Dunesletter autumn 04 - Woodland Dunes

From the Director

After the hot summer we are grateful for the wonderful autumn weather.Autumn is when our wildlife, both resident and migrant, is most abundant.

In the Preserve, plants, animals and insects are taking advantage of the moderat-ing temperatures to prepare for the extremes of winter. I hope you will alsotake advantage of the pleasant weather by visiting the Preserve and the NatureCenter, hiking the trails, and learning about our amazing fellow creatures.

This past summer was very busy. More than 1,000 people participated inprograms at Woodland Dunes and we welcomed many visitors, including thoseseeking out our butterfly garden and natural play area.Although mosquitoeswere abundant in the woods (good for the birds, not so appealing to people),Cattail Trail had few mosquitoes and offered views of songbirds and ospreys.

Our prairie planting along Woodland Drive and Goodwin Road is develop-ing as we had hoped.Among the maturing native wildflowers and grasses, wesaw quite a few grassland birds such as sedge wrens, dickcissels, bobolinks,grasshopper and savannah sparrows, sandhill cranes, eastern meadowlarks, andharriers, as well as more common species.We are happy to see these species inthis habitat during the nesting period.The pond near Goodwin Road was inalmost continuous use by waterfowl and waders, including mallards, blue-winged teal (both raised broods there), great blue herons, a great egret, and, ofcourse, Canada geese.Visitors, including school children, are exploring theprairie on Coneflower Trail (see page 8).

For our staff, the summer included the pleasant task of greeting both newand familiar visitors, doing bird surveys, providing summer programs for visitinggroups, coordinating volunteers, and working on fundraising strategies to main-tain our operations. Securing funding for nonprofits is a challenge; thanks toeveryone who has supported us through our fund drive and other donations.

Now that the nesting (and mosquito) season is just about over, we will needto spend more time and effort on controlling invasive plants.This summer Ispent some time in the South visiting relatives; the sight of invasive kudzu vinecovering literally acres of ground, shrubs, and trees (seven million acres of landin the South) looked like a nightmare. It reinforced my determination to ensurethat invasive species don’tdegrade our Preserve. Despitethe invasive species, our habi-tat and wildlife are stillexceptional. I recently talkedwith folks who knew ourproperty when they wereyoung. One expressed hisfeeling of gratitude to ourorganization for buying theland and restoring the habitatthat in the early to mid partof the last century wasalready being fragmented anddegraded. It validated whatour founders and their suc-cessors have been doing. Ihope we never lose sight ofthat.

Jim Knickelbine, Director

The DunesletterA Publication of Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve

Autumn 2010Volume 141

Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,3Citizen Scientist Monitors . . . . . . . . . . .3Facility Rental, Restoration . . . . . . . . . .4 Poetry,Confusing Fall Plumage . . . . . . .5Oh, Give Me a Home . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Coneflower Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Kidland Dunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9The Living Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . .10Phenology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Garden Wars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Thank You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Fund drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Fritz SchulerCo-producer of Woodland Dunes’Concert Series, Fritz Schuler has beencalled “the walking encyclopedia offolk music” by Tom Martin-Erickson ofWisconsin Public Radio’s Simply Folk.Strongly influenced by the ruralmusic of the 1920s and ‘30s, Schulerdraws from a wide range of tradition-al music, from the Memphis jugbandblues to Appalachian mountain songsand ballads. His many connections inthe world of folk music make ourexceptional concert series possible;we also appreciate his remarkablemusical skills in his occasional perfor-mances at Woodland Dunes.

Volunteers from Grace Congregational Churchbuild tree platforms in Little Wings.

Dunesletter • Autumn 20102

Coming EventsTo confirm events and register for classes, please call Woodland Dunes, (920) 793-4007 or email [email protected]

For information, call (920) 793-4007 or check our website at www.woodlanddunes.org.Unless noted, all events are held at the Nature Center.

PICNIC ON THE PRAIRIEFriday, September 3 • 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Enjoy an evening on the prairie. Hike the trail and stop at sta-tions along the way to learn about the plants and wildlife thatuse the prairie. Bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy thesounds of the prairie as the sun begins to set.Meet east of theGoodwin Rd./Woodland Dr. intersection, at the prairie over-look. Call the Nature Center for directions: (920) 793-4007.

Five Buck HootenannySaturday, September 25 • 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.Fee: $5 adults; $2 for children 12 and under.

Tap your toe to folk music in our family-friendly setting. PeteJohnson, a singer-songwriter adept at fingerstyle guitar, flat-picking,hybrid picking and slide guitar will play a wide rangeof tunes from swing to traditional folk. He’ll be joined by ourown Fritz Schuler. It’s a combination that is hard to matchanywhere.

OwlfestSaturday, October 16 • 8:00 a.m. to noon

A celebration of the fall migration of the saw-whet owl.Thisyear we will feature our local animal rescue organization,WOW, with their owls. Owl banding and release demonstra-tions, nature activities, guided hikes and more!

Five Buck HootenannySaturday, October 23 • 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.Fee: $5 adults; $2 for children 12 and under.

Enjoy the witty, insightful songs of musician Jym Mooney. Hehas been making a name for himself on the folk scene inMilwaukee and across Wisconsin for over thirty years and hasreleased several recordings to positive critical response; thisis your chance to hear him in person. Held at WoodlandDunes in the Edna Smith room.

Enchanted ForestSaturday, October 30 • 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Members: Family, $8, individual, $4; Non-members: Family, $10, individual, $5Journey through a candlelit forest to meet some of MotherNatures favorite (costumed) animals.The outside self-guidedhike has surprises around every turn; indoor space and warmrefreshments will be available. This will be an educationalevening, not a scary one. Please wear costumes and warmclothing.

Harvest DinnerSaturday, November 13, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

(see page 3)

2010 RaffleTake a chance and win a kayak, or one of the othergreat prizes.Tickets are available at the Nature Center;pick yours up in the Nature Shop during regular officehours or at special events.

PrizesGrand Prize; Perception Sport Kayak1st Place Prize: Barska 20-60x Spotting Scope2nd Place Prize: $50 cash3rd Place Prize: Voices of North American Owls CD

Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.The drawing forthe raffle will take place at Owlfest on Saturday,October 16, at 11:30 a.m.You do not need to be pre-sent to win. Proceeds from the raffle will supportWoodland Dunes’ programs in education and land man-agement programs. Contact Jessica at [email protected] or (920) 793-4007 for more information.

Dunes Movie NightThursday, November 18 • 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. • Admission: $2 per person

Microcosmos!Employing unique microscopic cameras and powerful spe-cialized microphones, this highly praised French documen-tary is a fascinating look at the seldom-explored world ofinsects and other minute creatures as they go about theirdaily lives.With footage of ladybugs feasting and snails mat-ing set to a mystical score by composer Bruno Coulais, thefilm won five César Awards, including Best Cinematographyand Best Music.This film is rated G.

Herbal Gift MakingThursday, December 2 • 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Herbs make great gifts for the holiday season. Join herbalistLinda Conroy as we craft an array of herbal creations thatwill serve as inspirational gifts for loved ones—or yourself.Participants will make a body spray, healing salve, massageoil, tea blend and much more! Herbal infusions will beserved as we enjoy this fun, interactive and informativeevening. Program will take place at the Nature Center.Registration and payment required by November 18th. $30, member;$35, non-member.

Snow BallSaturday, January 22 • 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Members: Family, $8, individual, $4; Non-members: Family, $10, individual ,$5Enjoy storytelling in the tipi, candlelight snowshoe hikes andwarm up with chili around the campfires.Don’t miss this funcelebration of winter! Note:This event is held at WoodlandDunes Field Station on Goodwin Road.

Dunesletter • Autumn 2010 3

Winnie Smith Harvest DinnerSaturday, November 13 • 6:00 p.m.

Please join us for our annual Harvest Dinner, held in honorof founding member,Winnie Smith.This fundraiser cele-brates the season with an autumn-themed meal, silent auc-tion and guest speaker. It will be held at GraceCongregational Church in Two Rivers.

The evening will begin with appetizers and punch anda chance to participate in the silent auction.The dinner,catered by Lighthouse Inn, includes the choice of butternutravioli in a cider crème sauce or a maple-apple chickenbreast with roasted red potatoes with parsley. Both comewith a tossed salad and green beans with feta, dried cran-berries and pecans. Finish with apple or pumpkin pie.

Greg Septon, director of the Milwaukee PublicMuseum’s Natural History Outreach Section and manager ofthe Peregrine Falcon Recovery Program, will present anafter-dinner program. Greg has led several collecting expe-ditions and spent time along Alaska’s Arctic coast, livingwith the native Inupiaqs, photographing, collecting, andpainting birds. He has lectured worldwide, published exten-sively, and has artwork in the permanent collections ofmuseums and private collections. For the past 23 years, hehas directed and managed an urban peregrine falcon recov-ery effort as part of the Wisconsin Peregrine FalconRecovery Program and implemented similar programs inRussia and Poland. His richly illustrated presentation willprovide an overview of the peregrine falcon recoveryefforts in Wisconsin between 1987 and 2010, managementissues and resolutions, the role of electric power generatingplants in the recovery of the population, and what thefuture holds for the peregrine falcon in Wisconsin.

Reservations are required: tickets are $50 per person. Please callWoodland Dunes (920) 793-4007 to make a reservation.

At the Dunes

Greg Septon (left) bands a peregrine falcon chick with the helpof Bill Holton at the Milwaukee We Energies Valley power plant.

Citizen Science MonitoringCitizen science is a term used for projects in which individual volunteers or networks of volunteers, many ofwhom may have no previous scientific training, performresearch-related tasks such as observation, measurementor computation.

The use of citizen-science networks allows scientiststo accomplish research objectives that might not other-wise be possible. In addition, these projects promotepublic engagement with the research, as well as with sci-ence in general.

Woodland Dunes is involved in a number of citizenscience projects.These projects are great learning oppor-tunities for individuals and families alike.

Winter Bird CountEach year Woodland Dunes coordinates four winter birdcounts in Manitowoc County This year they will be heldon December 18 and 19, and January 1 and 2.Information will be available at the Aegolius Bird Clubmeeting on December 14, or by calling Woodland Dunes.The results are compiled and submitted to the WisconsinSociety for Ornithology, which tracks and publishesChristmas count results for Wisconsin counties.

Invasive Species Monitoring and RemovalHelp to monitor the spread of invasive plant and animalspecies in our area, and control them in the WoodlandDunes Preserve and beyond.

Saw-whet Owl BandingMeeting: September 25 • 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Join the elite group of volunteers who help with thesaw-whet owl banding project. From early October tomid-November, groups of volunteers help check nets inthe evening.

The owls are banded by our licensed bird banders,but volunteers are invited to learn about the bandingand see the release of the owls.Training is required; atthis meeting learn the first steps to joining this group ofvolunteers.

Wisconsin Bat StudyA study of the bats of Wisconsin is being conducted.Information is needed on the location and size of batcolonies.White nose-syndrome is a fungal disease that islethal to bats.This unprecedented disease is currentlyspreading toward Wisconsin and severely threatens ourcave-bat populations.

If you know of large numbers of bats in caves, mines,barns, bridges, churches, schools or other buildingsplease contact the Wisconsin Bat Program [email protected] or 608-266-5216.


At the Dunes

Woodland Dunes Facility RentalWoodland Dunes is a 1,200-acre oasis of hardwood and conifer forests, wetland,and prairies that lies between Manitowoc and Two Rivers.A picturesque naturalsetting with modern conveniences and close to two major cities,WoodlandDunes is the perfect site for your next gathering. Note:Woodland Dunes NatureCenter is an alcohol-free facility.

Business MeetingsHold your next business meeting, retreat or evening event at Woodland DunesNature Center.The Rahmlow Marsh Haus offers a peaceful and relaxed atmos-phere with wireless internet.A naturalist guided hike or pontoon ride on theWest Twin River can be arranged for an additional fee. Become a corporatemember at the Ecologist Level or above and receive one complimentary two-hour facility rental.

Weddings Woodland Dunes offers a unique natural setting for your wedding. Get marriedoutside under the pavilion or, for smaller gatherings (30 people or fewer), youcan choose the Merry Star Butterfly Garden. In case of inclement weather, theEdna Smith Room comfortably holds 70 people.The Preserve offers beautifulforests, prairies, ponds, an old barn and a brick farmhouse, making it the pictureperfect setting for capturing memories of your special day.

Facility Rentals Picnic tables, hiking trails, a covered pavilion and the children’s play area makeWoodland Dunes the perfect location for gathering friends and family.Whetheryou wish to celebrate life or to remember it, the Nature Center offers a quietrelaxed atmosphere.Available facilities include:Rahmlow Marsh Haus: Built in the late 1800s, the Rahmlow Marsh Hausoffers old world charm with modern convenience. In 1990 the Edna Smithroom was added to accommodate larger gatherings. Depending on arrange-ment, the Edna Smith Room can accommodate 40 to 70 people comfortably.The Rahmlow Marsh Haus has a kitchenette with sink, refrigerator andmicrowave. NOTE:This facility does not have an oven or stove top.Pavilion:An outdoor pavilion can accommodate 50 people comfortably.A roofwith sky light and open sides makes the pavilion the best of both worlds, offer-ing a sheltered gathering space with great views.Nature Trails: Eight trails allow visitors to explore the 1,200-acre Preserve.Alltrails are relatively level and easily hiked; they range from 1/4 mile to 2 miles inlength.Two of the trails, Cattail Trail and Yellow Birch, are wheelchair accessibleboardwalks. Home to 39 species of mammals, 110 species of nesting birds, 12species of reptiles and amphibians and more than 400 plant species, you neverknow who you might run into.Little Wings Natural Play Area:The front yard of the Rahmlow Marsh Haus isa kids’ paradise.A pond, climbing area, prairie maze, sand swale, art space andfort building materials keep kids entertained for hours.A raised seating areagives parents a place to relax and keep an eye on play time.

Fee structure:All rentals include full use of the facilities.During regular business hours: $50 an hour (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.year round. Extended hours, April through October, 9:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdaysand 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. the first Sunday of the month, excluding holidays.)Off hours rental: $75 an hour.Naturalist services: $25 an hour.Please contact Jessica Johnsrud for more information and to reserve a space: [email protected] or (920) 793-4007.

Restoration ComplicationsIn writing the article on page six, Ilearned that the disease that affectsprairie dogs, sylvatic plague hasreared its ugly head before. Perhapsmost readers will realize that sylvaticplague in animals is also calledbubonic plague in humans. Historybooks certainly impressed me withthe gruesome stories of the BlackDeath, that much-feared disease thattook its toll in the Middle Ages. Fleasbiting a sick individual would becomeinfected with the bacterium, Yersiniapestis, and then would transmit thebacteria to other individuals that itwould subsequently bite, includinghumans. Because the infection is usu-ally lethal to those that receive thebacterium, the very thought that thedisease is still in our neighborhoods iscause for great concern.

This is one of the reasons whythe reintroduction of the black-footedferret has faced fierce opposition andoften anger.The farmers and ranchersliving in the areas where prairie dogtowns are being used to reintroducethe ferrets, have raised concern thattheir livestock and even themselvesare next to be infected with the bac-terium.

To help alleviate these fears, theprairie dog towns have been dustedwith insecticides, hopefully killing thefleas, and an active program of immu-nizing the ferrets for the bacteria hasbeen instituted. But, this is an enor-mously difficult project, since theimmunization effort must be repeatedover and over to protect the youngferrets that are born each season, andobviously are without protection.

Other solutions to the problemare to trade lands close to the prairiedog towns for other suitable landsthat the farmers and ranchers canuse, so as to keep towns and humansa safe distance from each other.As hasbeen noted earlier in other articles,“When you tug on nature, you findthe rest of the world attached.”(John Muir)

Chuck SontagProfessor Emeritus, UW-Manitowoc


Confusing Fall Plumages

A confusing variety of plumages can make bird identification more compli-cated in fall than in spring or summer. Many birds look different becausethey have changed their feathers before fall migration. Feathers becomeworn or broken from use and faded with age, so they are replaced at leastonce each year in a process called molting.

Baby songbirds develop a coat of down feathers as they are growing in theirnest.The down is soon replaced by their first full coat of feathers, known asthe juvenile plumage.The flight feathers of their wings and tail remainunchanged for over a year, but they molt most of their head and body feath-ers a few months later and assume the first winter plumage. In most song-bird species, the next full molt occurs approximately one year later, after thenext nesting season. Following this molt, the bird assumes the adult winterplumage. It then molts about the same time every year for the rest of its life

Many species with brightly-colored males become duller after the post-breed-ing molt. In these species there may be a partial molt in late winter or earlyspring, in which some head and body feathers are changed to produce thebright colors of the breeding plumage. Other species, including the starling,snow bunting, and house sparrow, acquire their breeding plumage graduallyin late winter by wearing off the dull-colored tips of their winter feathers.

Molting is a gradual process that takes a few weeks in small birds, longer inlarger birds.As the new feathers grow from the feather follicles, they pushout the old ones. Molting is symmetrical, with corresponding feathers fromeach side of the body being replaced at the same time. Flight feathers aremolted a few at a time so the bird is always able to fly. On other parts of thebody, feathers may be molted in small groups, so we may see cardinals orblue jays with their entire crests missing.

In other kinds of birds, the molt sequence and timing may be different thanin songbirds. Hawks and gulls skip the post-juvenile molt, and the juvenileplumage is worn for the entire first year.Waterfowl molt in early summer andagain in early fall.All their flight feathers are molted at once, so they areflightless for a short time. Some species of raptors may take two years tomolt all their flight feathers, with only part of them molted each year. Somebirds, such as eagles and gulls, take up to four years to reach maturity.Theplumage of immature birds changes slightly with each molt until full adultplumage is acquired.

Molting is triggered by hormones andis regulated by the genetic make-up ofeach species.The variety of molt pat-terns and timing can result in findingbirds in all conditions of molt duringfall migration. Some may look thesame as in spring, while others maybe quite different.This makes birdingin fall very interesting and very chal-lenging.

John Woodcock

Acorn Wishing

I came on three acorns triangle-patterned on the path and pitched them like pennies meant for a wishing well.A lucky squirrel would find them in the underbrush.They couldn’t fill any cause of mine.

I kept the wishes, though,for sharing on the trail,and the wind took the first one,tossed it to a branch to a migrant saw-whet owlresting there, waiting night flight.Come back next year,the wind and I called. Mayyour winter travels go well!

The second wish rippled near a pokey, drowsy turtle settling down in thick mud.Sleep deep, the pond whispered,and dream of clear watersand summer-sunny logs.

The third the trees claimed by their royal right, by fact of their crimson and gold autumn rule. I wish you fat rings, full chirping nests,trumpeting spring blooms.They nodded with the windto acknowledge my gift,so I bowed and headed home.

Jean Biegun (Another Dunesletter poem is inthe 2010-11 WisconsinDepartment of NaturalResources wall calendar.)

Notes from Nature

This male cardinal’s bald head may bethe result of abnormal molting and is

more common in juveniles.


The Curtis Prairie in the UW-Madison Arboretum recently cele-

brated its 75-year anniversary.As therenowned prairie celebrates this mile-stone,Woodland Dunes is about to ini-tiate its own prairie tradition with theopening of the Coneflower Trailthrough a new prairie planting in thePreserve. Prairies today cover a merefraction of their former expanse, mak-ing both restored prairies and prairieplantings important reminders ofwhat once was, and the incredible sig-nificance of their place in past land-scapes.

When John Deere turned thesword into the plowshare, the greatprairies of the west were transformedinto the agricultural lands of today,reducing prairieland to less than 1 %of its original land area (see diagram1). In Wisconsin, prairies were lesswidespread, but existed in the northcentral and southern areas of thestate (see diagram 2). Remnants of theprairie landscapes still exist inWisconsin, and careful observers canfind prairie plants along the roadswhere the prairies once existed. Dr.Ron Schaper (a retired local dentist)carries a shovel with him when hetravels, and harvests these roadsidetreasures, replanting them in hisprairie garden adjacent to LakeMichigan and next to Kingfisher

Farm.This preserves the plants, savingthem from the mowing activity that iscommon practice along Wisconsin’sroadways.

Prairies are enormously complexecosystems, yet the number of plantsin prairies is low compared to thenumber of plants, in, for example, theNorthwoods of Wisconsin. However,the species diversity within a prairieis very high, with each plant playing aspecific, important role. Because ofthis complexity, establishing a prairieis a very difficult process. Scatteringseeds from prairie plants on bare landwill not result in a prairie: plants areonly one component of the ecosys-tem. Prairie animals and a myriad ofmicroorganisms are also needed. It isthis part of the prairie equation thatmakes prairie restoration, and subse-quent maintenance, difficult, since theanimals and microorganisms do notnecessarily appear with the prairieplants.The animals pollinate the flow-ers, disperse the seeds, feed on theplants, carry parasites, and providenutrients from their droppings anddecomposition for the plants’ contin-ued growth. Resident creatures liketurkeys and deer can fill in some ofthe missing roles, but all of the impor-tant tasks or jobs are not performed.Because these important roles areonly partly filled, or missing altogeth-er, the restoration process is compro-mised and the developing prairieecosystem becomes stressed.Thesemissing roles must be filled by humanintervention; the stand-in who pullsweeds, poisons insect pests, and fertil-izes the lands in an attempt to makeup for the missing parts of thesenewly formed prairie landscapes.Therefore, even if we were to seed afield that had been a prairie in theearly 1800s, the new prairie would bequite different than the original, sincethe interactions of the new systemwould not be the same.

Each prairie organism performsspecific tasks in the prairie ecosystemby supporting or inhibiting thegrowth or spread of other organisms.This is certainly nothing new to ecol-ogists, but becomes an important

issue when working with a prairieplanting such as the one theWoodland Dunes is establishing. Manyorganisms that are part of prairies aremissing entirely, including the signa-ture species of any prairie, the bison(Bison bison). Other missing animalsinclude the blacktail prairie dog(Cynomys ludovicianus), Plains pock-et gopher (Geomys bursarius), theblack-footed ferret (Mustelanigripes), pronghorns (Antilocapraamericana), and myriads of insects,amphibians, reptiles and birds.Without their participation, theprairie becomes just a collection ofplant species, much like a garden.

Fire is the prairie’s industrialstrength fertilizer, herbicide and pesti-cide—although rather non-selective inthe last two categories. However, aswith the application of all herbicidesand pesticides, more than just the tar-geted problem species are affected.Prairie plants, with their deep andprotected root systems, were leastaffected by the “cold” fires that quick-ly moved through prairie landscapes.These fires were often the product oflightning strikes, but were also creat-ed by Native Americans to drive thebison to deadly precipices or toambush points.These fires woulddestroy woody plants, leaving theprairie free of trees and brush exceptin the riparian areas.The nutrientsreleased by the fire were quicklyreturned to the soil, giving a boost tothe remaining prairie plants.

These fires also destroyed insectinfestations such as the “locusts”which formed swarms so huge, theskies were blackened and everything

Oh, Give Me a Home, Where the Buffalo Roam . . .

diagram 1: historical extent of US prairies

diagram 2: historical extent of Wisconsin prairies

7Dunesletter • Autumn 2010

edible in their path was consumed,even the clothing on the backs of theearly pioneers who tried to fight theinvasion. Modern agriculture, withplows and pesticides, resulted in theultimate demise of these pests; no“locust” invasion has been recordedin the past 100+ years.

The bison is the poster child ofthe prairie, representing our romanticimage of the prairie. Because of itssize and historical population num-bers—estimated to be in the hun-dreds of millions—it played a majorrole in the prairie, dining on thegrasses and pruning the shrubberyand thus maintaining the health ofthe ecosystem. Bison roamedthroughout their range, and wereoften not seen for extended periodsof time, only to appear and then dis-appear again as if they were spirits ofthe land.Today, only isolated areas inCanada and the U.S. have free rangingpopulations of bison.

The bison is the largest NorthAmerican land animal, and today isrepresented by two living subspecies:the prairie bison, Bison bison bison,the animal referred to in this article,and the wood bison, Bison bisonathabascae.Wood bison are found inthe western providences of Canadaand Alaska, and live in the boreal ortaiga environments. Because they areadapted to more northern environ-ments than the plains bison, they

exemplify Bergmann’s Rule: they arelarger in weight than their prairiecounterparts. In addition, four extinctspecies of bison have been identified.

Because of their size—2,000+pounds—and their speed—up to 35mph—few predators of the bisonexisted before humans came on thescene. Only the wolf, Canis lupus andthe grizzly bear, Ursus horribilis,were known to prey upon bison, andeven they usually took only the youngor sick animals.

Bison had another role on theprairie: they were as much a part ofthe prairie dog towns as the prairiedogs themselves.They used theexposed and open areas to wallow inthe dust, which helped to controltheir insect pests.The damage toplants in wallow areas led to tastynew growth, a dining treat to the ini-tial visitors.

Blacktail prairie dogs (Cynomysludovicianus) were the master archi-tects of these wallow areas and theirtowns were very much like the WildWest human equivalents. In this sce-nario, the marauders, eager to createmayhem, were black-footed ferrets(Mustela nigripes). Ferrets prey uponblacktail prairie dogs, providing freepopulation control. Other predatorsinclude golden eagles (Aquilachrysaetos) and prairie rattlesnakes(Crotalus viridis).When burrows arevacated, burrowing owls (Athenecunicularia) quickly fill the void,using them for their own needs andinterests, making their contributionsto the complexity of the ecosystem.

Although black-footed ferretswere legitimate predators, unfortu-nately, they helped transmit sylvaticplague, carrying it as they movedfrom town to town.Today it hasreemerged as a serious problem.Theplague is caused by the bacteria,Yersinia pestis, and is transmitted bythe rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, thattravels with a mammal host.The dis-ease kills up to 90% of the prairie dogtown residents.With the attempt toreintroduce the black-footed ferretinto the remnant prairie dog towns,sylvatic plague is once again becom-

ing an issue of great concern, disrupt-ing the introduction process.This cer-tainly illustrates the difficulties in try-ing to reestablish an ecosystem.

Just as the bison is the signaturespecies of prairie mammals, bigbluestem grass (Andropogongerardii) is the signature species ofprairie plants. It and other grasses likeIndian grass and switch grass reachheights of five to nine feet, givingeastern prairies their name of TallgrassPrairies.Their enormous root systemspenetrate many feet into the soil, andtheir system of rhizomes or under-ground stems stabilize the soil. Itonce created a rich, deep topsoil thatis the thickest topsoil ever recorded.As big bluestem grass matures, it takeson a blue/purple tint, giving the grass-land a smoky appearance as the grass-es blow and wave with the wind.These grasses were a good nutritionalresource for bison because of theirrelatively high protein content.Theyalso provided cover for prairie chick-ens (Tympanuchus cupido), who atethe seeds along with insects, especial-ly grasshoppers.

As grasses grow tall in competi-tion for space, sunlight and otherresources, they create challenges forthe other members of the prairiecommunity. Cowbirds (Molothrusater), originally found only in theprairies, perched on the backs ofbison, a good vantage point for find-

blacktail prairie dogs black-footed ferret


Coneflower Trailing food, drink and mates.But, because bison constant-ly moved across the prairies,cowbirds had little time tobuild nests, incubate eggsand fledge their young.Tomeet this challenge, cow-birds replaced their tradi-tional life style with one thatwas better suited to thisGypsy way of life:To accom-

plish the reproductive part of their life cycle, they usedother species of birds to incubate their eggs and fledgetheir young.

Other species of birds who made the transition fromwood to prairie dwellers changed their courtship patterns.Since singing is a bird’s way of advertising for a mate, theychose a perch where the charms of the songs can best beheard. However, blades of grass, the tallest structuresaround, lack sufficient structure for the birds to perchupon.To solve this dilemma, birds like the lark bunting(Calamospiza melanocorys), sing on the wing, incorporat-ing an aerial display into the act, much like our Americangoldfinch (Carduelis tristis) Other species of bird, like thegreater prairie chicken, a lek species, perform elaborate ritu-alistic dances on pretend territories, which are staked out inthe open areas of the prairie in the very early spring.Thedense grasses that develop, and the chickens’ cryptic col-oration permit cover for the nesting activity and the raisingof the very precocious young.To make sure they do notbecome someone’s dinner while preoccupied with theircourtship dance, the horizon must be visible in all direc-tions so predators can be seen, and appropriate actiontaken.

The prairie planting at Woodland Dunes is rich in suit-able plants, but very few of the other players important tothe management and life of the prairie are present. Becausethey are missing, our prairie planting will need continuedattention and work.We will use fire to help manage theinvasive plants, but with most of the animals missing, thepruning will be left to the human work force. But, whatcould be a nicer tribute to Woodland Dunes’ commitmentto preservation, than to establish a prairie that celebratesand preserves what once was? And, with committedWoodland Dunes helpers, we will celebrate our ownanniversaries in the tradition established at UW-Madison’sArboretum and the John Curtis Prairie.

Perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson captured the feeling bestwhen he declared that “The landscape belongs to the per-son who looks at it.”This is abundantly clear when onegazes on the prairie landscape that Woodland Dunes isrestoring. Please come, look and enjoy our own “home onthe range” treasure. But sadly, you will not see the buffaloroam.

Chuck Sontag, Professor Emeritus, UW-Manitowoc

bigbluestem

Our Newest Trail

Ablaze of gold, sprinkles of cobalt blue, deep greens, richbrowns, all of these delight the eye as you hike along

Coneflower Trail, the latest addition to Woodland Dunes’trail system. Brightly colored butterflies flash their wings inthe mid-day sun: monarchs, sulphurs, tiger swallowtails andmore.Yet even while your eyes feast on the pure, rich col-ors of the prairie, your attention will be drawn again andagain to the insect chorus that echoes across the entireprairie. Cricket songs predominate; if you listen carefullyyou may pick out bird songs and the calls of other insects.

In late summer and early autumn, the prairie planting isat its most beautiful. It’s not a subtle landscape: colors arebold, sounds are loud, and the grasses reach high.As youwalk from the parking area to the deck, you’ll see labeledprairie plants.A dozen or so of the most typical were plant-ed and labeled to use as an educational tool.Then watch forthem growing wild as you hike the trail.You may recognizesome of them as plants that grow in your garden, either asspecies plants or their more sophisticated cultivars.

The path encircles a large part of the prairie, leadingfrom the observation deck around to the north through tallgrasses and flowering plants, then slightly uphill to thewest, where drier soil means shorter plants. Swing souththough the shortest plants of all, and finally back east pastthe pond to return to the observation deck.

Along the way, sunflowers of several species—cupplant, rosinweed, and the like— flash their golden faces andspikes of delicate vervain, lavender liatris and bright bluelobelia make exclamation points among the grasses.Threegrasses stand out: Indian grass, Canada wild rye and bigbluestem with its turkey-foot seed heads.There’s also littlebluestem, shorter in stature, but just as lovely.These grassesare the basis of the tallgrass prairie, which this planting imi-tates.As the years pass, it will increase in complexity, andcome closer to resembling the prairies of the past.

Soon schoolchildren will bewalking—and run-ning—along thistrail as part of ournewest environ-mental educationprogram.Teacher-naturalist training isin the works, signsare being pro-duced, and a rackcard will attract vis-itors. Please visit,and enjoy thenewest WoodlandDunes trail.

Susan Knorr, Editor


Kidland D“oo”nesA Dunesletter page for kids and kids at heart! by Belinda and Teresa Zoller

Dissect An Owl Pellet...Try It!

When an owl catches a rodent such as a shrew or a mouse, the indigestiblebones and fur are separated from the nutrients that the meat provides.Thefur and bones are then coughed up in a formed pellet. By examining such apellet, you can learn more about the owl’s diet and rodent anatomy in gen-eral. It’s not a good idea to go look for owl pellets yourself—they’re wet andnasty!—but there are other ways to study these fantastic curiosities.

1.You can buy them. Online retailers such as Owl Brand Discovery Kits(www.obdk.com) sell individually baked and foiled pellets for just a few dol-lars.With proper lab equipment you can manually dissect and put togetherthe skeleton of the prey.

2.A mess-free alternative can be found in virtual dissections. One goodonline resource is kidwings.com, which guides you through the assembly ofa mouse skeleton from a “pellet.” Lesson plans and instructional aids are alsoavailable on the Internet.

While browsing Microsoft Clip Artfor pictures of owls, I was

rather frustrated to find that themajority of them were cute little car-toons donning graduation caps andgeeky glasses; nothing serious for anature article. Seeing this trend ledme to the question: why do we tendto describe owls as being wise? Notsurprisingly, the answer turned up as Ilearned more about owls—specifical-ly, the habits of the eastern screechowl.

First, this owl is quite versatile. It livesin city parks as well as in forests with-out attracting public notice. Likeother owl species, it seeks pre-builthiding places in trees and buildings,but is also open to using man-madenest boxes—perfect for your study.

Second, the screech owl’s disguises

Barn Owls: Vanishing HuntersIf you’ve ever heard a hauntingscreech from an old barn or abunch of woods near your house,you’ve probably heard the barnowl. Barn owls look very differentfrom other owls because of theirwhite feathers.They are excellenthunters who eat mostly rodents,like voles, rats, and shrews.

Just as their name suggests, barnowls frequently build their nests inbarns and old deserted buildings.Farmers loved them in their barnseven more than cats because oftheir skill in catching rodents.

Over the years, pesticides androdent poisons have killed off manyof the barn owls. Now they are con-sidered an endangered species inWisconsin.

So whenever you see a barn owl orhear its haunting call, consideryourself lucky.

Sources:Wild Wisconsin Notebook, by James Buchholz; allaboutbirds.org; owlpages.com; kidwings.com

are ingenious. Its important-lookingdowny tufts and cat-like yellow eyesmight fool the casual observer intothinking it is a tiny great horned owl.Additionally, they occur in differentcolors; about one-third of the popula-tion has reddish-brown, brick-coloredplumage, while the rest are a charcoalgrey-brown.

Third, its call is particularly distinc-tive.As its name suggests, it does nothoot; rather, it has a medium-highpitched stutter. If you clap your handover your mouth repeatedly whilemaking an “ooh” sound, you too cansound like a screech owl.

Through its unique and adaptablelifestyle, the screech owl may well beconsidered the wisest owl of themall.

The Wisest Owl

I’m going back to school!

10 Dunesletter • Autumn 2010

The Living Classroom

Call for Education Volunteers

We are getting close to that won-derful time of year when

school field trips start and kids beginvisiting Woodland Dunes. More thanany other time of year, we need you!Not only does the loss of children’scontact with the natural world nega-tively affect growth and developmentof the whole child, it sets the stagefor a continuing loss of the naturalenvironment. New studies indicatethat even more important than beingin the outdoors is having an adult rolemodel to demonstrate an interest inand excitement about the naturalworld. If you can volunteer for ourupcoming education programs, youcan be one of these important rolemodels. Please contact Kelly at theNature Center—(920) 793-4007 orkellye @woodlanddunes.org—to learnabout the programs and the trainingwe offer. \

Check out our menu of classes! Little Hike on the PrairieThe prairie across from CottonwoodTrail will be in full bloom this fall anda new program for second graderswill be underway.The prairie programruns in September at the same timeas Cottonwood Trail. It will focus onthe relationship between insects,plants and the animals of the prairie.

Summer Fun This summer 1,045 kids and adultsenjoyed a Woodland Dunes program.A scavenger hunt where studentswere tested on not how fast theycompleted the hunt but how muchthey learned while competing. It wasthe focus of the summer program.

Fall Fun with KidsExplore the new Coneflower Trail!Stop by the nature center to pick upsome oversized socks, insect collec-tion jars and nets.The socks will helpyou find seeds and the jars will helpyou see your insect friends up close.

Fall Leaf Activities:Hike through the forest and collect acouple fallen leaves. Encourage kidsto only take leaves that are already onthe ground.Then ask some questions.Can you find the tree that the leaf came from? Study the different leaves that you found:

What are some difference between the leaves? What do the leaves have in common? Do any leaves have teeth? Do they have hairs? What do they feel like? Who found the biggest leaf? The smallest?Have any leaves been eaten by insects?

How can you tell? Can they trace the veins on their leaves with their fingers?

Get your kids exploring and askingquestions about the natural world!

Kelly Eskew-VorronAssistant Director and Education Coordinator

The Volunteer Appreciation Lunch was achance for the staff to thank all of

Woodland Dunes’ volunteers for theimportant work they do.

A class from Encompass gathers aroundthe art table in Little Wings natural

playground

Small schools may bring BOTH firstand second grade students toWoodland Dunes and participate inboth programs! Cottonwood TrailThis sensory tour introduces studentsto the plants and animals of WoodlandDunes.As they interact with naturealong this hike, students will becomeincreasingly aware of the smells,sounds, sights and feel of a forest.After this introduction to the naturalworld, kids are eager to learn more! The Forest Around UsThis program introduces students to aforest ecosystem.While exploring aforest that is part of Woodland Dunes,students will determine what ele-ments are necessary for a healthy for-est to function and learn why forestecosystems are important.Owling 101Celebrate the migration ofWisconsin’s smallest owl.This interac-tive program introduces importantecological concepts while engagingstudents in hands-on learning.Migration permitting, live bird demon-strations make this program a favoriteof students and teachers alike.

Pressed LeavesMaterials: iron, towel, wax paper

Place a leaf between two layers of Waxpaper and then cover with a towel.

Press the towel with a warm iron, being sureto iron over the entire area of wax paper.This will seal the leaf between the two layersof wax paper.

Afterward, you can cut out each leaf, leavinga narrow margin of wax paper around theentire edge of the leaf.

Punch holes through the wax paper at thetop margin of the leaf and hang the pressedleaf.

Use several leaves to make a hanging leafmobile.

11

What’s happening at Woodland DunesSep

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The dates given are based on data from previous years, but will vary depending on actual conditions.

Flying ant swarmsare often seenafter a rainfall.

PICNIC ON THE PRAIRIE

Shorebirdsflock along

Lake Michiganas migrating

birds passthrough.

Goldenrods andasters bloom onDunes’ prairie.

Look for red maples, one of the first treesto turn color, on Yellow Birch Trail

Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate.

The leaves of green ash, cottonwood and quaking aspen turnyellow. Hike the Ice Age Trail to see them.

Watch for for monarch migration alonglakeshore. Peak flying time is mid day.

First day of autumn;full Harvest Moon.

31

Dark-eyed juncosbegin arriving.

White-tailed buck make scrapes and rubsthrough November.

Frogs begin burrow-ing into mud for the

winter.

Owl Fest

Hike the Ice AgeTrail to enjoy the

fall color

Red-winged black-birds depart.

Tamaracks changecolor—visit Conifer Trail.

Full Hunters’ Moon

White-throatedsparrow depart.

Enchanted Forest (Sat), a night hike tomeet the misunderstood animals of

the nightHalloween

Little brownbats depart.

Best time to controlinvasive buckthorn

(green leaves)

White-tail deer rutin peak

HarvestDinner

End of sandhillcrane migration

Gun deer season,Woodland Dunes

trails closed

Full Beaver Moon Ring-necked pheas-ants begin to winter

in cattails.

Turkeys in hiding

An occasional worn butterfly may be seenon a sunny day, even in the winter.


Timestillstand

Agatha Christie,long-time

queen of cozy mys-teries, invented thisportmanteau wordin the spirit of theGerman language,to describe a placethat never seemedto change, no mat-ter how much timepassed betweenthe protagonist’svisits. (By thePricking of MyThumbs, copyright1968) I often feelthat this is exactlywhat I am trying todo with my garden:design, select

plants, install plants, and then spend all my resources tryingto keep it exactly as I envisioned it in the design stage. Inother words: timestillstand.

Fighting this urge is like fighting human nature.Wehumans are forever trying to stop, or at least slow the flowof time, although we know it will never happen. (We’re notgoing to get into time theory here, because that leads toquantum mechanics, which gives me a headache.) Even so,we continue to expend our efforts to stop time. In our gar-dens, we prune trees and shrubs, dig out seedlings, andgrub out offsets.Then we re-edge garden beds, divideperennials, and deadhead everything in sight.

And nature fights back, sending out shoots, droppingseeds everywhere, and completely ignoring our plans. Intheory, I like the idea of designing with nature, but when itcomes right down to it, nature doesn’t want the plan Iwant. Nature wants to take over, sending in runners ofCanada goldenrod, wild raspberries, red osier dogwood,quaking aspen; seeds of forbs, vines, shrubs, trees; and eventhose frustrating invasive plants. Plants grow, mature anddie. Nature has no conscience whatsoever; survival of thefittest is the only rule it observes.

Did you ever note how many authors use battle termswhen they talk about gardening? It turns out that whatlooks like a peaceful occupation is really a pitched battle, abattle that requires all our wits and tools. No wonder thereare books advising you on suitable exercise routines to pre-pare for the gardening season, and the proper way to attackweeding and other garden jobs.

Recognizing the fact that gardeners also have a naturallife cycle, garden writers have refocused from how to cre-ate the perfect garden to how to create a low-maintenancegarden.While they are full of good suggestions, they don’t

deal with the basic problem: a garden is a living thing thatchanges over time. No matter how many low maintenanceplants and work-saving strategies you incorporate, naturewill take over the minute you let your guard down.

There’s no timestillstand in my garden here atWinghaven.Already I can see the birch trees are gettinglarge enough to shade out the peonies in the entry walk;the hosta have reached their full potential and while theyare gorgeous, they are now out of scale with the Japanesemaples; and a nasty little patch of snow-on-the-mountain isspreading out and overwhelming the Asiatic lilies.Everything seems to grow bigger than promised by thoseplant hang tags or catalog descriptions. It’s clear to me:nature is winning the battle. Daily I must decide how toexpend my very limited resources (or deploy my troops, ifyou prefer to continue the battle analogy).

Nor is there timestillstand at Woodland Dunes. Do wekeep the Preserve as it was in 1970 when it was put intoconservancy, or do we let natural succession take place? Ifall 1,200 acres end up as woods, what happens to the birdsthat lived in the open fields? But stopping time takesresources at Woodland Dunes, just as it does at Winghaven.Do you use these resources to burn the prairie, or to plantnew trees? There’s only so much money and so many staffand volunteer hours. How to spend limited resources is thequestion that always must be asked—and answered.

Woodland Dunes, being a nonprofit organization, has alife beyond the existing staff and board. It is set up to pro-tect land in perpetuity.Although the specific approach toland management may change over the years, the land willbe preserved in a natural state, be it prairie, woods or wet-lands.Time will stand still, if that’s what the Board directs.

Winghaven, like other private gardens, is at the mercy oftime. Once the original time-stopper (that’s me) is gone,nature is once more in control. Eventually, the careful lineswill blur, the best adapted plants will take over, and the gar-den I made will disappear. Perhaps sometime in the future,garden archeologists like those who recreated The LostGardens of Heligan in Cornwall will revive the sleepingplants and renew the design. More likely, it will end up likethe old homesteads we see around the county, the housegone, and only a few old lilacs and vintage yellow lemonlilies to mark where a gardener once labored.

Susan Knorr, Editor

Garden Wars

Carolyn Singer, author of Deer in My Garden, experimented with nitrogenfertilization, and found deer preferred plants that were fertilized to identicalbut unfertilized plants. This may explain why plants newly purchased fromnurseries,which are often pumped up with fertilizer, seem to attract preda-tion. Chemists have suggested that deer enjoy the flavor, which is similar tothe much-loved salt. Decreasing your use of fertilizer actually may result inbigger (non-deer-pruned) plants.

a homeowner who counted on timestillstand


Birds

Aegolius Bird ClubThe Aegolius Bird Club meets at Woodland Dunes the second Tuesday each month at7:00 p.m. The club also makes field trips each month on Saturdays to places aroundour area that are rich in bird life. Membership is open to anyone interested in birds,but you need not be a member to attend meetings or to participate in field trips. Formore information, call John or Julie Woodcock at (920) 683-3878.

Bird Club Field Trips 2010September 18: Meet at the wayside on Hwy. 42 at 8:00 a.m. to look for fallmigrants along the Ice Age Trail in Woodland Dunes.October: No field trip due to OwlfestNovember 13: Meet at UW-Manitowoc B Parking Lot at 1:00 p.m. to look for loonsand waterfowl at Fischer Creek, Kingfisher Farm, and Cleveland.December: No field trip due to winter bird counts

Injured Birds and AnimalsIf you find an injured or abandoned animal, please DO NOTbring it to Woodland Dunes. Instead, call WOW’s pager num-ber, 323-5609, and leave your name, telephone number andaddress.They will return your call, most likely within 15minutes, and either come to pick the animal up, or instructyou as to the best action to take.

Adopt an OwlFor $25 you can adopt a saw-whet owlcaught and banded at Woodland Dunes.You will receive a certificate of adoptionwith the band number of your owl, aphoto of a saw-whet owl, and a form forrecording recaptures. Funds raised fromthis program will support the missionof Woodland Dunes. Please call for details.

Bird Seed in the ShopWoodland Dunes has teamed up with Country VisionsCooperative to offer several types of bird seed for sale. Wecarry large bags of black oil sunflower seed and also a basicmillet mix, and niger (thistle seed). Birds appreciate thesehigh energy foods

We Care Donation ProgramWant to make an easy contribution to Woodland Dunes thatdoesn’t cost you a cent, and takes only a few minutes? Signup for the “We Care” program at Pick & Save.This programhelps nonprofit organizations raise funds through support-ive shoppers who use their Advantage Plus Savers Clubcard. Each time shoppers uses their card, the nonprofitorganization of their choice receives a cash rebate.Theamount the organization receives is a percentage of thetotal amount of “We Care” dollars that Pick 'n Save con-tributes.

To register for the We Care program and begin earningrebates for Woodland Dunes, visit the Customer ServiceDesk at the Two Rivers Pick 'n Save store.

Canada Goose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56Wood Duck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3American Black Duck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Mallard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Blue-winged Teal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Hooded Merganser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Ring-necked Pheasant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Wild Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Double-crested Cormorant . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Great Blue Heron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Green Heron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Black-crowned Night Heron . . . . . . . . . . . .1Turkey Vulture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Osprey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Northern Harrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Cooper’s Hawk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1American Kestrel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Sora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Sandhill Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Killdeer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Spotted Sandpiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Wilson’s Snipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1American Woodcock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Ring-billed Gull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Herring Gull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Caspian Tern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Rock Pigeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Mourning Dove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Black-billed Cuckoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Great Horned Owl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Chimney Swift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Ruby-throated Hummingbird . . . . . . . . . . .4Belted Kingfisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Red-bellied Woodpecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Downy Woodpecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Hairy Woodpecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Northern Flicker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Pileated Woodpecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Eastern Wood Pewee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Alder Flycatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Willow Flycatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Eastern Phoebe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Great Crested Flycatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Eastern Kingbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Blue-headed Vireo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Warbling Vireo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Red-eyed Vireo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42Blue Jay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22American Crow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Horned Lark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Purple Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Tree Swallow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28No. Rough-winged Swallow . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Cliff Swallow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Barn Swallow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Black-capped Chickadee . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Woodland Dunes Summer Bird Survey - 2010The new prairie planting is being rediscovered by the mead-owland bird species that have declined in recent years.Birds recorded this year include eastern meadowlark,bobolink, grasshopper sparrow, horned lark and dickcissel.

The water in our marsh is regulated by the level of LakeMichigan; since that water is still low, so are bird populations.

Red-breasted Nuthatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6White-breasted Nuthatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Brown Creeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1House Wren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91Winter Wren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Sedge Wren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Marsh Wren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Blue-gray Gnatcatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Eastern Bluebird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Veery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Wood Thrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1American Robin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114Gray Catbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Brown Thrasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1European Starling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Cedar Waxwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Blue-winged Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Yellow Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Chestnut-sided Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Black-thr. Green Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Black and White Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1American Redstart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Ovenbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Northern Waterthrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Mourning Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Common Yellowthroat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Scarlet Tanager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Eastern Towhee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Chipping Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Clay-colored Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Field Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Savannah Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Grasshopper Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Song Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70Swamp Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11White-throated Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Northern Cardinal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40Rose-breasted Grosbeak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Indigo Bunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Dickcissel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Bobolink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Red-winged Blackbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278Eastern Meadowlark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Common Grackle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Brown-headed Cowbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Baltimore Oriole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6House Finch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10American Goldfinch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65House Sparrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

1,675 individuals; 105 species

Bernie Brouchoud, Environmental Educator


Thank You

New MembersCarl and Michele BlackMichelle DrossertAnn and Patrick GradyMartin T. GregoryJohn and Julie Schewe

MemorialsIn memory of Edna Christina Kehoe Knight

Doris Magyar and Kenneth MagyarIn Memory of Walter Vogl

Aegolius Bird ClubWilliam and Pamela KriegerModesta M. OlsonJoseph and Beverly Vareka

In memory of Elenor BoettgerDon and Helen Bleser

In memory of Paul KarrmannMary Kay and Charles Dodson

In Memory of Henry Rusboldt:John and Shirley BarnesTom and Penny GrahamMary Claire MullinsPat MalmangerMarcheske,Weld,Riley,Prenn & RicciEdith,Tom and Diane McCallumModesta OlsonJames and Kathleen RobinsonRusboldt FamilyDon and Mary Lee SchweigerCarole WeldSharon WojtaPeter and Jeanette WrittRachel ZikLucy Zeldenrust

In memory of Barbara Savage and Donald MerkelAnonymous

In Memory of Shirley Suettinger-Potter:

Don and Helen Bleser

DonationsJohn W. and Laurel J.AlyeaMerrie Star and Gregory ScheuerTwo Rivers Kiwanis Club

Guarantor RenewalsDavid and Renee EvansDr. and Mrs. Harold JustArmond and Ione KueterKenton and Donna LangmanLlyod SchmittLouise Trickel Lucy Zeldenrust

The following reflect gifts, donations and memberships received through August 27, 2010.

Corporate MembersTrailblazer - $1,000 or moreExplorer $500 - $999Ecologist $300 - $499Conservator $151 - $299Defender $50 - $150

Explorer LevelBank First NationalBrowns of Two RiversFricke Printing Services, IncEcologist LevelCrafts, IncConservator LevelFoster Needle Co. IncInvestors Community BankLakeshore Express, IncLakeside Foods, IncRed ArrowProducts Company LLCVinton ConstructionWoodland Face VeneerDefender LevelAssociated Bank of ManitowocCarron Net Company, IncCawley CompanyHamann Construction Co.Heresite Protective CoatingsIhlenfeld, Skatrud, & Anderson, IncJagemann Stamping CompanyKurtz’s, IncMalley Printing CompanyMaritime Insurance Group, IncNorthern Labs, IncSchaus Roofing & MechanicalSchenck, SCSchuette’s Heating & Air ConditioningTwin River TurfFor information about becoming a CorporateMember, please contact Jessica at Woodland Dunes.

Members of the Appalachia ServiceProject Group UCC built the tree deck in

Little Wings.

Thank you, Volunteers Front Desk VolunteersLyn BrouchoudDonna DrexlerJenene GareySean HaggertyJoan HansonDick LuchsingerSusie PolkLucy Zeldenrust

Summer Program VolunteersJeannie MillerLou Ann GraySusie PolkLinda JelinekCayla MatteGeri BerkovitzJessica Johnsrud

Butterfly Festival Volunteers!Mary Ellen BeebeLee BreyFran BrinkmanJudy Bull Joanne GregorskiJoan HansonEmma Hogenson Chris JagedinskiEmma KnickelbineEllen LewellenDoris MagyarCheryl MelbergTracy MohrLinda MumpyBonnie O’LeskeSusie PolkAnn ShebestaPat WiegertBarb VorronJohn WoodcockJulie Woodcock

Raffle DonationsTom & Betsy Kocourek

KayakBrowns of Two Rivers

Spotting Scope

Matching FundsDominion

Wish ListA canopy for our admissions table, gently used artmaterials: crayons, kid friendly scissors, naturestamps and ink pads, old egg cartons, glitter, usablemarkers, and chenille sticks (pipe cleaners).

Dunesletter • Spring 2010 15

I wish to support Woodland Dunes with the following donation:

$10 $25 $50 $100 $200 other

Name (please print) Phone

Address

City State Zip

Please make checks payable to Woodland Dunes and return this form withyour donation to: Woodland Dunes, PO Box 486, Two Rivers, WI 54241-0486

A Place to be Proud ofWe are always delighted when you, our members, bring your visiting friends and family to Woodland Dunes.There’s somuch to show them here, and it seems like each year we make this 1,200 acres more visitor friendly.This year we’re open-ing a new trail to give everyone access to the prairie planting. Of course, parts of the Preserve are off limits during birdnesting season, and others during gun deer season, but for the most part,Woodland Dunes is a very accessible place.Thereis no charge to hike the trails, stroll through the Butterfly Garden or examine the exhibits in the Nature Center. Even theprices we charge for events and programs are as low as we can make them and still cover our expenses.While we have topay our bills, we want this natural gem to be available to everyone.And that’s why we ask you to contribute to the funddrive. In a way, it’s a “choose your price” system. Some people truly can’t afford to give very much, and that’s fine.We’resure they will when they can. Others can and do support us very generously.We are truly grateful to everyone whobecomes a member, contributes to the fund drive, or slips a dollar or two into the contribution jar.Please invest in your future by supporting Woodland Dunes.

The Little Wings art table lets kids createart with sticks, stones and pine cones

We apologize for any errors or omissions in this issue.Please let us know, and we will print a correction in the next issue of The Dunesletter.

Fund Drive

Amvets Post 99Elma and James AndersonLindy and Tom BackusRon and Mary BalzanSylvia BarbarichBarca Auto, LLCScott A. BarnerBill and Barb BartlesonEric and Renee BaryenbruchPat BastEugene and Pamela BazanTom and Audrey BeanHarold and Frances BeckmanJoseph M.and

Kathleen A. BernhartDon and Helen BleserGary and Christine BlimelRobert and Deborah BonkVirginia C. BrandtDale and Judith BrasserReggie and Kim BraultNed and Janet BreuerFrances BrinkmanMr. and Mrs. Bernard BrouchoudRuth BushmanGerald and Nancy ButhDorothe J. Casavant

John Cashman and Mary GovierMr. and Mrs. Gerald CenskyTed and Jana CiardoGeorge and Betty CloseCatherine and Kenneth DaumBill and Mary DeanWayne and Sandra DenfeldJohn E. DoctorThomas and Judith DokeyPatrick DowneyHazel P. EisenmannCarol ElfnerHolly and Roy EngellandRichard and Helen ErtmanDavid and Judy EskewDaniel ForbesJessica and Edgar FosterEdson Foster Jr.Robert FrankDr. Robert A. GahlJenene and Michael GareyLou Ann and Henry GrayGlen and Joan HansonJane HarkerSalome HauptHawkins, Ash, Baptie and Co.Michael K. Heier

Grace T. HessJames and Mary Jo HoftiezerNancy and William JagemannJim JanskyJessica and Jacob JohnsrudHenry M. and Barbara KatzMark KlaiberJim KnickelbineJudith KnickelbineMary E. KnickelbineKaren KoebelJanet, Jeff and Carry KohnJeff and Tina KvitekTim LeahyEugene and Katherine LeClairKatherine and Steven LeitnerLouise LeRoyKaren and David LoritzNancy LudwigConstance LutzMr. and Mrs. Robert LymanNic LyonsWilliam and Julie MalliettCarol MartinDonald and June McLeanGerald MeisterStephen Miller

Mona MoenJoretta MountfordShirley MrotekPhilip and Susan MurtaughGeorge E. NaidlErwin J. NaidlRobert and Catherine NelsonJeannie M. NeuserCarol NystromModesta OlsonJeff and Judith OrloppMr. and Mrs. Theodore PaulyGerald E. PeckRaymond PollenAlvin RabeLinda RacinowskiJerrel RalphVicki L. RathsackTom and Judith RauschenbergerRoger and Janice RezachekRoger and Jeanne RingmeierBruce and Beth RobinsonRobert and Betty RosinskyRobert W. RosinskyHenry and Edith RusboldtHerb and Dorothy SchmalzKay Schroeder

Ms. Lorraine SchuetteDonald and Joyce SheahanRobert and Janet SilvaJohn and Teresa SiselRobert SiselMr. and Mrs. Richard SmithFlorence SpindlerRonda StanzelCarol and Paul SteinbrecherElizabeth SterrenburgFloyd and Pauline StrohfeldtMarion StrzyzewskiDoris Schuette StueckFlorence TeteakJack and Joanne TroupeRozanne VandeurzenMr. and Mrs. Raymond VeselyBill and Barbara VorronFran and Pat WaverlyGina and John WelchJim WelnetzCarol and Dan WerginIsobel WilcoxHoward and Betty WilsmannThomas and Ann WinterRoger Wykes IIEleanor Zoerb

The following reflect fund drive donations received through August 27, 2010.

Woodland Dunes

Become a member!NameAddressCityState ZipPhoneEmail

° $25 Individual

° $35 Family

° $50 Patron

° $100 Contributor

Guarantors

° $250 Conservator

° $500 Benefactor

° $1,000 Steward

° $5,000 Guardian

Please send this form and your tax-deductible donation to WoodlandDunes today.

Board of DirectorsOfficers

Bob WeinertChairman

Don DeBruynVice Chairman

Troy ChristiansenTreasurer

Lyn BrouchoudSecretary

Board MembersHelen Bleser

Ed BreyRobert Gahl

Tom KocourekDonna LangmanEllen LewellenCharles Sontag Beverly Vareka

John Woodcock Lucy Zeldenrust

Woodland Dunes Nature CenterP.O.Box 486Two Rivers,WI 54241-0486woodlanddunes.com

RETURNSERVICEREQUESTED

NonprofitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDManitowoc, WI

54220Permit No. 448

HeadquartersHwy. 310 west of Two Rivers

HoursMonday - Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday:Summer • 9 a.m. to noon

Winter • by appt. or for eventsHiking trails open year round

Phone (920) [email protected]

STAFFExecutive Director: Jim Knickelbine

Assistant Director/Education CoordinatorKelly Eskew Vorron

Development & Marketing CoordinatorJessica Johnsrud

Administrative Assistant: Geri BerkovitzEnvironmental Educator: Bernie Brouchoud

The Dunesletter is published quarterly by Woodland DunesNature Center and Preserve, Inc. ISBN 1933-8961

Susan Knorr, Editor

Dunesletter autumn 04 - Woodland Dunes

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