photo- a two-spotted bumblebee on creeping charlie at UW-Madison Arboretum, from their webpage
Ripples by Nancy Nabak, Communications Coordinator
Last night I dreamt my birding friend said he’d found a “Level-headed-arrow-back” duck. What in the world? Truly, such a duck does not exist. I’m pretty sure it came from the fact that I had just completed a 24-hour birdathon a couple of days prior and birds were still flying around in my head as I went to sleep.
On Friday and Saturday, I participated in a friendly competition to raise money for bird conservation and awareness. We had 24 hours to find as many species as possible. I belonged to the team “No Egrets” and we tied for 4th place with 152 bird species identified. This brilliant Pine warbler (photo) was one of them. Teams could bird anywhere in the state of Wisconsin, but I ran into many who were here, scouring for birds at Woodland Dunes.
Now that spring migration is in full swing, our singing warblers, thrushes, and vireos are back. Unfortunately, many will only be here for a short while before moving further north to their nesting grounds. So, while they’re here, let’s get out and enjoy them! You can count them, listen to them sing, watch them in flight, or just admire the fact that they’re back again and winter has finally lost its grip.
The bright lemon yellow, orange and black, and blue and gold neotropical migrants are fascinating to the eye. This is the time to witness the artist’s paintbrush on these birds. Take a hike on Willow Trail and see what brilliant-colored treasures you might find. Take your time and move slowly. These little guys like to hop and bounce around in the treetops, so be prepared to watch for movement first, then look for their bright colors and markings.
This Saturday, Woodland Dunes will be celebrating World Migratory Bird Day and our 81st Bird Breakfast tradition. Celebrating birds? You bet. They give us song. They give us entertainment, and they give us hope. The world could use a little more of these three things.
And no, we don’t eat birds for breakfast, not even eggs come to think of it. Initially, Bird Breakfast began by a local birder and librarian, Merle Picket. After a friendly Saturday morning bird challenge was complete, she offered a pancake breakfast in her home. Eventually it grew so large that people were grilling their breakfasts in public parks. Then, the event came to Woodland Dunes.
Over 100 people will celebrate this Saturday morning by eating a ham and pancake breakfast not in the parks, but in the comforts of our Nature Center. Free guided bird hikes and children’s activities will also be offered. This tradition has lasted for 81 years, that tells us something. Birds are a reason to celebrate!
photo: Pine warbler by Nancy Nabak
Ripples from the Dunes by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist
The other week some of our staff went out to part of our preserve to spread some culver’s root seeds in a prairie where the rusty-patched bumble bee has been spotted.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining with the occasional fluffy white cumulus clouds floating by. Goldfinches called from the treetops while the occasional turkey vulture soared seemingly in the clouds above. Frogs were heard calling from the nearby forest’s creek, a wonderful sound of spring. Rabbits hopped across the path while a woodchuck ran off to seek shelter from the people invading its peaceful day.
Besides being a reason to be outside in such beautiful weather, we were out there spreading Culver’s root seeds for an even more important reason… Culver’s root is one of the federally endangered rusty-patched bumble bee’s favorite flowers! And who can blame them? Culver’s root is great! Besides looking beautiful, Culver’s root is a very important native pollinator plant.
Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) is a flowering plant that is a member of the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). An unbranched stem with whorled deep green-colored leaves leads up to beautiful white flower clusters that are described to resemble candelabra. The plant can grow anywhere from 2-6 feet tall. They prefer sunny areas with semi-wet soil, so they do very well in the prairies here at Woodland Dunes.
Culver’s Root is an amazing pollinator plant. Their bloom period (early summer-mid summer) fills an important gap between the end of spring ephemeral blooming and the start of a lot of other prairie plants that begin to bloom mid-late summer. They are a favorite to many pollinator species, bees and butterflies alike!
In fact, they are so popular that I often start my pollinator surveys looking at who is flying around the Culver’s root, as they are sure to have some pollinators buzzing or fluttering around. Just last summer I saw a rusty-patch buzzing around the flowers of a Culver’s root plant, showing that they really do enjoy this neat plant.
If you would like to see what Culver’s root looks like in person, or any of the pollinators that enjoy the plant, a good place to check it out is right along Willow Trail! The white flowers stand out amongst the purples of the blazing star and bergamot, and the yellow of St. John’s Wort shrubs. They can be found growing directly next to the trail in the prairie area near Todd’s Pond. Once summer is in full swing, the weather is warmer, bees are buzzing, and flowers are blooming, head on out to the prairie area to see some of the Culver’s root for yourself, and perhaps some really neat pollinators too!