Bird & Nature Outing

press release: Free, welcoming, family friendly, educational, no registration required, no pets. Fourth Sunday Every Month Guided Bird and Nature Adventures and Self-Guided Walks and Activities at the UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve are co-sponsored by Madison Audubon and Friends of the UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Check online for updates on covid and guided walks. Please check the Friends website for current field trip availability and guidance.  Conditions are continuously changing and Preserve events must comply with policies of the UW-Madison. Contact 608-698-0104.

Upcoming topics:

"Martins and Bluebirds" May Bird and Nature Adventure at UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve

Sun May 29, 1:30pm, join Richard Ness and Jeff Koziol on August 22 for a guided tour of the Purple Martin and Bluebird Trail projects at the Preserve. Look at info online and take a healthy nature walk any day in August to learn more about the Friends of Lakeshore Nature Preserve PUMA Purple Martin House and BPBB Bluebird Trail projects. These Citizen Science research projects in the Preserve are helping provide supplemental habitat for cavity nesting native Wisconsin birds with weekly monitoring and scientific data reporting. See http://friendslakeshorepreserve.com/birds.html for project descriptions, pictures and weekly monitoring reports from Richard, Jeff and other volunteers. Then take a walk to see the project areas for yourself!  From the Picnic Point entrance kiosk take the access road up the hill and turn right then left when the road forks.  Continue past the woods to where you can see the hilltop Biocore Prairie on your left. Take the mowed path loop around the prairie to see the rich diversity and beauty of restored native prairie habitat. Along the way you will pass Bluebird Houses that are located and designed for Bluebirds that also benefit native Tree Swallows, Black-Capped and House Wrens.  The multi-story white Purple Martin house on a pole at the top of the hill includes both box apartments and gourds, which Native Americans put by their gardens for Martins to use.