THE AUDUBON
NEWSLETTER
222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-BIRD / http://madisonaudubon.org
The Karner Blue Butterfly
Why the big fuss over such a little critter?
Free Public Program
What: David Lien on the Karner
Blue Butterfly Habitat Conservation
Plan.
When: Tuesday, February 20, 2001
7:00 p.m. - Refreshments
7:30 p.m. - Program
Where: Bolz Auditorium, Meriter
Hospital, 124 Brooks St. Madison
Parking: Meriter Hospital paid
parking ramp across the street, on
the street, or Lot 51 north of Regent
and Mills St.
The Karner blue has a wingspan
of barely one-inch, and as its name
implies, is mostly blue in color. It is
totally dependent on wild lupines in
its larval stage. It typically lives in
dry, sandy openings, usually found
in oak savannas, jack pine barrens,
and dune or sandplain communities
across much of central and north-
west Wisconsin.
These barrens have declined dra-
matically over the past several
decades. The loss and fragmentation
of its savanna barrens habitat due to
development, agriculture and silvi-
culture is the primary cause of the
Karner Blue’s decline. It is now on
the federal endangered species list.
While most species seem to rely
on the stability and even continued
isolation of their habitat, the Karner
Blue depends on disturbances like
fire, timber harvest and planting,
and herbicide treatment.
Disturbance restarts plant succes-
sion, thus accommodating the light
loving needs of the Karners’ lupine
host.
After nearly six years of work, the
DNR and 26 other public and private
partners have begun implementing
an extensive, statewide habitat con-
servation plan based on the unusual
unique needs of the butterfly. The
plan integrates butterfly conserva-
tion with existing land use to help
ensure the long-term protection of
the Karner blue butterfly across more
than 260,000 acres in Wisconsin.
Dave Lentz is the WDNR’s Karner
Blue Habitat Conservation Plan
Implementation Coordinator. Since
1995, Dave has guided the Karner
blue butterfly HCP development
process, and now, administers the
statewide permit and coordinates the
efforts of 27 partners in implement-
ing the HCP across Wisconsin.
Join us to learn more about this
unique butterfly and the historic
partnership developed to save it.
To learn more about the Wisconsin
Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat
Conservation Plan, visit the DNR’s
website
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/la
nd/er/publications/karner/karn-
er.htm or by calling the Karner Blue
Hotline at 877-4KARNER (877/452-
7637).
This program is co-sponsored by
the University of Wisconsin-Madison
OF THE
MADISON
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
FEBRUARY 2001
Department of Wildlife Ecology.
You are invited to meet with
Madison Audubon board members
and friends at the pre-program din-
ner at Paisan’s Restaurant beginning
at 5:15 p.m. Please call the office at
608/255-BIRD (255-2473) if you have
questions.
March meeting: Ricky Lien on urban
geese
CAWS needs new editor
Pat Ready, CAWS Editor
Do you want to work on this
award winning newsletter? Do you
have a couple hours per month to
dedicate to MAS? Then this may be
the volunteer job for you. A little
editing from email messages is all
that’s needed each month. Seeking a
smooth transition, I am willing to
assist/train for a couple of issues.
Anyone interested in this MAS
Board and volunteer position should
contact the MAS office at 255-2473,
email: masoffice@mailbag.com or
call me for details at 873-1703, eves.
Also in this issue:
• Winter field trips, p. 2
• Great Backyard Bird Count, p. 3
• Christmas Bird Count Results, p. 4
• Adopting a Prairie, p. 6

Late winter field trips for
birding enjoyment
Saturday, Feb. 24: Late Winter Birds
or Very Early Spring Birds
On this morning trip we will leisure-
ly drive the roads of northern Dane
and Southern Columbia counties. This
trip will go north to Goose Pond, the
MacKensie Center and maybe Mud
Lake. Around Goose Pond we’ll search
for snow buntings, longspurs, hawks
and the elusive snowy owl. At the
MacKensie Center we’ll check feeders
and woods for nuthatches, crossbills,
woodpeckers and other woodland
birds. At Mud Lake, we may hike a
trail searching for owls.
Meet to carpool and leave at 7:00
a.m. in the parking lot of the Kohls
supermarket at the intersection of
Allen Boulevard and Century Ave.
(Hwy M) in Middleton. Dress warmly
as we will walk some and it is likely to
be cold. Bring binoculars and a spot-
ting scope if you have one. Also bring
a snack as the trip will last 4-5 hours to
about noon. Call trip leader Aaron
Stutz at 232-1756 if you have ques-
tions.
Friday, March 9th: NIGHT OWLS
Al Shea will lead this evening trip to
call and listen for winter owls at vari-
ous locations in Dane County. The trip
JOIN MADISON AUDUBON
Student/Senior: $15
Introductory membership: $20
Basic: $35
Foreign: Add $10 in US funds.
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE ZIP
____I do not wish to receive AUDUBON maga-
zine
____The National Audubon Society occasional-
ly makes its membership list available to care-
fully selected organizations whose mailings
you might find of interest. To have your name
omitted from this list, please check here.
Please enclose your check payable to
National Audubon Society and mail to
Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton St.
#1, Madison, WI 53703. Memberships are
shared with National Audubon and all mem-
bers receive Audubon magazine. Z02
7xCH
meet regardless of the weather, so
dress warmly. Riders are expected to
share expenses with car drivers.
Saturday, March 10: EARLY
SPRING MIGRANTS
Steve Thiesen will lead this early
morning field trip to Mud Lake in
McFarland. Mud Lake is usually the
first body of water to thaw in our
area, so it attracts good concentra-
tions of early spring migrants, espe-
cially waterfowl.
We will meet at 7 a.m. near
McDonald’s at South Towne off the
will last three to four hours. There is
South Beltline or meet at 7:15 a.m. at
a limit of 15 participants.
the south end of Lewis Lane in
To join this trip, call the M.A.S.
McFarland. Wear waterproof
office at 255-BIRD (2473), leave your
footwear, dress warmly and bring a
name, telephone number and how
scope if you have one. If you have
many people are in your group
questions, call Steve at 873-3323.
(maximum 4 people per group). Al
Shea will call you back to let you
know if you are registered for the
trip. Preference will be given to
those who have not previously been
on one of Al’s owl trips.
The weather sensitive nature of
owl listening may result in post-
ponement of this trip to Sunday
evening, March 12. Registered par-
ticipants will carpool at 7 p.m. at the
shelter in UW Parking Lot 60 at the
north end of Walnut Street. We will
MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
THE AUDUBON CAWS is published
President: Joanne Herfel, 241-8009
September through July by:
Vice-president: Amy McDaniel, 238-0450
Madison Audubon Society,
Goose Pond Resident Naturalists:
222 S. Hamilton St.,
Mark and Sue Martin, 635-4160
Madison, WI 53703,
Editors: Pat & Deb Ready, 873-1703
(608) 255-BIRD (2473).
pready@ku.com
Birding hotline, 255-BIRM.
Graphic design: Pat Ready
Madison Audubon Web Page:
Printed by Roemer Printing
http://madisonaudubon.org
E-mail: masoffice@mailbag.com
The mission of the Madison Audubon
E-mail services donated by Berbee
Society is to educate our members and the
public about the natural world and the Contribution deadline is February 12
threats that natural systems are facing, to for the March issue, for which items
engage in advocacy to preserve and protect may be sent to Pat Ready, 1210
these systems, and to develop and maintain Oakwood Ct., Stoughton, WI 53589.
sanctuaries to save and restore natural pready@ku.com
habitat.
CAWS Newsletter Subscriptions Available
I am not a member of National Audubon, but am interested in receiving
The Audubon CAWS newsletter to stay informed of chapter activities. I’ve
enclosed $10.00 payable to Madison Audubon Society to cover printing and
mailing for one annual year.
Mail to: Madison Audubon Soc., 222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1, Madison,
WI 53703
Participate in the Great
Backyard Bird Count
By John Bianchi - NAS
It is well known that many bird
species are showing population
declines due to habitat loss or other
human impacts. Now, people of all
ages and backgrounds can help mon-
itor bird populations by participating
in the 4th annual Great Backyard
Bird Count, February 16-19, 2001.
A project of the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology and the National
Audubon Society with funding pro-
vided in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited and Ford Motor
Company, and sponsored locally by
the Madison Audubon Society, the
Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
combines high-tech tools with “citi-
zen-science” observations of birds.
The GBBC asks families, individuals,
classrooms, and community groups,
to count the number and kinds of
birds that visit their feeders, local
parks, schoolyards, and other areas
during any or all of the four count
days.
Begun in 1998, the GBBC has
engaged more than 100,000 people of
all ages and skill levels in the effort
to keep common birds common. “We
are asking everyone, everywhere in
North America to take a few minutes
to tell us what birds they see on any
or all of the count days,” says John
Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology. “By tracking
changes in bird distribution and
abundance over time, such a vast
database can serve as the S.O.S. sig-
nal for species that may be in trou-
ble.” Because the GBBC charts find-
ing in real time, scientists have
already made connections between
weather patterns and bird move-
ments. For the last few years,
American Robins appear farther
north than typically expected, in
areas where snow cover was scant or
non-existent. Such correlations may
be suggestive of global warming or
other broad-scale weather changes.
This year’s GBBC will again collect
information about snow depth.
To participate in the Great
Backyard Bird Count, count the high-
est number of each bird species seen
at one time (to ensure birds are not
counted more than once) and keep vocabulary section, bird-watching
track of the amount of time spent and bird-feeding tips, bird vocaliza-
counting. You must enter your tions, and more. Educators will find
the bibliography and geography sec-
report online by computer. Log on to
tions especially handy, as well as the
Birdsource at www.birdsource.org
suggestions for conducting the
and click on the appropriate state of
count with groups of kids. For those
tired of winter and ready for spring,
there will be tips about planning
and preparing for the spring bird
garden.
“The Great Backyard Bird Count
is a terrific way for individuals, fam-
ilies, schools and community groups
to contribute to a better understand-
ing of birds,” says Frank Gill,
National Audubon’s senior vice
president for science. In return, they
learn more about birds in the
process. I can think of no better way
to spend a little time on a late-winter
day.”
Instructions for participating can
be found at www.birdsource.org.
province for a checklist of the most
frequently reported in that region.
Add your own data. Results are
Jonathan Wilde Art on
updated hourly in the forms of ani-
mated maps and colorful graphs for Display
all to view. Participants will be able Local artist and MAS member
to see almost immediately how their Jonathan Wilde will have a show of
observations fit into the continent- his paintings at the Broden Gallery
wide perspective. Findings from pre- from February 2 through February
vious years are also available at the 28. Jonathan has contributed numer-
site. ous paintings for the MAS Art Fair
The GBBC web site also includes held annually at Olbrich Gardens in
useful information to make partici- May. The Broden Gallery is located
pation easy and enjoyable. There is a at 218 N. Henry St. in Madison.
Garden Expo – February 9-11
A naturalist from MAS will be presenting two seminars entitled
“Tallgrass Prairie Restoration” at the Garden Expo at the Dane County
Expo Center, February 9-11.
Exhibitors have displays set up and some have items for sale in the main
hall. Seminars run concurrent Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. A
variety of gardening topics are covered including natural landscaping,
annuals, perennials, pruning, planning, fertilizing, flowers, birds and bor-
ders to name a few.
Seminars that may be of interest to MAS members include:
Native Landscaping – Prairie Ridge Nursery
Attract Birds to Your Backyard – Chickadee Depot
Wild Bird Haven – Wild Birds Unlimited
Organic Fertilizers & Lawn Care – Z.W. Gardens
Composting – Dane Co. Public Works
4 Seasons of Interest in the Garden – Jung Seed Co.
The Garden Expo is presented by Wisconsin Public
Television, Friends of WHA, and UW Extension. For
current information on all seminars, visit the WPT
Web site at www.wpt.org/garden
If this is the Christmas
Bird Count, where the
heck is the snow??
by Kathy Miner
And what’s with this bird list, any-
way? Elepaio, amakihi, I’iwi, pue’o?
Whatever happened to cardinals,
chickadees, crows and nuthatches?
OK, now that I have your attention
(I hope) … I suppose it was appropri-
ate that we first spotted the notice on
Dec. 25th. On a dream vacation to
Hawaii, glancing at a bulletin board
outside the tiny natural history muse-
um and shop in Koke’e State Park on
the island of Kaua’i, my husband and
I saw a flyer advertising the 2000
Christmas Bird Count.
“Saturday, Dec. 30, starting at 7
a.m.,” it said. “Meet here on the
porch. But first, come to the training
session on Wed., Dec. 27 in Waimea.”
Irresistible! A little over a week ear-
lier I had participated in the Madison
CBC. What a kick to help with anoth-
er one two weeks later, four thousand
miles away! “Go ahead,” said my
spouse, who knows when to hold ’em
and when to fold ’em. “I’ll bring a
book and wait for you here on the
bench.”
Wednesday evening found us in the
neighborhood center in the little
coastal town of Waimea. Marsha
Erickson, the executive director of Hui
o Laka, the nonprofit organization
that oversees the Koke’e Natural
History Museum, welcomed everyone
and briefly described the CBC and its
50-year history, stressing its citizen-
based, informal structure. She also
explained that since the National
Audubon Society has “gone extinct”
on Kaua’i, Hui o Laka sponsors and
facilitates the CBC there. (National
Audubon does thrive on the islands of
Oahu and Hawaii.)
Next on the program was Jim
Denny, a resident of Kaua’i who is a
wildlife photographer and bird enthu-
siast. Jim has published many articles
and photos, most recently the book
The Birds of Kaua’i (University of
Hawaii Press, 1999). A video is cur-
rently in production. Jim explained
that there are two “count circles” on
Kaua’i—one in the mountains of
Koke’e and one on the western shore
of the island. The latter usually gar-
ners the greatest number of bird
species. It generally includes such
familiar (to these Midwestern eyes,
anyway) birds as mallards, Northern
shovelers and pintails along with the
more exotic brown and red-footed
boobies, Laysan albatrosses and
wedge-tailed shearwaters, among
many others. The “mountain” circle
usually does not report as high a
species count but does include more
rare birds, in particular several of the
famous Hawaiian “honeycreepers”,
descended from a single ancestral
species of finch and differentiated
over many generations through an
evolutionary process known as
“adaptive radiation”. Jim also delin-
eated the basic rules of the CBC.
Next we were treated to Jim’s slide
photographs and video, to acquaint
us with more than 50 of the bird
species we were likely to encounter.
After a short Q & A session, prelimi-
nary area assignments were made
and the meeting adjourned.
The bed & breakfast where we
were staying was nearly an hour’s
drive from Koke’e State Park, so Don
and I set our alarms for 5:15 Saturday
morning. We were out the door
before six. The Big Dipper hung low
in the northeastern sky as we trav-
eled up the winding canyon road.
Arriving at Koke’e a few minutes
before 7:00, we were glad we had
heeded Marsha’s advice and dressed
in layers—it’s chilly in the mountains
in the morning!
I signed up to cover the “Pihea”
trail, a stretch described as “muddy,
with bad footing and steep slopes in
some areas”. The group leader for
our little band of three turned out to
be Al Kingsbury of Talkeetna,
Alaska, whose niece, Judy, is the
ranger at the UW-Madison
Arboretum! Al grew up in
Shorewood and he and his wife
Leilani are both UW graduates.
They’ve been on an extended volun-
teer program in Koke’e and had par-
ticipated in the 1998 CBC there.
What was that about “six degrees of
separation”, anyway?
Don never got to spend his leisure-
ly morning on the porch with a good
book. He was recruited into another
group at the last minute, and found
himself tallying birds as his two com-
panions called out names and num-
bers.
My team found 13 species of
birds—including a pue’o, or
Hawaiian short-eared owl. Needless
to say, many of the birds we saw
were “lifers” for me! Don’s group
tallied 15 species. Grand total was
2624 birds, 41 species, compared to
3,700 birds, 42 species in the 1999
count. (Lists available on request.)
Honestly now, can you think of a bet-
ter way to spend a late-December day
than tramping the Hawaiian moun-
tains and peering into lush foliage,
hoping for a glimpse of a nukupu’u
or a puaiohi? “Not I,” said the little
red … apapane.
Christmas Bird Count
2000
By Mark and Sue Martin
Overall, 102 species were found on
the counts, compared to 108 found
last year and 105 the two years prior.
The cold December weather and
deep snow resulted in fewer miles
walked and birds seen. However, it
was interesting to find many species
and good numbers of some species
Counts reported are Madison
(MAD), Carol Anderson, Tony
Kalenic, and Al Shea (owl compiler)
compiler(s); Poynette (POY) Mark
and Sue Martin; Sauk City (S.C.)
Nancy Raffetto; Baraboo (BOO) Ken
Wood; Mount Horeb (MTH) Earl
Brandt; and Waterloo (WA) Kevin
Kearns. The compilers would like to
thank all of the participants who con-
tributed their time and effort to make
the counts successful.
For more information on the 70
statewide Christmas counts, see the
spring issue of the Wisconsin Society
of Ornithology’s Passenger Pigeon.
Starting this year, counts could be
entered and submitted to the
National Audubon Society by com-
puter. You can check out count data
for this year and the last 100 years at
http://birdsource.cornell.edu.
Madison Audubon Society provid-
ed funding for the Madison and
Poynette counts so that the results
could be included in the National
Audubon report. Species not found
on count day but found three days
before or after are represented by X.
 Madison Audubon 2000 Christmas Bird Count Results
SPECIES MAD POY SC BOO MTH WA SPECIES MAD POY SC BOO MTH WA
Pied bill Grebe 1 Hairy Woodpkr. 85 34 21 20 51 7
Great Blue Heron 6 2 5 1 2 Northern Flicker 5 8 6 4 2 3
Tundra Swan 2 Pileated Woodpkr. 1 8 7 3
Mute Swan 9 Horned Lark 80 345 381 315 229 814
Canada Goose 7698 116 220 77 8 445 Blue Jay 288 281 266 203 339 51
Green-winged Teal 1 1 American Crow 2326 1215 965 691 1130 540
American Black Duck 96 1 3 2 2 Blk.-cpd Chickadee 1039 401 310 302 419 165
Mallard 3837 160 1010 648 63 551 Tufted Titmouse 10 35 13 13 56 6
Northern Shoveler 194 Red-breasted Nuthatch 7 18 1 13 6
Gadwall 144 21 1 White-brsted. Nuthatch231 138 6 75 149 34
American Wigeon 7 Brown Creeper 21 3 1 2 1 1
Canvasback 2 3 Carolina Wren 2
Ring-necked Duck 5 1 Golden-crned. Kinglet 21 3 6
Lesser Scaup 4 1 Eastern Bluebird 1 38 9
Common Goldeneye 41 45 45 12 Hermit Thrush 4 1 1
Bufflehead 4 American Robin 349 134 47 2
Hooded Merganser 21 Gray Catbird 2
Common Merganser 35 171 337 7 Brown Thrasher 1
Ruddy Duck 16 Cedar Waxwing 210 160 116 394 6 2
Turkey Vulture 1 1 Northern Shrike 5 3
Bald Eagle 16 8 75 7 6 2 European Starling 3046 871 602 322 1015 1747
Northern Harrier 1 1 1 1 8 Northern Cardinal 536 280 397 206 427 86
Sharp-shinned Hawk 11 4 3 2 9 1 Eastern Towhee 1 1 1
Cooper’s Hawk 24 10 5 4 5 5 Am. Tree Sparrow 1515 1243 1037 430 789 967
Accipiter sp. 1 Fox Sparrow 2 2 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Song Sparrow 95 19 22 2 19 13
Red-tailed Hawk 127 66 45 54 83 49 Swamp Sparrow 23 3
Rough-legged Hawk 7 31 34 30 30 4 White-thrtd. Sparrow 46 7 4 5 1
American Kestrel 7 7 10 3 12 8 White-crned. Sparrow X
Merlin 1 Dark-eyed Junco 2182 1434 1445 873 1509 984
Gray Partridge 19 23 Lapland Longspur 528 2081 3 10 97
Ring-necked Pheasant 7 20 3 2 31 10 Snow Bunting 30 516 67 46 21 116
Ruffed Grouse 1 2 Red-winged Blackbird 409 2 1
Wild Turkey 38 91 236 181 286 2 Meadowlark sp. 1 1
N. Bobwhite Quail 7 17 Rusty Blackbird 6
American Coot 534 Common Grackle 2
Sandhill Crane 2 Brwn-headed Cowbird 98
Common Snipe 10 5 4 1 2 Purple Finch 74 70 51 27 X
American Woodcock 1 House Finch 883 274 199 214 172 84
Ring-billed Gull 31 1 31 Red Crossbill 2
Herring Gull 158 13 4 Common Redpoll 3 8
Thayer’s Gull 1 Pine Siskin 51 3 16 16 4
Glaucous Gull 1 American Goldfinch 728 375 239 241 521 51
Rock Dove 643 518 434 114 312 292 Evening Grosbeaks 2
Mourning Dove 843 504 424 103 165 House Sparrow 2014 1056 390 267 783 923
Eastern Screech Owl 71 3 1 1
Great Horned Owl 16 1 5 2 1
Snowy Owl X
Count Day Species 81 66 56 53 55 49
Barred Owl 2 1 2 1
Long-eared Owl 1 Field Observers 77 20 29 12 53 12
Short-eared Owl 1 2 X Feeder Observers 15 20 1 4 24 1
N. Saw-whet Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 4 1 2 1 1 1 Parties 22 10 14 5 24 7
Red-headed Woodpkr 1 2 1 7 Date: December 16 30 23 27 30 17
Red-bellied Woodpkr 100 51 49 51 82 18
Y.-bellied Sapsucker X
Downy Woodpkr. 281 99 89 101 137 40
How To Adopt A Prairie to bring purple, and Canada thistle is along the western edge. I managed to
by Susan Slapnick, Volunteer going from purple to fluffy. I clip some pull a few white sweet clover - the
of the heads of the latter and wonder if ground was quite wet. Evening prim-
“Everything is hitched to everything
I am encouraging or discouraging this rose is scattered everywhere, heads of
else.” – John Muir
alien. pale purple coneflower are not yet
A mysterious little book with a dark
I walk the lower mowed path, bug ready. Single, lacy wild quinine heads
blue cover lay on the seat next to me
juice on ankles and ear tips. One appear in bloom throughout. Cup
when I climbed into my truck to go
Queen Ann’s lace clipped , several plant and prairie dock flower over-
home. What’s this? I was hot and
curly dock clipped – for looksPerhaps head, and I find what I call a ‘compass
happy after having given two hours
I can ‘adopt’ this association of plants, dock’ - a true Silphium hybrid - near
saying hello and listening - a very pri-
bugs and birds (and mammals, frogs, the western edge. Asters (New
vate introduction to the flowering face
toads, snakes hiding from the hot sun England and heath) are just beginning.
of my adopted prairie. I had seen her
this afternoon) by getting rid of a few This place is very rich”
before, ash black or crispy gold in dif-
weeds - the alien invasives. In August I start collecting seed for
ferent seasons, but then she was Goose
Adopt: To take into one’s family, fall plantings (Baptisia, milk vetch). My
Pond Sanctuary, not family.
and raise as one’s own. That’s what prairie has matured into a lush tangle
In early July of last year I received an
the dictionary says. I can see already of beauty. From August 25, 2000: “I
e-mail from Mark and Sue Martin ask-
that the meaning of that word needs to slog through very thick growth in the
ing if I would be interested in adopting
be nudged a little. After several northwest section - like I was under
a prairie at Goose Pond. They said it
months of seed collecting, weeding, water from the waist down.
would involve “keeping an eye on the
wading through leg-grabbing tangles Mosquitoes are loving me. A couple
planting,” mapping prairie species for
of grasses and forbs, smearing mos- big birds scare up as I search.
seed collecting, spotting and removing
quito bodies across my sweaty fore- Something else too, but it never shows
problem species such as parsnip, sweet
head, I’ve concluded that adopt itself. I see many large flattened ‘bed-
clover, bur dock and reed canary grass.
embodies the concept: to participate rooms’ where deer likely sleep. The
In so many words, they said that since
in. glade mallow has been picked by ani-
I’m around Goose Pond a lot anyway,
The July 16th entry concludes: “I mal or human, I wonder? As on
they thought I would like to be
will attempt to take this community Wednesday, my boots get wet in the
“involved with a specific site,” one that
into my family - but more likely, this grass walking back to the house after
is in “maintenance mode” - in particu-
community will take me into its - if I sunset. As soon as the temperature
lar, the 1993 fall planting that currently
am fortunate. Who will be the drops a couple of degrees, the moisture
forms the western-most border of
adoptee? I am glad our first formal settles out on the vegetation. When I
prairies surrounding the house and
hours together were private. No other return with my offering of seed, Mark
outbuildings.
humans could be seen or heard from shows me trays of drying milk vetch
I wanted to say yes immediately. I
about 4 to 6 on this very warm Sunday and pounds of seed Sue cleaned... He
felt the way one gets (or is gotten by) a
afternoon. takes me back up into the prairie with a
new puppy after boldly going to “just
The little blue book takes me back to flashlight to show me ox eye sun-
look,” but I waited until the next day
August 19, 2000: “I have vacationed in flower, says it’ll be blooming and
to express my enthusiasm and agree-
Yosemite and recovered. Visiting ripening for the next month. I will
ment.
‘Susan’s Prairie’ for only the second return on Sunday, if it’s dry.”
Before opening it, I imagined the lit-
time, I feel like a neglectful parent. Sue I’m stalking clones of grass leaf gold-
tle blue book on the seat next to me to
says that the interns pulled weeds here enrod and heads of rattlesnake master
be filled with poetry and life lessons - a
last week...I saw a kettle of vultures in October. Walking is easier - many
gift of wisdom from a friend. But its
north of the pond as I was applying stems have weakened and fallen after
pages were empty. When I picked it
mosquito lotion coming up the hill. the first frost. Baptisia and milk vetch
up, a single sheet fell out containing a
Pheasants were clucking everywhere, pods that I missed earlier become visi-
note that read: “Dear Susan, please use
weather was overcast and cool. ble. October 21, 2000: “I feel bad that I
this book to record your memories and
Baptisia and milk vetch are ready to didn’t ‘get it all’ when they were my
events in your ‘adopted’ prairie. Mark
collect. Culver’s root and nodding prime collecting targets. I also feel
and I call it Susan’s Prairie in your
wild onion seem plentiful throughout, good that I left some for my prairie... I
honor! Best - Sue Martin.” It seems I
but are not yet ripe. Glade mallow is hope to begin attacking patches of
imagined right in the first place.
maturing, showy sunflowers are just canary grass after fall planting at Goose
The first entry, July 16, 2000: “Climb
beginning to open. Multitudes of stiff Pond is complete. What is the feel of
the hill west of the house and look to
goldenrod are first coming into bloom, my prairie in the winter?”
the setting sun. Ten acres of prairie
and yellow stamens of Indian grass I see ahead that in the spring I’ll
marks the northwest edge of the land
are dangling in a gentle breeze. Gaura blow the dust off the little blue book
currently planted to tallgrass at Goose
biennis blooms in patches, showy and begin filling more empty pages
Pond. From above, the mosaic in July
goldenrod is beginning. Ironweed and with sun and warmth, colors and
is splattered yellow with coneflowers
Joepye weed are finishing, but not sounds and smells - and gifts of wis-
and sunflowers. Monarda is beginning
ready to pick - they are fairly common dom. I have been adopted.
Donations help start John W. Thompson, Architect
In memory of Diane J. Flakas YES, I want to make the
the New year Walter Kugler, Jr. Goose Pond vision a reali-
ACRE MAKER ty. Here is my contribution
In Memory of David Holm
Thomas Schmit to the Goose Pond
Willamette Industries, Inc., East
Dorothy Klinefelter Campaign.
Coast Development Lab
Joy Froelich
In Memory of Scott Kruse
Nora Cusack [ ] Acre Maker. $1,000 or more to
ADOPT AN ACRE buy and restore another acre of
In memory of Elbert & Agnes Watkins
Curt & Arlys Caslavka land at Goose Pond.
HALF-ACRE MAKER
In Memory of Donald C. Worel [ ] Half-Acre Maker. $500-$999 to
Arthur & Susan Lloyd
George & Shirley Austin buy and restore another half-
In memory of the parents of Bernadine
Arlys Caslavka acre of land at Goose Pond.
Peterson
Crestwood Elementary
Bernadine Peterson [ ] Adopt An Acre. I pledge $100
Barb & Mitch Despen
a year for three years ($300
Friends of Don Worel at DoIt
NEST EGG total) toward Goose Pond
William & Sarah Hamilton
Amy Ihlenfeldt restoration. Here is my first
Pam & Kirk Krueger
Walter Keough installment.
Bettina Lipman
Tom Helgeson [ ] Nest Egg. I pledge $50 a year
Bill & Ginny Nelson
Catherine Puisto & Co-Workers for three years($150 total).
MY OWN VISION Here is my first installment.
Mary-Beth Rolland & Peter Hughes
Terry & Marty Evanson
Marlys & Joe Sloup [ ] My Own Vision. $ to
Nancy Pullen
David Sulman help as much as possible.
George Strother & Mary Benes
David & Laurie Sund
Timothy Eisele
Julian & Dorothy Sund Name
Larry & Betty O’Neal
Lee Wilcox
Josephine Darling Address
In Memory of John R. Shaw
Sherrie & Bill Garrett
Barbara D. Shaw
In Memory of

In Honor of
For Gifts Honoring Another: Send
Acknowledgement to (name and
address)
Contributions will be acknowledged
near the Goose Pond Information
Board as follows: $1,000 or more-
name to appear on a permanent
plaque; $250-$999-name to appear
on engraved paving brick.

Acknowledge in Madison
Snow buntings, longspurs and meadowlarks feed along the drive to Goose Pond. Audubon Society Newsletter
Do not acknowledge in Madison
Audubon Society Newsletter
Make checks payable to Madison
Audubon Society and mail to:
Madison Audubon Society, 222 S.
Hamilton Street, Suite #1, Madison,
WI 53703
Tax deductible to the extent
allowed by law.
Madison Audubon Society’s
financial statement is available
upon request.
POPULATION & HABITAT
By Rhonda Dix
MAS Calendar
Grant Will Make Iltis’ Video Available at a Glance
Were you lucky enough to have heard Dr. Hugh Iltis’ talk at the Madison
Audubon October meeting? He spoke to a standing room only crowd—and is Tues. Feb. 20 MAS Meeting &
it any wonder?! Program, p. 1
Dr. Iltis, an outspoken scientist, has a message. It is a message that even the Sat. Feb. 24 Late Winter Birds, p. 2
media rarely tackles. The topic is human overpopulation and how it relates to Fri. Mar. 9 Night Owls, p. 2
the environment, to war, to poverty, and to technology. Sat. Mar. 10 Early Spring Migrants, p. 2
Dr. Iltis is a Renaissance man with an impressive list of credentials to back
Tues. Mar. 20 MAS Meeting &Program
this up. Here are some of them:
• Listed in Who’s Who in America
• Co-founder of The Nature Conservancy–Wisconsin Chapter
• 1990 Feinstone Environmental Award, SUNY, Syracuse
1321 E. Mifflin St.
• 1992 National Wildlife Federation Special Achievement Award
Madison, WI 53703
• 1994 Distinquished Achievement Award, Society of Conservation Biology (608) 256-1066
• 1996 Botanical Society Merit Award
• 1998 Botanist of the Year, Society of Economic Botany.
Because of a $1550 National Audubon grant awarded to the Population and
Habitat Committee of Madison Audubon, the video of the October talk will
soon be available for purchase. Teachers and civic groups will be especially
interested. More details will be available in an upcoming Madison Audubon
CAWS.

Special talk by Kathleen Falk

Capitol Community Citizens Noon Luncheon features Dane County
Executive Kathleen Falk speaking about her Farms and Neighborhoods
Initiative on Tuesday March 13th at the Wilson Street Grill, 217 South
Hamilton St, Madison. Reserve your place by telephoning Wayne Bigelow at
274-8472. Dutch Treat lunch.

Madison Audubon Society, Inc.

Joanne Herfel, President Non-profit organization
U.S. Postage Paid
222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1
Permit No. 1831
Madison, WI 53703 Madison, Wisconsin

2/01