​Saturday May 4th was a beautiful sunny day in the Preserve. Of the many people out enjoying the wonderful weather, ten of us were gathered at the Picnic Point entrance to go birding with Ashley Olah, UW graduate student and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance expert. Numerous yellow warblers and goldfinches provided flashy targets as we got used to our binoculars. Then we saw a red-headed woodpecker proudly perched high up on a dead tree. More warblers (including Tennessee and blue-winged) followed, along with some flycatchers and vireos. We were impressed by the beauty of tree swallows in their flights over the rippling water in the clear sunlight. Blue-winged teal, wood ducks, grackles and a sandhill crane greeted us in the marsh. By the time a bald eagle soared high above us, it was nearly time to go. Everyone walked back to the stone wall and went on with their Saturdays. All of that before 10:00am!

Report & Photo by Will Vuyk. 

What’s better than spending the day before Earth Day outside? On April 21st, our field trip leader, Susan Will-Wolf, took participants on a journey to find lichens. Before we began our tour, Susan explained that lichens have three major growth forms: foliose, fruticose, and crustose. We then started our tour at the Rock Wall, where we noticed various lichens, including small leafy and crusty types. As we explored the preserve, we found fallen tree branches covered in lichens.
Tip: Bring a hand lens or portable magnifier to see the intricate details of lichens up close!
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​Report & Photo by Diana Tapia Ramon.