Bird & Nature Blog
A clutch of the latest stories from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
Winter is a tough time in my neighborhood, in part because of me. Several times a night my neighbors see my backyard light go on, hear my backdoor banging, and, in a few moments, my pleading with Philly and Peggy, my two noble dogs, to please come back in and LEAVE IT. IT is the real source of the problem, one of my backyard rabbits. The light and noise are to warn the rabbits that the dogs are being let out. The pleading is to stop the dogs from chasing the rabbits.
Paintings by Sally Probasco
Meantime, some Christmas gifts have arrived. Please see this DNR story, Holiday Birding Report, Dec. 18, 2020, for the news that many, many bright little birds are visiting Wisconsin this winter. They'd love to welcome you outside for a reminder of how lovely and bountiful nature can be and maybe as a symbol of how life can take unexpected turns for the better. At any rate, they're gorgeous and will lift your spirits. One of the DNR links offers good advice for providing our winter visitors proper nutrition, Ten Tips for Winter Bird Feeding.
Photo by Ryan Brady
Our good folks at Goose Pond and Faville Grove had a different and much healthier attitude toward the snow. On Friday morning, I was lucky enough to be among the dozen or so volunteers who finished sowing a new prairie at the newly acquired Benade tract just down the road from Goose Pond. Just about as the last bucket was thrown in the truck (I think you could make the case that buckets are among the most essential pieces of equipment for prairie management—you can't collect or sow seeds without them), a mix of rain and snow started. With the forecast of snow a near certainty, we couldn't have been happier. Nothing is better for a winter prairie planting then a nice blanket of new snow. It keeps the seeds in place and the freezing and moisture really help with germination.
Photo by Drew Harry
Although any birder reading this already knew, I was surprised by the Wisconsin State Journal coverage of a Black-throated Gray Warbler appearing in Madison. Birders are flocking to see this western species that almost never shows up here. A bonus is the bird is as beautiful as it is rare as you can see from the photo.
Photo by Aaron Maizlish
