Friday Feathered Feature

Kingfisher

A boisterous river bird drops from a tree and plunks headlong into the water. Seconds later it emerges, crested head flinging water back into the river channel. A fisher, this bird flutters above the stream, lets out a coarse and rattling call, then casts back into the water, returning with the fresh catch of the day.

Whooping Crane

I was eating supper on July 25th at the Prairie Lane residence when a car drove up and Arlene Koziol came to the door. She was excited and said “Come quickly, I have a surprise to show you.” We went to the kiosk and there were two whooping cranes on the north side of Goose Pond. This is a first for my life list!

Purple Martin

Some consider the purple martin "America’s most wanted bird." They are also one of our favorite birds! North America's largest swallow is dependent on humans for nesting boxes. Before european settlement, Native Americans set out gourds for purple martins. It's as simple as this: people like martins--and martins like people.

Northern Harrier

After helping band young kestrels last Friday, the Goose Pond summer crew conducted a silphium borer moth survey in Hopkins Road Prairie. During the survey, they not only found evidence of the rare moth, but also discovered a northern harrier nest!