Jan 2010 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society

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222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-2473/ www.madisonaudubon.org

Orioles and Ocelots: Wisconsin’s Connection to Costa Rica
Free Public Program Who: Craig Thompson What: Wisconsin’s connection with Costa Rica When: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 7:30 p.m. – Program Where: New Location! Capitol Lakes Retirement Community 333 West Main St., Madison Parking: Free – ramp across the street Lower levels – must use unmarked spaces or those labeled “DNR” needs. The result is declining populations of many of our most beloved birds, including Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Wood Thrush and Goldenwinged Warbler. Wisconsin is taking groundbreaking action by supporting protection of 1,500 acres of threatened forest on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Considered a global conservation priority, the “Osa” is home to thousands of plant and animal species, including the beautiful ocelot and magnificent jaguar. Fifty-four species of Wisconsin’s birds find safe harbor in the Osa’s forests, including 18 considered conservation priorities. Craig’s presentation will provide an overview of this remarkable project and provide opportunities for you to become involved. Craig Thompson received a Master’s degree in Zoology and Physiology from

January 2010

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ore than one-half of Wisconsin’s 238 species of breeding birds spend the winter in Latin America, entirely dependent on tropical habitats for survival. Unfortunately, Latin America’s lush forests are rapidly being destroyed as burgeoning human populations clear land to meet basic

the University of Wyoming. While there he taught ornithology and studied the ecology of Burrowing Owls in short grass prairies. He is currently a Regional Land Program Supervisor with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and also serves as chair of the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative’s International Committee. A Master Bird Bander, Craig has organized and led birding trips to Latin America for the past 17 years. You are invited to join our speaker, MAS board members and friends at the preprogram dinner at Paisan’s Restaurant (131 W. Wilson St.) beginning at 5:00 p.m. Please call the office at (608) 255BIRD (255-2473) if you have questions. Next meeting: February 16, 2010 – Lower Wisconsin Riverway

Inside This Issue
Birdwatcher Economics............... 2 Conservation Lobby Day ............ 2 2010 Field Trip Schedule .........3-4 "Lost Posters" ................................ 5 Faville Grove Update.................. 5 Goose Pond Report ...................5-6 Donations ..................................... 6 Membership Info .......................... 7 Great Backyard Bird Count......... 8

Serving Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Iowa, Jefferson, Richland and Sauk Counties

Madison Audubon Society

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 30, and plan to attend the 2010 “Wings Over Madison” spring banquet.

Horicon Marsh Is Topic for Spring Banquet

Horicon Marsh, just an hour’s drive from Madison, is a well-known destination for birdwatchers. It is also a world class wildlife habitat, designated as a “Wetland of International Importance,” a “Globally Important Bird Area,” a state wildlife area, and a national wildlife refuge.

While the marsh is renowned for its migrant flocks of Canada Geese, it was established to protect ducks and is home to more than 290 bird species sighted over the years. Learn how Horicon Marsh fits in with the regional geology, about its glacial past, and how humans have relied upon, nearly destroyed, and then restored this unique wetland.

Madison Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society

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MAS Banquet . . .
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Guest speaker Bill Volkert will guide us through the 12,000year history of the 32,000-acre marsh. Since 1984, Volkert has been Wisconsin DNR’s natural resource educator and naturalist at Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area, developing and conducting public interpretive programs and outdoor education. Over the past 30 years he has been involved in studies and field research on avian ecology, plant ecology and glacial geology. He is also a federally licensed master bird bander. Bill has traveled extensively and conducts programs on the natural history and ecology of diverse locations such as Hudson Bay and northern Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, Lake Baikal in Russia, much of Central America, plus Chile, Bolivia and Argentina in South America. Over the years, Bill has sighted more than 2,200 bird species. Watch your mailbox! Banquet invitations with full details will be sent in the next few weeks.

Birdwatchers No Featherweights in Contributions to Economy

A new U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service report shows birdwatchers contributed $36 billion to the U.S. economy in 2006. The report, “Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis,” shows that total participation in birdwatching is strong at 48 million (nearly twice the number of people who play golf in the United States, according to the National Golf Foundation), and has remained at a steady 20% of the U.S. population since 1996. “This study further reinforces the importance of bird conservation,” said Darin Schroeder, American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President for Conservation Advocacy. The “State of the Birds Report,” released in 2009, found that one-third of all bird species in the U.S. are in decline or facing serious threats. Losing these species could have significant economic consequences.” Download the study at http://library.fws.gov/Pubs/birding_natsurvey06.pdf>.
This article was originally published in Bird Calls, the newsletter produced for members of American Bird Conservancy and the Bird Conservation Alliance of which Madison Audubon is a member.

Conservation Lobby Day Is Tuesday, Jan. 26

Be sure to sign up soon for the sixth annual Conservation Lobby Day on Tuesday, Jan. 26, as the deadline is Jan. 19. If you’ve never visited your legislators, this is an easy way to do so. The day is guaranteed to be inspiring, and you will join with a group of like-minded fellow constituents for the actual meetings. Each year, more and more Wisconsin citizens turn out to let legislators know which issues mean the most to us. On Conservation Lobby Day, more than 500 of us will continue to work on the Conservation Priority Issues that were selected by more than 80 conservation organizations for the 2009-2010 legislative session. Join us to help make sure that legislators: * Adopt a plan to attract and support clean energy jobs; * Develop a statewide, science-based plan for protecting our groundwater; * Create standards for the spreading and storage of manure that is consistent with what science tells us can be safely applied in different landscapes in the state; and * Vote to override the Governor’s veto of AB 138, the bill to restore the Independent DNR Secretary. The DNR Secretary bill passed both the Assembly and Senate last fall, but was vetoed by the Governor, who turned his back on campaign promises to sign such a bill. As of the January Caws deadline, we didn’t know the outcome of a pending override attempt. When hundreds of citizens speak with a unified voice, legislators simply can’t ignore the tremendous support that exists for conservation. Please sign up for Conservation Lobby Day at www.wisconsinvoters.org. This great event is free, but please consider joining the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters or giving them a donation. Their staff does an incredible job organizing the day, and they need our support. For more information, contact [email protected] or Karen Etter Hale at [email protected] or (608) 255-2473. Hope to see you there!

January Field Trip

Bill Volkert birding in the cloud forest of northeastern Argentina

Saturday, Jan. 9 - Wisconsin River Raptors Come watch eagles soar over the Wisconsin River!Marty Evanson will lead this trip to Sauk Prairie to search for soaring raptors and other wintering birds. Likely finds include Bald Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and American Kestrel. Other possibilities include Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Northern Shrike. We will check the river and Prairie du Sac dam for waterfowl and gulls. You may want to bring a snack as the trip will last until noon. If you have a scope, please bring it along. Dress appropriately for the weather. We will meet at 8 a.m. to carpool from the parking lot of Copp’s Supermarket at 6800 Century Ave. in Middleton. Riders are expected to share expenses with drivers. Contact Marty Evanson 608/271-6846 with questions.
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The Audubon CAWS

2010 Field Trip Committee Members: Levi Wood, Aaron Stutz, Karl Legler, Peter Fissel DAY DATE TRIP Friday January 1, 2010 New Year’s Sunrise at Faville Grove Marsh Saturday January 9, 2010 Wisconsin River Raptors Fri-Mon February 12-15, 2010 Great Backyard Bird Count Saturday March 6, 2010 Early Spring Migrants Saturday March 20, 2010 Beginning Birding at Lakeshore Nature Preserve Sunday March 28, 2010 Spring Birding at Rose Lake Saturday April 3, 2010 Spring Birds of Columbia Co. Saturday April 10, 2010 Spring Birding at Lake Farm Park Saturday April 10, 2010 Beginning Birding Friday April 16, 2010 Evening at Schoeneberg’s Marsh and Erstad Prairie Saturday April 17, 2010 Ice Age Trail Sunday April 18, 2010 Visit Faville Grove Sanctuary West Friday April 23, 2010 Evening at Cherokee Marsh Saturday April 24, 2010 Beginning Birding Sunday April 25, 2010 Baraboo Hills Spring Wildflowers and Birds Thursday April 29, 2010 Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Saturday May 1, 2010 Birding at Wyalusing State Park Saturday May 1, 2010 Lakeshore Nature Preserve Bird Hike Sunday May 2, 2010 Wisconsin River Bottoms Tuesday May 4, 2010 Warbler Walk at the Arboretum Wednesday May 5, 2010 Turville Point Spring Ephemerals Wednesday May 5, 2010 Warbler Walk at Turville Point Thursday May 6, 2010 Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Saturday May 8, 2010 Big Birding Day Tuesday May 11, 2010 Warbler Walk at the Arboretum Wednesday May 12, 2010 Warbler Walk at Turville Point Thursday May 13, 2010 Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Thursday May 13, 2010 Evening at Token Creek Friday May 14, 2010 Evening Birding at Nine Springs Saturday May 15, 2010 Birding Horicon Marsh Saturday May 15, 2010 Bird Banding Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory Sunday May 16, 2010 Birding at Zeloski Marsh Monday May 17, 2010 Butterflies of Bauer-Brockway Barrens (Jackson Co.) Saturday May 22, 2010 Badger Ordinacne Tour Sunday May 23, 2010 Birding Governor Dodge State Park Thursday May 27, 2010 Evening at Pheasant Branch Saturday May 29, 2010 Janesville’s Cook Arboretum Sunday May 30, 2010 Birding at Baxter’s Hollow Sat/Sun/Mon May 29-31, 2010 Lake Lucerne Memorial Day Weekend Birding Saturday June 5, 2010 Birds of Devil’s Lake & Baxter’s Hollow Thursday June 10, 2010 Owen Park Wildlife Ponds Thursday June 17, 2010 Evening at Black Earth Prairie Saturday June 19, 2010 Grassland Birding in Western Dane & Eastern Iowa Counties Saturday June 19, 2010 Butterflies of Cherokee Marsh Saturday June 26, 2010 Madison School Forest--Forest Ecology
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MAS 2010 Field Trip Schedule

LEADER David Musolf & Roger Packard Marty Evanson Steve Thiessen Al Holzhueter Nolan Kollath Tony Kalenic & Carol Anderson Pat Ready Al Holzhueter Mark & Sue Martin Gary Werner Lars Higdon Tony Kalenic & Levi Wood Al Holzhueter Mike Mossman Mike McDowell and Aaron Stutz Quentin Yoerger & Charles Naeseth Peter Fissel & Dan Doeppers Chris West Levi Wood Russ Hefty Peter Fissel Mike McDowell and Dottie Johnson Chuck Heikkinen & Delia Unson John Feith and Jim Berkelman Peter Fissel Jesse Peterson and Mike McDowell Ed Saur Peter Fissel, Dan Doeppers & Pat Ready Levi Wood & Pat Ready Mara McDonald Nolan Kollath Mike Reese Mike Mossman John Romano Mike McDowell Tom Klubertanz Aaron Stutz Paul Noeldner Chuck Heikkinen & Delia Unson Russ Hefty Kathie & Tom Brock Dave Sample & Steve Richter Kathy Kirk Scott Taylor

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DAY Saturday Monday Saturday Sunday Sunday Saturday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Saturday Saturday Saturday Sunday Thursday Saturday Sunday Tuesday Thursday Thursday Saturday Saturday Monday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Saturday Saturday Saturday Sunday Saturday Sunday Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday

2010 Field Trips . . .

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DATE July 3, 2010 July 5, 2010 July 10, 2010 July 11, 2010 July 11, 2010 July 10, 2010 July 14, 2010 July 17, 2010 July 18, 2010 August 7, 2010 August 14, 2010 August 14, 2010 August 15, 2010 August 26, 2010 August 28, 2010 August 29, 2010 August 31, 2010 September 2, 2010 September 2, 2010 September 4, 2010 September 4, 2010 September 6, 2010 September 8, 2010 September 11, 2010 September 19, 2010 October 2, 2010 October 2, 2010 October 9, 2010 October 24, 2010 October 30, 2010 November 7, 2010 November 13, 2010 December 4, 2010 December 18, 2010 January 1, 2011

TRIP Madison Butterfly Count Butterflies, Dragonflies & Picnic at Swamp-Lovers Flowers and Butterflies of Schurch-Thomson Prairie Tour Faville Grove Sanctuary East Butterflies & Dragonflies of Sandhill Wildlife Area Moths: Denizens of Darkness Oak Savannah and Effigy Mounds at Edna Taylor Pretty Things with Wings at Lakeshore Nature Preserve Prairies at their Peak Goose Pond Prairie Restoration Butterflies of the Avoca/Blue River Area Shorebirds of Southern Wisconsin Canoe Cherokee Marsh Ecological Restoration Fall Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Butterflies and Blossoms at Pheasant Branch Fall Birding at Lakeshore Nature Preserve Warbler Walk at Turville Point Warbler Walk at Turville Point Evening Tour of Owen Park Grasshoppers! Birding Madison School Forest Pleasant Valley Conservancy Tour Prairie Ridge Conservation Tour Bird Banding Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory Birding Zeloski Marsh Saw-whet Owl Banding near Stevens Point Fall Birding at Lakeshore Nature Preserve Migrant Songbirds of Pheasant Branch Conservancy Goose Pond Adventure Migrant Songbirds of Pheasant Branch Conservancy Lake Michigan Birding Mississippi Waterfowl Madison Lakes Madison Christmas Bird Count New Year’s Sunrise at Faville Grove Marsh strips with Abbie’s website, http:// envart.blogspot.com/, where you could learn more about each species. “In my artwork,” Abbie states, “I explore the place where art, science, education, and social activism meet. Through art, the artist immortalizes what is or may no longer be. In this case, these animals and plants may no longer exist because of our choices. Your interaction with my art is not simply a passive experience.” With the “Lost” format, Abbie was using the same technique that a pet owner would use if they’ve lost a cherished pet. By posting artwork and information about endangered species, Abbie’s hope was that people would connect with each
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LEADER Karl & Dorothy Legler Karl & Dorothy Legler Rich Henderson & Ann Thering Lars Higdon Ron Arnold Mark Evans Russ Hefty Edgar Spalding Kathie & Tom Brock Mark & Sue Martin Mike Reese Peter Fissel, Quentin Yoerger & John Romano Russ Hefty Mike McDowell Dreux Watermolen Marty Evanson Peter Fissel Peter Fissel Sylvia Marek Kathy Kirk Peter Fissel, Peter Gorman & Nolan Pope Kathie & Tom Brock Russ Hefty Mara McDonald Nolan Kollath Levi Wood & Mara McDonald Eric Wood & Peter Fissel Mike McDowell Dorothy Haines & Pat Ready Mike McDowell Aaron Stutz Chris West Al Shea Aaron Stutz David Musolf & Roger Packard species and want to learn more about each species plight, ask why it was ‘lost’, and think about how they might help “find” it. Abbie’s art is a challenge to the viewer: Donate, volunteer, don’t build a house in the country, oppose sprawl in your city. Live your life in such a way that her art becomes obsolete. From the American Burying Beetle to the Piping Plover to the Prairie White-fringed Orchid, all 12 of her posters can be found on her website, http://envart.blogspot.com/ Check the archives to find them all. Madison Audubon was proud to sponsor this unique art project.
January 2010

“Lost” Posters, a 2009 Art Project by Abbie Kurtz

Abbie Kurtz, one-time editor of the Audubon CAWS, recently completed a year’s worth of “Lost” posters–of endangered species in Wisconsin. Madison Audubon Society and the Four Lakes Group of the Sierra Club were cosponsors of this project that was funded through a BLINK Temporary Public Art Program grant from the Madison Arts Commission. LOST: Endangered Species of Wisconsin featured one species per month on “lost” posters that were widely distributed in Madison. Each had the usual pull-off
The Audubon Caws

Faville Grove Update:

More Prairie on Prairie Lane

Unusually wet weather this fall kept us guessing until the nth hour, but in the end we managed to pull off a successful prairie planting at Faville Grove Sanctuary on our target date of Saturday, Nov. 14. Ninety-five people showed up on the cloudy but mild morning to help with the 32.5-acre restoration that we are calling the Ledge Lowlands. With all the help, we were also able to do some back-seeding to supplement last year’s Charles Prairie planting just down the road and still finish before noon. We managed to dodge the frequent rains in September and October to collect, dry and clean good quantities and variety of prairie and savanna seed—165 species altogether. But damp conditions in October delayed the soybean harvest on the planting site until Monday, Nov. 2. We scrambled to get backhoes and bulldozers on-site that Thursday to begin removing tree stumps and filling drainage ditches. On Saturday the 7th, 14 volunteers spent a long morning in the seed barn mixing and bagging seed for planting. A forecast for rain early that week dried up and the bulldozers finished late on Wednesday, Nov. 11. We flagged the field into halfacre sections and waited to see whether we would end up with the muddy half of the forecasted 50% chance of rain or the plantable half—and fortunately, we saw the latter on Saturday morning. The hydrologic restoration was engineered and financed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service with the goals of retiring flood-prone farmland, providing wildlife habitat, improving water quality in the Crawfish River and reducing downstream flooding. Now that the ditches are filled, the site is already reverting to its original wet condition, with springs seeping from the east side of the rock outcroppings in the savanna and surface runoff no longer channeled away, in much the same way it does in the restoration immediately to the south across Prairie Lane. But the bulldozing did more than just restore the hydrology—it has also visually reconnected the savanna and the floodplain prairie by leveling the tall spoil piles and deep ditches that interrupted the view. We look forward to watching the prairie grow, and to continuing to open up the large oaks in the Lake Mills Ledge Savanna to fully reintegrate the landscape on the entire west half-mile of Prairie Lane!

Anne Johnson and Svetlana Karpe spread seed where a drainage ditch used to be.

One giant spoil pile plus one deep ditch equals...

Late Fall at Goose Pond
By Mark and Sue Foote-Martin November weather seemed more like October and on the first day of December the high temperature was 50 degrees. Usually Goose Pond freezes in mid November and muskrats stop building their houses. This year it appears muskrats were still adding to their houses the first of December and the houses are larger than normal. Thanks to Nolan Pope and Chuck Heikkinen for conducting six weekly waterfowl counts at Goose Pond. Two species with higher numbers than usual were Ringnecked Ducks and Buffleheads. Counts in November and Dec. 1 for Ring-necks were 90, 134, 82, 114, and 60
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...a smooth transition from wet prairie to upland savanna.

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January 2010

forces that structure our natural plancommunities. Conference host is the Fox Valley Area Chapter of Wild Ones Natural Landscapers. The all-day event includes three sets of concurrent sessions ranging from Anita Carpenter and her original quilts depicting the world of nature, to tips on invasive species control with Jessie Bennett, coowner of Driftless Land Stewardship. For more information and a conference brochure call (920) 987-5587. On-line registration and info at www.for-wild.org/ chapters/foxvalley.

Donations Received in November
ACRE MAKER Jerry Martin Roger Packard In Memory of Kay Ewers Neal Deunk

Thanks to the Fish and Wildlife Service for adding a split rail fence to the parking lot at Erstad Prairie.

and Bufflehead numbers were 14, 35, 42, 9, and 26. One species with low numbers was Lesser Scaup; only 10 individuals were counted on Nov. 2. Other interesting sightings that Nolan and Chuck had were 2 Peregrine Falcons, 20 Dunlins, and 6 Lapland Longspurs on Nov. 9 and 730 Ringbilled Gulls on Dec. 1. The gulls spend the night on the Madison lakes and the days on the Arlington Prairie looking for food such as grubs in recently disced cornfields. We estimated 4,000 Canada Geese were at the pond on Nov. 28. On Nolan and Chuck’s Dec. 1 report they “confirmed that all 4,000 Canada Geese are still present.” Throughout the fall there were about 60 Sandhill Cranes roosting at Goose Pond in the shallow water. At the end of November hundreds of cranes were observed in migration on three days. We thought our cranes would have also headed south but at least 50 cranes were roosting on the west pond on Dec. 1. Tundra Swan numbers were low due to high water conditions and lack of arrowhead tubers. A number of swan flocks stopped by but did not stay long once they found that arrowhead tubers were not available. Due to the large numbers of birds, the National Wildlife Health Lab was
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going to collect soil samples to test for avian influenza in the environment. We hope their tests are negative. Thanks to Curt Caslvaka and Mark McGinely who assisted with removing Black Tern nesting platforms at Schoeneberg Marsh/Erstad Prairie. Curt and Sue removed the platforms in shallow water. The two Marks used a canoe to pick up the platforms in deep water. We were glad that some nesting platforms were used by terns last summer. We are “head starting” our third batch of the state-endangered ornate box turtles. Our eight young turtles are living in a large plastic container that is kept at 80 degrees. We feed them turtle food and they are growing. They are lucky in that they did not have to worry about raccoons in their first year and will not have to hibernate until next fall.

HALF-ACRE MAKER Thomas S. Kemp Foundation James O’Brien MY OWN VISION William and Joan Brock John W. Mitchell GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSON In Memory of Evelyn Batchelor University League Bird Study Group Gail and William Van Haren In Memory of Jill Martin Linda Warren In Memory of Tom Rigney Mark Smith In Memory of Dave Schreiner Lesleigh Luttrell In Memory of Diana Webb Jean Clausen GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSON In Honor of William and Jean Damm Sally Martin IN ADDITION, Madison Audubon gratefully acknowledges the generous donation by Mounds Pet Food Warehouse of proceeds from the sale of birdseed in October and November 2009.

Call of the Wild Ones:
Natural Landscaping Conference is Jan. 30
Learn about natural landscaping at this year’s Wild Ones natural landscaping conference on Saturday, Jan. 30 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Keynote speaker Dr. Jim Reinartz, UW Milwaukee Field Station, will examine the major
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January 2010

NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Join Madison Audubon Society, or give a gift membership.

Membership, Renewal and Donation Form
MY NAME _________________________
Address ______________________________ City __________________________________ State_____ ZIP_________________________ Day phone: ( ) ______________________ E-mail ________________________________

PAYMENT INFORMATION

TIME TO RENEW? Check your Madison Audubon CAWS address label to determine your renewal date. Please renew two months before that date to keep your membership current and avoid missing any issues of the CAWS. Tip: Renewing through the MAS office directs more of your donation to local activities and conservation projects. Update: We now send an annual renewal notice. In the future we plan to offer a renewal option via the MAS website. MAKE A DONATION Help make Madison Audubon’s vision a reality. We offer education about the natural world, opportunities to advocate for the environment, and two wildlife sanctuaries with natural habitat where you can learn about the beauty and value of nature. MAIL TO: MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY 222 S. Hamilton St., Suite #1 Madison, WI 53703 Madison Audubon Society, Inc. is a taxexempt, not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Madison Audubon’s financial statement is available upon request.

YES! I want to

___ Join Madison Audubon Society ___ Give a gift membership to:

Name ________________________________ Address ______________________________ City __________________________________ State_____ ZIP_________________________ Day phone: ( ) ______________________ E-mail ________________________________

___ Renew/upgrade my membership ___ Make a donation
[ ] In memory of _______________________ [ ] In honor of _________________________

Please send notification of this gift to:
Name ________________________________ Address ______________________________ City __________________________________ State_____ ZIP_________________________ Day phone: ( ) ______________________ E-mail ________________________________

New membership [ ] $25 New or Gift $_________ Renewal _________ [ ] $25 Student/senior [ ] $60 Family [ ] $40 Renewal [ ] $20 CAWS newsletter Only (non-member) Over and Above Member _________ [ ] Patron $1,000 [ ] Benefactor $500 [ ] Partner $250 [ ] Contributor $100 Donation _________ [ ] Acre-Maker, $2,500 or more can purchase and restore one acre of land [ ] Half-Acre-Maker, $1,250-$2,499 [ ] Quarter-Acre-Maker, $625-$1,249 [ ] Adopt-an-Acre, $100 a year for three years ($300 total). Here is my first installment. [ ] Nest Egg, $50 a year for three years ($150 total). Here is my first installment. [ ] My Own Vision Total enclosed/charged $_________ Please make check payable to Madison Audubon Society, OR please charge my [ ] VISA [ ] Master Card Name on card _______________________________ Card # _____________________________________ Expiration date _______/ _________ Signature __________________________________

[ ] Please do not acknowledge my Gift in Madison Audubon CAWS.

MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
President: Brand Smith Vice-president: Debra Weitzel Goose Pond resident managers: Mark and Sue Martin Faville Grove Sanctuary managers: David Musolf, Roger Packard Editor: Patrick Ready [email protected] Graphic design: Patrick Ready [email protected] CAWS printer: Roemer Printing

THE AUDUBON CAWS is published
September through June by: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton St., Madison, WI 53703, (608) 255-2473. Birding hotline, 255-2476. www.madisonaudubon.org [email protected] E-mail services donated by Berbee

Madison Audubon Wishlist
• Quality binoculars • Digital (LCD) projector • Mule utility vehicle • Rider mower/snow blower in working condition • Energy efficient washing machine • Household/deck furniture

Submissions for the February CAWS are due January 1.

The mission of the Madison Audubon Society is to educate our members and the public about the natural world and the threats that natural systems are facing, to engage in advocacy to preserve and protect these systems, and to develop and maintain sanctuaries to save and restore natural habitat.
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• Small, custom-routed, wood signs

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January 2010

Madison Audubon Society, Inc. Brand Smith, President 222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1 Madison, WI 53703

Non-profit organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 1831 Madison, Wisconsin

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Is it time to renew your membership? See form on page 7 and help MAS.
Return Service Requested

Orioles and Ocelots: Wisconsin’s Connection to Costa Rica
see page 1

MAS Calendar at a Glance
EvEnts January 26 Conservation Lobby Day February 12-15 Backyard Bird Count March 30 MAS Banquet FiEld trips See pages 3-4 for the 2010 Schedule January 9: Wis. River Raptors

Take a Mid-Winter Nature Break with the Great Backyard Bird Count February 12-15, 2010

You are invited to take part in the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count on one or more days from Friday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. Participants in the free event will join tens of thousands of volunteers of all levels of birding experience to count birds in their own backyards, local parks or wildlife refuges. To pique your interest, here’s a short quiz (don’t peek at the answers below!). In 2009, observers from across North America submitted 93,629 checklists reporting 11,550,200 individual birds of 619 species (181,350 birds of 122 species were reported in Wisconsin). What were the four most frequently reported birds in North America? In Wisconsin? What were the four most numerous species reported in North America? In Wisconsin? You may be surprised! Each checklist submitted by “citizen scientists” helps create the continent’s largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded, which will help researchers at the Cornell Lab of
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Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how the birds are doing and how to protect them. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from novice bird watchers to experts. Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. For more results, see http://www. birdsource.org/gbbc/learning/ topbirds and for other exciting updates and summaries, visit www.birdcount. org. There, you can explore maps, see beautiful photos, see tips to help identify birds, explore special materials for educators, and much more. Quiz answers: The four most frequently reported birds in North America were Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Dark-eyed Junco, and American Goldfinch. In Wisconsin they were Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, and White-breasted Nuthatch. The four most numerous species in North America were Snow Goose, Canada Goose, American Robin, and European Starling. In Wisconsin, they were Canada Goose, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, and Common Redpoll.
January 2010

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