March 1 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
Motus WIldlife Tracking System
Implementation of the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System in Wisconsin: by Dr. Jennifer Phillips-Vanderberg, Science Director of the Western Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory. Motus towers in various locations including Wisconsin have already been erected from Canada to South America. Dr. Phillips-Vanderberg will share with us what is happening with Motus in Wisconsin and beyond and what the long-term implications of this potentially huge amount of data can tell us about bird and bat movements.
This free program will be available both in-person and virtually on Zoom. The in-person event will be located at the Riveredge Barn (park in the main visitor center lot).
No pre-registration necessary
Join the Virtual Program
Meeting ID: 844 1620 6651
Passcode: 747609
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Registration
Ages 12+
Free
In-Person or Virtual
No pre-registration necessary
Join the Program on Zoom
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March 1, 2023
@
7:00 pm
–
8:30 pm
January 28 @ 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
Wood Duck Nest Box Monitoring
at Mequon Nature Preserve
Join Nick Gall, Ecological Restoration Manager of Mequon Nature Preserve (MNP), as he monitors the nest boxes in the restored wetlands around the Mequon Nature Preserve. As we hike over the frozen wetlands, we will check the wood duck houses and document the nest box activity that occurred during the previous breeding season.
Winter is a great time to revisit the nest boxes to take species inventory and clean and replace wood shavings in preparation for the coming breeding season as most of the hard-to-reach areas will be frozen and much more accessible. The data collected in regards to nest success will give insight into the usage of the restored wetlands as plant succession and reforestation activities progress. Along with checking the boxes, we will discuss the does and don’ts of installing and maintaining wood duck houses on your own property as well as other species of bird that may use the boxes throughout the year.
This family-friendly (ages 12+) event will occur unless inclement winter weather prevents safe road travel. If snow levels are deep, MNP will provide snowshoes for easier hiking. Hiking up to two miles will be expected.
Meet at the Pieper Power Education Center at 8200 W County Line Rd., Mequon, Wisconsin. We will begin hiking no later than 10:00 am.
Contact Nick Gall at [email protected] with any questions.
Register Here
January 28, 2023
@
9:30 am
–
12:00 pm
February 9 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Tea & Topics
The Soil Underfoot
with Mary Ann Ihm
Besides being a non-profit education center, Wellspring has been an organic farm for 35 seasons. Mary Ann Ihm, the founder of this 40-year-old organization, has had her fingers in the soil for over 45 years. Sometimes called “the Compost Queen”, she loves to help people learn how to build and enhance the soil. To her, soil is a living community with nutrients that nourish growing plants. Wellspring is a neighbor of Riveredge, just across the river to the north and has partnered with us in the Growing Green program this year.
Enjoy lunch or a snack while you learn on Zoom.
No pre-registration required.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 842 2020 9865
Passcode: 238967
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Join Program
Free on Zoom
Registration Not Required
Join on Zoom
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February 9, 2023
@
1:00 pm
–
2:00 pm
February 8 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
Avian Bioacoustic Monitoring
with Gary Casper at Mequon Nature Preserve
Can you identify birds by sound? Bioacoustics is the study of natural sounds. The recent development of weatherproof digital sound recording systems, coupled with new protocols for analysis of digital sound recordings, have opened new frontiers for wildlife inventory, monitoring, and conservation. One result is the Merlin app on your phone for bird identification!
Dr. Casper will discuss recent findings from the use of acoustic devices for bird monitoring in the Cedarburg Bog, at the Mequon Nature Preserve, and other Ozaukee County properties. This new technology has the potential to revolutionize bird censusing and avian monitoring. The advantages of using acoustic monitoring in combination with traditional methods of bird population assessments will be discussed as will the use of acoustic devices for assessing bat and frog numbers. Examples of really cool recorded sounds from Ozaukee County should illustrate how bioacoustics can inform our understanding of the natural world around us.
This free program will be available both a in-person talk and online. The in-person event will be located at the Pieper Power Education center in Mequon (address below).
Speaker Bio: Gary Casper ([email protected]) is an Associate Scientist at the UW-Milwaukee Field Station, and an Associate Editor for the Natural Areas Journal and Herpetological Conservation and Biology. He researches wildlife conservation, inventory, and monitoring throughout the Great Lakes Region.
Contact Nick Gall at [email protected] with any questions.
Register Here for the In Person Program
Join the Virtual Program
February 8, 2023
@
6:00 pm
–
7:00 pm
RESCHEDULED for January 28
Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
Wood Duck Nest Box Monitoring
at Mequon Nature Preserve
January 7, 2023
@
9:30 am
–
12:00 pm
January 25 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Growing Green Farm Tours:
Lone Duck Farm
Lone Duck Farm, near West Bend, WI, is an aquaponic farm growing produce without petrochemical fertilizers or pesticides, in accordance with organic practices. Lone Duck selects heirloom varieties that give the best flavors available to their CSA members and restaurant buyers. Aquaculture involves raising fish and prawns, and their health is maintained by providing an appropriate environment.
For this Growing Green session, we will learn how aquaculture provides both unique solutions to agricultural challenges and sustainable, nutritious, local food. Adults and families are welcome to join (parents and guardians are responsible for their children). We will meet at Lone Duck Farm, address listed below.
All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
All Access Adult: $10 | Trail Pass Adult: $15 | Non-member Adult: $20
All Access Child: $5 | Trail Pass Child: $7 | Non-member Child: $10
Pre-registration required by January 24 at 11:59 pm
Register Here
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Registration
All ages welcome | All Access Adult: $10
Trail Pass Adult: $15 | Non-member Adult: $20
All Access Child: $5 | Trail Pass Child: $7
Non-member Child: $10
Register Here
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Become a Member
Take advantage of member benefits and discounts!
Join Now
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More Events
Explore other upcoming events!
Event Calendar
Members:
Be sure to sign in to your account in the upper right corner to activate your membership benefits. Membership discounts on programs will be applied to your cart at checkout. If you haven’t created an account with our new system, be sure to create one using the email address associated with your membership.
If you need to check your membership status or you aren’t sure what email address we have on file, please reach out to our Membership Manager, Renee Buchholz at [email protected].
To become a member, click here
January 25, 2023
@
5:30 pm
–
6:30 pm
December 11 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Growing Green: Herbal Gift-Making
with Linda Conroy
If you’re looking for ways to keep up with the spirit of giving without giving in to the pressure to spend lots of money on trendy but less-than-ecological gifts, look no further! Join Linda Conroy of Moonwise Herbs for this magical make-and-take workshop – perfect for the budding herbalist or the experienced medicine maker looking for some inspiration.
You will take home 10+ herbal preparations that you can gift to loved ones over the holidays, including body spray, lip balm, felted soap, herbal condiments, herbal bath soak, lotion bar, dream pillow, tea blend, and more!
Linda Conroy, MSS, MLSP, is a bioregional herbalist, an expert wild forager, a permaculturist, and a community organizer. She has studied with herbalists and foragers from around the world and has been offering programs that highlight regenerative practices for over 3 decades. She is the founder of Moonwise Herbs, Midwest Women’s Herbal, and Wild Eats: A Community Dining Adventure. Linda is well known for her ability to empower class participants and help them to enjoy life long earth centered learning.
This workshop will be hosted at Wellspring Education Center.
Ages 14+
All Access Members: $50 | Trail Pass Members: $60 | Non-members: $65
Pre-registration required by December 10 at 11:59 pm
Register Here
-
Registration
Ages 14+
All Access Members: $50
Trail Pass Members: $60
Non-members: $65
Register Here
-
Become a Member
Take advantage of member benefits and discounts!
Join Now
-
More Events
Explore other upcoming events!
Event Calendar
Members:
Be sure to sign in to your account in the upper right corner to activate your membership benefits. Membership discounts on programs will be applied to your cart at checkout. If you haven’t created an account with our new system, be sure to create one using the email address associated with your membership.
If you need to check your membership status or you aren’t sure what email address we have on file, please reach out to our Membership Manager, Renee Buchholz at [email protected].
To become a member, click here
December 11, 2022
@
1:00 pm
–
4:00 pm
October 8 @ 6:00 am – 11:59 pm
Big Sit!
Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
The Noel J. Cutright Bird Club, in cooperation with the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory, will host its 14th annual Big Sit! at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve in Port Washington (see below for address).
The count will begin at 6 a.m. on the Bill Cowart Memorial Hawk Watch Platform at the northeast corner of the preserve. If the simple joy of birding is not enough to attract your participation, those arriving for the early morning shift will find bagels and donuts on hand. BYO on beverages. Not an early bird yourself? Arrive anytime and stay as long as you can. On on-site port-a-potty for your comfort and convenience.
Big Sit! events are held at multiple locations each fall in Wisconsin as part of an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event held during the second weekend in October. The Big Sit! is like a Big Day or a birdathon in that the object is to tally as many species as can be seen or heard within 24 hours. The difference lies in the area limitation from which you may observe.
Some people have called it a “tailgate party for birders.” Find a good spot for bird watching, preferably one with good views of a variety of habitats. Next, create a real or imaginary circle 17 feet in diameter and sit inside the circle for as long as 24 hours, counting all the bird species you see or hear and recording them via eBird.
October 8, 2022
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6:00 am
–
11:30 pm
