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Avian experts ask for help to save migratory birds

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Wildlife experts are asking for your help in saving migratory birds that have been snowed out of their usual food sources.

Last weekend’s blizzard blanketed parts of Wisconsin with over two feet of snow, and that’s making it very hard for birds migrating back to the area. Raptor Education Group executive director Marge Gibson says her agency has been extremely busy this week. “I took over fifty phone calls, texts and Facebook messages. Most were about weak and dying warblers, robins and woodcocks.”

Gibson says this weather is especially hard on birds that usually rely on digging insects out of the ground for their food. “They are unable to find enough enough ground or find any ground to be able to dig or have access to insects, And not having any food, of course, they’re starving.” Gibson says that residents can help out by digging out section of lawn and grass that birds can access to dig up and eat hibernating bugs.

She also adds that generally keeping feeders stocked right now is a great help to feathered friends. “Keep your feeders full. A lot of the insectivores don’t eat seed so you’re going to have mealworms and dried fruit, cut up fruit, berries, those sorts of things that will help them get over this very difficult period.”

Gibson is asking cat owners to keep their pets indoors for a few days. “The birds are really fragile right now, many of them are weak and they’re on the ground and they’re really targets for a cat who’s outside even briefly, so be very aware of that.”

if you do find a bird on the ground and you’re able to walk over and pick it up, that bird is in distress and needs help. “Put it in a cardboard box, not a cage or a carrier. Put a towel in the bottom of the box and bring them into a warm area. Put a heating pad on low under part of the box. Cover the box to create an “incubator” of sorts.” Gibson says that you should make sure that the bird has food. Dried or live mealworms or waxworms are a good bet, and you can find those almost anywhere live fishing bait is sold.

Once that bird is safe and warming up, make sure you call a local avian rescue group. Most are very willing to come pick up your bird and take it to a more appropriate shelter.

Heavy snows help end dry spell for parts of Wisconsin

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There’s an upside to all that snow parts of Wisconsin saw over the weekend: an end to dry conditions in the state.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tim Halbach says that the heavy wet snow that blanketed central and eastern Wisconsin is going to help quench the soil and put a cap on an abnormally dry winter. “I’m sure everyone who was out shoveling that snow this weekend knows that it was a very high liquid content type snow.”

Parts of the state we seeing abnormally dry conditions this winter, and Halbach says a late season snowfall is just what the state needed, even if it came exceptionally late. “Just having the precipitation this time of year is always a good thing. You want to get a little bit of moisture in the ground before the plants go in.”

Even better news for farmers and gardeners is that most of the moisture in that snow is going to stay put. Halbach says temperatures are expected to be mild over the next week or so. “So it’s a nice gradual melting of the snow that’s out there, rather than getting one big heavy rainfall and and then it’s all melting and heading into the rivers right away.”

Some more snow is expected to fall Wednesday across parts of Wisconsin, with milder spring temperatures expected for the next week after that.

Marathon County passes metallic mining ordinance

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Marathon County has unanimously approved a metallic mining ordinance.

The ordinance regulates mining in the county before a new state law goes into effect July 1st that allows metallic mining in Wisconsin.

County Board Supervisor John Robinson says he believes this ordinance passing is a good first step. “What this does is lays out the framework or the foundation of which we’ll evaluate those permits for mining itself. It creates a process that’s understood,” said Robinson. “It also creates a number of funds that will be protective of the environment and address issues.”

Robinson went on to go into further detail about the funds that are created. “It creates a groundwater trust fund to compensate people who have water draw downs or contaminated wells. It creates a local road reimbursement fund. It creates a property evaluation fund. And, it creates a political subdivision fund to offset some of the costs associated with local and municipal government with a mine,” he said.

Robinson says this is just the start and that the board does have until July to make additional changes to the ordinance that they would like.

A gold deposit that is known as the Easton Reef Deposit has received a lot of attention since the mining moratorium bill was passed.

Toronto-based Aquila Resources has expressed interest in opening a gold and copper mine in the eastern part of Marathon County.

WSAU

WPS opens annual peregrine falcon naming contest for kids

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Wisconsin Public Service is giving students a chance to name the next generation of peregrine falcons that are soon to be hatched at two of their power plants.

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade are being asked to come up with a name for one of eight falcon chicks. Matt Cullen of WPS says being selected comes with multiple rewards. “Providing a name to a chick is just one component of that contest and one component of what that student will experience if their name is selected.” Winners also get a certificate, a photo with their falcon chick and a chance to attend the banding ceremony.

Cullen says names can be simple or unique, but they should all have a meaning. “We ask students to provide their explanation of why they think that would be a good name for a peregrine falcon chick.” He says a couple of names stood out through the years. “Someone submitted the name of Flaps, which is an acronym for ‘Falcon Living A Public Service’, and one student submitted the name of Morgan Freebird.”  

The naming contest has been going on since 1996.   

Entries can be made at Wisconsinpublicservice.com.

WTAQ

Emerald Ash Borer quarantine now statewide

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The state Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has placed all of Wisconsin under a quarantine for Emerald Ash Borer. Sharon Gilson with DATCP said the move makes sense, given the existing number of county quarantines.

“Every single county in Wisconsin now is either under quarentine for EAB, or else they’re adjacent to a county that is under quarantine” she said.

The statewide quarantine means there are no longer restrictions on moving firewood from county to county — but Gilson said that’s still not a good idea.

“There are all kinds of pests that firewood can carry . . . maybe a pest that we don’t even know that we have in Wisconsin yet. And you could be the first one to bring it to the northwoods.”

State parks, and national forest campgrounds will still require you to bring your firewood from within a certain radius, or buy wood with a DATCP certification.

Facebook ad promotes Marathon County mine proposal

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A “dark money” ad on Facebook is apparently aimed at trying to influence a proposed Marathon County metallic mining ordinance.

The sponsored post on Facebook was posted around 9 am Saturday morning from a website named Marathon Mining Jobs. The ad specifically calls on residents to contact members of the county board to support “Clean Mining” in Marathon County.

But the ad itself is from a website with no mention of who is purchasing or supporting the message. The the website is hosted by a Canadian firm that specializes in anonymous web hosting.

Sturgeon spearing season hindered by poor water clarity

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A 147.3 pound and 77.5” sturgeon, harvested by Joseph Orlando. (Photo: DNR)

The annual sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago has come to a close.

The season ran the full 16 days with spearers only taking 654 sturgeon from the big lake. That’s about 30 to 35 percent of the adult female harvest cap, according to DNR sturgeon biologist Ryan Koenigs (kay-nigs). Another 297 fish were harvested from the Upriver Lakes, where the season only ran four days.

It’s the third year in a row the Lake Winnebago season has gone the full 16 days without hitting the cap. Koenigs says it should not be seen a sign that there are fewer sturgeon in the lake though. Rather, it’s a side effect of limited visibility in the water, which results in fewer opportunities to spear the large fish.

Koenigs says being able to see at least 12 feet below the surface of the water is sort of a minimum threshold on the already deep lake. The average visibility at the opening of this year’s season was under seven feet.

Several factors play a role in water clarity, although weather conditions in the month leading up to the spearing season are a big part of current conditions. Koenigs notes mild January weather, along with a lot of rain instead of snowfall, lead to run-off entering the lake. There was also limited snow cover before the start of the season, which allowed sunlight to filter through and generate algae blooms beneath the surface.

Koenigs notes those participating in the season still saw a great deal of success, with more than 50 sturgeon that weighed over 100 pounds harvested.

Brookfield buzzing over cougar sighting

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People in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield are buzzing about a cougar sighting. It was captured on Dan Guerndt’s home security video. Guerndt says he decided to have a look at the video after seeing tracks in the snow. He couldn’t believe what he saw. “It was a really big cat.”

It’s believed to be the same big cougar that’s been spotted in three different counties in southeast Wisconsin since late last year.

Diane Robinson with the Department of Natural Resources says the cougar likely came from South Dakota. “If it is a young, dispersing male, which is what we think it is, than it’s absolutely looking for a mate. It’s also looking for food and territory.”

Cougars are a protected species, so they can’t be shot. The DNR is working on a plan with local law enforcement.

Wetlands development changes clear the Assembly

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The state Assembly has approved legislation that will allow developers to fill some wetland areas without a permit.

The bill would apply to smaller wetland areas that are under state control – primarily those near urban areas that are under an acre in size and under three acres in rural areas. Republicans contend the changes are needed to simplify a process that can delay development and tack on thousands of dollars in extra costs.

State Representative Nick Milroy (D-South Range) was among Democrats who argued the bill would negatively affect wildlife habitat though. “It’s been said that this is the worst bill for sportsmen in a generation,” he said. “That’s because wetlands are some of the most supportive habitat for fish and wildlife.”

During debate in the Assembly Thursday night, Republican Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) noted many wildlife groups now support the bill or are neutral, after changes were made to ensure quality wetland areas are still protected. “No high quality wetlands will be filled in because of this bill,” he said.

The bill passed on a 58 to 39 vote. It now heads to the state Senate.

Menominee’s Gary Besaw delivers State of the Tribes

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At the Capitol Tuesday, the annual State of the Tribes address was delivered by former Menominee Tribal chair Gary Besaw. He said the state’s tribes will continue to stand up for Wisconsin’s natural resources.

Besaw told lawmakers that there are still a lot inaccuracies in how Wisconsin’s Native American Indians are portrayed and taught about in schools, calling that “yet another reason why we ask that race-based mascots must be removed from our public schools.”

Besaw also highlighted tribal concerns about resources like wetlands, and the state’s deer herd. “Our treaties, signed for ceding this beautiful land over, allows for certain rights forever, and the lack of an aggressive, common sense prevention and intervention plan regarding stopping CWD, puts our court affirmed treaty rights, as well as Wisconsin tourism and hunting in peril,” he said.

Last month, the Menominee tribe sued the federal government over an open-pit mine, which would be located close to the Menominee River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Besaw said Wisconsin tribes are disappointed in Wisconsin’s inaction regarding the potential permit, as well as the repeal of Wisconsin’s so-called “mining moratorium” law.

Besaw said Wisconsin’s 11 tribes “are not Luddites,” but are compelled to stand up for the state’s natural resources. “We understand a certain amount of risk might be tolerated in exchange for certain minerals that help society. We get it,” he said. “But we aren’t allowed ethically to put our future babies’ world at high risk. We’re not allowed to.”