WSO’s casual “talk about birds” event is returning this fall in a new location at UW-Stevens Point on Saturday October 19. We are looking forward to seeing people for a whole day of learning, chatting, and birdy fun. Feel free to forward the program and registration information to anyone interested in birds.
In keeping with the Central Wisconsin location, the program will start with resident birder Rob Pendergast telling us about the birds of Portage County. Janet and Amber Eschenbauch will review their American Kestrel monitoring project with a special visitor, and we’ll learn about Greater Prairie-chickens and their habitat management.
The eBird training is returning with last year’s teachers, Melissa Kesling for new eBirders and Tim Hahn for those with more experience. We will also hear about studies and projects on Kirtland’s Warblers, illegal large bird killing, bird parasites, and Red-shouldered Hawks. I’ll also talk about some gardening and yard work you can do (or leave until spring) to help birds during winter.
You can find the initial schedule and registration information on the WSO website event page at https://wso.wildapricot.org/event-5855824. The cost is $25 and $15 for students.
There will also be several activities going on in the area on Friday October 18.
Starting at 6 p.m. in the evening, WSO members will be at the Birds in Art exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau for a special tour with the Wausau Bird Club. Space is limited, so please contact Lynn Barber at president@wsobirds.org if you are interested in attending.
Wausau bird expert Dan Belter has agreed to lead a pre-Unconvention trip in the Lake Wausau area on Friday afternoon, October 18. The trip will begin at DC Everest County Park, 1800 S 3 rd Ave., Wausau, at1:00 p.m. and will be over by 4 p.m. to allow time for dinner before the Birds in Art program. If you areinterested in attending, please contact Jennifer at executive.director@wsobirds.org or (262) 204-7242 for more information.
Earlier in the day on Friday October 18, the Greater Prairie-chicken Advisory Committee is meeting at 9 a.m. in Conference Room 1 (first floor) of the Portage County Annex Building, 1462 Strongs Avenue,Stevens Point. These meetings are open to the public in person and virtually.
If you want to know more about the regular work being done to support prairie chickens, this a great opportunity to understand their habitat and current conservation efforts. The fall meeting usually includes a summary of the lek counts and habitat work done that year as well as any new topics and partner reports. It will be followed by a field trip to the Paul J. Olson Wildlife Area with information about the Greater Prairie-chicken population and habitat work there, including conservation grazing. The committee field trip component will overlap with the Wausau birding outing, but it should conclude by 3 p.m.
On October 20, the morning after the Unconvention event, the WSO board meeting will take place at 8 a.m. at UW-Stevens Point. Members are welcome to attend. Please contact Jennifer at executive.director@wsobirds.org or (262) 204-7242 for more information about the meeting location.
We hope to see you soon in Central Wisconsin!
