beltline. Mark this hike andcensus on your calendar!

Each year within a few weeks of theFourth of July, butterfly enthusiasts allover North America participate in a cen-sus of butterfly species. Each count is con-ducted at several sites within a 15-milediameter circle and the same circle is sur-veyed each year. These censuses help tomonitor the health of our butterfly popu-lations and the results of 494 North

American counts are published in anannual report. Last year on the Madisoncensus 13 people in 3 groups found 622

butterflies of 43 species. This year's groupwill have an enjoyable time finding,observing and counting butterflies.Counters are needed. Identificationexpertise will be provided by long-time

butterfly counter, Karl Legler. If you canidentify butterflies, or can help spot but-

terflies, or just want to see and learnabout butterflies, join us on this morningcount. Observe with eye or close-focusing

binoculars. Dress for protection from theheat and sun; a hat is recommended.

The organizer (North AmericanButterfly Association) requires a $3.00 feefrom each count participant (similar toChristmas Bird Counts) to cover adminis-trative and publishing costs.

Meet at the parking lot at the GradyTract in the UW Arboretum at 9:00 a.m.on Saturday, July 5. We will count until

noon. Directions: Heading west on theBeltline (Hwy 12), take the SeminoleHighway exit and then turn left (south)on Seminole Highway driving across theBeltline to the parking lot for the GradyTract. If you have a question about the

butterfly count (or if you would like tocount at your own favorite site) call theleader, Karl Legler, at (608) 643-4926(Sauk City).

Saturday, July 12:Butterflies of Cherokee Marsh

On this morning trip we'll observe and

learn about butterflies, those small butexquisitely beautiful creatures that danceabout our ankles in summer. Butterflyenthusiast Karl Legler will lead this two-hour hike at Cherokee Marsh on thenortheast side of Madison. We willobserve a variety of butterflies as theytake nectar from wildflowers, and learnabout their identification, behavior, andlifestyle. Bring binoculars if you havethem (close focusing ones work best) or

just get close! It's best to wear long pantsand a hat for protection from the sun.

Meet at 10:00 a.m. On the north side ofMadison take Northport Drive (Highway113) then turn north on Sherman Ave.Meet at the Cherokee Marsh parking lotat the north end of Sherman Ave. The tripwill last until noon. If you have a questionabout the trip, call Karl Legler at (608)643-4926 (Sauk City).



The Audubon Caws

Saturday, July 19:

Tour of Faville GroveTour Faville Grove Sanctuary east and

west. This combination of land includesrestored prairie, natural and restored wet-lands, a sedge meadow, tamarack bogand woodlands. The trip will last about 3hours and provide an excellent opportu-nity to see the prairie in its summer col-ors. In addition to wildflowers, we willkeep an eye out for a variety of birds,including Sandhill Cranes, herons,Bluebirds and more.

Meet the group at Faville GroveSanctuary at 7:30 a.m. by heading east onI-94 to the Lake Mills exit (No. 89), gonorth on Hwy 89 for approximately 1.75miles to Hwy G. Turn right on Hwy Gand go approximately 1.5 miles to PrairieLane. Turn right on Prairie Lane for about1.5 miles. If you have any questions, callSue Pech at (920) 648-4392.

Saturday, July 26:Tour of Goose Pond Prairie

Join Goose Pond Resident NaturalistsMark and Sue Martin for a tour ofrestored prairies at Goose PondSanctuary. The prairies should be in peakcolor and this will be a good opportunityto learn your prairie plants. We will alsotour mesic and dry-mesic prairies as wellas unburned and burned prairies. Thetrip will last about 3 hours. Meet at thehouse at the end of Prairie Lane in GoosePond Sanctuary at 1:30 p.m.

From Madison go north on Hwy 51into Columbia County, turn left (west) onCounty Hwy K. After two miles turnright (north) onto Goose Pond Road, thenturn left (west) on Prairie Lane which isthe driveway into the Sanctuary. If youhave any questions about the trip callMark or Sue at 608-635-4160 or emailthem at [email protected]

Saturday, August 9:Birding at Nine Springs (MadisonMetropolitan Sewerage District WildlifeObservation Area)

Late summer is prime shore birdingseason in Wisconsin, as numerous speciesmake the journey from arctic breedinggrounds to more southerly winteringareas. At this time, an excursion to NineSprings' settling ponds can yield unex-

pected rarities among the sandpipers,plovers, swallows, waders, waterfowl,rails, and raptors typically found here atMadison's premiere shorebird stopover.

Meet trip leader Jesse Peterson and therest of the group at 7:00 a.m. in theMoorland Road parking lot of the NineSprings E-Way. To reach this site, take theBeltline to South Towne Drive; go southpast the sewerage treatment plant; in thecurve, take a left onto Moorland and theparking lot will be on the right. The tripwill last roughly 3 hours, and conditions

may require spotting scopes, sunblock,hats, insect repellent, and plenty of water.If you have questions, please call JessePeterson at 608-849-3108.

Saturday, August 23: Fall ShorebirdsLongtime shorebird observer Steve

Theissen will lead our annual fall shorebird trip. We will visit Nine Springs set-tling ponds which is Madison's premiereshorebird stopover site. We hope to seeBaird's and Stilt Sandpipers. If it hasrained recently, come prepared for

muddy conditions.Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the E-Way parkinglot on East Moorland Rd. Take SouthTowne Drive south from the Beltline,then turn east (left) on East Moorland Rd.The parking lot is on the south (right) sideof the road. The trip will last about twohours. Bring a scope if you have one. Ifyou have questions, call Steve at 873-3323.

Monday, September 1 (NEW TRIP):Pleasant Valley Conservancy

This is a joint trip with The PrairieEnthusiasts. Kathie and Tom Brock willlead an afternoon trip at Pleasant ValleyConservancy on Labor Day. The site is inthe Town of Vermont, Dane County, inthe Driftless Area of southwesternWisconsin. The property contains prairieremnants and extensive oak savanna, andhas been under intensive management forthe past six years. We have had controlled

burns on the property for several yearsand the response to this and otherrestoration activity will be demonstrated.Information will also be provided on theefforts being taken to ensure the long-

range protection of this property throughthe establishment of a nonprofit founda-tion (Savanna Oak Foundation, Inc.).Hiking will be partly across steep bluffs,and long pants and good hiking shoes arerecommended.

Meet at the property at 1:00 p.m. Thetrip will last three hours. Allow about 30minutes driving time from the west sideof Madison. Go west on US Highway 14

from Madison/Middleton to the villageof Black Earth. Go south on CountyHighway F about 4 miles to PleasantValley Road, which joins County F fromthe east. If you reach Peculiar Corners(junction of F and FF) you have gone toofar. Drive about one-half mile alongPleasant Valley Road to the driveway atFire Number 4609. Park on the right(south) side of the road. If you have anyquestions about the trip call Kathie orTom Brock at 608-238-5050.

Saturday, September 6:Fall Birding at Picnic Point

Join trip leaders Roma Lenehan andMarty Evanson for a pleasant morning of

birding on Picnic Point, one of Madison's birding hot spots. With lots of shoreline,open water and a variety of woods, wet-lands and open areas, including gardens,Picnic Point is known for its diversity of

birds. On the lake we will look for water-fowl, gulls and terns; in the marshes wewill be looking for blackbirds, wrens andrails; in the woodland we will look for

woodpeckers, thrushes and migrating fallwarblers; in the fields and gardens wewill look for sparrows and other openfield migrants. This trip is co-sponsored

by the Friends of the Campus NaturalAreas. Trip leader Roma Lenehan hasover 20 years of birding experience atPicnic Point and she recently produced aCampus Natural Areas Bird Checklist.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the 1918 Marshparking lot across University Bay Drivefrom the base of Picnic Point, north ofUW Lot 60 and north of the UW hospital.The trip will last 2 to 3 hours. Bring binoc-ulars, bird books, and dress for theweather, which may be cool by the lake inthe morning. If you have questions, callRoma at 608-238-5406.

4



5June 2003

Madison Audubon BigBirding Day 2003 Results by Chuck Heikkinen & Delia Unson

This year's May 10th Big Birding Daywas again a great success. Seven teamsscoured Dane and Columbia Counties

beginning at 4 a.m. and persevered untiltime to meet for our celebratory banquet

at 6 p.m. at Imperial Gardens. Last year'sBBD was chilly and wet, with occasionaldrenching downpours. The weather thisyear, despite a threatening forecast,stayed good with temperatures mainly inthe 60s and 70s throughout the day.

Almost all teams this year had over 100species. At the banquet each team sharedhighlights and memorable moments oftheir experience. Just some of the high-light species include: Wilson's Phalarope,King Rail, Bald Eagle, Common Raven,Prothonotary and Cerulean Warblers,

Harris's Sparrow, and Upland Sandpiper.As before, all the participants voted onthe highlight species of the day. This yearthe Wilson's Phalarope was voted to bethe logo bird for next year's t-shirt design.All together the teams found 175 speciesin only 14 hours! For some of us it meantfinding more species in one day than wehad ever before. For all it meant enjoyingthe company of fellow birders and beingtouched by the awe-inspiring wonder of

birdlife. We hope others of you will joinin the fun next year!

Thank you to all who participated thisyear, making it another great success forMadison Audubon. The teams raised$495 for Madison Audubon through theircontributions, pledges received fromfriends and family, and the sale of theyearly commemorative t-shirt. Thismoney will be used for new land acquisi-tion at Goose Pond. Madison Audubonexpresses gratitude to Chickadee Depotfor donating two $25.00 gift certificates,and to Melissa Barmore for her beautiful2003 Ruddy Turnstone t-shirt design.Thank you all for sharing your specialinterest in birding with each other. Seeyou next year!

Viewing ScopeNow at Lake Farm Park

Visitors can now enjoy a wide telescop-ic view of wildlife in the varying wetlandhabitats around the Lussier HeritageCenter in Dane County's Lake Farm Park.Madison Audubon Society and a grantfrom the Southwest Side Rotary inMadison enabled purchase of the new 20-power viewing scope installed in May.

Madison Audubon Society president Joanne Herfel said the scope idea came

from an anonymous donor. "One of ourmembers offered half the cost of the scopeis we could raise the rest," she said."Additional funding came from theSouthwest Side Rotary, which provided a$1,000 grant, and proceeds from lastyear's Big Birding Day." The birding dayis a fundraising event where birdwatch-ers compete to view the most species inone day.

The scope is mounted on the deck ofthe Lussier Heritage Center. It is on thehighest point in the park and can scopeover a range of more than 180 degrees,overlooking parkland, wetland, and set-tling ponds in the 328-acre park. LakeFarm Park is the trailhead for the NineSprings E-Way hiking trail and a apart ofthe Capital City bike path, south of theWest Beltline Highway on Lake FarmRoad. It is available to the public at alltimes. Come out and enjoy the view!

2003 Madison Audubon27th Annual Art FairRaffle Prize Winners• Wilderness Systems recreational kayakPamlico 140. Donated by Rutabaga. Winneris K. Brown.

• Kelty Raptor tent. Donated by FontanaSports Specialties. Winner is Evelyn

Shimshak.

• Dovetail Gardens Iris garden sculpturesprinkler (copper with nickel finish)Donated by Chickadee Depot. Winner BarbVogelsang.

• Framed chickadee print donated by artist Jonathan Wilde with framing donated byMeuer Art and Picture Frame Co. Winner is

Jodie Cook.

• Autographed edition of WisconsinBirdlife by Samuel Robbins. Donated byRick Jones. Winner is Vera McCaughey.

• 8x42 Triumph binoculars donated byEagle Optics. Winner is Kathy Gentz.

• 8x25 Triumph binoculars donated byWild Birds Unlimited. Winner is WaynePauly.

• Metal sculpture by artist Ellis Nelson.Winner is Brent Sumner.

• Wild Bird Center Mobi Ranch bird feeder.Donated by Wild Bird Center. Winner isKathy Casper.

• Adirondack Chair. Donated by Pat Ready.Winner is Marilyn Schairer.

• Backpack. Donated by REI. Winner isMary Brennan.

• Backyard compost bin. Donated byNorseman Plastics and the City of Madison.Winner is Marcia Butler.

• The Spirit of Door County - APhotographic Essay by Darryl Beers.Donated by Trails Books. Winner is KathyGentz.

• Creating a Perennial Garden in theMidwest by Joan Severa. Donated by TrailsBooks. Winner is Craig Billings.

• Two Wisconsin Trails MagazineSubscription Certificates. Donated by TrailsMedia Group. Two Winners - Sue Martin &Kathy Garlock.

• Wildflowers and Other Plants of IowaWetlands by Sylvan Runkel and DeanRoosa. Donated anonymously. Winner isSally Martin.

• Children's package: Two coloring booksof birds and wildflowers, 2 singing birds,and box of 50 Crayola crayons. Donated byPeggy Schmidt. Winner is Ruth Dunn.

Linda Mittnacht, manager of the

Lussier Heritage Center, with the

new scope.

Photo by Dorothy Haines



With Spring ComesFire and a Fire-likeWeed to Faville Grove

Dry conditions this spring made forchallenging, but hot and effective burns atMAS's Faville Grove Sanctuary. In otheryears, with normal springtime moisture

conditions, we are able to run a head fire(a fire moving with the wind) throughour prairie restorations down and into theedge of the Faville Grove Marsh, wherethe fire dies of its own accord. With thisyear's drought conditions we avoidedany burning adjacent to the marsh.However, working between periodiccountywide burning bans and news ofseveral wildfires in the vicinity, MAS vol-unteers were able to accomplish good,

brush-killing, prairie-stimulating burnson a number of key parcels, includingAudubon's newest 30-acre easementproperty, the MAS Snake Marsh restora-tion on Dave and Fran Tillotson'sWetland Reserve Program lands, andWayne and Sharon Magnussen'sConservation Reserve Program restora-tion along the Crawfish River. MAS also

burned 20 acres of the 30-acre SnapperPrairie owned by The NatureConservancy - the first time TNC hasallowed anyone other than their own staffand volunteers to burn the site (see relat-ed story). DNR Secretary Scott Hassettwas among the volunteers who helped

with the Snapper burn.Like sparks in a dry prairie wind, garlic

mustard seems to flare up suddenlywhere it's least expected. Unlike prairiefires, garlic mustard is utterly devastatingto native vegetation in shady environ-ments. Again this spring, volunteersspent many hours and gallons of herbi-cide in our battle to extinguish this most

evil of weeds in Faville Woods. The juryis still out on whether we are gaining onthe garlic mustard, or it is gaining on us.

Together with the US Fish and WildlifeService, we have finalized plans for thisfall's wetland restoration on Audubon'sBrandt property in the Crawfish flood-plain. We will fill an extensive system ofditches that drain water from the proper-ty, and dig a new ditch on the property'seast boundary to keep a neighboring farmfield dry. The cost of earth moving torecreate over 40 acres of wet prairie andfen habitat is estimated at $27,000.

As we look ahead to another gratifyingand productive season of habitat restora-tion at Faville Grove, we encourage youto call the MAS office (255-BIRD) or [email protected] to be added toour volunteer list!

MAS to Manage

Snapper PrairieMadison Audubon is finalizing an

agreement with The Nature Conservancyof Wisconsin to assume managementresponsibility for TNC's Snapper PrairieState Natural Area. Located less than onemile north of the university's FavillePrairie State Natural Area, Snapper andFaville are the last sizable remnants ofwhat was once a magnificent 2,500-acrewet prairie in the floodplain of theCrawfish River.

In the last few years, MAS has pur-chased and begun restoring 270 acres ofthe former Crawfish Prairie in the easternunit of our Faville Grove Sanctuary. Wehave worked extensively with the UWArboretum on management of FavillePrairie, and have helped to restore thehydrologic characteristics of this wetprairie through our wetland restoration

efforts on adjoining lands. The agreementwith TNC recognizes MadisonAudubon's efforts and leading role in theFaville Grove area. It also provides forMAS to continue to collect seed onSnapper for our restorations at FavilleGrove. We hope to continue the annualcount of lady's slippers (both small whiteand yellow) at Snapper. Contact the MASoffice if you would like to be notifiedwhen the date is set.

June Work Nightsat Goose Pond

Volunteers are needed to assist withweedy species removal on work nightsevery Monday in June starting at 6:30p.m. Work will concentrate on prairiemanagement at Goose Pond and the UWAgricultural Station prairie remnant. Thisis a great way to learn prairie species.

Dress in long sleeves, long pants, glovesand sturdy shoes. Cold refreshments will

be served. As always, these work nightsmay be cancelled because of rain. CallMark or Sue at 635-4160 if you need moreinformation.

Landowner Field Dayat Goose Pond

Madison Audubon Society andPheasants Forever will hold a landowner

field day Saturday, September 6 at GoosePond. The workshop will provide infor-mation to landowners interested in learn-ing how to restore prairies. The workshopis for landowners that have over 5 acresof prairie to restore. Contact Mark andSue at 635-4160 or at [email protected] learn more about the field day andhow to register.

The Audubon Caws6

2003 Summer

Interns and

Sue Martin on

the first day of

work at MAS

sanctuaries.

AnnouncingPrairies Jubilee!

-- Mark it on your calendars --Sunday, September 28

Arlington Research StationGoose Pond Sanctuary

Better than ever!Come & celebrate prairies with

Madison Audubon!

P h o t o b y M a r k M a r t i n



Northern Harriersat Goose Pond by Mark and Sue Martin

Northern harries sightings have beenfrequent this spring at Goose Pond. We

were hoping that for the first time probably since the 1800's that harries may nestat Goose Pond.

In early May a couple reported findingan injured male marsh hawk along a hik-ing trail. We rushed the bird to Julie

Johnson, our local animal rehabilitator.The injury was a broken wing and the

bird did not survive.The couple continued their hike and

reported seeing another male marshhawk. Since then we have been seeingmale and female harriers. This may yet

be the year that marsh hawks nest atGoose Pond.

Record Pheasant Count atGoose Pond Sanctuary by Mark and Sue Martin

We have counted crowing pheasantroosters at Goose Pond since 1980 onabout 2.5 square miles around GoosePond, south of Arlington. This is mostlyan unhunted population. In the 1980s ourlow count was three roosters. In the late1990s our high count was 40 roosters andon a "perfect" April morning we couldhear a rooster crow every three seconds.

This year we counted 49 roosters! Therecord number of pheasants is due to anincrease in grassland habitat, food plots,and a mild winter. We have 200 acres ofrestored prairie and three corn food plots.As our prairie acreage increased so hasour pheasant numbers. In the next fewyears our goal is to restore an additional200 acres of prairie and hopefully count100 roosters one spring morning.

May RainsBring Shorebirdsand Chorus Frogs by Mark and Sue Martin

The 1.5 inches of rain the first week ofMay that helped saturate the ground wasfollowed by 1.8 inches of rain on May 11.For the first time since last year, GoosePond has some water. Both sides of theroad are about 75% covered with shallowwater and are providing excellent shore-

bird habitat for species such as dunlins,ruddy turnstones, and semipalmatedplovers. A pair of sandhill cranes is pre-sent but did not nest due to the lack ofwater.

Before May 11 we thought that most ofthe frogs died this winter. On May 11 wewere pleased to hear large numbers ofchorus frogs. However, we did not hearany spring peepers or leopard frogs.

Hopefully the rains will continue to pro-vide frog and toad habitat.

Dazzling Donations

ACRE MAKERIn Memory of John André Feith John Feith

HALF-ACRE MAKERIn Honor of Goose Pond SanctuaryVolunteers

Mark & Sue MartinIn Memory of Irene T. Rogers

Rich Kahl & Laurie YahrIn Memory of Virginia Oglesby Stiles

Richard & Victoria Oberle

QUARTER-ACRE MAKERLois E Reinholtz

MY OWN VISIONBruce ConnellyMiddleton High School Ecology Class

GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSON

In Memory of Carol GiltzHenry Regnier

In Memory of Kathryn JacksonDorothy Haines

In Memory of Mary WalkerH. Lowell Hall

In Memory of Aunt Edith Zabrowski Jane Raymond and Bob Mougin

In Memory of Lawrence L. ZochEmployees of Walgreens Northport

DriveRuth & Jeffrey Jackson

7June 2003

YES! I want to make the Madison

Audubon Society’s vision a reality.

Here is my contribution to the

Wildlife Sanctuaries Campaign.

[ ] Acre Maker. $2000 or more to buy and restore

another acre of land.

[ ] Half-Acre Maker. $1000-$1999.

[ ] Quarter-Acre Maker. $500-$999.

[ ] Adopt An Acre. I pledge $100 a year for three

years ($300 total). Here is my first installment.

[ ] Nest Egg. I pledge $50 a year for three years

($150 total). Here is my first installment.

[ ] My Own Vision. $ to help sanctuaries

as much as possible.

[ ] My Gift $_____for MAS Program Support (i.e.

Education & Newsletter)

Direct my gift to:

[ ] Where it will help the most

[ ] Endowment fund to restore and

maitain the sanctuaries.

[ ] Land acquisition at Faville Grove.

[ ] Land acquisition at Goose Pond

[ ] MAS Program Support

Name

Address

In Memory of

In Honor of

For Gifts Honoring Another, send acknowledge-

ment to (name and address)

Contributions will be acknowledged near the

Madison Audubon Information Board at Goose

Pond as follows: $1,000 or more-name will appear

on a permanent plaque; $250-$999-name will

appear on engraved paving brick.

[ ] Do not acknowledge in Madison Audubon

Society Newsletter, CAWS.

Make checks payable to:

Madison Audubon Society

Mail to:

Madison Audubon Society

222 S. Hamilton Street, Suite #1

Madison, WI 53703

Gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Madison Audubon Society’s financial statement is

available upon request.

P h o t o b y S u e - F o o t e

M a r t i n



6/03

Madison Audubon Society, Inc.

Joanne Herfel, President

222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1

Madison, WI 53703

Non-profit organization

U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 1831

Madison, Wisconsin

MAS Protects LandSee page 1

Time for a BirdSong Tune-up

Singing birds not heard in Wisconsin

for over 6 months are back or just passingthrough and their songs baffle many bird-watchers. The new CD "Bird Song EarTraining Guide: Who Cooks for Poor SamPeabody?" by Madison resident JohnFeith is well suited for both beginnerslooking to learn how to identify birdsongs and for experts looking to refreshtheir bird call ID skills. The audio CDcontains 189 bird songs arranged in aquiz format and includes both popularand unusual song mnemonics.

Profits from the sale of the CD are

being donated to conservation-orientedorganizations, including the MAS, theWisconsin chapter of the NatureConservancy, and the Wisconsin Societyfor Ornithology. So far, the guide hasraised $2000 for MAS. CDs are $16.45each, including shipping and handling.More details, sample audio clips andordering information are available atwww.caculo.com/birdsongs or contact

John Feith, 1225 East Mifflin St., Madison,WI 53703, [email protected], or 608-258-8359.

Renewable Energy andSustainable Living Fair

The world's largest renewable energy

event, the Renewable Energy andSustainable Living Fair (a.k.a. EnergyFair) is returning to Custer, WI on June20. The Fair, hosted by Custer's MidwestRenewable Energy Association (MREA),provides fairgoers with entertainment,speakers, workshops, exhibitors, and like-minded people all interested in preserv-ing the earth and our standard of livingthrough renewable energy. A bus ($10includes the bus ride and fair fee) is avail-able to transport people from Madison toCuster on Saturday and Sunday. For

more information, contact the MREA at715-592-6595, or visit their website at:www.the-mrea.org.

MAS Calendar at a Glance

Fri., June 6: Night BirdsSat., June 7:Birding Brooklyn Wildlife AreaSat., June 14:Beginning Birding at Picnic PointSun., June 15:Birds of Indian Lake County ParkThurs., June 19:Evening at Black Earth PrairieSun., June 22: Birds of Devil's LakeSat., June 28:Dragonflies of Rocky Run (West)Sat., July 5: Madison Butterfly Count

Sat., July 12:Butterflies of Cherokee MarshSat., July 19: Tour of Faville GroveSat., July 26:Tour of Goose Pond PrairieSat., August 9:Birding at Nine SpringsSat., August 23: Fall ShorebirdsMon., Sept. 1 (NEW FIELD TRIP):Pleasant Valley ConservancySat., Sept. 6:Fall Birding at Picnic Point

P h o t o b y R o g e r P a c k e r d

Documents

Jun-Jul-Aug 2003 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society