THE AUDUBON
NEWSLETTER
222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-BIRD / http://madisonaudubon.org
Raptors of Madagascar
Free Public Program
What: Jim Berkelman on the Island
of Madagascar and its Raptors
When: Tuesday, September 17
7:00 p.m. - Refreshments
7:30 p.m. - Program
Where: Bolz Auditorium, Meriter
Hospital, 124 S. 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 island of Madagascar has been
recognized as a global hotspot of bio-
logical diversity. Although only 180
miles from Africa at the closest point,
Madagascar has been isolated from
other land masses for the last 80 mil-
lion years, leading to the evolution of
a unique flora and fauna. Over 80% of
the species that occur in Madagascar
today are found nowhere else. The
island also has a variety of habitats,
including rain forests, dry deciduous
forests, spiny sub-desert woodlands,
mangroves, and savanna grasslands.
Rapid human population growth,
deforestation, and habitat degrada-
tion now threaten Madagascar's
unique species and habitats.
The island has 16 species of diurnal
birds of prey (hawks, eagles, and fal-
cons) and six owl species. Two species
Madison Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society
OF THE
MADISON
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
SEPTEMBER 2002
believed to be extinct, the Madagascar Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his
serpent-eagle and the Madagascar red doctoral degree in wildlife science at
owl, were recently found. Virginia Tech and a masters degree in
Jim Berkelman will talk about this raptor biology at Boise State
unique island and about his studies of University. He is originally from
its birds of prey. Jim spent two field Ithaca, New York.
seasons studying the Madagascar buz- This program is co-sponsored by the
zard in the eastern rain forests and University of Wisconsin-Madison
three field seasons studying the Department of Wildlife Ecology.
Madagascar fish-eagle in the lakes, You are invited to meet with our
rivers, and mangroves of western speaker, MAS board members, and
Madagascar. He studied their ecology friends at the pre-program dinner at
and habitat requirements and assisted Paisan's Restaurant beginning at 5:15
the Peregrine Fund in their efforts to p.m. Please call the office at 608/255-
conserve these birds and the habitats BIRD (255-2473) if you have questions.
on which they depend.
Jim Berkelman is a lecturer in Next meeting, October 15: Kenya, an
Wildlife Ecology at the University of African Safari
Prairies Jubilee!
Saturday, September 21
Mark your calendar and get ready for a day at the prairie!
Prairies Jubilee! is Madison Audubon Society's annual
prairie open house, hosted by Goose Pond Sanctuary and the
UW-Madison Arlington Agricultural Research Station. Although
scheduling conflicts prevented holding the event last year, we're
rarin' to go this year! Plan now to attend Prairie's Jubilee! on
Saturday, September 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine.
Maybe you've wanted to learn more about Goose Pond and the largest restora-
tion of tallgrass prairie in Wisconsin, maintained by Madison Audubon Society.
Or perhaps you're already a Goose Pond admirer. Everyone is invited to attend
Prairies Jubilee! Admission is free.
Educational talks and mini-tours will focus on Wisconsin prairie and wetland
ecology. Prairie plants and seeds will be offered for sale, and experts will offer
advice on prairie restoration. Conservation and agricultural experts will provide
information on their work.
continued on page 2

Raffle grand prize – “Chickadee on Wasp Nest” original watercolor
painting (30” x 22”) donated by artist Jonathan Wilde with framing
donated by Meuer Art Company. Valued at $1,450.
Prairies Jubilee!
continued from page 1
Horse-drawn wagon rides offer a pio-
neer's-eye view of the landscape, and spe-
cial activities for kids make Prairies
Jubilee! a family affair. The popular "field
trip on wheels" (see box) offers an oppor-
tunity to get fit, have fun, and learn about
the prairies and geology of the Goose
Pond Area.
Prairies Jubilee! begins at the Arlington
Research Station Public Events Building
where ample free parking is available. To
prevent disturbance to wildlife, no park-
ing will be allowed at Goose Pond. Free
shuttle buses will operate between the
Public Events Building and Goose Pond
beginning at 11:00 a.m. and concluding at
4:30 p.m.
Field Trip on Wheels
Join Steve and Laura Richter (Land
Steward for The Nature Conservancy
and Wisconsin Heights biology teacher,
respectively) on a delightful (i.e. no big
hills) 12- mile ride past Goose Pond,
Schoeneberg's Marsh, and surrounding
farmscapes. The bike ride will begin at
9:00 a.m. at the Public Events Building of
the Arlington Agricultural Research
Station. No registration is necessary. Bike
and helmet are required. The tour will
conclude by 11:00 a.m.
2 The Audubon Caws
Fourth Prize - Bushnell 8 x 32 water-
proof binoculars donated by Chickadee
Depot. Retail value $185.
Fifth Prize - Atlas snowshoes donated
by Fontana Sports Specialties. Retail value
$119.
Other Prizes
* Framed acrylic painting by Chuck
Bauer donated anonymously. Retail value
$100.
* Metal sculpture donated by artist Ellis
Nelson. Retail value $85.
* REI backpack donated by REI. Retail
value $50.
* The Birds of Heaven: Travels with
Cranes by Peter Matthiessen with illustra-
tions by Robert Bateman. Retail value $28.
* Fluted slumped glass multi-colored
bowl donated by Ken Stuempges. Value:
$22.
* Madison Audubon Society introducto-
ry one-year membership. Each of two win-
ners will receive one membership. Value
$20 each.
* Madison Audubon Society notecards
Raffle Benefits Madison with Jonathan Wilde's "Chickadee" image.
Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries Five winners will each receive one set of
five notecards. Value $5 each.
This year's Prairies Jubilee! raffle grand
prize is an original watercolor painting Raffle tickets are available at the
donated by Jonathan Wilde of Belleville. Madison Audubon Society Office, 222 S.
The work entitled "Chickadee on Wasp Hamilton Street, Suite #1, Madison, WI
Nest" depicts a curious chickadee inspect- 53703 (608-255-2473). Requested donation:
ing an abandoned wasp nest. Framing for $5 per ticket, three for $10. The raffle
the appealing 30 by 22-inch painting has drawing will be held at 4:00 p.m. at the
been donated by Meuer Art Company, Arlington Agricultural Research Station,
Shorewood. N695 Hopkins Rd., Arlington, WI.
Winners need not be present. All proceeds
Raffle prizes benefit Madison Audubon's wildlife sanc-
Grand Prize - "Chickadee tuaries.
on Wasp Nest"original
watercolor painting donat-
ed by artist Jonathan Wilde
with framing donated by
Meuer Art Company.
Valued at $1,450.
Second Prize - Black wal-
nut and Michigan cherry
handcrafted table donated
by artist David Ludwig
with dendrite stone top
donated by artist Eric
Rattan from his collection.
Valued at $1,195.
Third Prize - Scope and
Tripod. Eagle Optics 78 mm
Raven spotting scope with
20-60x zoom eyepiece and From Madison to Prairies Jubilee!
view through case donated Take U.S. 51 North, approcimately
by Eagle Optics. With a 15 miles inot Columbia County.
Velbon EL-3 chaser tripod
Look for Arlington Agricultural
Research Station and sign for
donated by Wild Birds Prairies Jubilee! Turn West at sign
Unlimited. Retail value: (farm service road). Parking is at
Public Events Building one mile
$508.
from 51.
 Field Trip Adventures
Saturday, September 7:
Fall Birding at Picnic Point
Join trip leaders Roma Lenehan and Jill
Feldkamp for a pleasant morning of birding
on Picnic Point, one of Madison's birding
hot spots. With lots of shoreline, open water
and a variety of woods, wetlands and open
areas, including gardens, Picnic Point is
known for its diversity of birds. On the lake
we will look for waterfowl, gulls and terns;
in the marshlands we will be looking for
blackbirds, wrens and rails; in the wood-
land, we will look for woodpeckers, thrush-
es and migrating fall warblers; in the fields
and gardens we will look for sparrows and
other open field migrants. This trip is co-
sponsored by the Friends of the Campus
Natural Areas.
Trip leader Roma Lenehan has over 20
years of birding experience at Picnic Point
and she recently produced a Campus
Natural Areas Bird Checklist. Co-leader Jill
Feldkamp has been birder in Madison for
only one year, but has been a bird watcher
for over 20 years. Prior to moving to
Madison, she co-taught Ornithology at
Wartburg College in Iowa.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the 1918 Marsh park-
ing lot across University Bay Drive from the
base of Picnic Point, north of UW Lot 60 and
north of the UW hospital. The trip will last
from 2 to 3 hours. Bring binoculars, bird
books, and dress for the weather, which
may be cool by the lake in the morning. If
you have questions, call Roma at 608-238-
5406.
JOIN MADISON AUDUBON
A Chapter of National Audubon
Introductory New membership - $20
Two-year membership - $30
Membership Renewal - $35
Student/Senior Membership - $15
Foreign - Add $10 in US funds
Make check payable to
National Audubon Society
Mail check to Madison Audubon Society,
222 S. Hamilton St. Suite 1,
Madison, WI 53703
Name
Address
City
State Zip
__ I do NOT wish to receive the
National Audubon magazine
__ Do not release my name to outside
organizations. Z02
7xCH
September 2002
Sunday, September 8:
Hike the Kickapoo Valley Reserve
This is a joint trip with The Nature
Conservancy. Join trip leader Brad Hutnik
for a hike at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve in
lovely Southwestern Wisconsin. This area,
once slated to be a dam site by the Army
Corps of Engineers, is now managed by the
state as a reserve. Our tour will focus on
pine relics, southern mesic forest, and oak
woodland/oak savanna. This is a moderate-
ly strenuous 4-hour hike with lots of hills.
Wear good hiking/walking shoes and bring
water and a snack to get you through the
noon hour.
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Kickapoo Valley
Reserve Office, 505 North Mill Street, in
LaFarge. Take Hwy 82 to LaFarge. In
LaFarge, go north on Hwy. 131 about 0.5
mile. The reserve is on the left (west) side of
the road. If you have questions, call trip
leader Brad at 608-355-2346.
Saturday, September 14:
Bird Banding at Picnic Point
This field trip is easy, casual, and close to
home. You can come early or later in the
morning, stay the full time or just a few
minutes, wander around, or become a life-
long volunteer. We will take you to the
Biocore Prairie Bird Banding Station in its
second year of operation to show you how
birds are banded and relate how important
information is gathered for management
and conservation purposes.
We will meet early visitors at the entrance
to Picnic Point at 8:00 a.m. to walk up to the
Biocore Prairie site. Others who prefer can
park at Frautschi Point and walk east
MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
President: Joanne Herfel, 241-8009
Vice-president: Debra Weitzel, 836-4051
Goose Pond Resident Naturalists:
Mark and Sue Martin, 635-4160
Editor: Abbie Kurtz, 245-1758
abbiejkurtz@yahoo.com
Graphic design: Paul Capobianco
Printed by Roemer Printing
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.
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
through the woods into the Biocore Prairie.
If there are visitors who are not able to
walk, please let us know ahead of time, and
we can arrange to drive you to the site. The
banding station will be set at the top of the
prairie, with 4-6 nets open on the prairie to
noon. Late visitors can walk through the
Picnic Point entrance, and make an immedi-
ate left on the path. Take the path up past
the first fork, then take the second fork in
the path to the left. This will take you
through some woods and out into an open
area with a grassland on your right. Follow
the path to the next fork and take the left
fork, which will take you to the Biocore
Prairie site itself. Follow the path up to the
top of the prairie where the mobile station is
set up. For a map, see
http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/biocore/jpegs
/prairie_map_large.jpg
Visitors can accompany us to the nets and
watch us remove birds from the nets, or
watch us band and measure the birds at the
mobile station. Bring binoculars to find the
color marked birds we have for our forag-
ing studies. We welcome anyone who
would like to take pictures of the birds in
hand and we often let individuals, especial -
ly children, hold and release the banded
birds. We ask visitors not to talk during the
processing of birds in order to keep the
birds calm and let our banders concentrated
on data collection. We cannot let visitors
remove or band birds without training. We
ask each visitor to sign our guest book for
our records, and to indicate whether you
would like to be on our email list and/or
continued on page 4
THE AUDUBON CAWS is published
September through July by:
Madison Audubon Society,
222 S. Hamilton St.,
Madison, WI 53703,
(608) 255-BIRD (2473).
Birding hotline, 255-BIRM
Madison Audubon Web Page:
http://madisonaudubon.org
E-mail: masoffice@mailbag.com
E-mail services donated by Berbee
Contribution deadline is September 9
for the October issue, for which items
may be sent to Abbie Kurtz, 313
Moulton Ct., Madison, WI 53704.
abbiejkurtz@yahoo.com
3
continued from page 3
volunteer with us. You may bring food and
drink with you, but do not eat or drink
while handling birds, as they may carry
infectious agents. Bring insect repellent, to
quell Japanese beetles and mosquitoes. You
are free to stay as long as you wish, to wan-
der the restored prairie, or to bird Picnic
Point. If you have questions, contact Mara
McDonald, mamcdona@facstaff.wisc.edu or
608-274-2534 before 8:30 p.m., please.
Sunday, September 15:
Over Hill and Down
Dale on the Ice Age Trail
Come along for a stroll over hill and
down dale amid the variety of communities
and habitats of the Lodi Marsh State
Wildlife Area. Our walk along a 5-mile seg-
ment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail
will take us from the margin of the marsh
through wet meadows, oak woodlands and
savannas to hilltop prairies. We'll watch for
Sandhill cranes and herons, hawks and
bluebirds, late Summer wildflowers, and
rocks brought in and strewn about by Ice
Age glaciers. We'll inspect wetland, prairie
and savanna restorations and talk about the
comings and goings of the ice sheets not so
long ago. Bring lunch, water, binoculars and
sturdy shoes. Plan to enjoy a late-Summer
day amid the varied landscape and plant
communities of the Lodi Marsh State
Wildlife Area.
MEET: 8:00 a.m. at the Kohl's
Supermarket parking lot on Century Ave.
(Cty Hwy M) in Middleton to carpool from
Madison to Lodi Marsh State Wildlife Area
OR MEET: 9:00 a.m. at the Ice Age Trail
parking lot about .75 mile north of the inter-
section of Lee and Lodi-Springfield Roads
4 The Audubon Caws
in the Town of Dane. From Madison: Take
Hwy 113 north through Dane to Lee Road.
Turn left and follow Lee Road for several
miles over the hill and down into the valley
where it crosses Lodi-Springfield Road.
Turn right and follow Lodi-Springfield
Road about .75 mile to the Ice Age Trail
parking lot on the left (west) side of the
road. LEADER: Gary Werner, 249-7870
Saturday, September 21:
Madison Natural Areas Fall Birding
This birding trip will focus on the Ho-
Nee-Um and Nakoma Duck Pond portions
of the UW Arboretum. The natural springs
in this area often attract migrant songbirds,
providing excellent looks for birders. On
this trip, we will sort out some of the con-
fusing fall plumage of warblers and observe
any other migrants that cross our path. In
addition to warblers, trip participants
should see a variety of flycatchers, vireos,
thrushes and possibly a Yellow-billed
Cuckoo. Trip leader Aaron Stutz has fre-
quently birded this area and has been an
active birder in the Madison area for over
five years.
We will meet at 7:00 a.m. in the parking
lot near the Ho-Nee-Um pond area of the
UW Arboretum, at the corner of Arbor
Drive and Monroe Street. Expect the trip to
last approximately three hours. If you have
questions, contact Aaron Stutz at 294-9618
or by e-mail at agstutz@chorus.net.
Saturday, September 28: Lichens and
Mushrooms at Devil's Lake
Join trip leaders Matthew Nelsen, Marie
Trest, Diane Derouen, Dan Czederpiltz, and
Tom Volk, in an exploration of the lichens
and mushrooms of Devil's Lake State Park.
Learn growth forms, ecological importance,
and reproductive strategies, as well as some
common lichen and mushroom species and
characters used for identification. We will
hunt in the lowlands and up the bluffs. Matt
and Marie study lichens as graduate stu-
dents at UW-Madison.
Check out the WI lichen website:
http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wislichens.
Dan works with fungi as a postdoc at UW-
Madison, and Diane is a lab coordinator for
the UW-Madison fungi course. Tom is a
mycologist at the University of Wisconsin-
La Crosse; see Tom's website:
http://www.TomVolkFungi.net.
Meet to carpool at 9:00 a.m. in the parking
lot of the Middleton Kohl's food store at the
intersection of Century Ave. and Allen
Blvd. Or, meet at 10:15 a.m. in the parking
area nearest the trailhead for East Bluff
Trail, near the Nature Center -- from HWY
12 take Hwy 159 east and follow signs to the
North entrance of Devil's Lake State Park. A
state park sticker is required to park. Bring
binoculars (we won't always be looking
down), a hand lens, if you have one, and all
Volunteer Opportunities
Madison Audubon Society is looking for
a few people to fill volunteer positions.
• Volunteer Coordinator-Solicit and
organize volunteers for the numerous
events we conduct. These events would
include Prairies Jubilee, Earth Week activi-
ties, Scope Days, Eco Treks, Farmers
Market, and numerous other activities that
we conduct or participate in. This can be
fun, but it does take time. This position
requires organizational skills and a will-
ingness to work with several people.
• Art Fair Coordinator-Oversee and
coordinate MAS largest annual fundraiser
held each May.
• Publicity Coordinator-Publicize the
numerous events we offer to the commu-
nity. Events would include monthly pro-
gram meetings, annual Art Fair, Prairies
Jubilee, and other society activities.
• Education Coordinator-Promote con-
servation, ecology and sustainability
through education.
• Field Trips Coordinator-Lead a group
in organizing and arranging the MAS field
trips for members and the public.
Anyone interested in offering their tal-
ents or time in any of these areas, please
contact Joanne Herfel at 266-0472 (days) or
241-8009 (eves).
those lichen and mushroom questions that
have been puzzling you. Please dress
appropriately for the weather. If fungi are
abundant, we may continue into the early
afternoon, so you might like to bring a sac
lunch. If you have questions, contact Matt or
Marie at (608) 262-9873 or mttrest@wisc.edu
This field trip is jointly sponsored by
Madison Audubon and the Wisconsin
Mycological Society-Madison Interest
Group. For more information about this
new Madison group, contact Betsy True at
(608) 821-0048.
Sundays, October 6 & 20: Scope Days at
Goose Pond
Scope viewing days at Goose Pond will
be held during the peak of the fall migration
season. Spotting scopes will be set up along
the drive for visitor use on Sunday after-
noons from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Members will
be on hand to help visitors locate and identi-
fy waterfowl. If the weather is inclement,
the scopes will not be set up. Please see map
to Goose Pond. Volunteers are needed to
help focus, spot and visit with guests. If you
have questions, call Dorothy Haines at 221-
1948 or the MAS office, 255-BIRD.
Experts Tell How
Proposed Ethanol Plant
Will Harm Goose Pond
by Marsha Cannon
On Monday evening on July 15, seven
expert witnesses invited by Madison
Audubon Society explained to the Village of
Arlington Plan Commission how Madison
Audubon and our wildlife sanctuary, Goose
Pond, will be harmed if a proposed 40-mil-
lion gallon per year ethanol plant is permit-
ted to go forward as currently described.
United Wisconsin Grain Producers (UWGP)
of Beaver Dam is proposing the plant, to be
located less than a mile from Goose Pond.
Mark Martin, Goose Pond Sanctuary resi-
dent manager, gave an overview of
Madison Audubon's history at Goose Pond
and its importance as a wildlife sanctuary.
Then Stan Druckenmiller, retired DNR
administrator, discussed the DNR permit-
ting process and the local plan commission's
role. Druckenmiller noted that it is not nec-
essary for UWGP to obtain a local condi-
tional use permit prior to obtaining their
DNR (air and water) permits. As an exam-
ple, he cited the very controversial Crandon
Mine project where the Town of Nashville
quickly committed to the project. Local resi-
dents were strongly opposed to the project
and eventually elected a new town board.
The new board tried to get the decision
overturned. But after spending thousands
of dollars and waiting for years, a judge
ruled that they could not overturn the deci-
sion. Druckenmiller stated, "Once a local
government gives its approval, it cannot
take it back.”
Carl Houtman, a chemical engineer expe-
rienced in ethanol plant operation,
described various hazards of ethanol plants.
They include biocides, used to minimize
biological growth in the cooling tower,
which would kill plant and animal life if
released directly into Goose Pond. Other
hazards include chemical spills and fire.
Houtman asked the Village Plan
Commission, "How are you being compen-
sated for the risk your community is tak-
ing?".
Charles McGinley, a chemical engineer
and ethanol plant consultant from
Minnesota, testified about air quality
around an operating ethanol plant. He said
that although proponents claim a "thermal
oxidizer" (essentially, a heated tube) will
decrease volatile organic compounds as
much as 99%, that claim has not been sub-
stantiated, adding, "It will smell." McGinley
concluded, "It is my opinion that United
Wisconsin Grain Producer's proposed
ethanol plant...will emit odorants, irritants,
and hazardous air pollutants and toxic
September 2002
chemicals and should not be located within
one mile of any residence, commercial
establishment, or sensitive environmental
What YOU Can Do!
land use."
Madison Audubon hired Robert J. Donate to the Legal Defense Fund.
Montgomery, a water resources engineer, to Fighting a well-organized cadre of ethanol
analyze the effects of increased water dis- investors takes thousands of dollars. The
charge on water levels at Goose Pond. He MAS Board of Directors is committed to
concluded that while the plant's discharge protecting Goose Pond from the negative
projected at 61,000 gallons per day is a small impacts of an ethanol plant. Donations are
component of the average annual water needed now! Please send your check
budget estimated for Goose Pond, projected payable to Madison Audubon Society -
increases in pond levels due to the plant dis- Legal Defense Fund, to:
charge range from 0.1 to 0.2 feet (1.2 to 2.4 Madison Audubon Society, Inc.
inches) and 0.5 to 0.7 feet (6 to 8.4 inches), 222 South Hamilton St. - #1
depending on the water level of the pond at Madison, WI 53703.
the time. As the pond receives more water,
it grows in total area and also becomes
Having heard Madison Audubon's experts
deeper. These numbers would expand if the
a week before and after listening to their
projected discharge estimates are low or if
neighbors' concerns, Plan Commission
the plant doubles in production capacity.
members voted unanimously to table the
Joy Zedler, wetland ecologist and member
conditional use permit application until a
of the DNR Natural Areas Preservation
"sister" plant in Monroe is up and running.
Council, explained the State Natural Areas
The Monroe ethanol plant is due to com-
program. Goose Pond is designated a DNR
mence operations on September 15, 2002.
State Natural Area. No use which is incon-
This recommendation went to the Village
sistent with or injurious to the natural val-
Board.
ues of such an area is permitted. Zedler tes-
At it's August 12 meeting, the Village of
tified that we can expect the ethanol plant to
Arlington Board of Trustees discussed the
have an adverse impact on Goose Pond
situation at length. Trustees commented
Sanctuary biota, since even a 4-inch change
that the decision is very complex and they
in water level can change the biota. A 6-inch
wanted to have discussion about it, rather
change, such as suggested by
than more hearings and testimony. So, they
Montgomery's analysis, can kill some
decided to have a joint meeting with the
plants. Other factors such as the tempera-
Plan Commission on August 26 to discuss
ture of the cooling water and discharge of
various issues and concerns with the propo-
water year round raises the question of
nents (UWGP) and representatives of
whether Goose Pond might not freeze as it
MR/BK, the industrial park owner/devel-
would without the discharge. The effect of
oper.
the plant's evaporation "plume" is difficult
For now, the ethanol plant decision is on
to predict (estimated at 176 gallons per
"hold." However, proponents are eager to
minute, or 254,016 gallons per month), but a
gain approval. Madison Audubon Society
significant rise in humidity could cause or
and its attorneys are keeping a close watch
exacerbate fungal diseases on native plants
as Arlington grapples with this life-altering
within the plume's path.
decision.
Jim March, a certified wildlife biologist
As reported in the June 2002 issue of the
specializing in waterfowl biology and wet-
"CAWS," Madison Audubon filed an appeal
lands, pointed out the normal cycle between
on May 17 which halted the Village
wet and dry conditions at Goose Pond.
approval process, asserting that the Plan
Additional water from the proposed
Commission's May 6 vote to recommend
ethanol plant could alter the wet/dry cycle.
that the Village Board issue a conditional
If changes in the water level affect vegeta-
use permit to UWGP failed to follow the
tion, use of the pond for breeding and nest-
Village zoning code.
ing would be greatly reduced and the
absence of mudflats would reduce or elimi-
nate the use of this area by shorebirds. MAS has an
March also warned of significant negative account at the
impacts that could result from toxic chemi- Madison
cal spills or a sudden release of water in
Recycling Center
larger than normal quantities. on Fish Hatchery
On July 22, village residents, organized as
Rd. Remember
Concerned Citizens of Arlington, spoke to
MAS next time
the Plan Commission regarding hazardous
material spills, truck traffic, road deteriora- you recycle.
tion, water usage and quality, financial
impact, health effects, odor, and noise.
5

Goose Pond Sanctuary
Shorebird Hotspot
by Mark and Sue Martin
Water conditions are low at Goose Pond
due to low water runoff the past two
springs and below normal rainfall this sum-
mer. The west pond is completely covered
with arrowheads while the east pond is
open water and ample mud flats. As the
water recedes on the east pond it exposes
the mud flats, providing excellent shorebird
habitat.
Some bird watchers were able to observe
12 species of shorebirds including black-bel-
lied plover, semipalmated plover, killdeer,
greater and lesser yellowlegs, solitary sand-
piper, willet, spotted sandpiper, semi-
palmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, stilt
sandpiper, short-billed dowitcher, and
Wilson's phalarope.
The mud flats provide us with an oppor-
tunity to view the tracks of coyotes, pos-
sums and raccoons that venture across them
during the night to get a drink of water.
Turtles leave interesting patterns too, with
widely spaced footprints with a heavy
6 The Audubon Caws
Left:
Shorebird
habitat at
the east
part of
Goose
Pond
Below:
Interns
planting
prairie
dropseed
nursery
dragline through the center made by their
wide body.
We are noticing more bats flying around
the house and yard now that the young are
taking flight. We are happy to have them
with us to help with insect control. We
believe that they roost in the corncrib dur-
ing the day. The corncrib also contains a late
brood of barn swallows.
Around the house, young house wrens
are seen as they move through the elderber-
ry bushes in search of insects to eat. Young
robins are feasting on the berries along with
the catbirds. Chimney swifts are always in
the air above the house and can be heard as
they chatter to each other while in flight.
The two birdbaths are busy and attractive to
all that stop by for a drink of water. We
have them on the ground so that the rabbits
and ground squirrels can use them. This
summer, a short-tailed weasel called our
yard and buildings his home. He was busy
catching mice and chipmunks for his fami-
ly. He became very tame and often came up
to us when we were outside. He would stop
about 10 inches from our feet and look up at
us as if to say, "do you have something for
me to eat"?
Prairie and
Wetland Restoration at
Faville Grove Sanctuary
by Mark and Sue Martin
Seed Collectors Needed – Your help is
needed this fall for the collecting of prairie
and wetland seed for hand planting 40 acres
of land adjacent to Tillotson Prairie. The
land is currently in soybeans and will be
hand planted on November 9. Plans are to
hand collect only local genotype seed. Much
of the seed will be collected at Tillotson
Prairie that was planted with 100 species in
the fall of 1999.
No experience is needed for seed collect-
ing. Bring gloves and nippers if you have
them. Seed will be collected every Saturday
from September 15 though November 2.
Seed will be collected from 9:30 a.m. to noon
and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. We will
meet at the end of Prairie Lane. Take
Highway 89 north of Lake Mills for 1.5
miles to Highway G, then north for 1.5
miles to Prairie Lane, turn east (right) on
Prairie Lane to the end of the road. Bring a
lunch or you can eat at Lake Mills if you
would like to work all day. Call Sue Pech at
920-648-4392 if you have questions.
Wetland Restoration – Before seed is
planted, a 5-foot deep ditch on the north
side of the area will be filled and other wet-
lands will be restored on the 40 acres. Tim
Connelly, Fish and Wildlife Service
Biologist, is coordinating all the wetland
restoration work. Tim is also securing a
DNR permit to fill another ditch that enters
the Crawfish River. This restoration will
result in 50 acres of open water and will
greatly benefit wildlife.
Prairie Dropseed Nursery – Interns and
volunteers were busy this summer planting,
a nursery bed at Faville Grove with 7,000
prairie dropseed seedlings. Other work
included watering and weeding. The nurs-
ery bed was established to provide seed of
this priority grass for future restorations.
It was sometimes necessary to water the
seedlings twice a week due to lack of rain.
However by mid August, rainfall increased
and the seedlings were growing nicely.
Ruth Wynn Memorial Service
Ruth Wynn, former Goose Pond
Sanctuary Resident Manager, passed away
July 2, 2002 in Longmont Colorado. There
will be a memorial service for Ruth on
Thursday October 3, 2002 at 10:30 a.m. at
Christ Presbyterian Church, 944 E. Gorham
Street, Madison. There will be more infor-
mation on Ruth in the December CAWS.
The family has asked that memorials be
made to the Madison Audubon Society,
Goose Pond Land Acquisition Fund.
Timber Wolf
Population is Increasing!
by Mark A. Pfost
According to the most current estimates
320 timber wolves, in about 80 packs,
inhabited Wisconsin at winter's end.
Approximately 35 were living in the
Central Forest region, with the remainder
living in the northern counties. As you may
remember, the population estimate at the
end of the 2000-2001 winter was 250 ani-
mals-give or take a few-so this year's official
estimate was greeted with smiles and
frowns during the annual Wisconsin Wolf
Stakeholder's meeting.
Smiles arose from those supporting
viable wolf populations, and frowns from
those concerned that they may suffer eco-
nomically from timber wolf recovery. State
and federal criteria for delisting timber
wolves differ, but population size and sta-
bility parameters have now been exceeded,
so the process of delisting wolves in
Wisconsin has begun. The process is expect-
ed to take one to two years. Since federal
delisting is also on the horizon, procedures
have to be determined for what to do with
"problem" wolves.
Wolf stakeholders met on April 13 to dis-
cuss Draft 4 "Guidelines For Conducting
Depredation Control On Wolves In
Wisconsin Following Federal
Reclassification To 'Threatened' Status."
Much of the discussion centered around the
definition of terms used in the Draft. A live-
ly discussion of the definition of terms such
as chronic farm, depredation site, and sig-
nificant loss may have seemed nit-picky,
but were important because other sections
September 2002
of the Draft depended on these definitions.
Disagreement over definitions occurred
between stakeholders, giving the Wolf
Technical Committee some fat to chew
while writing the next draft.
Although there was general agreement
that wolves threatening ranch/farm ani-
mals would need to be controlled in some
manner (lethal or non-lethal), that general
consensus did not hold when discussions
moved to dog depredation by wolves on
public lands. The Wisconsin Bear Hunters
Association argued that they suffered eco-
nomic hardship when they lost hounds to
wolves, and that mechanisms should be in
place to control the "offending" wolf. I and
others argued that our respective organiza-
tions would not support removal of a wolf
(lethal or non-lethal) from public land
because it had killed a bear hound. We fur-
ther argued that this is not a hunting/anti-
hunting issue, but instead is a conservation
issue.
As is to be expected, people on the stake-
holder committee have strongly held opin-
ions on what should be done with wolves.
Sitting at the stakeholder's table is a terrific
way to learn about wolf ecology, wolf poli-
tics, and divergent viewpoints. It's a way to
help shape the future of wolf management
in Wisconsin. Doreen and I are leaving
Wisconsin, so MAS will need a new repre-
sentative. Interested? Contact Karen Etter
Hale at the Madison office at 255-BIRD.
Donations
ACRE MAKER
Philip Miles
MY OWN VISION
Jane Rikkers
Marlys & Joe Sloup
Suzanne Brockman Zeigler
GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSON
In Memory of Sandra Hermanson Donohowe
Nancy Miller
In Memory of John T. Garrett
Genevieve & William Bancroft
In Memory of Carol Rose Giltz
Nancy Barklage
Jane Fischer
Maggie & Eric Johnson
Kathy Koenig
Carol Nielsen
Cathrine Sawyer
Ellen Stephenson
Marilee Kutz Thoresen
Teresa Welch
GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSON
In Honor of Mark & Sue Martin
Jerry & Jill Martin
YES! I want to make the
Madison Audubon Society’s
vision a reality. Here is my
contribution to the Wildlife
Sanctuaries Campaign.
[ ] Acre Maker. $1,000 or more to buy
and restore another acre of land.
[ ] Half-Acre Maker. $500-$999 to buy
and restore another half-acre of land.
[ ] Adopt An Acre. I pledge $100 a year
for three years ($300 total). Here is
my first installment.
[ ] Nest Egg. I pledge $50 a year for
three years ($150 total). Here is my
first installment.
[ ] My Own Vision. $ to help as
much as possible.
Direct my gift to:
[ ] Endowment fund to restore and main-
tain the sanctuaries.
[ ] Land acquisition at Faville Grove.
[ ] Land acquisition at Goose Pond
[ ] Where it will help the most
Name
Address
In Memory of
In Honor of
For Gifts Honoring Another, send
acknowledgement to (name and address)
Contributions will be acknowledged near
the Madison Audubon Information Board
at Goose Pond as follows: $1,000 or
more-name will appear on a permanent
plaque; $250-$999-name will appear on
engraved paving brick.
[ ] Do not acknowledge in Madison
Audubon Society Newsletter, CAWS.
Make checks payable to:
Madison Audubon Society
Mail to:
Madison Audubon Society
222 S. Hamilton Street, Suite #1
Madison, WI 53703
Gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed
by law. Madison Audubon Society’s
financial statement is available upon
request.
7
 Madison Audubon Society, Inc.
Joanne Herfel, President
222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1
Madison, WI 53703
Leopold Education
Project Workshop
September 28 at Goose Pond Sanctuary
Landowners, educators and agency per-
sonnel are all invited to attend a workshop
on "Learning about Leopold's Land Ethic"-
The Leopold Education Project (LEP). This
workshop has an innovative environmental
education curriculum based on the classic
writings of Aldo Leopold. LEP teaches
about humanity's ties to the natural envi-
ronment, in the effort to conserve and pro-
tect the earth's natural resources.
Participants will learn about the Land Ethic
and how it can affect their daily decisions.
Participants learn how to use the natural
world to teach science, math social studies
and history.
Participants will leave with a teacher's
manual entitled "Lessons in a Land Ethic", a
personal copy of Leopold's classic book, A
Sand County Almanac, a set of TASK cards
and a wealth of handouts. Six DPI clock
hours will be awarded to teachers. The
lessons are correlated to Wisconsin
Academic Standards.
The workshop will be held at Goose
Pond Sanctuary, Arlington on September
28, from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The $15 fee
includes lunch and materials. To register
Non-profit organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 1831
Madison, Wisconsin
Prairies Jubilee!
See page 1 9/02
mail fee to Traci Holm, 2101 Breezy Point
MAS Calendar
Drive, Pardeeville, WI 53954, or contact her
at 608-429-4041, ot via email at: at a Glance
sthohn@network2010.net. Madison
Audubon Society, Columbia County and Sat., Sept. 7:
Central Wisconsin Chapters of Pheasants Fall Birding at Picnic Point
Forever are sponsoring the workshop. Sun., Sept. 8:
Hike the Kickapoo Valley Reserve
Sat., Sept. 14:
Bird Banding at Picnic Point
Sun., Sept. 15:
Over Hill and Down
Dale on the Ice Age Trail
Sat., Sept. 21:
Madison Natural Areas Fall Birding
MAS By-Laws Change Sat., Sept. 21:
The MAS Board is making slight Prairies Jubilee!
changes to the Society's By-Laws. Some of Sat., Sept. 28:
these changes are occurring as a result of Lichens and
restructuring and prioritizing by National
Mushrooms at Devil's Lake
Audubon. Other small changes are being
Suns., Oct. 6 & 20:
made to reflect how we actually do our
Scope Days at Goose Pond
business in the area of monthly meetings
and in our recently modified financial
management. The recommended changes
will be voted on by members present at
the September 17 general meeting. The
changes will be posted at the meeting site
prior to the meeting for review. A copy is
also posted at the MAS office for review
until voting occurs.