For this hike, we will tour our Fair Meadows Sanctuary and State Natural Area. Fair Meadows is a 374 acre property with wide, easily hiked trails that wind through native and restored prairies, oak woodlands, ponds and wetlands adjacent to Lake Koshkonong. This trip is co-hosted with the Rock County Conservationists.
In a celebration of early summer, we'll hike the paths to listen, see, and smell the natural world on what should be a warm summer’s eve. This is the peak time of the year to see bats, glowworms and fireflies, and hear the calls of owls in the woods and the frogs, toads and night birds of the ponds and marshes. The spectacular display of fireflies at this site alone is worth the hike, and we may also get to hear the calls of coyotes nearby.
For this hike, participants should wear light colored clothing appropriate for the forecasted temperatures and have some form of insect repellent handy, but no flashlights, please. Some of the trails may be damp, so wear shoes or boots that are OK to get slightly wet and/or muddy. If there is rain on Friday night, we will try again at the same meeting place and time for Saturday night.
Meet at the parking lot of the Milton Public Library, 430 E. High Street, Milton at 8:45pm. From there we will carpool and caravan for the 10 minute drive to the Fair Meadows State Natural Area north of Milton near Lake Koshkonong.
WHEELCHAIR USE: Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon) has one electric-powered wheelchair available for anyone to use for free. You can learn more about it here, and request it in the form when you register.
Or, if you want to use a more rugged, all-terrain, outdoor wheelchair for this field trip, Access Ability Wisconsin offers them for free! To reserve a chair and trailer, visit their website.
Questions? Contact Dave Bendlin (608-868-3824) or Brenna Marsicek (bmarsicek@swibirds.org)
FIELD TRIP LEADER: Dave Bendlin, Penny and Gary Shackelford
RAIN DATE: June 15
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES:
Electric-powered wheelchair accessible (see notes above about wheelchairs)
Trail grade and number or type of trail impediments are ok for those with difficulty walking or wearing children in packs
Field trip leader is adept at birding by ear and can accommodate those with visual impairments
APPROXIMATE DISTANCE: 1-3 miles
RSVP REQUIRED? Yes. Participation is capped at 12 people from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. Rock County Conservationists will have a separate sign up for 12 people.
Cover photo: fireflies blink over a Fair Meadows prairie. Photo by Gary Shackelford
