“Show & Tell” Ice Cream Social “Show & Tell” Ice Cream Social “Show & Tell” Ice Cream Social “Show & Tell” Ice Cream Social Sunday, March 11 — 1:30 pm

Oshkosh Seniors Center, Oasis Room - 200 N. Campbell Rd.

This annual event is always fun, free and open to the public! The Audubon board will treat you to ice cream and a variety of toppings. We invite you to share your photos, slides, videos, DVD slide shows, and stories of your outdoor adventures, flowers, birds, nature, etc. To allow everyone an opportunity to share, please keep your presentation to about 10-15 minutes. A slide projector and LCD projector with a laptop/dvd drive will be provided. Mike Huebschen will be our featured photographer sharing his excellent bird photos and stories. Please join us for an enjoyable "sundae" afternoon with friends and family - old and new!

March/April 2012 All programs and activities are open to the public Vol. 32, No. 5

P.O. Box 184, Oshkosh, WI 54903 � Published eight times a year Editor: Janet Wissink, 7035 Mountain Rd., Pickett, WI 54964 � 920-589-2602 � wiss@centurytel.net

Check our website for up-to-date information: www.winaudubon.org

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Calendar of Events

Check out the website for details as they become available and in future newsletters.

Mar 11 “Show & Tell” Ice Cream Social Sun. 1:30 pm, Oshkosh Senior Center

Mar 17 Deadline for Rill Award Nominations

Apr 14 Annual Midwest Crane Count

Apr 28 Spring Banquet at Primo Restaurant Sat. Dinner, Silent Auction, Awards followed by a program on Kirtland’s Warblers

May Birdathon Month

May 5 Oshkosh Bird Fest Sat. (www.oshkoshbirdfest.com) 6 am-2 pm, Menominee Park 6 pm-9 pm, Downtown Gallery Walk

May 19 Frog Night Hike Details to come.

May 26 Night Hike for Adults Only Sat. with Anita Carpenter

June 10 Paddle Rush Lake with Tom Ziebell Sun. and Anita Carpenter

For more details and directions, check out our website for information as it becomes available: www.winaudubon.org or contact Janet at 920-589-2602 or wiss@centurytel.net

Save the Date: April 28

Spring Banquet

Reservation Form now available on our website. Look for one in the mail by the end of March.

Silent Auction Items needed If you would like to donate something to the silent

auction at our Spring Banquet, please contact Janet at wiss@centurytel.net or 920-589-2602.

White Pelicans and Double-Crested Cormorants

Wednesday, March 28—6:30 pm Stone Toad Bar & Grill, 1109 Oneida St., Menasha

Winnebago Lakes Council has extended an invitation to Winnebago Audubon to attend a program on pelicans and cormorants. Art Techlow III, DNR biologist, will discuss the exploding population of white pelicans and double-crested cormorants in the area—what’s true, and what’s not—and what the DNR is doing to help manage these large birds. It is free and open to the public.

The Future of Winnebago Audubon Depends on YOU! Join our Board...

It is time to be looking ahead to our chapter’s new fiscal year that will begin in May. We would welcome the energy and ideas of additional VOLUNTEERS and BOARD members to help us continue the 30 year tradition of bringing worthwhile programs and events to our community. Please consider volunteering to help with an event or to serve as a director. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the responsibilities and time involved, so give me a call or send an e-mail. - Janet

April 14 Crane Count Going Green

Even though it’s only March, the Annual Midwest Crane Count will be here before we know it. The International Crane Foundation (ICF) has already had reports of sandhill crane sightings along the Wisconsin River in southern Wisconsin (and closer to home). The count is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 14, between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. In staying with the “green” movement, ICF is going paperless (as much as possible) and has partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. It will be using www.eBird.org as a more efficient and inclusive way to collect, analyze and share the data for the Crane Count. The Winnebago County count will still be coordinated by the county coordinator, Evelyn Meuret, so sites are assigned as before. However, we will not be holding a meeting to assign the sites or provide data sheets. Since ICF has gone paperless, so will WAS attempt to. If you want to participate in the Crane Count this year and you do not have access to a computer or printer, WAS can still provide a data sheet and input your count on ebird.org. You must arrange that with Evelyn prior to April 1 so she has time to set everything up and get the data sheet to you. Who counts on what site? Winnebago County has 46 sites that are available to count on. You can find the link to the sites map on the Winnebago Audubon Society website on the Calendar page in the article about the crane count. Note: site 46 is not on the map as it is a new site we submitted to ICF in 2011. Be aware that many of our sites are already assigned as we have counters who have been participating since its beginning in 1976. Many counters want to continue counting on their original site and others want to venture to somewhere new. I will be writing to all 2010 and 2011 counters at the e-mail addresses provided to me at the time they registered. If you did not provide an e-mail address, I will use the USPS you provided but our hope is to go paperless so if you now have an e-mail address or it has changed since then, send it to me at evelynmeuret57@att.net. I will be asking that you inform me if you want the site you counted on in the previous year(s) or seek a new one by April 1. After April 1, I will be offering any unclaimed sites to counters seeking an alternate site or new counters wanting to join up. I strongly encourage you to go to www.cranecount.org at the ICF website to read about the 2012 Annual Midwest Crane Count. On the right side, under Learn More, check out the Counter Information. Here there are newly revised Data Sheets that can be printed out to have in the field. There are also Data Entry instructions for registering and using eBird and identification calls if you need to review them. I look forward to working with all of you this year. The Fin n Feather in Winneconne will again set up the mini breakfast buffet for us to enjoy al a carte directly after counting. Please join everyone in sharing stories after the count and turning in your data sheets IF you cannot input the information at eBird.org. Watch for my e-mail or snail mail in the near future. Feel free to contact me at 920-573-7828 or write to me at evelynmeuret57@att.net prior to getting my letter if you already know the site you want to count on.

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Winnebago Audubon Society extends a sincere thank you to everyone who made a contribution to our chapter. Your support is invaluable and allows us to continue to provide positive experiences in nature for our community, especially for children.

Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Robert Gluth Rolf & Jennifer Hadel Wayne Hakes Pat Nichols Karla Seaver Jeanne Snowhook Mike & Karen Syverson Jack & Maria Talin David & Doris Thomas Dr. Karen Wedde Kathleen Zillges RILL FUND

for Sullivan’s Woods Prairie

Charles Foote Jr. Memuna Khan SULLIVAN’S WOODS FUND

Lurton Blassingame Terry & Cheryl Broullire Kenneth Lohry AUDUBON ADVENTURES

Jeanne Gay David Graham In memory of Dan Tomasek Larry & Pam Lang Dave Misterek In memory of Katherine & Russell Rill Gil & Sharon Roderick Jeanne Shiras Jon & Barbara Uecker In memory of Carroll Gay Norm Whitford Frank Zuern IN-KIND DONATION

John Pagel, Mail List Processing

Kid’s Eye View by Carmen Meuret

February in Wisconsin here in the Fox Cities and there’s barely any snow on the ground. We’ve really had a mild winter this year and I recently took a walk on a beautiful, sunny, mildly warm Sunday with my mother and dog, Seymour. Leaving from the northeast side of Oshkosh, we took a walk down to the river between the Wisconsin and Jackson Street bridges stopping for a break on the new docks and path that have been built there. To our amusement, we watched gulls slip and slide on the ice along the shore. Their legs slid out from underneath them and after many trials upon how to walk on this dangerous terrain, the birds realized that maybe they

Shortly after this February dawn, I’m out for my morning walk along the Fox River. Rain or shine, warm or cold, windy or calm, I come here every day I don’t have to work. For me, it’s a small refuge within this busy city of ours. Here I watch the river, its moods and its avian visitors including perching bald eagles, mallard families and migrating waterfowl. I observe trees and flowers sprout, bloom and wither. I watch insects attracted to these plants. I watch monarch caterpillars feed and milkweed plants shed their wind-carried seeds. I notice waves of migrating sparrows and warblers as they move through the riverside vegetation. I watch for signs that reveal life’s little dramas in an unseen world. I watch the seasons come and go. Light snow, as yet undisturbed by humans, covers the path this morning. A cold north wind is blowing. The river is almost frozen. What a glorious morning to be out. Then I discover tracks in the snow—something I’ve never seen before. The delicate foot prints are paired with each print measuring about 1/2 inch wide. Width of the print pair is about 1- 1/4 inches. The distance between each print pair varies from five to eight inches. As this small mammal bounds, it leaves diamond shapes in the snow and no tail drag. My first impression is weasel tracks. The print trail crosses perpendicular to my path and measures about six feet in length, then ends abruptly. About two feet beyond the trail’s end is the first of two small holes in the snow which reminds me of holes made by meadow voles. Did the weasel pop out from under the snow to create these holes or are they really meadow vole holes? Was a weasel pursuing a meadow vole? Except for the tracks, the snow appears undisturbed—no signs of a struggle. The tracks reappear heading back in the direction from which they came and disappear under low evergreens along the river. I try to convince myself that these are either short-tailed weasel or, perhaps, least weasel tracks but something

Badger Tracks Badger Tracks Badger Tracks Badger Tracks by Anita Carpenter

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doesn’t seem right. It seems unlikely that either weasel would be found here, but in nature, anything is possible. What created these tracks might remain one of life’s little mysteries. A week and another one-inch snowfall later, I’m back along the river. I observe the easily-recognized rabbit and crow prints and, astoundingly, the “weasel tracks” again. A few of the prints are paired as before but most reveal a trotting pattern with each stride about one-inch apart. As before, the trail ends abruptly but this time continues on as a characteristic tunnel created by a meadow vole foraging under the snow. The critter emerged from under the snow and made another track as it trotted back to the river bank. I again pause

and ponder as to what these clues are telling me.

As much as I want to discover weasel tracks, these prints suggest meadow vole tracks. Because meadow voles prefer to stay undercover, their tracks are rarely seen and something I have never seen before. So why was I seeing vole tracks now? It was the terrain that forced the vole above the snow. Here where the tracks are visible, the vole had to cross a hard-packed, gravel path. Although there was a one-inch snow cover, the depth was insufficient for the creature to tunnel under it and remain hidden. To get to the other side of the trail, the vole had to take its chances above the snow. Once it dashed across the path into the grassy area on the other side, it disappeared under the snow to do what meadow voles do—create snow tunnels and holes. This scenario made sense to me. After all, this is perfect meadow vole habitat. As much as I wanted to believe these were weasel tracks, I’m just as pleased to have observed these rarely-seen meadow vole tracks. It is mysteries and challenges like this that keep me walking and observing.

RIVERSIDE MYSTERY

should walk sideways. It was a funny site to see that I, being the klutz I am, am not the only one who has trouble walking on ice. Also on this walk, my mother and I saw many eagles soaring high in the sky. We believe they are still around because of the mild winter and there being so much open water. I believe many were immature because I was unable to view the vibrant white head and tail that makes them unmistakably identifiable. Unfortunately my life is not as mild as this winter has been. I am in high school, busy with homework, piano lessons and competition, orchestra and solo ensembles and of course, socializing with friends. This is keeping me from having time to write the Kid’s Eye View articles as faithfully as I had been. I truly love to write but am finding I am not preparing anything so it is ready when Janet sends out her deadlines for the newsletter. I will continue to prepare something when I can, probably this summer once school is out and I hope all of you will understand if Kid’s Eye View is not in every newsletter for a while. It is a real pleasure writing articles for and supporting Winnebago Audubon Society.

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Winnebago Audubon Society Mission Statement: Advance the mission of the National Audubon Society to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity through grassroots efforts of community outreach and advocacy.

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���� Chapter Only Membership: Your $20.00 stays in our chapter and you receive the Winnebago Audubon chapter newsletter and all chapter benefits. Make $20.00 check payable to Winnebago Audubon.

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City/State/Zip: ______________________________ Chapter Code: C9ZZ120Z Mail this form with payment to: Pat Nichols, Membership, PO Box 184, Oshkosh, WI 54903

OFFICERS President: Janet Wissink 920-589-2602 / wiss@centurytel.net

Vice President: Dana Hartel 920-582-4498 / danahartel@yahoo.com

Secretary: Evelyn Meuret 920-573-7828 / evelynmeuret57@att.net

Treasurer: Carla Hansen 920-233-1129 / carlajhansen@sbcglobal.net DIRECTORS Zaiga Freivalds 920-233-5914 / zaigam@charter.net Dave Hanke 920-688-2907 Dave Moon 920-235-4429 / djmoon@northnet.net Pat Nichols 920-426-0261 / patnichols@earthlink.net

Important Note: TEMPORARILY AWAY? Please notify us if you will be temporarily away. The post office will not forward your newsletter. If your newsletter is returned to us, we remove you from our mailing list. Please contact Pat Nichols at jvnichols@earthlink or 920-426-0261 with any questions.

RENEWALS: Your mailing label includes your membership expiration date above your name. If you are a “Chapter Only” member the word CHAPTER will appear after the expiration date. Please renew your chapter membership by filling out the application form below. Thank you for helping us save on the cost of renewal reminders. If you are a member of National Audubon, NATL will appear after the expiration date. You will receive renewal notices from National or you may renew by using the form below. If you are receiving a complimentary newsletter, COMP will appear with an expiration date. Please consider joining our chapter by using the application below.

Welcome to Winnebago AudubonWelcome to Winnebago AudubonWelcome to Winnebago AudubonWelcome to Winnebago Audubon

If you joined National Audubon, you are a member of our local chapter, Winnebago Audubon. We invite you to participate in our activities to make the most of your membership. We are a group

of like-minded individuals interested in the natural world. Our activities are offered to educate the public and our members and

engage people in citizen science.

If you are new members of National or the Chapter and haven’t seen your name here in the last couple

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Kristin Bartelt Connie Borrmann Margaret Chester Anne Doemel Glenn Ducharme Donna Ellis Elizabeth Fisher Mark & Linda Gajewski Allen & Kris Grasley Barbara Kaspar Mark Kuske Rick Kuske Evelyn Lesniak John Lettner

James Meyer Mary Morelli Pam & box Newell Neal Rasmussen Audrey Rhyner Louise Schang James & Mary Schumann William Schuster Annette Stewart Cheri Thorp Stephen Wildgruber Lilliian Williams Edward Wilusz Beth Wuest