philanthropy

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'Tis the season to be birdy

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Years ago when I was a grad student, I made a silly t-shirt using iron-on letters. It read ‘Ornithophile’ to celebrate my love of birds. Whenever I wore it, I enjoyed the confused looks I got almost as much as the looks of recognition from fellow bird enthusiasts—like you!

Silly shirts aside, where the rubber meets the road for birds is how folks like you—the bird enthusiasts, habitat protectors, youth educators, citizen scientists, nature advocates—make a difference for birds. When you donate to Madison Audubon to protect and celebrate Wisconsin’s birds, it goes a LONG way.

Photo by Monica Hall

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Thank You's and More

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The votes are in. The turnout in the Madison Audubon region renders the odds that just about every reader of this blog (all 6 of you, bless your hearts) voted along with just about every Madison Audubon member and the vast majority of our neighbors. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. It might seem that voting is an important and obviously right thing to do, but at a time of great anger, pain, cynicism, and complications, one could think of lots of reasons not to. More on the results in a moment but a couple of more thank you's.

Photo by Monica Hall

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A tale of two paddlers

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A tale of two paddlers

Two months ago, I made my first trip to Madison Audubon's Otsego Marsh property (click here for a map) just northeast of Goose Pond Sanctuary. Never heard of it? You're not alone; it's a hidden gem. And now, I can't stay away!

If you haven't made it out there yet this summer, we invite you to visit. It's free, open to all, and an easy drive. There's a parking lot, a hiking trail through the woods, easy put-in locations for canoes and kayaks, and best of all, it's the site of our latest land purchase.

Madison Audubon photo

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Your Piece of the Puzzle

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On June 9, the Madison Audubon office staff donned face masks and binoculars and headed out to tromp around Madison Audubon’s Otsego Marsh and tour our newest land acquisition, the Reierson parcel.

Before we talk about the new land purchase, I just have to share a little about the pre-existing natural area, in particular, Hawkos Pond. This 32-acre marsh is the the centerpiece of the Otsego Marsh preserve and is not only gorgeous, it’s vibrantly alive with native wildlife, along with the woodlands surrounding it.

Madison Audubon photo