Winter at the Dunes

Coming Events:
Five Buck Hootenanny Feb. 23
Timberdoodle Night Hike April 5
Kevin Roth Concert April 12
Annual Meeting and Program April 24
Water Action Volunteers Meeting April 26
Live Bait Concert May 3
Migration Celebration and Bird Breakfast May 10
Morning Bird Hike May 17
Five Buck Hootenanny May 17
Frog Program with Randy Korb June 7
See events schedule page for details

Feb. 7 2008 Nature Notes:

Already cardinals and chickadees are singing their spring songs on warm days, although juncos and tree sparrows will be around until April. Two bald eagles have been occasionally sitting on the osprey platform in the marsh, and a northern shrike visited yesterday. A large (female) Cooper's hawk visited the feeders yesterday, a beautiful adult bird. As a result we have one less mourning dove, but there are plenty remaining.

With a few inches of new snow, the trails are once again useable for skiing and snowshoeing, and all 6 miles are open from dawn til dusk. Our winter office hours are from 8 am until 4 pm Monday through Fridays, although we are open at other times when we have programs and events.

We are designing a new trail, which will include Woodland Dunes in Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail. We are currently working with the Ice Age Trail Foundation to determine the best route through our preserve. We will link with existing trails where possible, but some new trail will be needed to safely guide hikers from the City of Two Rivers, through Woodland Dunes, and onto the Mariner's Trail. More information will be shared as the project progresses.

Last year, we planted 65 acres of our open land with native prairie grassland plant species. The previous year we planted 29 acres on an adjacent field at the corner of Goodwin Road and Woodland Drive. This year we will be working to restore a wetland at that site, and construct an observation platform overlooking the site. This will be a wonderful opportunity to view wildlife at this prairie/wetland complex, and it will be open to the public. The prairie and wetland work is being funded through grants from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Dept. of Agriculture, and the overlook platform materials are being donated in memory of longtime friend Dr. Bob Bush by his family.

New Member of the Board of Directors

Barbee Lester has joined our Board of Directors, and was elected to the office of treasurer. Barbee and her husband Jim have been longtime members, and Barbee has volunteered as a teacher-naturalist for several of our education programs. We very much appreciate Barbee's willingness to again volunteer to help us, and welcome her as a member of our Board.

Wildlife Of Wisconsin (WOW)

At the nature center we often receive calls about sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. While we can not care for such animals, we are fortunate to have an organization in Manitowoc County that does: Wildlife of Wisconsin. WOW is a non-profit organization of trained and licensed volunteers dedicated to wild animal rehabilitation.

If you find a wild animal in need of help you can contact WOW at (920)-323-5609. This is a pager number- you will be asked to leave a message and a member of WOW will call you back with instructions.

Thank you, WOW, for the important work you do!