Ripples from the Dunes is a weekly nature article series written by staff and guest writers that has been published for over 50 years.
banding bees berries birding birds chickadees Christmas Bird Count climate change cold courtship crepuscular decline fall forest frogs Great Horned Owl Habitat honeysuckle insects Invasive invasives kids leaves marsh migration native nature nest nesting osprey Plants pollinators restoration seeds singing snow spring Tracks trees warblers water Wetland wildlife winter woodcock
Ripples 10/16/25
Written by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist Fall is my favorite season. I love the cooler weather (but not too cold), the beautiful fall colors, and the variety of birds that can be seen. This time of year we conduct fall migration bird surveys across the preserve, giving us valuable data as to what species use our…
Ripples 10/9/25
By Max Kornetzke, Land Manager Autumn is a season of colorful transition. At Woodland Dunes you will see many shades across the spectrum. The red maples are usually the first to turn – sometimes showing hints in August until they become fully crimson late into September. There’s a beautiful view of them along our Black…
Ripples 10/2/25
Written by Sue Crowley, Executive Director The old boardwalk creaks and sways with every step I take. Her protective yet worn and splintered railings undulate from the heaves of many seasons of winter and warmth, waters high and low. She winds her way to the narrow Neshotah river inlet. Boardwalk carried people over the mucky…
Ripples 9/25/25
Written by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist Wisconsin is home to 8 species that come from the Mustelid Family (weasels). These species include: Fisher, Mink, American Marten, River Otter, Badger, Short-tailed Weasel, Long-tailed Weasel, and the Least Weasel. Woodland Dunes has documented 7 out of the 8 species, some much more frequently than others. We have not…
Ripples 9/18/25
By Jess Johnsrud, education coordinator It was a Monday morning and I noticed some of the staff were staring at the ground near the Nature Center. I approached to see what was going on and they excitedly told me that they saw a couple of freshly hatched snapping turtles! The hatchlings were walking across the…
Ripples 9/11/25
Written by Max Kornetzke, land manager Manitowoc and other eastern counties of Wisconsin are the western limit of the American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees natural range. American Beech is a climax species, meaning it is found as a dominant canopy species in stable, mature forest ecosystems. Beech trees have unique smooth, gray bark that makes…
Ripples 9/4/25
Written by Kennedy Zittel, naturalist Meandering through the butterfly garden I saw countless bumble bees buzzing by, a handful of butterflies fluttering in the breeze, and even a hummingbird moth zoom past. The garden was full of color, the purple of the blazing stars, the red of the cardinal flower, the yellow of the coneflowers,…
Ripples 8/28/25
Written by Sue Crowley, Executive Director The dense wall of green vegetation appeared uniform and unremarkable, except for the inviting purple flowers emerging from the tops of the plants. Some blossoms were fully formed while others were in the early stages of blooming; these are vervain, providing a visually appealing contrast among the reed canary…
Ripples 8/21/25
By Education Coordinator, Jess Johnsrud We recently held our monthly Raising a Wild Child program and the topic we were learning about was butterflies. This program is for preschool-aged children (2-5 years old) and an adult and we spend most of our time outside. After learning about the lifecycle of a butterfly, we wandered into…
Ripples 8/14/25
By Summer Intern, Natalie McNeely This summer, one of my favorite experiences at Woodland Dunes has been conducting bee surveys. As someone who has always loved observing wildlife, it’s been exciting to continue that work here. This year, we’ve documented six species of bumble bees on the preserve, and we’re still surveying! My interest in…
Ripples 8/7/25
Written by Summer Intern, Cielo Gutierrez Kuhaupt I distinctly remember my first thought about wetlands. It was during one of my father’s soccer games at the local county park. Normally he played on a field that was too far for my mother to watch both the game and my older brothers and me, who wanted…
Ripples 7/31/25
Written by Max Kornetzke Mid-July through early August is a great time to take a walk down our Willow Trail here at Woodland Dunes. As you walk back you will encounter a section of prairie that is buzzing with pollinators and different shades of yellow, purple, white and orange. One of the most notable plants…
Ripples 7/24/25
Written by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist In honor of it being National Moth Week (the last week in July), I wanted to write about one of my favorite moth species – the White-lined Sphinx Moth! The White-lined Sphinx, Hyles lineata, is one of the more common hawk moths to see around here. They are very widespread,…
Ripples 7/17/25
Written by summer intern Maria Kraynek, Photo by Jessica Johnsrud Growing up, I was always fascinated by trees. Their strong yet overlooked presence in our world continues to amaze me as they work as wildlife habitats, air filters, and so much more. With an estimated 60,065 tree species globally, pine trees make up only a…
Ripples 7/10/25
Written by summer intern Natalie McNeely and photo taken by summer intern Cielo Gutierrez Kuhaupt Growing up, I enjoyed spending time outside, and often the highlight of my summers growing up was visiting my local state parks and nature centers. My favorite aspect of working at Woodland Dunes this summer has been witnessing how much…
Ripples 7/3/25
Written by: Cielo Gutierrez Kuhaupt, summer intern Red symbolizes warning, and I wonder if the red-winged blackbirds were a partial reason for this connotation. Being one of the most abundant birds in North America, it is nearly impossible to not encounter their highly protective nature- especially since they spend more than a quarter of daylight…
Ripples 6/26/25
Written by Sydnee Jerome, Summer Intern Growing up, I disliked springs in New York. The unpredictable weather associated with the end of a long, cold winter always bogged down my mood in anticipation of the warm days of late spring. Needless to say, I was not a child who liked getting muddy or being outside…
Ripples 6/19/25
Written by Jordyn Ginestra, summer intern The Great Blue Heron. A species so tied to my childhood I never had to learn how to recognize it, and its name is one I never had to learn. I grew up in the floodplains of the Mississippi river. My grandfather and I would sit in the middle…
Ripples 6/12/25
By Jess Johnsrud, education coordinator I enjoy gentle spring thunderstorms. The sound of distant thunder and the pattering of the rain on the roof feel like an invitation to snuggle up with a good book. I also welcome the earthy, dewy smell that comes with those first few thunderstorms of the year. That wonderful spring…
Ripples 6/5/25
By Sue Crowley, executive director I must admit I do not know much about fish or other cool aquatic organisms living their best life in our local waterways. In the summertime, playing or exploring along or in a stream always seemed like a great activity when I was growing up. I did not care what…