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

Bird and Nature Outing – July 28

7/31/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Participants, with leader Jeff Koziol fourth from left.
The Fourth Sunday field trip for July was a tour of the Bluebird Trail with monitor Jeff Koziol. Bluebirds require cavities in trees formed by woodpeckers to nest, but removal of standing dead trees and competition from other cavity-nesting birds had reduced their population by 90%. As a result, Bluebird trails consisting of multiple houses have been erected as a conservation measure, which is greatly helping with their recovery. The Friends Bluebird trail consists of eight houses this year and has successfully fledged six Bluebirds.

Jeff explained that several other species of birds are also cavity nesters and compete for the use of the houses, including Tree Swallows, House Wrens and House Sparrows. Each of these species builds a distinct type of nest. Bluebird nests are woven from grass; Tree Swallow nests are similar but include feathers. House Wrens build nests of sticks that nearly fill the whole box. And the nests of House Sparrows contain bits of just about anything they can find including paper, plastic and string. Although Bluebird conservation is the primary reason for the trail, all these species except the House Sparrow are protected species and their nests are left undisturbed. House Sparrow are non-native invaders and thus they are not protected like the other songbirds. Monitoring is done at least weekly to remove the Sparrow nests, or else they would monopolize all the houses.

Bluebirds, as well as the other species, can have two or sometimes even three successful nests in a season. Our walk came after the second fledging and we checked to see if there were any signs of a third nesting. Most of the houses were empty, but one had a current House Wren nest in it with eggs.

Our trip also provided us the opportunity to see the Biocore Prairie in its full glory, with many prairie species in full bloom, as well as a short diversion into the Community Gardens to see the diversity of gardens that have been planted there. Friends host Steve Sentoff. Photos Doris Dubielzig and Steve Sentoff.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017

    RSS Feed

    People & Events
    2017
    2016
    2015
    2014

         January - April 
         May-December
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