The Artesian Nature Coalition is a special partnership of our children and grandchildren. They are the caretakers of an exceedingly beautiful spot on this wondrouss planet. Together, they have discovered something even more compelling than video games, more fascinating than television, and more uplifting for the soul than a sermon. That “something” is creation itself. The magic of a snake, the beauty in a pond, the life of a squirrel, the night sky, and so much more. Join our adventurers in their discoveries of the natural wonders in their own backyard. Read the stories, enjoy the photos, try the experiments, undertake the projects, and participate in the nature challenges. As you observe the natural world in your own backyard, you will learn to study it like a scientist, and cherish it like a naturalist. Birds soar, and so can we!
Click on the image above to pick an environmental project to do today from our list of 20 favorite nature activities. They are not only fun but have a positive impact on protecting the planet and the Artesian nature area. Also click to read about the amazing origins of Earth Day.
MAKE EVERY DAY EARTH DAY
THE ORNITHOLOGIST CHALLENGE
Ornithologists are scientists who study birds. Our coalition’s backyard scientists will seek to achieve the status of amateur ornithologists someday via our bird adventures where we will strive to enjoy some exciting bird-related challenges that will train our eyes and minds to better appreciate and protect these amazing creatures who make our world so magnificent and unique. The Ornithologist Challenge consists of ideas for bird-watching activities, science projects, family projects, art projects, learning activities, political resources, and lots of photography. These are meant to stimulate enthusiasm and curiosity. Members of our coalition are free to do all, none, or anything in between. They only need ask for our help if needed. They are also encouraged to design their own projects and follow their own path. Keith and I have spent a delightful and deliberate portion of our life loving birds, listening to their songs, marveling at their beauty, giggling at their antics, and wishing we could fly. We delight in seeing this same joy nestled in the hearts of our family. Friends are welcome to use any of these ideas and resources to kindle that spark in your family as well. So let’s grab our binoculars and find the truest meaning of twitter and tweets! - Granny & Paw
FEATURED POSTS
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Featured
“A heart without dreams is like a bird without feathers.”
• Suzy Kassem •
CRAZY AS A LOON BIRDING FUN
WHAT BIRDS WILL I SEE WHEN I GO BIRDING?
The birds you are most likely to befriend are the ones in your own backyard, so let’s start there. Here’s a helpful list of the 33 birds who may visit you in your yard or at your feeder if you live in Wisconsin like we do. This list was compiled by the good birding folks at Bird Advisors. Notice the list is divided into summer birds and winter birds so you can make friends year round.
BEGINNER LIST - BACKYARD BIRDS
When you decide to venture past your yard and explore a bigger area, here are two lists you might want to use to check-off the birds that live and fly around us. Start young and you just might check off all of them in your lifetime. Wouldn’t that be amazing!
INTERMEDIATE LIST - REGION 4
Our Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has divided up the state into Nature Trail regions. We are in Nature Trail Region IV (THAT’S THE FANCY ROMAN NUMERAL FOR THE NUMBER FOUR). It’s known as the Central Sands Prairie Region. If you go through this list and highlight all the birds from Region IV, you will know the birds you are likely to see versus the ones that are rare.
ADVANCED LIST - WISCONSIN
THE Wisconsin SOCIETY FOR ORNITHOLOGY (WSO) HAS PUT TOGETHER THIS LIST FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF WISCONSIN. THERE ARE 441 BIRDS ON THIS LIST SO YOU MAY BE BUSY IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM ALL. TheY also offer a list called “HAUNTS” WHERE YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO FIND THE MOST VARIETIES OF BIRDS. THERE ARE Two IN OUR COUNTY: ELDORADO MARSH AND RIGHT WHERE YOU LIVE!
BIRD BAIT!
trickS to get more birds in your yard!
And don’t forget to call Granny & Paw if you need more information or help!
BIRD BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG BIRDER
Here’s six great books to help you on your ornithological journey. There’s a photo of the cover and an excerpt from the Amazon website telling you about the contents. Under each photo is a link to the Amazon site if you’d like to order the book online. We found “Birds of Wisconsin” most useful when we started birdwatching.
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“The bird who dares to fall is the bird who learns to fly.”
• Unknown •
BIRD BRAINED SCIENCE PROJECTS
Granny & Paw are offering a Nature Camp throughout the summer during which we will work with you to explore Ornithology, the study of birds. In this series of meetings, we will do hands-on Science Projects which will include ornithology work, art projects, advocacy projects, learning projects, and field trips. To enroll in Nature Camp, call us. We never promise (Paw’s rule), but if we did, we’d promise you will learn a lot and have fun too! We love you. - Granny & Paw
BIRD-BRAINED SCIENCE PROJECTS
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“No bird soars too higH if he soars with his own wings.”
• Unknown •
FREE AS A BIRD ART PROJECTS
In prehistoric days, when that first person grabbed some charred wood and started to draw the first picture on a cave wall, we bet that person drew a bird. Although there were fearsome creatures that followed, we believe the impulse to create art comes from a deep place of reverence and gratitude — and that just had to be birds, right? Here’s a dozen art projects we are ready to help you undertake so you can experience the joy of bird-related artistic expression. We only wish we could teach you to fly too, but you have to be at least seventy years old. We love you. — Granny & Paw
FREE AS A BIRD ART PROJECTS
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“A bird does not sing because he has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
• Maya Angelou •
BIRDS OF A FEATHER CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
The National Geographic Society says, “Citizen science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge. Through citizen science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection programs.” These are some of the programs that help you advocate for protection of birds and their habitat as well. We love you. — Granny & Paw
BIRDS OF A FEATHER CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
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“God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.”
• Josiah Gilbert Holland •
FOR THE BIRDS FAMILY PROJECTS
All of the people in the Artesian family have enjoyed the opportunity to live with birds. These stories are captured here. The Duck Project entails the raising of two little Mallard ducklings. The Frankie & Johnnie Project is the tale of an rescued pet bird that was abandoned by its owner during a brutal Wisconsin winter. The Pigeon Project tells the story from decades ago when Paw was a boy and raised pigeons. If you have other ideas for family bird projects, let us know how we can help. We love you. — Granny & Paw
FOR THE BIRDS FAMILY PROJECTS
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“The sound of birds stops the noise in the mind.”
• Carly Simon •
AS THE CROW FLIES FIELD TRIPS
As miraculous as the internet and television and telephones are, they can’t compare to the miracle of real life. And no place is real life better than in nature. Sometimes people think they are something different and better than other creatures. Although this may be true in some respects, we are indeed creatures too — and there’s an awful lot we can learn from the ones with feathers that fly through our air and fill it with song. So, turn off the screens, it’s field trip time. We love you. - Granny & Paw
AS THE CROW FLIES FIELD TRIPS
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“They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
• Isaiah 40:31•
WISE AS AN OWL LEARNING PROJECTS
WISE AS AN OWL LEARNING PROJECTS
We love learning about anything, but learning about birds is one of our favorites. After you learn more about these amazing wonders, you will understand why. So let’s take the Ornithologist Challenge and see how it changes how we look at the world and our place in it. We love you. — Granny & Paw
BIRD TV
Bird TV is one of the beautiful gifts from the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology (WSO). Below are the descriptions from the Bird TV page on the WSO website. Here is a reprint of their introduction to Bird TV. To watch any of these wonderful bird videos, just click the button below. It will take you directly to their site where you can explore these and other wonderful birding resources.
Bird TV ("Bird Teaching Video") are web-based educational resources created and hosted by the WSO for use by schools, nature centers & bird clubs, and community members free of charge. The topics covered in the various episodes are diverse, informative, sometimes humorous, and always stocked with beautiful imagery. It's so easy to love the shapes and colors of birds; their songs, behaviors, and amazing physical adaptations, but at the heart of Bird TV is a simple and timely ethic: "Those who come to know birds will look out for birds." Bird conservation is a key component of education, and each and every episode of Bird TV discusses how we --the citizens of a state whose quality of life has been enhanced by wild birds -- can help to better protect our avian resources. The series is written and produced by Steve Betchkal in conjunction with WSO.