Willow Creek Owl Cam reinstalled

Sean Gere takes selfie with the owl cam, high up in the Willows

A number of Madison Bird City partner group initiatives coordinated with support from Madison Audubon volunteers, Nelson Institute students, UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve and the Friends of the UW Lakeshore Preserve are underway on the Preserve and UW Campus,  With a bit of help from Laura Wyatt and Paul Noeldner, arborist Sean Gere successfully reinstalled student Hannah DePorter's Willow Creek Owl Cam on Thursday July 9.  

The camera was oriented it to pick up activity further out on the Great Horned Owl owlet's favorite roost limb and Sean took the selfie test picture to make sure it was installed and working correctly. The picture was transmitted wirelessly from the Birdcam to a laptop below.  This works only when the Birdcam has recently taken a picture so it is not quite a 'live' cam but a very handy capability. We will leave it in place for a few weeks more since the owlets are still being seen in the area learning to forage on their own.  

Sean then proceeded to help trim Willows at the Preserve, and the trimmed stems were used for the Lake Monona Water Walk Native American sweat lodge at Frostwoods Beach this past weekend.  Paul Noeldner initated contact with the Speech and Hearing Clinic next to Willow Creek about a potential opportunity to set up a live Owl Cam of the Great Horned Owl nest box or another nest site if visible from that location next winter, and also met with staff at the Bork Research lab building about a similar opportunity for a potential Red-tailed Hawk nest cam if they re-nest again on that building next year.  Both have asked for further information and follow up.  

In other urban wildlife bird Accommodation Architecture habitat news, Cliff Swallows have started nesting under the eves of the DeJope 'Green Dorm' next to the Preserve near Willow Creek, and requests have been received to help add two more Nature Nooks with bird houses and bird feeders on UW Campus, one by the Horticulture Building and one by Liz Waters. Attempts are made with all of these projects to engage UW Nelson Institute students and local UW faculty and staff and we are seeing lots of enthusiasm.  More news as these initiatives progress!  - reported by Paul Noeldner  

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