FRIENDS OF THE LAKESHORE NATURE PRESERVE
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Volunteering
    • Field Trips >
      • Self-guided Field Trips
    • Community Outreach >
      • Science Expeditions 2021
    • Friends Projects
    • Newsletter
    • Research
    • Citizen Science
  • People & Events
  • The Preserve
    • Stories
    • Maps >
      • 1918 Marsh
      • Eagle Heights Woods
    • Birds >
      • Bluebirds
      • Purple Martins
    • Animals
    • Plants
    • Lichens
  • Support us
  • About
    • Mission and Goals
    • Annual Report
    • Committees & Contact
  • Blog

Springtime along the shores of Lake Mendota

4/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Madisonians came out in droves, walking and jogging to Picnic Point and enjoying the balmy spring air. When John and I joined in the fun, with binoculars around our necks, people told us with great smiles, “You must see the Sandhill Cranes at the retention ponds,” and “Did you see the Owl at Willow Creek? It’s huge.” Yes we saw a group (that’s a sedge) of 13 cranes fly overhead, and on Thursday evening we saw cranes land in groups of three and four in the marshy Bay area east of the Willow Creek Bridge. The Great Horned Owl roosted watchfully on its favorite branch of the huge silver maple tree trunk he “owns” in the patch of oak savanna by Willow Creek. Then, looking for an early supper, the Owl silently swooped down toward the lake, causing a loud chattering and commotion among the cranes and geese.

Today was different. Cold, northerly winds moved in, breaking up the remaining ice on Lake Mendota and pushing the broken pieces into the southern and eastern shores. The Cranes and other birds kept warm in the reeds and the Great Horned Owl took shelter from the wind behind its thick branch, with an eye half closed much of the time, as if napping. But the tree buds on the tiny branches up high looked ready to burst. Spring is here. Gisela K.

Picture
Great Horned Owl finding shelter from the wind. Kutzbach
Picture
Web Cam on April 3 from Soils Science Building. The lake is declared open when one can row a boat from Picnic Point to Maple Bluff, in a straight line.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Gisela Kutzbach and contributors

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    RSS Feed

Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
 P.O. Box 5534
 Madison, WI 53705 

UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve website

Documents
Picture
Related websites:
UW Nelson Institute
UW Arboretum
Clean Lakes Alliance
Groundswell Conservancy
Pleasant Valley Conservancy
Pheasant Branch Conservancy
​
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Volunteering
    • Field Trips >
      • Self-guided Field Trips
    • Community Outreach >
      • Science Expeditions 2021
    • Friends Projects
    • Newsletter
    • Research
    • Citizen Science
  • People & Events
  • The Preserve
    • Stories
    • Maps >
      • 1918 Marsh
      • Eagle Heights Woods
    • Birds >
      • Bluebirds
      • Purple Martins
    • Animals
    • Plants
    • Lichens
  • Support us
  • About
    • Mission and Goals
    • Annual Report
    • Committees & Contact
  • Blog