CAWS

The Madison Audubon Society

222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-2473/ www.madisonaudubon.org March 2007

Inside This Issue

Population Stability.................................. 2
Wings over Madison
Notes from Faville Grove........................ 4
Advocacy Corner...................................... 5 Get Ready for rent work as staff
CBC Report................................................. 6 MAS Banquet ornithologist at
Spring Field Trips...................................... 7 on March 20 Binoculars.com,
MG&E Workshops.................................... 8 We’re expecting a Laura’s program
MAS Art Fair.............................................. 8 crowd at Madison will be interest-
Audubon Society’s ing and enter-
SPECIAL EVENTS Spring Banquet taining for all.
and Raffle, so be Reserve your
Thursday, April 26
sure to send in your perch for this
Whole Foods Market “Five-percent day”
reservations soon. special MAS
Saturday, May 5 event to be held
“The Owls of Harry
31st Annual Art Fair on Tuesday,
Potter” presentation
Field Trips by well-known orni- March 20
Saturday, March 10 thologist, educator (non-members
Early Spring Migrants and author, Laura welcome). The
Erickson will land at doors will open
Saturday, March 24
Lussier Family Heritage Center in a few at 5:30 p.m., and a buffet dinner will
Beginning Birding
short weeks. appear at 6 p.m. Laura and Archimedes,
Sunday, March 25 her screech-owl, will take us on a flight
Many people know Laura from her
Spring Birding at Rose Lake of fact and fancy after dinner. At 8:15,
public radio show “For the Birds” and
Saturday, March 31 her books 101 Ways to Help Birds and you’ll learn if you’ve won one of the
Spring Migrants Sharing the Wonder of Birds with Kids. many great raffle prizes, which include
Given her lifelong passion for birds, past a Frigidaire ENERGY STAR® front load
Saturday, April 7 washing machine, programmable ther-
Spring Birds of Columbia County work as a wildlife rehabilitator, and cur-
continued on page 2
Just for
Bird Brains Wings Over Madison featuring
Do birds have “The Owls of Harry Potter”
taste buds?
What: Madison Audubon Society’s
Cedar Waxwing by
Pat Ready Spring Banquet and Raffle
Who: Members and the general public
When: Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Madison Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Audubon Buffet dinner at 6 p.m.
RSVP: By Friday, March 9
Society Where: Lussier Family Heritage
Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road,
Serving Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Iowa, Madison
Jefferson, Richland and Sauk Counties Archimedes with “Professor McGonagowl”
aka Laura Erickson.

Madison Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society

 New, renewal and enhanced members
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The Audubon CAWS
Time to renew? Members
Check your Madison Audubon CAWS
address label to determine your
renewal date. To avoid interruptions to
your subscription, please renew two
months before that date, so you won’t
fall behind on news and notices of
events.
Tip: Renewing through the MAS
office directs more of your donation
to local activities and conservation
projects.
Update: We are now sending a sepa-
rate renewal notice once a year and in
the future we plan to offer the option of
renewing on the Madison Audubon
website.
MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
President: Joanne Herfel
Vice-president: Debra Weitzel
Goose Pond resident managers:
Mark and Sue Martin
Faville Grove Sanctuary managers:
David Musolf, Roger Packard
Editor: Michael Becker,
caws.editor@gmail.com
Graphic design: Patrick Ready
readyworks@mac.com
Contributing writers: Karen Etter-
Hale, Marge Burke, Roger Packard,
David Musolf, Mark Martin, John
Minnich, Dietrich Schaaf and Levi
Wood.
CAWS publication: Roemer Printing
The mission of the Madison
Audubon Society is to educate our
members and the public about the
natural world and the threats that
natural systems are facing, to engage
in advocacy to preserve and protect
these systems, and to develop and
maintain sanctuaries to save and
restore natural habitat.
THE AUDUBON CAWS is published
September through June by:
Madison Audubon Society,
222 S. Hamilton St., Madison, WI 53703,
(608) 255-2473.
Birding hotline, 255-2476.
www.madisonaudubon.org
masoffice@mailbag.com
E-mail services donated by Berbee
 March 2007
MAS Banquet . . .
continued from page 1
mostats, water
saving shower
heads and more!
Tickets are $40.
For an addi-
tional $35, 16
early birds will
have the oppor-
tunity to dine
with Laura or
with Wisconsin
Public Radio’s
Larry Meiller
and have a bird’s-eye view of the pre-
sentation. Listen to Larry’s interview
with Laura that Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. on
WHA-AM 970. Following the banquet,
Laura will sign your copy of her new-
est book, 101 Ways to Help Birds. Return
your invitation to the MAS office now to
reserve your spot. If you did not receive
an invitation in the mail and would like
to attend, please call the MAS office at
(608) 255-2473.
Directions: The Lussier Center is south
of the Beltline, off the South Towne
Rd. exit. Turn left on Moorland Rd. The
road name then changes to Lake Farm
Rd. Turn left at the Lussier Center sign.
Thanks in advance for the generosity
of the Wings over Madison Banquet
Sponsors
Lead Gift
Solheim Billing and Grimmer, S.C.
Supporters
American Family Insurance
Michler and Brown, LLC
Donors
Agrecol Corporation
Burnie's Rock Shop & Design Annex
Cafe Zoma
Charles Schwab & Company
Felly’s Flowers
Fiskars Garden & Outdoor Living
Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant
Jo’s Tazzina
Orchids by the Ackers
Paisan’s Italian Restaurant
Qual-Line Fence Corporation
Wegner LLP, CPAS & Consultants
 Empowering Women is the Key to Population Stability
From the MAS Population and Habitat Committee—We are all
consumers, and the consequences of our everyday choices go
beyond our wallets. Cars, appliances, clothes and groceries may
have adverse effects on the environment for humans as well as
other species.
In the next three issues of The CAWS, the PHC will explore the
connection between what we consume and how it affects others,
and we’ll offer tips on how we can lessen our impact.
“The ability of women to control their own fertility is absolutely
fundamental to women’s empowerment and equality.”
– Thoraya A. Obaid, executive director United Nations
Population Fund
When education and employment are coupled with fair
trade wages, women and their families can have a much
better life. And fair trade is an excellent opportunity for
Americans to use their buying power to help move families
in less developed countries out of the cycle of poverty. As
poverty lessens, family size generally decreases.
Here are two examples of success stories involving these
two practices.
In Bangladesh, the United Nation’s Population Fund has
trained 1,100 young women who have subsequently started their
own businesses. The project’s aim is to alleviate poverty by pro-
viding skills training and small business loans.
Shahina Akter took out a small loan and started a dressmaking
business. Now she trains other girls in dressmaking, which is
making a positive difference in their lives. Her community has

A society in which men and women enjoy equal rights in

terms of education, health and employment is a society
on the path to sustainability. Unfortunately, 1.3 billion
people live on less than one dollar per day, and 70 percent
of these people are females. Where women’s status is low,
family size tends to be large, exacerbating the already
crushing poverty which defines their daily lives.
In the lifetime of a baby boomer, the world’s population
has more than doubled to 6.5 billion, and is now expected
to rise to 9.1 billion by 2050. Most of this rise in population
is occurring in the world’s poorest regions. The only
developed country seeing a significant population increase
is the United States.
Imagine the loss of habitat and resulting loss of
biodiversity with more homes, businesses, roads and other
infrastructure necessary to accommodate this increase
in human population. Population stabilization, which is
necessary to ease the stress on the Earth’s living systems,
can occur only through higher mortality rates or lower
fertility rates. The preferable choice is, of course, lowering
fertility rates.
Two successful strategies in stemming the tide of poverty
and reducing fertility rates is empowering women,
primarily through education and employment, and fair
trade. Fair trade, which is not limited to women, ensures
workers receive fair prices for their labor and products. Fair
trade methods also help sustain the environment in which
the workers live and upon which they depend.
seen incomes rise. These women now have economic status and,
as a result, have fewer and healthier children.
Because young women have status, the average age of marriage
is now around 24 and the old dowry system has been aban-
doned. Shahina explains, “The girls come to marriage with their
own ‘dowries,’ earned themselves. Here we are on equal terms
with men.”
In the United States, fair trade clothing businesses give shop-
pers a choice in supporting women like Shahina with a decent
wage.
Locally, the owners of Just Coffee, a fair trade coffee business
in Madison, recently visited Nicaragua to discuss buying coffee
from La FEM, a women’s group organized to work on issues of
domestic violence against women, women’s health, education
and job training.
One of their projects is an alternative school in Condega for
young women to learn carpentry, construction and welding. The
idea is to empower the women so that they can build their own
houses and get jobs in the construction industry. Another group
within La FEM grows organic coffee for the fair trade market.
After negotiating with Just Coffee for fair pricing and marketing
strategies, which include teaching Americans about La FEM and
their mission, La FEM voted unanimously to sell their beans to
Just Coffee.
Fair Trade and empowerment give women—mothers, wives,
community members, and workers—new opportunities to pros-
per and reduce family size. It’s a win-win for families and the
environment. You can help by purchasing fair trade products.

MAS Offers Travel
to Costa Rica in 2008
Madison Audubon staffers Dietrich Schaaf
and Karen Etter Hale have recently returned
from Costa Rica, where they each led a
group of MAS members on a trip to that
Central American country. And wonderful
trips they were — beautiful weather, beauti-
ful birds, beautiful countryside, great local
guides, excellent food, friendly people…we
could go on! If you’ve been thinking about
a mid-winter getaway to Costa Rica but
missed one of the last two trips, now’s your
chance. We are offering the same great
itinerary—exploring the natural wonders
of Costa Rica—Jan. 25 through Feb. 3, 2008.
If you’d like more information, please
contact Dietrich Schaaf, MAS director of
development, at (608) 327-0129 or cdsaudu-
bon@hotmail.com; or Debbie Sturdivant
with Holbrook Travel at (866) 748-6146 or
Debbie@holbrooktravel.com. Watch coming
issues of CAWS and our website for more
details and great pictures!
Avian-Tower Mortality Study
Emilie Travis, a second-semester
graduate student at UW-Madison, is
studying the impacts of communica-
tion towers on avian mortality across
Dane County.
The information collected from this
project will be critical in finding ways
to prevent bird-tower collisions. If you
are interested in volunteering or have
any questions, contact Emilie at:
ertravis@wisc.edu.

The Audubon CAWS  March 2007

Notes from
Faville Grove:
Cedars in rows
Working at Faville Grove, with its
long history of conservation practice,
provides many reminders of just how
much—and how little—ecological think-
ing and practice have changed over
time.
MAS recently hired a crew of expe-
rienced restorationists to help with
removal of invasive trees and shrubs in
Faville Woods. Following current prac-
tice, they removed Tartarian honeysuck-
le, as well as native
trees such as black
cherry, elm, maple
and eastern red-cedar
that tend to take over
oak woodlands in
the absence of fire.
These fire-intolerant
species cast a dense
shade that inhibits
regeneration of oaks
and shades out many
native understory spe-
cies.
After clearing out a
particularly tangled
corner of the woods
of its honeysuckle
shrub layer, and look-
ing across the freshly exposed trunks
of the red-cedars that they were about
to cut, the crew leader was heard to
exclaim, “These cedars are in ROWS!
Who in their right mind would PLANT
CEDARS!?!”
Well, ahem. Funny you should ask!
It turns out that the right-minded tree
planters were none other than Bob
McCabe and Art Hawkins under the
supervision of their major professor at
the time, Aldo Leopold. In his biography
of Leopold, Curt Meine wrote, “At every
juncture, it seems, we find Leopold at
the cutting edge of conservation activity
and environmental thought.” And yet,
just 65 or so years later, practitioners of
ecological restoration look on his handi-
work and assume that he had taken
leave of his senses!
In the late 1930s and early 1940s at the
Faville Grove Wildlife Experimental
Area, Leopold and his students sought
“to demonstrate that scientific planning
and methods can result in a game crop
The Audubon Caws
as well as a plant crop, and that the two
can be combined on the same area to the
farmer’s benefit.” Leopold realized that
management practices on private lands
have tremendous effects on wildlife, and
he felt that “the Faville Grove and Lake
Mills community would be an excellent
place to make a really serious test of the
idea of reconnecting people with land.”
In a rocky corner of the Faville farm,
Hawkins and McCabe planted butter-
nuts for their beautiful golden lumber,
with cedars as a nurse crop to keep
weeds down and encourage the but-
ternuts to grow straight and tall. The
cedars would provide cover for wildlife
until it was time to remove them to
make room for the maturing butternuts,
which in turn would provide mast for
squirrels and other wildlife until the
time came to harvest the trees.
The experiment didn’t work out quite
as planned. Closer investigation of the
cutting area revealed a scattering of
standing dead butternut trees in the
rows between the crowded cedars. The
cedars had never been removed, and all
of the overcrowded butternuts eventu-
ally succumbed to butternut canker, a
fungal disease most likely introduced
from outside North America. For many
years, however, the cedars did provide
dense cover for a variety of wildlife at
a time when such cover was in short
supply.
In Leopold’s day, conditions for wild-
life in southeastern Wisconsin and
throughout much of the Midwest were
drastically different from those found
today. Some species, perhaps most
 March 2007
notably grassland birds, fared better
with less intensive agricultural practices
and extensive hay fields. But for other
wildlife, particularly game species, the
landscape was bleak.
Farmers scraped together a living by
exploiting their land in every way they
could. Hunting and trapping pressures
were intense and only beginning to be
regulated. Woodlots, wetlands and any
corner that couldn’t be plowed were
heavily grazed. Deer and Canada Geese
were rare. Sandhill Cranes and Wild
Turkeys were absent. Fox, raccoons,
muskrats and ducks all were hunted or
trapped heavily. In this setting, it made
considerable sense
to provide supple-
mental food sources
and create brushy
cover and fence
rows wherever pos-
sible.
Since then, chang-
ing agricultural
practices have had
profound effects
on southeastern
Wisconsin’s land-
scape and wild-
life. With larger,
more specialized
operations, farm-
ers neglected their
marginal lands.
As dairy cows
became bigger and more productive,
they required feed that was higher in
protein and calories. The low feed value
of forage in woodlots and wetlands was
no longer worth the energy the cows
expended getting to it, the risk of injury
to the animals or the cost of maintaining
fences.
So Wisconsin’s open oak woodlands,
maintained by fire before European
settlement and by grazing post-settle-
ment (albeit with severely degraded
understory vegetation), began to close
in. Many wetlands, likewise, were over-
grown with shrubs. Rural sprawl has
also contributed to the expansion of
brushy habitat as small landowners “let”
their land “go back to nature.”
This has been good news for many
wildlife species—too good, in fact. The
same “edge” species targeted for assis-
tance when Hawkins and McCabe plant-
ed their cedars rebounded to the point
that some, like the white-tailed deer,
have now achieved nuisance status. And ADVOCACY CORNER
yet, other species have not fared as well.
Just as dairy cattle were pulled from wet- Tall Towers Alert update
lands and woodlots, eventually they were The Federal Communications Commission is seeking comments on the possible
pulled from open pastures as well, which adoption of measures that would reduce migratory bird kills at communication tow-
were abandoned to cedars and box elders ers. They recently extended their deadline to April 23. All comments via mail need to
or plowed to provide grain for immobile, include the agency name and be identified by WT Docket No. 03–187, FCC 06–164. To
high-yielding cows. Grassy hay fields that submit your comments electronically, go to www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ and enter 03-187
were cut twice during a growing season under “Proceeding.” For more details, see the alert in the Jan. 2007 CAWS.
gave way to alfalfa monocultures that are
green-chopped twice a month. Any mead-
owlark or Bobolink or Dickcissel lucky
Bird Conservation in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative, a voluntary cooperative partnership
enough to find a nest-site in a fencerow
of 157 state and private organizations, was formed in 2002 to coordinate bird con-
out of reach of the voracious choppers is
servation throughout Wisconsin. Since then, great strides in bird conservation have
increasingly likely to see its nest fall victim
been made by the several WBCI committees: Habitat Assessment and Management;
to a hungry raccoon or a stealthy cowbird.
Research, Inventory, and Monitoring; Outreach; Education; Important Bird Areas;
In some respects, conservationists today
Bird-based Recreation (the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail); Issues; and
face an entirely different set of challenges
International. A detailed list of these accomplishments can be found in the all-new
than those that faced Leopold, his students
WBCI newsletter, which is on the WBCI website at www.wisconsinbirds.org. Here are
and his cooperating farmers. The need for
just a few of the highlights.
large expanses of unbroken habitat free of
• WBCI is taking the lead in identifying Wisconsin’s Important Bird Areas and coordi-
brushy edges is more apparent now that we
nating Wisconsin’s IBA activities with national and international IBA programs.
have more experience with their continuing
• The Issues Committee has developed three important issues papers, which are post-
loss. Through research and field experience,
ed on the website: “The Effects of Free-ranging Cats on Birds in Wisconsin,” “Ethical
the dependence of a wide range of natural
Standards in Birding,” and “Lead Poisoning of Wisconsin’s Birds.” 
communities on fire—wetland and wood-
• Project Loonwatch printed and distributed 20,000 “What’s in Your Tackle Box? Get
land, as well as grassland—has become
the Lead Out” rack cards that describe the dangers to loons, eagles, swans and other
more apparent. And it’s more apparent
birds of ingesting lead fishing tackle.
that, if we are to preserve the full diversity
• The annual WBCI strategy meeting in 2006 in Wausau focused on bird monitoring
of life around us, the focus of our conserva-
efforts in the state. Participants determined which species are well-monitored and
tion efforts needs to be on functioning natu-
which are not and how citizen monitoring efforts can help. The Research, Inventory
ral communities rather than on providing
and Monitoring Committee is writing a coordinated bird monitoring plan for the
scattered bits of habitat attractive to a few
state.
species.
• The Outreach Committee worked with About Place Consulting to develop the “Birds
Before European settlement, the area now
of Wisconsin” placemat.
known as Faville Grove contained an array
• The Education Committee developed a mentor program and bird education kit to
of natural communities that undoubtedly
foster an interest in birds, birding, and bird conservation among school children.
included dense, brushy habitat where fires
• An all-bird plan, including accounts of 168 priority bird species along with habi-
carried less frequently. But there were also
tat and ecological landscape descriptions, is close to being finished by the Habitat
prairies large enough to support prairie
Assessment and Management Committee.
chickens. There were large, open wetlands
• The Bird-related Recreation Committee has developed and published three of the
that supported nesting harriers, and there
five segments of the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail.
were savannas with more pasqueflowers
• The International Committee has created an annotated list of active bird-oriented
than the deer herd could consume. We seek
projects with a demonstrable link between Wisconsin and the tropics.
to restore all of these natural communities
Having played a lead role in the WBCI partnership from the beginning, Madison
at Faville Grove in their appropriate loca-
Audubon Society is proud of these accomplishments—though there is still much to do.
tions on the landscape.
To find out how you can help, check out the goals, additional accomplishments, and
So the time for Leopold’s red cedars has
the current and future activities of each committee at www.wisconsinbirds.org.
come and gone. The area is now cleared
for the reintroduction of fire, that essential
component of the woodland landscape. MAS Historians seek Memories and Comments
Though the methods have changed, the   To compile a significant history of Madison Audubon Society that conveys the per-
legacy of Leopold and company endures sonality and spirit of the times, the MAS history team is seeking photos, memories and
in the continuing effort to reconnect people comments from members. We hope to make an interesting story of the development of
with land through the process of healing this important organization by including some descriptions that aren’t evident in the
the land. Only through a strong connection cold statistics, minutes, newsletters and reports. Send comments, photos, memories
to land and continuing research will we of events, people, significant occurrences, and or questions to Dorothy Haines, 6010
know when our conservation efforts are on Jeffrey Circle, Monona, 53716; dhaines@charter.net; or to the Madison Audubon office,
target, and when it’s time for new direction. c/o historian.

The Audubon Caws  March 2007

 2006 Christmas Bird Counts
Results below are for six Madison-area Christmas bird counts for 2006. Areas reported are Madison (MAD), Cooksville (COO), Poynette (POY),
Sauk City (SC), Baraboo (BOO), and Mt. Horeb (MTH). Species labeled count week (cw) were spotted in the area three days before or after, but not on, the
count day. Madison Audubon Society provided funding for the Madison and Poynette counts so that the results could be included in the National Audubon report.
SPECIES MAD COO POY SC BOO MTH
Ross’s Goose 1 - - - - -
Canada Goose 14,710 1,617 1,665 1,483 1,888 40
Cackling Goose 151 - 4 10 - -
Mute Swan 67 1 - - - 4
Trumpeter Swan 10 - - - cw -
Tundra Swan 845 53 4 - 1 -
Unknown swan - - 1 - - -
Gadwall 265 10 - - - -
American Wigeon 3 - - - - -
American Black Duck 21 - - 2 1 -
Mallard 3,372 249 78 494 208 27
Blue-winged Teal 1 - - - - -
Northern Shoveler 516 - - - - -
Northern Pintail - - - 1 - -
Green-winged Teal 3 - - - - -
Canvasback 99 - 1 - - -
Redhead 17 - - - - -
Ring-necked Duck 3 - - 1 1 -
Lesser Scaup 25 - 4 - 1 -
White-winged Scoter 3 - - - - -
Black Scoter 1 - - - - -
Bufflehead 317 - - - 3 -
Common Goldeneye 454 8 40 45 45 -
Hooded Merganser 91 - - - - -
Common Merganser 1,200 - 19 3 15 -
Ruddy Duck 3 - - - - -
Ring-necked Pheasant 5 2 180 13 1 13
Ruffed Grouse - - - - - 3
Wild Turkey 104 121 160 134 83 166
Common Loon 7 - - - - -
Pied-billed Grebe 4 - - - - -
Double-crested Cormorant cw - - - - -
Northern Bobwhite - - - - - 3
Great Blue Heron 4 3 4 2 1 4
Bald Eagle 11 - 13 65 22 cw
Northern Harrier - - 4 10 - 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5 2 1 2 2 5
Cooper’s Hawk 17 2 2 10 7 7
Red-shouldered Hawk - - 1 2 - -
Red-tailed Hawk 113 40 55 74 62 87
Rough-legged Hawk 2 - - 13 4 1
American Kestrel 6 12 18 25 4 29
Merlin - - - - - 2
Virginia Rail 3 - 1 - - -
American Coot 2,983 - 7 - 8 -
Sandhill Crane 1 5 cw 90 1,146 cw
Wilson’s Snipe 1 - 1 1 - -
Ring-billed Gull 559 2 2 65 - -
Herring Gull 564 4 3 38 7 -
Lesser Black-backed Gull cw - - - - -
Unknown gull - - 15 - - -
Rock Pigeon 570 214 703 677 343 719
Eurasian Collared-Dove - - 1 - - -
Mourning Dove 919 137 322 598 81 224
Eastern Screech-Owl 33 - 3 4 5 1
Great Horned Owl 20 5 4 14 7 4
Snowy Owl cw - - - - -
Barred Owl 1 2 2 12 7 5
Long-eared Owl - - 1 - 3 -
Short-eared Owl - - 5 2 - 8
The Audubon Caws
SPECIES MAD COO POY SC BOO MTH
N. Saw-whet Owl 1 - 1 1 4 -
Belted Kingfisher 11 4 5 4 1 2
Red-headed Woodpecker - - - - - 17
Red-bellied Woodpecker 161 8 37 104 58 101
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4 1 - - 1 -
Downy Woodpecker 191 39 109 135 88 161
Hairy Woodpecker 86 16 37 43 27 55
Northern Flicker 20 -  10 7 4 6
Pileated Woodpecker 1 - 9 2 11 22
Northern Shrike 5 - 3 4 7 2
Blue Jay 194 24 148 247 145 303
American Crow 1,132 165 833 907 617 907
Common Raven - - - 1 - -
Horned Lark 1 18 4 45 - 27
Black-capped Chickadee 1,195 98 379 515 402 748
Tufted Titmouse 27 3 73 64 38 128
Red-breasted Nuthatch 19 4 16 10 12 16
White-breasted Nuthatch 262 30 106 152 144 244
Brown Creeper 58 4 8 12 3 2
Carolina Wren 6 - - 1 3 2
Winter Wren 3 - - - 1 -
Golden-crowned Kinglet 12 2 3 3 - -
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 - - - - -
Eastern Bluebird 30 7 12 132 14 23
Hermit Thrush 1 - - - - -
American Robin 264 - 457 1,074 4 131
Gray Catbird - - 1 - - -
European Starling 4,759 1,241 770 3,109 1,583 2,439
Bohemian Waxwing - - - - - -
Cedar Waxwing 292 - 333 679 167 18
Yellow-rumped Warbler - - - 2 - -
American Tree Sparrow 612 181 1,468 330 113 553
Field Sparrow - - - 1 - -
Fox Sparrow 2 - - - - -
Song Sparrow 18 5 2 9 - 2
Lincoln’s Sparrow 1 - - - - -
Swamp Sparrow 12 - 4 4 1 -
White-throated Sparrow 33 - - 1 - 6
White-crowned Sparrow 4 - - - - -
Dark-eyed Junco 1,248 200 673 1,161 295 1,004
Lapland Longspur - 2 17 70 - cw
Snow Bunting - - - - 3 -
Northern Cardinal 594 87 122 288 90 293
Red-winged Blackbird 351 - - 33 - -
Common Grackle cw - - - - 7
Brown-headed Cowbird - 40 3 - - -
Purple Finch 1 - 22 9 6 9
House Finch 724 58 194 344 234 131
Red Crossbill - - 2 - - -
Common Redpoll - - - 2 - -
Pine Siskin - - 2 - 6 -
American Goldfinch 966 119 258 427 239 394
House Sparrow 1,693 262 483 708 452 743
Count Day Species 86 49 66 67 59 52
Individual Birds 43,107 5,107 9,928 14,550 8,769 9,861
Field Observers 72 6 30 26 17 56
Parties 30 3 12 13 8 24
Feeder Observers 8 1 17 3 12 20
Date Dec. 16 Jan. 1 Dec. 30 Dec. 30 Dec. 28 Dec. 30
 March 2007
Spring Field Trips  Donations made
Saturday, March 10: Early Spring Migrants January 1 thru 31, 2007 Special Gifts
I wish to help make Madison
Steve Thiessen will lead this early morning
ACRE-MAKER Audubon’s vision a reality. Here
field trip to Mud Lake in McFarland. Mud
Robert and Janet Callear is my contribution to the Wildlife
Lake is usually the first body of water to thaw Sanctuaries Campaign:
Elsie Lapinski
in our area, so it attracts good concentrations [ ] Acre-Maker, $2,500 or more to pur-
Lois Smithies
of migrants. chase and restore one acre of land
We will meet at 7:15 at the south end of Lewis HALF-ACRE MAKER [ ] Half-Acre-Maker, $1,250-$2,499
Lane in McFarland. Bring a scope if you have In memory of Tony Karls [ ] Quarter-Acre-Maker, $625-$1,249
one. For more info, call Steve at (608) 873-3323. Meagan Yost [ ] Adopt-an-Acre, $100 a year for three
In memory of E. Preston Wood
Saturday, March 24: Beginning Birding years ($300 total). Here is my first
and Amy Wood
Each spring, MAS sponsors many birding installment.
Tom Wolfe and Pat Powers
field trips and, though the leaders attempt [ ] Nest Egg, $50 a year for three years
to help new birders, it is not always possible QUARTER-ACRE MAKER ($150 total). Here is my first install-
to answer all of their questions. Picnic In memory of Susan Connell- ment.
Point will be the site for beginners to get Magee [ ] My Own Vision, a donation of $
their questions answered. This area, at the Kevin Magee _____
west end of the UW campus, offers varied MY OWN VISION
habitats and a good opportunity to observe Anonymous Please direct my gift to:
a variety of waterfowl and small birds. Mary Anglim [ ] Where it will help the most
We will meet in the parking lot by the 1918 William and Joan Brock [ ] Endowment fund to restore and
Marsh (across from the entrance to Picnic Glenn and Diane Chambliss maintain the sanctuaries
Point) at 7:30 a.m. Questions? Call Allen Dr. Bradley Eichhorst [ ] Land acquisition at Faville Grove,
Holzhueter at (608) 238-0546. Sherrie and Bill Garrett Jefferson County
Clifford Germain [ ] Land acquisition at Goose Pond
Sunday, March 25: Spring Birding
at Rose Lake David and Jean Gunnulson Columbia County
Come join us for a birding tour at Rose Lake Mark and Jenny McGinley OR here is my contribution for MAS
State Natural Area, a hidden gem acquired Rosie Meinholz and Larry Hochman education and newsletter support
by Jefferson County with assistance from Robert Newbery and Nancy Sugden [ ]M  y Gift to Learning, $ __________
Madison Audubon. For a description of Rose Lynn Persson My name ________________________________
Lake and what we expect to see on this trip, Dietrich and Cherine Schaaf
Address _________________________________
click on Sanctuaries on the MAS web site. We John Thompson
Deb and Bob Weitzel City_____________________________________
hope to see many ducks, geese (including
Greater White-fronted), cranes and shorebirds. West Side Garden Club State_____ ZIP___________
In addition to the lake, we will tour woodlot GIFTS IN MEMORY I want my gift to recognize another:
and prairie habitats. OF A PERSON [ ] In memory of ______________________
Rose Lake is adjacent to Dorothy Carnes In memory of Leo Neitzel [ ] In honor of ________________________
County Park, which is just west of Fort Gary and Lynn Johnson
Atkinson off US Highway 12. The only Please send notification of this gift to:
entrance is well marked. Meet in the parking GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSON
lot at 9 a.m. and stay as long as you like. In honor of Verena and Pete Name ___________________________________

If you have questions, contact Nolan Kollath Bachmann Address _________________________________

at 920-648-3842 or nkollath@charter.net
Saturday, March 31: Spring Migrants
Let the spring migration begin! This field trip
will focus on birding the Lake Farm Co. Park
area and nearby open water. Nine Springs and
Lake Waubesa are possibilities for early shore-
birds and ducks. On the trails we may find
Yellow-rumped Warblers, phoebes, thrushes
and a variety of sparrows. Bring a scope for
viewing the lake.
This trip will be from 9 -11 a.m. Meet at the
Lussier Heritage Center parking lot. Take the
Beltline Hwy to South Towne Dr. and head
south. Turn left on Moorland Rd. The Heritage
Center is about a half mile up on the left. For
more info call Patrick Ready, (608) 873-1703.
Deb Rohde
In honor of Jana and Steve Gibson
Dianne and Rick Weigle
In honor of Pat and Harvey
Wilmeth’s 60th Anniversary
Sally Wilmeth and Terry Geurkink
GIFTS IN MEMORY
OF A FRIEND
In memory of Buck
Susan Slapnick
In memory of Rachel and Jerzy
Joanne Herfel
City _____________________________________
State__________ ZIP____________
Contributions will be acknowledged near the
Information Board at Goose Pond Sanctuary:
$1,250 or more, name to appear on perma-
nent plaque; $250-$1,249, name to appear
on engraved paving brick.
[ ] Please do not acknowledge my gift in
Madison Audubon CAWS
Please make checks payable to:
Madison Audubon Society
Mail to: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S.
Hamilton Street, Suite 1, Madison, WI 53703
Gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Madison Audubon Society’s financial statement is
available upon request.

The Audubon Caws  March 2007

 Madison Audubon Society, Inc.
Joanne Herfel, President Non-profit organization
222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1 U.S. Postage Paid
Madison, WI 53703 Permit No. 1831
Madison, Wisconsin

MAS Calendar at a
Glance
MAS Events
Tuesday, March 20 3/07
Wings Over Madison – Spring Banquet
and Raffle
Is it time to renew your membership?
Thursday, April 26
See form on page 2 and help MAS.
Whole Foods Market “Five-percent
day” Return Service Requested
Saturday, May 5
31st Annual Art Fair

Field Trips
Saturday, March 10
Early Spring Migrants
Saturday, March 24
Beginning Birding
Sunday, March 25
Spring Birding at Rose Lake
Saturday, March 31
Spring Migrants
MGE Power Tomorrow Workshops
Saturday, April 7 MG&E Power Tomorrow Workshops encourage consumers to make a greater energy-
Spring Birds of Columbia County efficiency commitment in their lives. At the workshops, you can talk one-on-one with
energy experts, learn how to save money on your utility bill, find out what you need
Misc. Events to know to buy a new furnace or new windows, see new lighting products and much
Wednesday, March 14 & Thursday, more. To register, call (608) 252-7158 or visit mge.com/workshops.
March 15
MG&E Power Tomorrow Workshops Upcoming workshops:
Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue
Tuesday, April 10
Wednesday, March 14, 1:30-3:30 p.m. and Thursday, March 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Friends of the Lakeshore Nature
Preserve Annual Meeting
Saturday, May 12
Friends of the UW-Madison Arboretum A Madison Tradition…
19th annual Native Plant Sale Be part of the 31st Annual MAS Art Fair
On Saturday, May 5, Madison Audubon Society’s 31st Annual Art Fair will be held
at Olbrich Gardens. Year after year the hard work of over 100 volunteers makes this a
Bird Brain Answer successful and beautiful event for MAS and the city of Madison. Please consider setting
Yes. Their sense of taste aside a few hours of your spring to be a part of the Art Fair this year.
helps them avoid eat- The Art Fair provides funds so that people with an environmental vision have the
ing poisonous insects. means to protect wild places. It offers people in the community a chance to be revived
American Robin through exposure to art in a floral environment. And it gives 120 artists an opportunity
by Pat Ready
to stay in the business, producing things of beauty while making a living.
If you are interested in being a part of this event, please call the office at (608)
255-2473 or email Dave at masdave@mailbag.com with your name and area of
interest. We need help with planning, food preparation, artist set-up, parking,
raffle, silent auction, and many other tasks during the day of the fair. Thanks!