2025 has been fantastic!
As the end of the year approaches, we have so much to celebrate. Thanks to the support of our members, volunteers, and partners, our organization has been part of many delightful memories this year, full of wonder and awe.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Left: a child holds a sprouting acorn, right: a child holds a crayfish claw (photos by Mickenzee Okon/SoWBA).
“My highlight this year can’t be described as a single moment. It’s the many little moments when a kid runs up to me to show me something cool they’ve found. Sometimes it’s a feather on the side of the trail, or a crayfish claw on the beach, or an old lotus pod, and sometimes it’s something I can’t even place. I love that we get to share those moments of awe and amazement in nature together all year round.” —Mickenzee Okon, educator
Birding by Ear course at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in May 2025 (photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA).
“Each spring, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and our longtime partners at Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired host a Birding by Ear course. Instead of worrying about memorization and ID, we focus on how to deeply listen to the birds and nature around us. . . which leads to many insightful and poetic observations! This year, we had an especially cool opportunity to compare the songs and calls of Baltimore Orioles and Orchard Orioles in real time at Aldo Leopold Nature Center.” —Kaitlin Svabek, director of communications
Matt Reetz, David Gunnulson, & Mark Martin at Hillside Prairie in June 2025 (photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA).
“The ribbon cutting at our newest sanctuary, Hillside Prairie, brought together members, board, staff, and neighbors to celebrate a deep history, a bright future, beautiful scenery, fabulous birds, great company, and a rich family legacy. And with delicious pizza from Sprouting Acres too!” —Matt Reetz, executive director
David Gunnulson shares stories at Sprouting Acres before the ribbon cutting (photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA).
“On June 7, 140 people joined us as we cut the ribbon at Hillside Prairie Sanctuary with the backdrop of the surrounding countryside and the 180-year-old Norway spruce brought as seedlings on the boat from Norway. The day was made special by heartwarming stories from David Gunnulson, the fifth-generation Norwegian farmer on the land. David shared family stories at the gathering about the hardships of the early years and his appreciation of being able to see that the farm will now be protected and managed for his beloved Bobolinks and monarch butterflies.” —Mark Martin & Susan Foote-Martin, Goose Pond sanctuary managers
Bobolink singing at Hillside Prairie Sanctuary in June 2025 (photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA).
“I will fondly remember the Hillside Prairie Sanctuary dedication ceremony, where I connected with neighboring landowners by pointing out the ‘punk rocker’ Bobolink that was singing as we walked down the hill, through the prairie. They hadn't seen one before, and were delighted to observe it! It was a nice moment, and an affirmation of why that place and that event was important.” —Matt Krueger, board member
“Every year, Goose Pond staff participates in the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey (coordinated by the Wisconsin DNR) on three nights at ten locations. It only takes one person with a good ear to do the surveys, but I thought perhaps our volunteers like amphibians as much as I do. Eleven people showed up after dark to listen, and they loved it! Goose Pond, traditionally the last stop on the route, was the perfect closer. Cope’s gray treefrogs and American toads were abundant, but also Least Bitterns cooed, owls hooted, mystery creatures padded through the bulrush, and the silhouette of a known Whooping Crane was clearly visible. The feedback was too good to not do it again next year.”
—Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond land steward
Video on right by Graham Steinhauer/SoWBA
“On June 30, while pulling garlic mustard, I heard a strange, loud hissing very close to my head, like Darth Vader might be in the woods. Looking around, I saw a large cavity in a snag and a rather large, fuzzy white bird within. A Turkey Vulture nestling! We later discovered that there were two nestlings. For years, we had been looking for a Turkey Vulture nest at Fair Meadows. . . another good reason to pull garlic mustard.”
—Chris Kaplan, Fair Meadows land steward
Left: A Turkey Vulture nestling (photo by Chris Kaplan/SoWBA).
“It’s always fun working and exploring with the summer intern crew at Faville Grove. You never know what they’ll discover next, like this starbellied orbweaver on a bog birch stem in Faville Grove Bog. We thought it was a gall until someone noticed the spider legs sticking out!”
—Roger Packard, Faville Grove volunteer sanctuary manager
Left: starbellied orbweaver (photo by Soraya Castle/SoWBA).
Cellophane bee species Colletes ciliatus (photo by Jay Watson/Wisconsin DNR).
“We have come to appreciate various species of dodder in our prairies and sedge meadows. Dodders belong to a large genus of parasitic plants, and we welcome their ability to suppress large and aggressive species such as Canada goldenrod and saw-toothed sunflower. This summer, Jay Watson, a DNR entomologist, visited Fair Meadows in mid-August and found several Colletes ciliatus, a species of cellophane bee, visiting rope dodder in a prairie. This is a super-rare species. Jay later told us that he had obtained confirmation of the species ID, and it is a Wisconsin state record!” —Penny Shackelford, Fair Meadows volunteer sanctuary manager
Birding by Boat at Cherokee Marsh South in August 2025 (photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA).
“One memory that always stands out is the perennial Birding by Boat event that I lead with Brenna in the summer. It is always great to see so many people new to paddling join us for this event, and we had a beautiful evening out on the water to search for birds.”
—Jeff Galligan, secretary of the board
The Cooper’s Hawk clutches the whip-poor-will after its successful strike (photo by Gary Shackelford).
“My highlight for the year was an amazing encounter between a Cooper’s Hawk and an Eastern Whip-poor-will that I witnessed in early October. The unfortunate nightjar was captured in mid-air by the hawk after she had presumably been flushed from her roost. I felt a twang of sympathy for the whip-poor-will, but the hawk was only following its instincts.”
—Gary Shackelford, Fair Meadows volunteer sanctuary manager
Lincoln Elementary fourth graders find bountiful woolly bears at Wingra Creek (photo by Carolyn Byers/SoWBA).
“Mickenzee and I go on a lot of walks with kids, but one October day at Wingra Creek, we encountered a pack of wild animals unlike any other. Our mission was to notice phenology, or signs of the changing season, like colorful leaves and which bird species were still present. But then, one child found a woolly bear: a small, slow, fuzzy, caterpillar. And then another kid found one. And another. They were everywhere! The delighted giggles and shrieks of ‘I found another one!’ are one of the huge reasons Mickenzee and I love our jobs. We know those kids remember that day too!” —Carolyn Byers, director of education
Birding Your Way at Fish Camp County Park to celebrate Birdability Week (photos by Jasmine Banks).
“On October 25, I co-lead a birding stroll at Fish Camp County Park for Birdability Week. My first time there, I was awestruck by its beauty and have been back numerous times since to share it with others and enjoy it by myself. I met so many incredible people on our walk, some who had never went birding before and others who had been for many years, but the one common denominator was the beauty of the birds and the kindness of the people.”
—Jasmine Banks, board member
Education intern Juanita Duarte teaches kindergarteners about bats (photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA).
“One of my highlights this year was tagging along to see our educators in action. I joined them at a local elementary school for a Halloween-themed lesson all about bats. It was so fun to connect with the students and see how my amazing colleagues create a playful, engaging learning environment that the kids clearly love!”
—Liz Pelton, membership & development associate
Matt Reetz testifies at a hearing for the Sandhill Crane hunt bill in November 2025 (photo by Ryan Michalesko).
“My favorite memory with Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance since I started in October was visiting the Wisconsin State Capitol to listen in on the public hearing for a bill proposing a Sandhill Crane hunting season. While the topic was unsettling, it was heartening to see how full the room was and to hear the diversity of opinions presented. I felt very proud to be part of the Bird Alliance, which rallied opposition to the bill alongside our partners, and grateful for the chance to get to know Wisconsinites a bit better by listening to the discussions.”
—Kady Davis, director of development
A museum docent explains the Peregrine Falcon sculpture in the exhibit (photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA).
“In December, we had a fabulous longer-distance field trip to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau to tour the Birds in Art exhibit with other SoWBA members. Everything about the day was shades of awesome, including the artwork, the time spent carpooling and eating lunch with like-minded people, and even the cozy feeling of snow falling calmly as we explored. I’m so grateful to get to have experiences like this with our members!”
—Brenna Marsicek, director of outreach
What were some of your favorite moments from this year?
Cover image: a hand holds a pale feather with the blue sky and clouds in the background (photo by Nathan Flick/Creative Commons).
