Birding and Nature Outing with Emily Steinwehe – May 27

Emily Steinwehe leading the Sunday afternoon walk

Emily Steinwehe, master naturalist and of Emily Plants, led a group of four interested and motivated attendees into the Preserve on a hot (95F- and all-time record for this day in Madison) Sunday afternoon. The walk took us from the Picnic Point entrance to Frautschi Point along the Lake Mendota shore and back along BioCore Prairie and Bill’s Woods.  The ten-year old boy with us noticed the earth trembling with the work of ground squirrel/gopher and found at least 3 American Toads (were we being followed?). Emily pointed out many mushrooms that had sprouted following the heavy rains last week (including showy Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus)), but refused to recommend any of them for eating despite the request of the Chinese physician on our tour.  We saw one young Barred Owl in Caretaker’s Woods, and many trees and plants in bloom including black cherry (Prunus serotina), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) sweet cicely (Ozmorhiza), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) and Great Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum). We all enjoyed Emily’s tour, her sense of fun, and her willingness to follow our interests.  Thanks, Emily! Friends host and photos - Doris Dubielzig

---