habitat restoration

Listening to Will Rogers

Listening to Will Rogers

Will Rogers famously said, “God isn't making any more land.” In other words, we'd better take care of what's there. Thank goodness, the Wisconsin DNR, Dane County, and Madison Audubon are listening, and just stepped up to do just that.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Recovery: Wildlife

Recovery: Wildlife

Today, we’ll continue our look at Art Hawkins’ “Wildlife History of Faville Grove” and compare it to what we’re seeing on the land today.

In 2019, mere feet from that pasque flower we visited last time, I relocated the nest of an American Woodcock that we had found (and protected) during a prescribed burn. I went to check on the pasque flower, and while there, I thought to check if the woodcock nest remained intact. As I approached the nest site, the hen kicked up and hit my shoulder as it flew away. I stopped, took a look down at the ground, and after careful scrutiny found four woodcock chicks frozen on the ground.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

A different sort of restoration

A different sort of restoration

Recently I read a fun and fascinating account of a successful introduction of another lovely species with a great name to new, happy, and much needed homes. Please use the following link for this story concerning the starhead topminnow. And that photo on p. 1; isn't that a cute little fish? John Lyons and his "Topminnows For Tomorrow" team (this blog is full of great names and titles) worked incredibly hard over years on this introduction and then wrote a lively article on that process and its results.

Photo by Joshua Mayer

Wisconsin's favorite lovebirds need our help

For this Valentine's Day, let's send some love and help to an iconic species, whose rituals de l'amour have delighted Wisconsin birders for decades: the Greater Prairie Chicken.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren