Bird & Nature Blog

,

Help birds: go natural in your yard!

,
Help birds: go natural in your yard!

The migrating birds we love are back in Wisconsin! We share the land—and our backyards and balconies—with these weary, exhausted travelers. Migrating birds fly hundreds and thousands of miles, and it is essential to protect and create areas where they can rely on nutritious food to refuel on their long journey.

Consider making spaces near your home homey for birds too. There are a variety of ways to do this, including keeping natural shorelines, planting native plants, or setting up proper bird feeders when outdoor space is limited.

Photo by Linda, Fortuna future

,

Staying focused in a busy spring

,

In the world of Wisconsin conservation late spring and early summer are pretty busy times. Burns have just concluded and some planting is wrapping up. That can range from thousands of trees planted in our national forests to 75 native dogwood shrubs at Goose Pond to provide habitat for Willow Flycatchers. Many volunteers, landowners, and restoration professionals are picking (and absolutely not grinning) garlic mustard. My friends at Trout Unlimited are undertaking stream projects that can be accomplished manually while the DNR is about to start the stream restorations that require heavy equipment. In the not too distant future Madison Audubon, The Prairie Enthusiasts (TPE), and other land trusts will begin the cycle of seed collecting (as I write this, a friend is concluding his collection of Dutchman’s Breeches).

Photo by Drew Harry

Lucky Madison Audubon

Lucky Madison Audubon

Please use this link to read the Wisconsin State Journal's recent "Know Your Madisonian" column featuring Madison Audubon's very own Matt Reetz. Matt is our current Executive Director. The column tells you lots about Matt and you can infer that Madison Audubon is lucky to have him.

You'd be right. Madison Audubon has made lots of progress on all fronts since Matt became ED: education, conservation, land acquisition and management, financial stability, protection of birds and other wildlife.

Photo courtesy of Wisconsin State Journal

Migratory Birds & Birdathon

Migratory Birds & Birdathon

It's Birdathon season! Madison Audubon's 2021 Birdathon teams: All About Aves and the Reckless Wrens

Happy World Migratory Bird Day! On this day, all around the globe, people are celebrating migratory birds. How many colorful migrants have you seen today? To celebrate the amazing migratory birds we love, and raise funds and awareness for their well-being, we are happy to announce two Madison Audubon Great Wisconsin Birdathon teams!

Photo: Kelly Colgan Azar

Helping the Hummingbirds

Helping the Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are on their way back to Wisconsin! If you're humming with excitement, you're not alone! Hummingbirds are a beloved species regardless of where you live, and for the Wisconsinites waiting for their return each spring, nothing is more exciting than seeing the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year.

If you love hummers and put out a hummingbird feeder, these are your Top 5 To-Do (and Don’t-Do) List to keep these little beauties happy and healthy in your yard.

Photo by Monica Hall