Bird & Nature Blog
A clutch of the latest stories from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
Dear Board Members,
On behalf of Madison Audubon Society (MAS), I respectfully ask your support of the addition of 75.42 acres to the Jefferson Marsh State Wildlife Area and State Natural Area. MAS has approximately 3,200 members in ten counties in south central Wisconsin, including many in Jefferson County. We own and manage major wildlife sanctuary lands that feature remnant and restored prairies, wetlands, and savannas just to the north of the Jefferson Marsh.
Photo by Joshua Mayer
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
Each and every season brings something special for birders. This past March, April, and May was a flurry of excitement as migrating birds made their way through Wisconsin. As we’ve rounded the corner into June, things have started to settle down. Many of our migrating visitors have continued to move northward to their breeding grounds, while those who call Wisconsin home have started to nest.
As a new birder, it’s been fascinating to watch this shift. I have found that while I am seeing fewer species than I was just a few weeks ago, the behaviors of the birds are changing. I’m seeing them do things that I’ve never seen before, and it’s brought a whole new level of wonder and appreciation for birds and all they do.
So how should a new birder navigate this changing of the season? This week’s Entryway to Birding blog takes a look at the challenges and opportunities that June, July, and August will bring—and how this season can give your birding skills an edge!
Photo by Brandyn Kerscher
If you grew up in the south, the range of the eastern coral snake, at some point you heard the thankfully easy to remember rhyme:
Red touch yellow
Kill a fellow
Red touch black
Friend of Jack
The poem refers to the color of two very similar looking but oh so different snakes. The eastern coral snake has bands of red, yellow, and black but the red bands are always next to the yellow. The kingsnake has the same color bands but red bands always touch black. Good to remember because the coral snake has the most potent venom of any American snake while the kingsnake is harmless (except to other snakes).
Photo by FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
The Trump administration is attempting to roll back major protections laid out in the 100+ year old Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), the most important bird protection law in the U.S. The administration is seeking to ease regulations on incidental take that will utterly dismantle existing protections. The changes will allow industries and corporations to kill untold numbers of protected birds without any legal penalty because they can claim they didn't intend to kill them. It's an egregious and unprecedented attack on our birds.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
