Advocacy

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Celebrating and Mourning Earth Day

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Although the timing was fortuitous, Madison Audubon celebrated Earth Day in an especially wonderful way. We agreed to buy land that will dramatically improve one of our smaller sanctuaries.

Otsego Marsh is a mostly wonderful 80 acres that Madison Audubon owns in Columbia County, about 15 minutes north and east of Goose Pond. It contains a nice marsh and upland woods. Madison Audubon has worked to improve the woods, most recently with some tree-planting last year. A path runs through the woods, enabling you to see some nice spring ephemerals right about now.

Photo by Graham Steinhauer

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Kids and the Curiosity Seed

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Harry and his family moved on to another air base and many years passed. Thirty or so years later, I asked Mom whatever happened to Harry Greene. Funny you should ask, she said, I'll send you the latest copy of the Smithsonian magazine and you'll see for yourself. That issue announced a series of lectures by Professor Harry Greene coinciding with the publication of his evolutionary study of snakes (like all the snakes in the world). Harry has become one of the world's most prominent herpetologists and is now an advocate for re-wilding parts of the West. He is now a Professor Emeritus at Cornell. His massive and beautifully illustrated evolutionary study of snakes is entitled Snakes (simple enough).

Photo by Dave Thomas FCC

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We are Not Alone

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We are Not Alone

The plague has reminded us how important human contact is — physical, familial, emotional — and how painful the loss of that can be. We need to be reminded that we are not alone and how we can maintain contact with one another. Thanks to Matt, Brenna, Carolyn, Caitlyn, Becky, and John of Madison Audubon's staff as they create new ways to reach out to our members, volunteers, and friends during these uniquely trying times.

Madison Audubon is not alone either. I thought a review of some of our organizational friends, partners, and allies might make for a few moments of happy reading (and some ideas of some new places to spend time outdoors).

Photo by Drew Harry

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Good news for grassland birds (and people!)

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Our upland birds and waterfowl and shore birds have found a wonderful new ally in the elected officials and Land and Water Resources staff of Dane County. Determined to improve water quality and reduce flooding, Dane County has recently bought about a thousand acres in many different parcels, mostly in the Upper Mendota watershed. Almost all of this land is in row crops. Over the next few years, the County will restore those lands to prairie and wetlands, which are infinitely better at retention and infiltration of water and happy, happy homes for grassland birds. The wetlands and upland cover will also provide more habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.

Madison Audubon photo

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Lookin' Out My Backdoor

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So went the advice of Creedence Clearwater Revival (admit it, some of you remember the band) and it's applicable today. Most of are and should be at home most of the time. Our bird friends are there too. You never know what you're going to see to amuse, inspire, or awe you unless you take the time to look.

In my front, side, and back yards, the stars this spring have been the cardinals. Two males and a female have been foraging and chasing one another. They can really fly through tight spaces. Some chickadees are sparing me some arduous clean up. I had about a three foot, rotting stump of an apple tree and decided that a year of procrastination was enough. The stump had to go. But a pair of chickadees started work on it just a couple of days ago. They are preparing a nest? Feeding on insects? Who cares, the stump is theirs for as long as they want it.

Photo by Mr.TinDC, FCC