Bird & Nature Blog

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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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A Birder's Calendar

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Last week, I talked about how fall migration is going to be here before we know it. Shorebirds are certainly starting to show up, and by mid-August we’ll be seeing our warbler friends return to us as they pass through on their southbound journey.

If you’re just getting started with your first year of birding, the timing of these arrivals and departures can feel like a lot to grasp. Not only are you dealing with IDing field marks, learning bird calls, and figuring out where to find the birds you’re looking for, but you've got to keep track of when they’ll be here too?

Yeah, it’s a lot.

For a new birder, keeping track of all this can be overwhelming. How are you supposed to know what birds are on their way, and what birds are about to depart? What’s common and expected to stick around? What nests here? So many questions!

This week’s post has some resources—and helpful eBird tips and tricks!—to help you get a sense of the birding seasons.

Photos by Caitlyn Schuchhardt

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Mother Birds

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A house wren mom has won my heart this spring and summer. The wren couple occupied a wren house set in my apricot tree this spring. For weeks now, Mom has called and hunted through the front yard, ceaselessly bringing one bug after another to the babes. She'll perch, bug in beak, and call to the young ones, and feed them when they reply. Sometimes the bugs are large and visible, other times much smaller (I'm always hoping the real small ones are ticks). She never stops, and ranges from the ground beneath some bushes to 30 feet up a dying birch, which should be full of bugs, and every level in-between.

Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar

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Great American Outdoors Act & #FundLWCF

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Great American Outdoors Act & #FundLWCF

Almost 60 years ago, Congress and President Kennedy had a great idea. Let's, they said, in a fabulous moment of collective wisdom, create a big, stable, and permanent source of conservation funding for the entire nation. It will help fund everything from the acquisition of a national park to the development of a county park. It will be available to every part of the country.

They so created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), funded by fees paid by the oil industry for offshore drilling. We need your help to support it. The Great American Outdoors Act would direct the full funding amount to LWCF annually. Your legislators need to hear from you. Call them. Email them. Share about it with your friends via email and social media. Use the hashtag #FundLWCF. More resources are listed below.

Madison Audubon photo

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Preparing for Fall Migration (It’s Sooner Than You Think!)

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Welcome back to the Entryway to Birding blog! Another week has gone by and these hot temps are still lingering. We’re definitely in the thick of summer and the birding can feel a bit slow. Have you been finding ways to get out and bird, despite the heat? Or have you switched your attention, like many do, to the gorgeous butterflies and dragonflies that abound? I’ve still been chasing that perpetual breeze and birding by bike—read more about some of my favorite destinations in last week’s blog!

In this week’s post, I’ve got some suggestions for how new birders can take advantage of this summer birding lull to get prepped and ready for fall migration.

Wait, what? Fall migration, you say? Isn’t that, like, two months from now?

No, my friends. Fall migration begins sooner than you think. It’s just around the corner, and it will bring some new birding challenges that you’ll want to be prepared for. Let’s take a look!

Photo by Brandyn Kerscher