Jun-Jul-Aug 2008 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society

8/9/2019 Jun-Jul-Aug 2008 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society

1/8Madison Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society

222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-2473/ www.madisonaudubon.org Summer 2008

Thursday, June 12: Evening at Owen ParkWildlife PondsLeader Russ Hefty will show us the three

new storm water and wildlife ponds, anddiscuss what wildlife is currently presentthere and what we might hope to attract inthe future, such as Wood Ducks. Gourdshave been put out to attract Purple Martins.Meet at 6:30 in the Owen Park Parking

Lot on the south side of 621 Old Sauk Rd.The trip will last until 8 p.m. or so. ContactRuss, (608) 233-8513 or [email protected], only if you have a question about thetrip.

Saturday, June 14: Bicycling Sugar Riverand Avon Bottoms

Join Rich & Amy Staffen on this approx.

15-mile bicycle excursion and experienceplants and animals of wetland, grasslandand woodland habitats. We will bike onthe Sugar River Trail through Albany StateWildlife Area, where all three habitat typeswill yield a nice variety of bird sightings.We will next hike Muralt Bluff Prairie StateNatural Area (medium difficulty). Lastly, wewill cool off with a hike (easy) in a lusciousmaple-basswood forest. The trip will last

until 11:00 a.m. Bring PLENTY of drinkingwater, footwear that is appropriate for both

biking and hiking, long light-weight pantsor zip-offs, high socks to wear over yourpants, insect repellant (Muralt has chiggersand ticks), binoculars, sunscreen.Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Sugar River Bike

Trail parking lot in Albany at the trailsintersection with STH 59 and CTH E. Call(608) 238-0450 with questions or to confirmif weather is questionable.

Sunday, June 15: Tour of Badger OrdnanceCANCELED

Thursday, June 19:Evening at BlackEarth PrairieThis is a joint trip

with The PrairieEnthusiasts(TPE). We willtour a NatureConservancyPreserve and StateNatural Area calledthe Black EarthRettenmund Prairie,recently donated toTPE. Our trip lead-ers will be Kathieand Tom Brock,along with SteveRichter, habitat

manager for The Nature Conservancy. Theextensive wood lilies at this site should bein peak bloom. We will also look for other

flowering plants, as well as birds. Learnabout the history and management of thisprairie! The trip will last about 2 hours.Meet at 6:30 p.m. at Black Earth

Rettenmund Prairie. From Madison go weston Hwy 14 to Black Earth. At the traffic ligh(Shoe Box corner) turn left on County F.After Hwy F turns west go for 1-1/4 mile.Turn right on Fesenfeld Road to the prairieentrance, about 300 yards. Park on right sideof the road. If you have questions about thetrip, call Kathie or Tom at (608) 238-5050 [email protected]

Saturday, June 21: Grassland Birding in

Western Dane and Eastern Iowa CountiesExplore The Nature ConservancysThomson Memorial Prairie Preserve, look-ing and listening for grassland birds andprairie plants. Learn to identify by sight andsound grassland birds such as Bobolinks,Upland Sandpipers, Western Meadowlarks,Dickcissels, and many species of prairiesparrows. Thomson Prairie is part of theMilitary Ridge Prairie Heritage Area, a50,000-acre landscape area of regional significance for grassland bird and prairie speciesconservation. Be prepared for a long hike,and bring binoculars for bird and butterflyviewing. This is a joint trip with The PrairieEnthusiasts and the Nature Conservancy.The trip will last from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.Leaders are Steve Richter & Dave Sample(608) 257-1011.Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the TNCs Thomsons

Prairie Preserve parking lot. DIRECTIONSTake Co. Hwy F south from Blue Mounds.From the intersection of F and US Hwy18/151, take F south for 2 miles to the smalldesignated parking area for the TNC pre-serve (on the right, west side, of the road).(CAUTION: at about 1 mile south from18/151, F turns to the right while Z goesstraight).

Summer Field Trips:Something for Everyone!

MadisonAudubonSocietyServing Columbia,Dane, Dodge, Iowa,

Jefferson, Richlandand Sauk Counties

Inside This Issue

Summer Field Trips ..................1, 3-6Education Committee ...................... 2

Art Fair Rafe Winners ...................3

Green Burial ..................................... 6

April Donations ............................... 6

Goose Pond Frog & Toad Survey ... 7

Volunteer Brunch, Aug. 2 ............. ... 8

Volunteer Opportunity ............. ...... 8

continued on page 3

GreatEgret/PatReady


2/8Summer 20082The Audubon CAWS

THE AUDUBON CAWS is publishedSeptember through June by:

Madison Audubon Society,

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

(608) 255-2473.

Birding hotline, 255-2476.

www.madisonaudubon.org

[email protected]

E-mail services donated by Berbee

The mission of the Madison Audubon

Society is to educate our members and

the public about the natural world and the

threats that natural systems are facing,

to engage in advocacy to preserve and

protect these systems, and to develop andmaintain sanctuaries to save and restore

natural habitat.

TimeTorenew? MembersCheck your Madison Audubon CAWSaddress label to determine your renewaldate. To avoid interruptions to yoursubscription, please renew two monthsbefore that date, so you wont fall behindon news and notices of events.Tip: Renewing through the MAS office

directs more of your donation to localactivities and conservation projects.Update: We are now sending a sepa-rate renewal notice once a year and inthe future we plan to offer the option ofrenewing on the Madison Audubonwebsite.

new, renewalandenhancedmembers

To join Madison Audubon Society,

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MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY

President: Stan Druckenmiller

Vice-president: Debra Weitzel

Goose Pond resident managers:

Mark and Sue Martin

Faville Grove Sanctuary managers:

David Musolf, Roger Packard

Editor: Patrick Ready

[email protected] design: Patrick Ready

[email protected]

CAWS printer: Roemer Printing

Submissions for the September CAWS ar

due August 1st.

Madison Audubon WishlistWe greatly appreciate anydonations, or contributions, for thefollowing items.

Quality binoculars

Digital (LCD) projector

Mule utility vehicle

rider mower or lawn mower inworking condition

kitchen cabinets

30" kitchen stove - electric

energy efcient refrigerator

household/ofce/patiofurniture in good consition

News from our Education Committee:We will be partnering with Madison School Community Recreation

Department's MAD Camp this summer. MAD (Making A Difference) Camp isan eight week service-oriented summer camp for middle school youth. EveryWednesday morning, from June 23-August 15, campers will learn about nature asthey participate in projects ranging from prairie restoration to shoreline enhance-ment.Our Education Committee is expanding, and requests for our Bird Mentor pre-

sentations and custom field trips are increasing. If you are a nature enthusiast, and

would like to share your love of the natural world with learners of all ages, pleaseconsider joining us. No experience is necessary; as we provide on-going trainingand support. Our next Ed. Committee meeting is on June 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Formore information, please call or email Nancy Hylbert, (608) 271-0956, [email protected]

Help us better communicate with you. Pleaseprovide your email address by visiting:

http://madisonaudubon.org/audubon/email

This information will be used only by Madison AudubonSociety and will not be shared with anyone else.


3/83 Summery 2008The Audubon CAWS

Thursday, June 26: Prairie Remnants ofthe Waunakee AreaCANCELED

Saturday, June 28: Butterflies of CherokeeMarshOn this morning walk well observe andlearn about butterflies, those small but

exquisitely beautiful creatures that danceabout our ankles in summer. ConservationBiologist Kathy Kirk will lead this 2 hourwalk at Cherokee Marsh on the northeastside of Madison. We will observe a varietyof butterflies as they take nectar from wild-flowers, and learn about their identification,

behavior, and lifestyle. Bring binoculars ifyou have them close-focusing ones work

best. Its best to wear long pants and a hatfor protection from the sun.Meet at 10:00 a.m. On the north side of

Madison take Northport Drive (Highway113) then turn north on Sherman Ave. Meetat the Cherokee Marsh parking lot at the

north end of Sherman Ave. Call Kathy onlyif you have a question about the trip, at(608) 442-1642.

Sunday, June 29: Ice Age Tour of PrairiesCome and enjoy a 2 hour, 2.5 mile walkalong a new section of the Ice Age NationalScenc Trail in the Driftless Area. The walkwill follow a narrow, steep-sided valley andvisit two prairies one planted by Ice AgeTrail volunteers, the other a restored rem-nant goat prairie. We will also enjoy oaksavanna and oak woodland restorations,early summer prairie flowers in bloom,and woodland birds along the way. Welllearn about the natural features of this 400acre property with a very active restorationschedule of wetland, stream, prairie andoak opening projects. We will end with adramatic overview of the Black Earth Valley.Bring water and food to enjoy a picniclunch with a view! Leaders are Gary Wernerand Steve Richter.Meet at 9:00 a.m. From Madison take Hwy

14 through Cross Plains then turn north(right) on CTH KP. Go 0.3 mile then turnwest (left) onto Scheele Road. Travel togravel driveway on the right. Note Ice AgeTrail trailhead sign on the right. Park along

the right side of the driveway, behind thegate (but watch out for ditch). Call GaryWerner (608) 249-7870 to let him know youare coming or if you have a question aboutthe trip.

Saturday, July 5: Madison ButterflyCountNEW AREA! This is our 18th annual countwhich will be conducted with the SouthernWis. Butterfly Assoc. The leader will be

Edgar Spalding. Each summer butterflyenthusiasts all over North America par-ticipate in some 483 censuses of butterflyspecies. Each count is similar to a ChristmasBird Count. These censuses help to moni-tor the health of our butterfly populationsand the results are published in an annualreport. Last year on the Madison census 13people in 3 groups found 643 butterflies of42 species. If you can identify butterflies, orcan help spot butterflies, or just want to seeand learn about butterflies, join us on this 2hour count/field-trip. Bring binoculars, thecloser they focus the better. Dress for protec-tion from the heat and sun; a hat is recom-

mended. The North American ButterflyAssociation (NABA) requires a $3.00 feefrom each participant to cover publishingcosts.Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the parking lot across

from the entrance to Picnic Point, onthe UW campus. If you have a questionabout the butterfly count call leader EdgarSpalding at (608) 265-5294 or 831-0616.

Saturday, July 12: Flowers, Butterflies andBirds of Schurch-Thomson PrairieWe will visit The Prairie Enthusiasts new-est preserve, Schurch-Thomson Prairie, andthe adjacent privately owned UnderwoodPrairie. The latter is closed to the public, sothis is a great opportunity to see it up close.These and adjacent properties form a com-plex of remnant prairie and CRP grasslandsthat are rich with grassland birds. Summerflowers will be in bloom, and we hope tosee the rare Regal Fritillary and other but-terflies. Last year we found five speciesof fritillaries. Be prepared for a long hikeand bring binoculars for butterfly viewing(the closer they can focus the better). Wewill have a few extra binoculars. This is a

joint trip with The Prairie Enthusiasts andSouthern Wis. Butterfly Assoc. Leaders areRich Henderson and Ann Thering. The tripwill last until noon.

Meet at 9:00 a.m. From Hwy 151 at BlueMounds take F south (note: F makes a rightangle turn). After 5 miles turn right ontoReilly Road. Go to the end and park by the

barn. Call Rich at (608) 845-7065 only If youhave a question about the trip.

Sunday, July 13: Tour of Faville GroveSanctuary (East)This land includes restored prairie andwetlands. The trip will last two to threehours and provide an excellent opportunityto see the prairie in its summer colors. Inaddition to prairie flowers and grasses, we

Summer eld trips . . .continued from page 1

2008 Art Fair Rafe prizesand winnersFramed original watercolor On Top of theWorld donated by artist Janet Flynn. Won byRoberta Laffey of Madison.

$300 gift certificate for seeds or plants fromAgrecol Corporation. Won by P Macaw ofMadison.

Wood duck carving donated by artist JamesS. Smith. Won by Sharon Zingshiem ofJanesville.

Vortex Impact 70 mm spotting scope andRadian 450 tripod donated by Eagle Optics.Won by Paul Noeldner of Madison.

One night stay at the Doubletree Hotel ofMadison and dinner for 2 in the BadgerlandBar and Grill. Won by Mary Preston ofMadison.

$150 studio portrait sitting donated by pho-tographer Jen Hassrick. Won by Barb Doranof McFarland.

Gift certificate for one month unlimited yogaat Inner Fire Yoga Center. Won by AmandaDresen.

Metal sculpture donated by artist EllisNelson. Won by Tom Deits of Madison.

$50 gift certificate donated by Jung GardenCenter. Won by Cris Mix of Sun Prairie.

$50 REI gift certicate for gear rental. Wonby Mindy Gensler of Madison.

$25 gift certicate, t-shirt and water bottledonated by Williamson Street GroceryCo-op. Won by Linda Smulka of Madison.

Cutting board donated by Orange TreeImports. Won by Frances Healy of Madison.

$25 gift certificates donated by Wild BirdsUnlimited. Won by Sandy Pfahler of Oregon,Karen Cunningham of Madison and PatKramer of Madison.

Birdscaping in the Midwest: A Guide toGardening with Native Plants to Attract Birds

by Mariette Nowak, donated by Itchy CatPress. Won by Jean Trine of Madison, JudyMcConnell of Monona and Jackie Marfilius ofMonona.

Programmable thermostat donated by Stan &Jeannie Druckenmiller. Won by Fay Feringtonof Madison.

Audubon t-shirt donated by WildwoodProductions. Bike accessories donated byBudget Bicycle. Won by Mary Pothour ofMadison.

Wine caddy donated by GraberWoodworking LLC. Won by Frances Healy ofMadison.

CD Lynette donated by Lynette Margulies.Won by Craig Newman of Madison.

continued on next page

Swallow

tail/PatReady


4/84 Summer 2008The Audubon Caws

will watch for a variety of birds includingBobolink, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark,among others. Leaders will be David Musolfand Roger Packard. Meet at the Sanctuaryeast unit at 7:00 a.m. From I-94, at LakeMills, go north on Hwy 89 1-3/4 miles. Turnright on G and go 1-1/2 miles, turning rightonto Prairie Lane. Park in the pull off onthe right-hand side. If you have any ques-tions, call David Musolf at (608) 265-4562weekdays.

Saturday, July 19: Birds, Butterflies andDragonflies of Picnic Point Area

Join us in a search for pretty things withwings! If the weather cooperates, we mayexpect to see interesting bird species andat least half a dozen species of dragonfliesand twice as many different butterflies.The walking route will include the edge ofMendotas University Bay, the woods ofPicnic Point, and the Biocore Prairie. Bringyour binoculars the closer they focus the

better. This 2 hour trip is co-sponsored byFriends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserveand Southern Wis. Butterfly Assoc. Leader isEdgar Spalding.Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Picnic Point

Parking Lot on the UW campus. If you havea question about the trip call Edgar Spaldingat (608) 265-5294 or 831-0616.

Sunday, July 20: Prairies at their PeakWe will visit Pleasant Valley Conservancy,a fine prairie/oak savanna area in westernDane County. It has been under restorationfor about 11 years and is now permanentlypreserved as a State Natural Area. Becauseof the extensive brush control and burnprogram which has been carried out this

year, the site should be quite attractive. Red-headed Woodpeckers are usually nesting.The hike will involve some hill climbing, sowear sturdy shoes and long pants. This isa joint trip with The Prairie Enthusiasts. Atthe end of the 3 hour trip, light refreshmentswill be served at the small cabin/shack.Meet at 1:00 pm. From Black Earth go west

on F about 4 miles. Turn left onto PleasantValley Rd. and stop at fire # 4609. Park onthe right side of the road. Call leaders Tomand Kathie Brock at (608) 238-5050 if youhave a question about the trip.

Saturday, July 26: Scuppernong ValleyPrairie and ButterfliesCome and explore over 1,000 acres of low-land prairie habitat in various stages ofrecovery. Located in Waukesha Co. thisWI DNR owned land has the potential of

becoming one of the largest and richest prai-rie areas in the state. The vegetation acrossthis level landscape is a mosaic of high-quality remnant prairie, long-abandonedold-fields reverting back to prairie, and

everything in between. Three state naturalareas are currently designated within thearea. The DNRs efforts in recent years ofextensive clearing of trees and brush andreintroducing fire are resulting in the rec-lamation of large areas of prairie. Manyprairie flowers and a variety of butterfliesabound. Some late season grassland birdsmay also still be active in the area as well.This is a joint trip with Southern Wis.Butterfly Assoc. and The Prairie Enthusiasts.Be prepared for much walking and somewet ground. Bring food and water, sunscreen, hat, insect repellent, and binoculars(the closer they focus the better we will

have a few extra pairs).Leaders areRich Henderson (608) 845-7065and Karl & Dorothy Legler.Meet at 10:00 a.m. The trip will last until

3:00 pm.Directions: Meet at the Scuppernong PrairieState Natural Area parking lot on CountyN. From Eagle (in SW Waukesha Co.) takeUS 59 west for 1 mile to County N. Turnright (north) on to N and go for about 1.5miles. Look for a Scuppernong Prairie signon the right. The gravel parking lot is onthe left. Those wishing to car pool fromMadison, should meet (8:30 a.m.) at theDutch Mill Park and Ride on Broadway, eastof Stoughton Rd, on Madisons SE side.

Sunday, August 3: Canoe Cherokee MarshEcological RestorationLearn about the fascinating history andrestoration story of Cherokee Marsh, thewetland at the mouth of Lake Mendota.When a dam at Tenney Park was created in1849, and again in 1900, the Cherokee areawas flooded with seven feet of water. Thepeat layer delaminated and rose to thesurface forming a floating bog. But erosionover the decades has destroyed more thanone square mile of wetland. Russ Hefty willshow us how the shoreline of this floating

bog is being stabilized by plantings to form

a vegetation breakwater and silt fence. Thisshould be peak bloom for the thousands ofAmerican Lotus Water Lilies used as a buf-fer! We hope to see a number of Great Egretsand other wetland birds.Bring your canoe or kayak and meet at 8:30

a.m. at the School Road boat landing. TakeSchool Road north from Northport Driveuntil the road starts turning east. Insteadturn left onto the gravel road and proceedto the pier and parking lot. You will see thesign for Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park.Contact the leader, Russ Hefty at (608) 233-8513 or [email protected], only if youhave a question about the trip.

Saturday, August 9: Butterflies of theAvoca/Blue River AreaThis trip will highlight several areas in theLower Wisconsin State Riverway, includingAvoca Prairie and Savanna State NaturalArea in Iowa Co. and the Muscoda and BlueRiver units in Grant Co. Leader will be MikeReese. We expect to see late butterflies andseveral southern immigrants. The trip maylast until 5 p.m. A hat and long pants arerecommended. Bring a lunch and binocular

(the closer they focus the better). A few extrabinoculars are available. This is a joint tripwith the Southern Wis. Butterfly Assn.

Meet at 10:30 a.m. Allow 1-1/4 hour traveltime from Madison. Take Hwy 14 east toLone Rock, south on Hwy 130 then turnright on Hwy 133. Go west about 5.5 miles,turn right on Hay Rd, and drive north to theparking lot just before the creek. Call Mikeat (920) 787-2341 if you have a questionabout the trip.

Saturday, August 9: Goose Pond PrairieRestoration

Join us for a tour of restored prairies atGoose Pond Sanctuary led by Mark and SueMartin, Goose Pond Resident Naturalists.The prairies should be in peak color and thiswill be a good opportunity to learn yourprairie plants. We will also tour mesic anddry-mesic prairies as well as unburned and

burned prairies. The trip will last about2.5 hours. You may want to bring a picniclunch. Meet at the Audubon farm houseW7503 Kampen Road (northwest of thepond) at 9:30 a.m.Directions: From Madison go north on Hwy51 into Columbia County, turn left (west)on County Hwy K. After two miles turnright (north) onto Goose Pond Road, thennorth one mile to Kampen Road, turn lefton Kampen Road for 1/2 mile which is thedriveway to the Audubon farm house. If

Skipper/PatReady


5/85The Audubon Caws Summer 2008

you have any questions about the trip callMark or Sue at (608) 635-4160 or email themat [email protected]

Saturday, August 16: Driftless Area CavesThis field trip will introduce the aver-age surface dweller to the amazing worldof caves! We will see some general karsttopographic features and learn about thegeology of southwest Wisconsin. The maincomponent of the trip will be an under-

ground visit to one of the wild caves foundin this area- that is, a cave undeveloped forhuman visitors. In addition to studying thegeneral geology/speleology of the cave,well see exactly why cave ecosystems areso unique and fragile. The cave we visitnormally hosts two to three species of bats,which hopefully will be roosting during ourdaytime visit and available for us to see upclose. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. and returnto Madison by late afternoon.Our visit to a wild cave is considered

caving and is moderately strenuous. Inaddition to a short but steep hike to the caveentrance, our underground experience will

include walking on wet, sometimes looserock, ducking, and some hands and kneescrawling. We will journey to the end of thecave via one short, but tight belly crawl- incaver language, a squeeze.Participants will need at least two flash-

lights (headlamps are ideal), a helmet (abike helmet will do), gloves, sturdy foot-wear, and warm old clothes (clothes that youwould paint in). Remember, caves are cool;plan to get wet and dirty; bring an extrachange of clothes for the drive home. Pack alunch and bring a bottle of water.Participation is limited to 8 people. To

register for this trip, or if you have ques-tions, call Jennifer Schehr (608) 843-2176and leave your name, telephone numberand how many people in your group (nochildren younger than eight). After register-ing Jennifer will contact you with a carpoolmeeting place for the trip.Registration opens August 1; a short wait-ing list will be held in case of cancella-tions.

Saturday, August 23: Asters andGoldenrods of Sauk CountyCANCELED

Thursday, August 28: Fall Warbler Walk atPheasant Branch

Walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy withMike McDowell at the beginning of fall birdmigration. Expect to see warblers, vireos,flycatchers and other migrants. Bring com-fortable shoes for a two hour walk. Meetat 7:00 a.m. in Middleton at the dead-endstreet by Parisi Park (where Park Lawn St.and Park St. meet.) Rain or shine. If youhave questions about the trip, call MikeMcDowell (608) 850-4122 or [email protected].

Monday, September 1: Pleasant ValleyConservancy TourThis is a joint trip with The Prairie

Enthusiasts. Kathie and Tom Brock willlead an afternoon trip at Pleasant ValleyConservancy on Labor Day. The site is in theTown of Vermont, south of Black Earth, inthe driftless area of southwestern Wisconsin.The property contains prairie remnants andextensive oak savanna and has been underintensive management for the past elevenyears. It has recently been permanently pre-served as a State Natural Area. Hiking will

be partly across steep bluffs, and long pantsand good hiking shoes are recommended.Meet at the property at 1 p.m. The trip will

last three hours. From Black Earth take Cty Fto the west and then south for 5 miles. Turnleft on Pleasant Valley Rd. Parking is on thesouth side by the driveway at Fire Number4609. If you have any questions about thetrip call Kathie or Tom at (608) 238-5050.

Thursday, September 4: Evening Tour ofOwen ParkEnjoy an evening of fall color in one ofMadisons restored prairies. Asters, sun-flowers, goldenrods and other fall prairieflowers will be blooming among the tallprairie grasses. The Monarch butterflymigration may be peaking about this time.We will be alert for possible fall migrating

birds, and there is always the possibility ofseeing or hearing one of the 3 species of owlthat live here. We will check out three newholding ponds.Meet at 6:00 p.m. in the Owen Park park-

ing lot on the south side of Old Sauk Rd.to spend about two hours enjoying anevening walk. Sylvia Marek, who livesa stone's throw east of Owen Park, will

share some of her 30 years of accumulatedknowledge about her favorite neighborhoodpark. Questions, call leader Sylvia at (608)238-8344, evenings.

Saturday, September 6: Fall Birding, LakeFarm ParkJoin Pat Ready from 8 to 11 a.m. for

a look at fall songbirds, raptors andwaterfowl as they migrate throughsouthern Wisconsin. Meet at the #1 picnicshelter parking lot on Libby Rd. Wellstroll along the trails searching sky, trees,water and elds.Take South Town Rd. south from the

Beltline to Moorland Rd. and turn left.Continue to Libby Rd. and turn left againThe shelter lot is a few blocks up on yourleft. Call Pat at (608) 873-1703 for moreinfo.

Saturday, September 6: Butterflies atOlbrich GardensThis is a joint trip with the Southern Wis.Butterfly Assoc. and Olbrich BotanicalGardens.

Last year many beautiful butterfly speciesthat migrate from the south found their wayto Olbrich. Possible immigrant species atOlbrich include Fiery Skipper, Painted Lady,Common Buckeye, Red Admiral, PipevineSwallowtail, and Little Yellow. The Pipevineis an especially spectacular butterfly. Olbrichhas several plantings of the attractive vine,called Pipevine, which the adult butterflieslay their eggs on, and the caterpillars eat.Pipevines dont reach Wisconsin every year,

but we might get lucky!Olbrich Gardens are especially beauti-

ful this time of year; many good butterflynectar sources should be blooming, includ-

ing asters, milkweeds, verbenas, zinnias,sedums, salvias, butterfly bush, buttonbush,and more. Leaders are Ann Thering and

Joan Braune.Dress for protection from the heat, sun and

insects. A hat is recommended. Bring binoc-ulars (the closer they can focus, the better).Stormy weather could cancel the trip. if youhave any questions about the trip contactAnn Thering, (608) 836-1097,[email protected], or Joan Braune,

[email protected] within the garden at 10:30 a.m., just

outside the lobby of Olbrich. The trip willlast until noon. Olbrich Gardens is located at3330 Atwood Avenue which runs along thenortheast side of Lake Monona.

OperationRubyThroat Comingin 2009Have you ever held a humming-bird? Youre invited to help mist-netand band wintering Ruby-throatedHummingbirds in Costa Rica, Feb. 3-11,2009. Make a real contribution as a citi-

zen scientist while you enjoy nature in abeautiful tropical setting.

Madison Audubon has arranged for agroup of 12-14 to visit Guanacaste, CostaRica, to work under the expert guidanceof Bill Hilton, Jr., founder of OperationRubyThroat, the Hummingbird Project.For more information about the trip itin-erary, accommodations and fees, visit theMAS website at www.madisonaudubonorg. Additional details will appear inthe September CAWS.

Robinnest/PatReady


6/8The Audubon Caws 6 Summer 2008

Upcoming Jefferson / DodgeCounty Bird WalksWe want to remind everyone that

the Jefferson / Dodge County AreaBird Walks will continue through thesummer. We hold our walks on thethird weekend of the month, eitherSaturday or Sunday depending oncircumstances. We want to plan the

walks based on where the birds areand what the weather is like, so we'llbe planning the walks close to theactual date of each walk. Please checkwith our website at http://www.theropod.org/walks.html to keep upto date on the times and places of thewalks. In fact, while there why notsign up to receive our e-mail notices?That will ensure you're alerted to anylast minute changes due to weatheror other circumstances. Your e-mailaddress will not be given to anyoneelse and will only be used to keep youup to date on our plans.At the website you'll also nd maps

and information on how to get tothe walk sites. The walks are open toeveryone regardless of experience.All you need to bring is your interestin birds, good walking shoes andbinoculars if you have them.

Donations received in April

MY OWN VISIONGeorge and Lavora BairdColleen and Bill FeistRuth HindClifford Voegeli

GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSONIn Memory of Elizabeth Bardwell Eve WilkieIn Memory of Jane WoodGhita Bessman

In Memory of Lorraine WoodfordClare Altschuler

Andrea BrendemuehlPat Haraughty-SannaMolly PlunkettArleen WolekJerre Ziebelman

GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSONIn Honor of Dorothy HainesDorothy Chapek

In Honor of Mark and Sue Martin Susi Hickey Nehls

Are "Green" FuneralArangements in YourFuture?By Joy StewartDr. Francis Hole, former professor of Soil

Science at the University of Wisconsin,was known for his droll observation,We are all TNS.temporarily not soil.

This bit of comic insight underlies a quietrevolution occurring in this country inhow we care for our bodies at the timeof death. Many people are discoveringthat they want an alternative to embalm-ing with toxic chemicals, to metal burialcontainers coated with preservatives, andto manicured cemeteries that rely on largequantities of pesticides and fossil fuels.More and more people are looking for anenvironmentally sensitive burial whereour bodies are reunited with the earth.The baby boomers who kick-started the

environmental movement are leadingthe way in this effort and bringing theirenvironmental perspective to the burialprocess. Cemeteries are no longer end-less rows of crowded stone markers ina manicured lawn. Instead memorialnature preserves blend together the oldand new--the old fashioned values of sim-plicity and love of the land with the latestscientific practices of land conservationand stewardship. The burial process uses

biodegradable caskets, no vaults, no toxicembalming and no artificial headstones.Graves are widely spaced and blendedinto the landscape. The cemetery is aplace of burial and rebirthin essence anatural area that protects and enhancesnative plants and wildlife, providing aplace of peace and beauty.

Currently, eight states offer greenburial sitesSouth Carolina, Florida,New Mexico, Massachusetts, New

Jersey, Texas, California and New York.A new non-profit land trust, Trust forNatural Legacies (TNL) is striving to addWisconsin to this list. TNL was organizedin the Madison-Milwaukee area in 2006.It is committed to conserving and restor-ing natural areas throughout the Midwest

by owning and operating conservationcemeteries as well as reaching acrossgenerations to build a network of peopleand organizations interested in green

burial. Through that vision, TNL hopes toempower people to participate in leavinga legacy that will preserve thousands ofacres of natural areas for future genera-tions. It was honored to be chosen as oneof the People Who Make a Difference byWisconsin Trails magazine.You can learn more about TNL at their

website at www.naturallegacies.org

and become a TNL member or subscribeto their quarterly newsletter, NaturalLegacy News.Joy Stewart is a Board member of the Trust

for Natural Legacies, and is a past Boardmember of Madison Audubon Society.

Whooping it up in Dane Co.Five Whooping Cranes were spotted resting and feeding in a farm eld in southernDane County during the last week of April and early May. These cranes are part of

the Whooping Crane Eastern Parnership, including the Operation Migration project

where they train young Whooping Cranes to migrate from Wisconsin to Florida

using ultralight aircraft. The cranes are now back at Necedah National WildleRefuge.

Photo: Billy Campbell, President, Memorial Eco-systems


7/87The Audubon Caws Summer 2008

Special GiftSI wish to help make MadisonAudubons vision a reality.

[ ] Acre-Maker, $2,500 or more can pur-chase and restore one acre of land

[ ] Half-Acre-Maker, $1,250-$2,499

[ ] Quarter-Acre-Maker, $625-$1,249

[ ] Adopt-an-Acre, $100 a year for threeyears ($300 total). Here is my firstinstallment.

[ ] Nest Egg, $50 a year for three years($150 total). Here is my first install-ment.

[ ] My Own Vision, a donation of $_____

My name ________________________________

Address _________________________________

City_____________________________________

State_____ ZIP________________

email _______________________________

I want my gift to recognize another:

[ ] In memory of ______________________

[ ] In honor of ________________________

Please send notification of this gift to:

Name ________________________________

Address _________________________________

City _____________________________________

State__________ ZIP____________

[ ] Please do not acknowledge my gift inMadison AudubonCAWS

Please make checks payable to:Madison Audubon SocietyMail 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 Societys financial statement isavailable upon request.

Frog and ToadSurveyBy Mark and Sue Martin Leopard frog populationsgreatly decreased in the 1970sand observations were few andfar between. Ruth Hine with theDepartment of Natural Resources

Bureau of Research came up withthe idea to establish frog surveys todetermine the status, distribution,and long-term population trends.Mike Mossman assisted with settingup counts in 1981 and in 1984 theWisconsin Frog and Toad Surveybegan statewide.

We learned our calls from a tapeproduced by Ray Anderson, WildlifeProfessor, and Debra Jansen atU.W. Stevens Point. Over the yearsMadison Audubon Society has soldover 1,000 of the tapes.We conducted our rst frog count

on April 26, 1981. Our 10-stop routebegins at Otsego Marsh, includes twostops at Schoenebergs Marsh, andends at Goose Pond. Three countsare conducted annually. Our Aprilcount this year was our 79th count.We look forward to observing the frogand toad populations and interestingobservations.At times our dogs ride along and

they do not know what to think whenwe stop the car to survey a marsh andpeacocks at a nearby residence screamout their loud meow calls from theirdark hideouts. We have learned thatslamming a car door is one way toprovoke their calls, and our dogs areamazed when these large birds reply.Our favorite area to observe wildlife

is Tollefson Road that dead-endsat a marsh edge in the Mud LakeState Wildlife Area. Interestingobservations on that road in past

years include a brood of barred owlsand a family of red fox.On our April 17 survey this year

at Goose Pond we heard our usuallarge chorus of chorus frogs and themost spring peepers that we haveever heard. Spring peepers numbershave always been low at Goose Pond.Their breeding habitat is temporaryor semi-permanent marshes, swamps,and ponds within or adjacent towooded areas. DNR Herpetologist

Bob Hay issurprisedwe have anypeepers atGoose Pondsince we haveonly about 15bur oaks on a

hill above the pond.

That evening we found 3 largeleopard frogs, 2 tiger salamanders,and 1 American toad on Goose PondRoad. In late April the deck door wasopen for a short time and in hopped atree frog!

This year Goose Pond is higher andlarger than normal thanks to the 100inches of snow and above normalApril rains. Some species of frogs likean increase in shallow water and itappears we will have a bumper cropof young frogs. It is hard to imagine

a few years ago the pond was dryand we were wondering if any frogswould survive.

Kinzel Family Volunteers forRoadside Cleanup

Tim Kitzel called and was lookingfor a volunteer project for himselfand his sons Jay and John. We hadalready nished planting 125 shrubsand trees at Goose Pond and Markasked if they were interested inpicking up litter?

We left empty bags and pails forthem on the porch, as we were nothome on the day they volunteered.When we returned the bags werestill on the porch but this time theywere full! They spent a morningpicking up trash along roadsides atGoose Pond and Erstad Prairie andunfortunately they found a largeamount and variety of trash.

We asked Jay what they found andhe mentioned that they found most

of a 24 pack of Bush Lite beer cans.In addition to the usual cans, bottles,bags, they found two deer carcassesleft in plastic garbage bags.

June Monday Night Workat Goose Pond

Volunteers are needed to assistwith weedy species removal onwork nights every Monday in June,except June 30, starting at 6:30 p.m.Work will concentrate on prairie

management at Goose Pond and theUW Agricultural Research Stationprairie remnant. This is a great wayto learn prairie species. Dress in longsleeves, long pants, and sturdy shoes.Cold refreshments will be served. Asalways, these work nights may becancelled because of rain. ContactMark or Sue at (608) 635-4160 or

[email protected] if you need moreinformation.


8/8

Madison Audubon Society, Inc.Stan Druckenmiller, President222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1Madison, WI 53703

Summer Field Trips!see page 1

Brunch on the Prairie: August 2Volunteers are the heart

of Madison Audubon. OnSaturday, Aug. 2 we will

honor several outstandingvolunteers at our 2008 sum-mer celebration, Brunch onthe Prairie.This relaxed get-together

will be held at the GoosePond Sanctuary Kampen Rd.headquarters. Everyone iswelcome to attend, includingmembers, volunteers, andtheir family and friends whowould like to get acquaintedwith Madison Audubon.

The event begins at 8:30a.m. with a walking tourof nearby restored prairieswhich should be in full bloom. Bring your camera and binoculars to see late sum-mer prairie birds. The prairie plants will probably be wet with dew, so dress accord-ingly.Brunch will be served at 10:00 a.m., with volunteer awards presented at 10:30.

Please RSVP by Fri., July 18 to John Minnich at (608) 327-0129 [email protected] to let us know how many will attend and if youhave any special food requirements. To help cover the cost of food, a $5 donationis requested at the door for those age 12 and over.

Directions to Goose Pond are available on the MAS website(www.madisonaudubon.org) or through the mail upon request.

Volunteer Opportunity:Speakers BureauCoordinator

Help Madison Audubon spread theword about birds, wildlife, and conser-vation.

We are seeking a volunteer SpeakersBureau Coordinator who will respondto requests from local service clubs,senior centers, friends groups, and oth-ers. Volunteer speakers use PowerPointprograms for their Audubon talks.The Coordinators role is to conrmthe request, obtain details, schedule aspeaker, and reserve A-V equipment.

If youre an organized, outgoing per-

son who likes peopleMadison Audu-bon needs you! For more informationor to volunteer, contact Karen EtterHale at the MAS Ofce, (608) 255-2473,[email protected]

Join us for theVolunteer Brunch

on August 2.

The food exchange by Pat ReadyOn my MAS Bluebird Trail at Lk. Farm Co. Park I captured the adult

bluebirds in their feeding ritual. Males seldom feed chicks directly.1- she is poised waiting, listening.2- the male comes with a bug and she ies out to the top to get it.3- she takes the bug from him and ies to the entrance.6- she feeds one or 2 chicksThe female will also hunt for food on her own.

Documents

Jun-Jul-Aug 2008 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society