Friday Feathered Feature
Showcasing a different bird species each week
As I write this, the snow is falling in the most delightful way. The chickadees are flitting about as if to encourage and confirm that winter birding is fun and productive! Little do they know, a community of hundreds of volunteers combed the city on Saturday, counting them and their feathered comrades for the Madison-area Christmas Bird Count.
Photo by Gail Smith
Monarch tagging is really the perfect activity. It allows us to pursue major goals at Goose Pond Sanctuary and aligns nicely with the mission of Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.
Photo by Mark Martin
Once again, Bald Eagle nests are mostly empty, but so much has happened in the months in between! Adults have bonded, remodeled or rebuilt nests, copulated, laid eggs, and kept them warm through storms, cold snaps, and lean times. Those eggs have hatched, with gray bobble-headed eaglets emerging, eventually growing taller, stronger, more coordinated, and darker. One day, they summon their courage and take their first flight.
Photo by David Stank
We’ve been observing the changing winter residents at Goose Pond Sanctuary and Mark and Sue’s cabin in Rio (Wildland LLC) for 23 years. We can expect to find a few familiar faces each year; however, the numbers of those expected winter residents may change, and we also may get a few surprises.
Photo by Eric Begin
