Dear Bird City Friends,
World Migratory Bird Day is coming, can’t you feel the migrants eager to return to their northern homes?
- Anyone hear the spring song of the Cardinal? The cold weather seems to have slowed the mating genes! Do you realize that at this time last year, the ice was off the retention pond at 151 and 41 and Sandhill Cranes were in the water just 12 months ago? The Nuthatches have been calling at the Greenway; Crows are often around both my home and the Greenway. Starlings love the trees around my home and I hear them there when I walk out of the house. Merlin has also recorded a house finch and house sparrow. Juncos were enjoying themselves in my messy garden a few days ago. What have you been seeing?
- Here is your schedule for our local celebration for WMBD (World Migratory Bird Day): please put the dates in your calendar. Friday, May 2nd
6 p.m. Camelot Business Park—Look for Bird City Flag
Saturday, May 3rd
7 a.m. Walk through the CSA Oak Woodland– Look for Bird City Flag at base of hill
10:00 a.m. Greenway Arboretum—Look for Bird City Flag
1 p.m. Lakeside Park East–Park in parking lot south of Frazier Pt, Bridge parking lot -Look for the Bird City Flag
ALSO, April 24, 6 p.m. Fond du Lac Public Library, Amber Eschenbauch and her kestrel ambassador, Goose, from Central Wisconsin Kestrel Research. You will learn all about North America’s smallest falcon and the research happening in the Buena Vista Grasslands.
- It’s time to get that license for your cat! Licensing can be obtained at the City Clerk’s desk in the Government Building. Do your part to get your cat neutered, vaccinated and chipped so that if lost it can be returned to you without cost. The cats are killing machines on birds if left outside, so please license your pet and make sure it does stay inside.
- American Bird Conservancy has been closely tracking the new administration’s policy changes. We recently learned that some members of Congress are pursuing an end to Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken – permanently. If they’re successful, this species is headed towards extinction. Range: The lesser prairie-chicken currently occupies a five-state range that includes portions of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. (WI is home to the Greater Prairie Chicken). You can send a note of support to keep the ESA to our Congressman, Glenn Grothman through his website: https://grothman.house.gov/.
