Bird & Nature Blog

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Plop, plop, silence

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Plop, plop, silence

A couple of advantages of growing your own fruit. From the Madison Audubon perspective, many of the plants are great for pollinators, especially the early bumblebees. In our yard, the honeyberries, blueberries, raspberries, and black currants are bumblebee favorites. We split the June berries (service berries) with the neighborhood birds, They get the berries on top and we get the ones I can reach by hand. This is not pure altruism. Such an arrangement keeps me off the step ladder.

Photo by Liz West FCC

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More good news about people and habitat

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More good news about people and habitat

Please see this link for another key group of folks for any organization, including Madison Audubon, that cares for remnant or restored lands, VOLUNTEERS. This DNR report outlines and illustrates the work of 100s of volunteers across the State Natural Areas. I thought you might be interested in this report as a reminder of what wonderful places the SNAs are and its examples of some of those folks. And, as we'd expect, it has some Madison Audubon connections. 

Photo by Ruth Smith

Internships and first jobs

The latest Madison Audubon newsletter featured some wonderful news and newcomers. Our two teams of interns have started their summer work at our sanctuaries. At Goose Pond:  Emma Thogmartin, Katie Porubcan, Maurisa (Mo) Perez, Paul Millan, Krister Martensson and at Faville Grove:  Josh Brazee, Olivia Granec, Samuel Guerra, Lexi Kohn, Grace Lezotte, and Mikael Rohou. FABULOUS FOR US AND THEM.

Photo by David Musolf.

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Hope is the thing with fur

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That's part of our job as Madison Audubon staff, volunteers, members, and friends. We have to hope and act on the hope that we can preserve, protect, and strengthen much of our natural world.  

The natural world shares that hope. Think of what our bird friends are up to these days. What's more hopeful than nesting?

The good die too young

On Saturday, I learned that Marcia MacKenzie had just died. Her death was peaceful and she had her loving family with her but she died far too early. She had so much to give and do.

This is not the official Madison Audubon reflection on her life and contribution to birds, conservation, and the organization. Nor is it an obituary. Marcia had far too full, complex, and worthwhile life for me to capture it. I need to thank Marcia for some of the great good she did.

Madison Audubon photo