A new roadkill reporting system aims to help herptiles like this endangered slender glass lizard, one of Wisconsin's four lizards and the only legless lizard. Photo credit: Nick Walton // WDNR Press Release
Please see this link to assist the DNR in conserving reptiles and amphibians. DNR biologists need our help in identifying road crossings that cause a lot of herp mortality. Their work with turtles at such crossings have shown that such identification and subsequent work on signage or other steps can reduce that mortality.
One such crossing, which doesn't need such protection because our members and guests tend to be careful and drive slowly, is at Goose Pond on Prairie Lane between the prairie and the observation area and Goose Pond itself. Many salamanders over-winter in the prairie and return to the pond in late spring or early summer.
Two of my most memorable wildlife sightings have involved birds and snakes. A snake might have won the first encounter. I was looking at a bluebird house along a prairie along the Blue River when I asked myself, “Why would a bluebird house have a handle?” Upon a closer look, the handle had scales. A northern watersnake had anchored the lower third of its body to the pole and then arched the rest of its body out and then back into the opening of the house. When it exited a few moments later, I didn't notice any feathers or bulges so perhaps the birds had already fledged.
On a road along yet another lovely stream, the West Fork of the Kickapoo, I got to see two redtail hawks in their bonding ritual of dropping a food item to one another. In this case, dinner was a very large and still lively snake. Most of us don't often feel sorry for snakes but I felt bad for this one. But I'll never seen redtails fly in more spectacular fashion.
Our reptile and amphibian friends are well worth saving and, as the DNR link will inform you, many of our Wisconsin species are declining. So keep an eye on the road and let the DNR know if you see any herps crossing it.
Topf Wells, Madison Audubon board member and advocacy committee chair
