Panorama | Fall 2015 by Schlitz Audubon

panorama

Fall 2015

Seasonal Sightings Page 3

Hawk Migration Page 4

Fall Changes Page 7

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

An Autumnal Canvas

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers John Grunau President Tim Gerend Past President Sanderson ‘Andy’ S. Read Treasurer Meg Kinney Secretary Jane B. Bell VP-Development Cynthia Palmersheim Human Resources

NATHAN J. SMALLWOOD Executive Director

They say wood warms you twice. First when you split it and again when popping inside the fireplace as frost forms a perimeter around the windows. I’ve found splitting wood to be a meditative, internal activity. When finished, you survey your progress after enjoying all the time in between to consider the coming season. Stacking wood has always been a nod to the preparations we make for the colder months. The most recognizable feature of fall is the leaves transforming colors before tumbling toward yellowing grasses. The humid sweet rot of forest leaves and fruits is an entirely different experience from the green scent of those leaves and flowers sprouting the spring before. You hear sounds from behind and glance back to see only leaves tickling across the landscape. Spring and summer are about expansion and growth. Whether plant or animal, for every living thing, fall and winter are about conserving resources and drawing into oneself until the outside world thaws. While we stack firewood, can tomatoes, knit mittens, and cut back gardens, the natural world is busy preparing as well. In Elise Hansen’s piece, she highlights some of the ways parents can teach children about the season both at home and while visiting the Center. She borrows from

her extensive experience in discovering which exercises and activities most often capture children’s imaginations. A few members of our staff discover what happens in ponds leading up to winter, how trees survive standing in the wind, and how birds cope with cold temperatures. Raptor Educator Lindsay Focht discusses how Wisconsin’s hawks utilize autumn’s opportunities to their benefit. One can even find poetry in the interconnectedness between oak trees and squirrels hiding acorns for winter. Each day offers an expanding palette to paint your seasonal experience. This fall, I’m excited to announce that a portion of our trails near Mystery Lake was renovated to become ADA accessible, thanks to the generosity of funders such as the Elizabeth Elser Doolittle Charitable Trusts and Margarete and David Harvey. The segments recently completed will eventually include a boardwalk. We’re now able to share our land with a greater number of visitors. Akin to the forest’s palette, so too expands the range of experiences offered to guests at Schlitz Audubon. So grab sweatshirt or flannel, venture out the front door, and harvest the sensory cornucopia that reveals itself before your very eyes.

Board Shane Delsman John E. ‘Jack’ Gebhardt Margarete R. Harvey Kevin J. Kane Justin K. Patrick Lena M. Patton Arthur T. Phillips Benjamin F. Rikkers Jeff Thurston Carol Wolcott Past Presidents John H. Kopmeier, Jr. Philip R. Smith Dennis L. Fisher Terrence K. Knudsen Thomas J. McCutcheon Thomas B. Fitzgerald Randolph H. Dean Stephen F. Geimer Thomas J. Drought David K. Hoover John S. McGregor Margarete R. Harvey Honorary Directors Edwin P. Wiley Director Emeritus Dorothy K. Vallier (1910-2013)

Schlitz Audubon is an independent, locally supported partner of the National Audubon Society.

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

SEASONAL SIGHTINGS Visit the Center and discover the magnificence of fall. From tumbling leaves to tussling deer, this season is a cornucopia of activity. TOM FINLEY Director of Education

Little by little, you start to notice the changes. September sunrises begin a stitch later each day. The grass is covered in morning dew while the air is crisp. Animal activity increases as gray squirrels scurry in search of nuts, seeds, and acorns for times of dearth. Deer engage in their annual mating ritual called the rut, and males use the antlers they lose and re-grow every year to tussle and establish dominance. Wild Turkeys, especially the hens and the first-years, begin to create large, visible flocks. It’s abundantly clear for those with nature vision - autumn has arrived.

Lake on our recent and tastefully crafted ADA trail: don’t be surprised to find a White-tailed Deer on the forest path looking to mark its territory (can you locate a buck rub on one of the trees?). If you are lucky enough to find a turtle, frog, or snake basking in the dwindling sunshine, bid it a fond farewell and happy hibernation because they’ll begin a winter snooze in the weeks ahead. Autumn at Schlitz Audubon is a treasure trove that begs for you to open and peak inside.

For many, autumn is their favorite time of the year. Parents watch with mixed emotions as their children go back to school and our favorite football teams begin their season. Historically, we recall times of harvest and how the earth sustains its inhabitants through the winter. At Schlitz Audubon, we await the southerly migrations of songbirds, hawks, and colorful droves of monarch butterflies. An evening sojourn in the woods might reward one with the sounds of Great Horned Owls calling, or a quick fly-by from a Little Brown Bat looking to fill up on night flying insects (go right ahead buddy!). It’s a fleeting time, even more so than spring in my estimation. Vibrant colors take hold by late September and the typical peak for autumn beauty in our part of the state is the second week of October. Any strong winds or rains that follow will shorten how many days the colors dangle from branches. A visit to our 60 foot tower, or “tree top classroom,” is sure to delight and provides an exceptional contrasting palette: brilliant orange in Sugar Maples, yellows in the Shagbark Hickory, burgundy in White Ash (golds in the green), and some remaining chestnut in the oaks. You’ll hear (and maybe see) eager red squirrels in the nearby spruce trees trimming the cones and collecting them below – a centuries old practice we call building a cache. Begin your walk toward Mystery

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

RAPTOR EDUCATION

HAWK MIGRATION LINDSAY FOCHT Raptor Trainer & Lead Educator

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

RAPTOR EDUCATION

Migration often inspires images of warblers traveling through or a sky filled with honking Sandhill Cranes. Once September comes to an end, many people assume Wisconsin’s birds are on their way farther south. But one group is just starting their trip: Hawks. Although less recognized, hawk migration from September through December is one of the most awe-inspiring travels to witness. There are two classifications of hawks: Buteos and Accipiters. Buteos are the larger, broad-winged birds that drop down on their prey in a vertical manner. Red-tailed, Broad-winged, Red-shouldered, Rough-legged Hawks, and Northern Harriers are Buteos found in Wisconsin. Accipiters have shorter, rounder wings and relatively longer tails than their Buteo brethren. These birds’ bodies have adapted to navigate a woodland environment and they can maneuver swiftly through trees in the pursuit of prey. Accipiters in this area include Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Northern Goshawk. While moving from breeding territories to wintering grounds, hawks are in search of food and, in some cases, more tolerable temperatures. Unlike songbirds, who migrate under the protection of dark, these raptors utilize daytime thermals. Instead of expending effort flapping, their large wings soar upon rising warm air. Migratory hawks follow the Lake Michigan shoreline, taking advantage of thermals rising from bluffs and solid ground. In fact, they avoid crossing large bodies of water due to the lack of thermals, making our location on the lake a wonderful pathway for hawk migration. It’s important to note that not all hawks migrate. Red-tailed Hawks, for example, are considered ‘partial migrants’; meaning some individuals will stay because urban landscapes provide sufficient heat, shelter, and prey to make Wisconsin winters tolerable.

A cast of hawks with outstretched wings soaring above is a magical sight to behold, and Schlitz Audubon is a terrific location to witness their migration. Other locations include Concordia University in Mequon, Lion’s Den Gorge in Grafton, and Grant Park in South Milwaukee. You can increase your chances of seeing them after the passing of a cold front; northwesterly winds and calm weather promote strong hawk flights. Grab your binoculars, head outside and best of luck with your birding adventures! RAPTOR SPOTLIGHT Sky Walker, our resident Red-tailed Hawk, is a wonderful ambassador for her species. She is a stoic and patient bird with a Zen-like calm as she engages visitors. Sky Walker is also one of our more vocal birds and will definitely point out if there is another Red-tailed in the area with a high pitched keeeeeee-ar. This dramatic call is often used in commercials with Bald Eagles instead of an actual eagle call.

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

POETRY

Neither Sun, nor Money ED MAKOWSKI Communications Specialist

An oak tree won’t grow underneath an oak tree. Turns out neither sun nor money grow on trees. So oak trees bribe squirrels to spread their seeds. But oaks in a forest also synchronize their cycles, dropping acorns all at once ensuring that squirrels can’t possibly eat them all. Tumbling acorns possess a fatty layer of lipids which is squirrel candy. The bottom is saturated with tannins, a bitter chemical surrounding the seed embryo. A squirrel picks up an acorn, and shakes to discover what’s inside. If it rattles around, the expiration date has passed and weevils are inside eating the fruit. The squirrel eats weevils and all, immediately.

If the acorn is solid the squirrel buries it, a long-term investment for the frigid days of frost the fresher the acorn the greater the distance the squirrel stashes from the parent tree. All that sun-drenched distance is great for the acorn’s chances but not always the squirrel, as birds of prey perch, scanning silent the distance between trees in search of their own winter comfort food

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

FEATURE

For every animal and plant, autumn is about drawing into oneself to make it through the winter months. Discover how pond dwellers prepare to winter below ice. Find out how water freezes, but trees don’t shatter in the wind. Also learn why birds look and sound different in this season.

COSMOS & THE CONIFER | MARC WHITE Land Manager A POND’S CALM FANFARE | CHRIS DOYLE Assistant Land Manager AUTUMN WINGS | ED MAKOWSKI Communication Specialist & ZOE FINNEY Graphic Designer

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

FEATURE

Cosmos & the Conifer

ife is good when your spinning planet orbits a moderately sized mass of incandescent plasma at a reasonable distance. Life is even better when the axis of your planet’s spin is tipped 23.4 degrees from the plane of its eliptic providing your latitude with seasons. It’s cool - really cool, and then cold. Then it gets slightly warmer, warmer still, hot briefly, and then back around to cool over and over again, for millennia. Our temperate deciduous forest thrives in this weather cycle. Over time, adaptations to the pulsing of water from liquid to solid and back again have been built into the trees. It’s almost like they know winter’s coming, but of course they don’t know anything. How could they? It must be built in. Just you try to keep your leaves when all of the water around you is solid and see what happens! Sure, the conifers do a pretty good job of maintaining their tender green tissues throughout winter – maybe because they’ve had way more time than deciduous trees to work it out. I bet anybody could do it if you gave them an extra quarter of a bil-

lion years. The conifers may seem greenly superior, holding on to their leaves through winter, but it’s actually out of desperation.Around here the deciduous trees rule. Asthe glaciers retreated, they pushed the conifers north, into places where soil acidity and slower decay make nitrogen far more limiting. Being evergreen in the cold temperate regions is largely an adaptation to low nutrient levels – a way for conifers to stand their ground by clinging to the nitrogen in their leaves. Unlike trees, we’ve evolved freakishly large brains to help us negotiate the seasons. Humans put hats over them and match the hats to similar-colored flannels. Our brains comprehend that the mug of chocolate is still too hot while enjoying an invasive buckthorn bonfire. We can use these brains to heal the land, and to contemplate the incredible ability of living things that survive without needing them.

not appear as dramatic as leaves changing, the cycles of a pond are equally captivating. By the end of summer many of the small ponds are covered in a dense mat of different varieties of duckweeds. This provides an excellent food source for migrating waterfowl as they make their way back to wintering grounds. Boardwalk Pond is a great place to glimpse a Mallard fueling for the long trip ahead. After birds clear the ponds of Duckweed, a few more weeks of sunlight reach the pond’s bottom before winter.

A Pond’s Calm Fanfare

ach autumn the Center’s water features undergo a number of changes as the temperature begins to drop. Although they may

With each passing week the emergent, submergent, and wet edge plant species

A patch of conifers in the West Meadows, on the cusp of fall.

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

FEATURE slowly begin to senesce. White water lilies turn a yellowish brown and sink toward the bottom of Mystery Lake. Cattails around Teal Pond fluff to send off this year’s crop of seeds. The once bright purple Ironweed produces small brown seeds and waits for the winter winds to carry them across Prairie Pond. The Center’s ponds are home to at least three different species of turtles. Our residents include the Common Snapping Turtle, Blanding’s Turtle and Painted Turtle. Unlike senescing vegetation, a turtle’s fall preparations are more subtle. Living at the bottom of a pond during brumation, their heart beats only once every few minutes and the oxygen they require is absorbed through water using specialized skin cells near their tails and neck! Lake Michigan also goes through its own seasonal process. Once per year the lake completely mixes from top to bottom. As the surface temperature decreases, the surface water’s density increases. Layers become impervious to wind and waves and stratify throughout the lake, separated by density. As a result water previously on top gradually sinks toward the bottom. Since the lake doesn’t freeze over completely, this process continues all winter long.

Comparison of a Yellow-rumped Warbler in spring (left) versus an immature in fall (right).

Autumn Wings

irding in fall is much quieter compared to earlier in the year. Males no longer recite poetry to potential mates, or shout at competing males to stay away from their territory. You will notice more sparsely spoken chip notes than entire songs. Although quieter than spring, roughly the same number of species pass through our canopy during fall migration. Most birds fly up north in springtime to find mates and breed. But in fall they’re not looking to secure mates and this results in

different behavior and appearance. Their primary goal is getting ready for winter. Males develop brighter coloration in spring to help attract potential mates. The guys want their feathers to shout, “Look at how healthy and beautifully colored I am! I’m great at finding resources.” But in fall, after mating season has long passed, they’re not professing their mating potential. As a result their colors are not as flashy. The Yellow-rumped Warbler (pictured above) is a prime example of this. In spring his colors are bold; sporting black, blue-gray, and yellow. By fall his coloration becomes considerably muted. But don’t mistake the quieter beaks and subdued colors for less activity. During summer, after eggs have hatched, adults work tirelessly to feed and protect their young. Once chicks have fledged, all birds must find food for themselves. Autumn is the harvest season. Food is abundant, and not just for humans. Birds pack on the ounces to fly far away, or keep warm if staying in the area. Species that winter in Wisconsin spend autumn dining on “comfort food” to develop more fat for the cold.

Whether you find beauty in trees becoming masters of minimalism, birds quietly stocking up for their race to follow the sun, or turtles meditating for months under a frozen veil, fall is filled with exquisite secrets that never stop revealing themselves.

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

PRESCHOOL

Learning the Textures of Fall ELISE HANSEN Preschool Director

Fall is a rich, layered, and diverse season in the Preschool. Children tend to the last harvests of the gardens, and while gathering they learn to identify, sort, classify, compare, and count. We observe the various seeds dispersed around different habitats, including gardens, prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. Some seeds blow in the wind and others are distributed by insects and animals that eat and carry seeds. Early in fall our preschoolers poke around and discover insects, slugs, and worms hard at work under leaf debris and around the prairies and ponds. They develop respect and appreciation for these creatures and other living things. Parents can use many of our fun activities to celebrate the seasons at home. Seeds from your own yard can be saved for spring planting, math games, and art collages. Let your children fill a tray or basket with natural treasures found surrounding your home such as seedpods, rocks, leaves,

and bark to explore before snow covers the ground. When snow melts, they can participate in dispersal by returning seeds to their natural places! Leaves changing colors and tumbling to the ground is a multifaceted sensory experience. Using the tree life cycle is a great way to teach about colors, sizes, shapes, senses, chlorophyll, and scientific processes. Children can photograph or draw a favorite tree during each of the seasons. At home gather a selection of fallen leaves and create a leaf crown or hat using a simple paper headband with leaves stapled or taped to it. There is so much to explore in autumn, whether observing the sights at the Center, or becoming more connected to the flora and fauna in your own backyard.

“Migrate, Activate, and Hibernate” Trail Game: Children learn how animals prepare for winter by searching for food, creating homes to sleep in during winter, or traveling to warmer climates. You can do all of this too! Go on a hike, and as everyone hikes, the leader says the name of an animal. If that animal hibernates, the children pretend to sleep. If the animal migrates, children pretend that they are birds flying away. If the animal is active all winter, kids keep hiking in the “search for food.”

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

DEVELOPMENT NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT We’re pleased to welcome Katie Sparks as our new Director of Development. Katie brings 13 years of experience in fundraising and corporate management. She comes to us most recently from Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and previously UW-Milwaukee. Katie is well-poised for this role which combines her fundraising background and passion for the natural world.

The Ride to Discover Nature KATIE SPARKS Director of Development

Not every child has an opportunity to learn how close they live to nature. At the start of one field trip, a teacher asked a student why he didn’t seem excited to go canoeing. The boy described rivers as concrete walls holding water, and covered by a chain link fence that he would wrap his fingers through. When the bus arrived at the river, the boy gasped when he saw the water was surrounded by trees, plants, fish, frogs, and birds.

ADA TRAIL UPDATE A portion of our trail near Mystery Lake has been renovated to become ADA accessible, thanks to the generosity of funders such as the Elizabeth Elser Doolittle Charitable Trusts and Margarete and David Harvey. The segment recently completed, will be joined by a boardwalk in the future. This renovation is both ADA accessible and environmentally friendly.

If you’ve only known a river as an industrial water channel, it’s hard to imagine surrounded by ducks, maple trees, and deer. Helping youth develop a lasting connection with nature is intrinsic to the Schlitz Audubon mission. Throughout the school year, our naturalists provide nature education at the Center and at schools, and outreach events in the community. These field trips educate kids about the flora and fauna that might live in their own neighborhoods. Recently we conducted a survey of teachers the Center has interacted with in the past year. Of those who did not expect to visit the Center during the 2015/2016 school year, 49% of them indicated that the reason was a lack of funds, for both field trips and transportation. The cost of a bus ride may not sound like the stuff of legends, but it can mean a whole new world for some of our visiting students. The path is made out of a durable, locally quarried rock which allows for better water absorption than asphalt and without the potential for chemicals to seep into surrounding soil. Trails will continue to be improved thanks to our many additional donors. We’re excited to share a greater portion of our land with more visitors, and to expand everyone’s access to the outdoors!

Your gift to educational programming at Schlitz Audubon will bridge the gap in funding and allow more students from across Milwaukee to visit the Center. With your donation, we can offer our habitat and education sanctuary to a broader group of visitors, helping kids explore the wonderment provided by nature at a young age. Kids tell us that after visiting the Center they begin to notice the trees in their neighborhoods, cardinals and robins, squirrels and butterflies. You can make a positive impact in the lives of future naturalists. To learn how, please contact me directly at ksparks@schlitzaudubon.org or 414-352-2880 x152.

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

CALENDAR Adult Program Family Program Preschool Program Handicap Accessible Member Price Non-Member Price Pre-Registration

Pre-registration helps us prepare for our programs. There will be an additional $2.00 charge for walk-in participants attending a program that requires pre-registration. Youth price is for those ages 3–17. 18 and up are charged the adult price. Refunds will only be given to those who cancel 14 or more days before a program. If Schlitz Audubon cancels a program, refunds will be given.

Call 414-352-2880 x0 to register. Hand in Hand*

Explore nature with your little ones! We hike, play, do art activities and listen to a story. Dress for the weather, we explore outdoors rain or shine. Waterproof boots or shoes are recommended. This program is for 2-4 year olds and their adult. We invite families with children under age two to enroll in the Audubon Babies class.

M: $12 per pair per program NM: $17 per pair per program

Hangin’ with Hyatt: Time with the Tweens Saturday, October 3 | 10:00am - 12:00pm

Need something to do with your tween? After meeting a resident turtle, we’ll make necklaces using an American Indian pumpdrill. Then discover the treasures of the prairie and finish with a game of kickball at our grassy lot. Intended for families with children 8 and up.

M: Youth $6 | Adult $8 NM: Youth $11 | Adult $13

Raptor Saturday

Saturday, October 3 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm Saturday, December 5 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

October Visit with our silent hunters and explore the mysterious world of owls. Find out how the Barn Owl got the nickname ghost owl, if they can turn their heads all the way around, and if all owls make a “who who,” sound. December Are you an eagle enthusiast? This program is for especially for you! We visit with one of our resident Bald Eagles and learn where you can discover wild eagles in Wisconsin as well as a few viewing tips.

Free with membership or admission Sponsored by:

Environmental Voices: The Trees of Forest Home Cemetery* Tuesday, October 6 | 12:30pm – 4:00pm

Forest Home Cemetery is more than a resting place for Milwaukee’s famous. It was designed by Increase Lapham in 1850 to be a “garden cemetery.” Lapham emphasized the use of natural settings for trees and floral plantings. There are 162 species of trees with over 2800 individual trees within 189 acres. Join us in exploring its botanical offerings, history, and green burial aspects.

M: $25 NM: $30

Audubon Babies – Exploring Nature with the Very Young*

Children are never too young to enjoy fresh air and a hike on the trails. We meet inside and venture out when everyone is ready. Dress for the weather, as we will explore outdoors, provided the temperatures is above 20 degrees. This program is intended for children 6 months to 24 months and their adult.

M: $12 per pair per program NM: $ 17 per pair per program

American Indian Experience: Constellations*

Tuesday, October 13 | 7:30pm - 8:30pm

Discover the stars as you never have before. Join UW-Milwaukee Tribal Liaison Officer Michael Zimmerman as we discover how the Anishinaabe named these interstellar objects and the stories behind them.

Bird Club*

Wednesday, October 14 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm Wednesday, November 11 | 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Bird Club is presented in conjunction with Milwaukee Audubon Society. In October hike outside to experience fall birding. November is our Annual Holiday party. All levels of birder are invited to join. We have no Bird Club in December. Please check our online calendar for specific topics. Young adults are welcome!

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

Free to all

Balance & Harmony in the Body Series* Judy Ann Walz, a community educator on holistic health and a certified psychotherapist leads these programs based on her experiences. Achieving Balance and Harmony

Wednesday, October 21 | 10:00am – 11:00am

Experience breath work and correlate the four elements in nature to the four elements within you. Begin to identify the seven fluid qualities and which movements mobilize each fluid compartment. Fluid Nature Walking

Wednesday, October 28 | 10:00am – 11:00am

We will summarize fluid movement and differentiate the seven areas of fluid mobilization. All of the gentle movements practiced in this session can be mindfully incorporated into daily living without need for a gym membership or dance class. In fact they are most ideal to perform as you walk in nature. Our Self-Concept

Wednesday, November 4 | 10:00am – 11:00am

This session examines how your internal world affects every choice you make. The impact of how you value and/or perceive your own worth affects each thought and decision. Walz teaches the five components to self-concept and helps you discover the areas in which you already have mastery. Healing Foods

Wednesday, November 11 | 10:00am – 11:00am

The instructor shows how the shape and design of specific foods indicate which organ or system it will help heal. Come to this session with your genetic legacy in mind to integrate learning based on your physical considerations.

M: Youth $5 | Adult $7 NM: Youth $10 | Adult $12

M: $10 per program NM: $15 per program

CALENDAR Creatures of the Night*

Author & Artist Presentation of I Love You…Unconditionally*

Saturday, October 17 | 9:30am – 11:00am

Saturday, November 14 | 10:30am - 11:30am

For centuries, nocturnal creatures have sparked imaginations and fears. They are perfectly adapted to see and remain unseen. Join Shelly Rollins to learn about the specific niches these animals occupy. Stories, activities, and a visit with a live animal are followed by a hike looking for signs of nocturnal creatures. This program is for families with children up to age 7. An adult must accompany children. Adults are free.

Kelly Condon reads from her children’s book (ages 3-8), which explores unconditional love through images of Sand Hill Cranes. The book’s exquisite birds convey parental love and is inclusive of gender, race, and the villages that comprise our caregivers. The book’s artist Pat Dobrinska will display her original book art and signed copies will be available for sale. Families can also create crane-inspired crafts.

M: $5 per youth NM: $10 per youth

M: Youth $5 | Adult $10 NM: Youth $10 | Adult $15

Discovery Nature Hiking*

Friday, October 23 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm Friday, November 20 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Gallery | Pat Dobrinska

Experience the wonders of autumn as we walk along the meadows, woods, and wetlands on the upper level of the land. Don Quintenz leads you to the seasonal events that stir our sense of beauty or imagination and help answer the questions that nature evokes. The entire program takes place on the trail.

Sunday, October 25 | 2:00pm

Join Jerry Apps as he reads from and discusses his most recent books, Whispers and Shadows: A Naturalist’s Memoir, and Wisconsin Agriculture: A History. Apps has a lifelong connection to Wisconsin as a farmer, gardener, and land steward. He is Professor Emeritus at UW – Madison and author of more than 30 books. Co-presented with Boswell Book Company. Free with membership or admission

Lake Michigan Discovery Hike*

Tuesday, November 3 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm Tuesday, December 1 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Lake Michigan, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, is both a treasure and a mystery due to its vastness. With guide Don Quintenz, we descend to the lower terrace and lakeshore where you will learn many of the hidden secrets by the tokens that show themselves during this season. The entire program is taught on the trail.

Visit the mezzanine to see Pat Dobrinska’s illustrations on display.

M: $7 NM: $12

Author Appearance by Jerry Apps

October 30 - January 7

M: $7 NM: $12

Dispossessed: American Indians in Wisconsin*

Spiritual World of Nature: The Baha’i Faith and the Environment*

Kit Vernon, UW – Milwaukee educator and historian, presents how the disintegration of American Indian culture began with European explorers and fishermen. Regional history including fur trade, government policy, and treaties which stole American Indian lands in the 1800’s is covered. Vernon uses the history of the Menominee as an example of how change and disaster came to a major Wisconsin tribe.

Join retired U.S. Forester Susan Watt in learning how the Baha’i Faith focuses on harmony between ourselves and the natural world. The Baha’i commitment to the environment is fundamental to the Faith. They are taught to respect and protect nature as a divine trust for which they are answerable. Man’s spiritual life molds the environment and is also deeply affected by it.

Sunday, November 15 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm

M: $7 NM: $12

Environmental Voices: Tour of MMSD’s Water Quality Lab*

Thursday, December 3 | 11:30am – 2:00pm

Tour Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s water quality testing and analysis laboratory. Learn how, where, and why we monitor water quality. Only ten participants will be able to be part of this special opportunity, so sign up early!

M: $25 NM: $30

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

Wednesday, December 9 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

M: $10 NM: $15

How do Animals Spend Winter?*

Saturday, December 12 | 9:30am – 11:00am

Join Shelly Rollins to learn about the different ways animals adapt to and spend winter. Enjoy stories, activities, and a visit from a live animal. Then hike and look for animals that are active throughout cold weather. This program is for families with children up to age 7. An adult must accompany children. Adults are free.

M: $5 per youth NM: $10 per youth

CALENDAR Repamphibiantile Sunday

Sunday, December 13 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Come in from the cold and get to know all kinds of snakes and salamanders. This is an interactive and educational program for all ages!

Free with membership or admission

December Destination Hike*

Friday, December 18 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

This new hike series will spend the majority of time in particularly remote parts of the Center. Take a brisk walk with Don Quintenz to an off-trail area east of the woodland loop. There we explore the life forms that live in this area, why they choose to be there, and how they relate to one another.

Fun in the Winter Sun*

Tuesday, December 29 | 9:00am - 11:30am and 12:30pm - 3:00pm Wednesday, December 30 | 9:00am 11:30am and 12:30pm - 3:00pm

Come to the Center over winter break and see some great mammal furs and skulls, make an animal track to take home, and meet a live animal friend. We’ll head outside for a hike to see who is active and awake this time of year and come back in for hot chocolate. The program is the same for each date and time and is intended for children ages 6 – 12.

M: Youth $12 NM: Youth $16

M: $7 NM: $12

Every Saturday & Sunday | 1:00pm 2:00pm

October The leaves are changing to bright oranges, reds, and yellows. October days are a perfect time to do some leaf peeping at Schlitz Audubon as well as visit with some of our resident birds. November The harvest is in and November is the time we gather with friends and family. It is also a good time to bring everyone to the Center to sip some cocoa and get to know a few of our raptors. December Winter has crept in and many animals have slowed down during this time period. Not so for our local raptors, they are actively out hunting. Find out how they cope with these cold days. Free with membership or admission

RAPTOR DAY Saturday, November 7 9:00am – 4:00pm Celebrate Raptors! Xtreme Raptor Day is sure to get everyone soaring. Follow the Talon Quest Adventure Hike to meet our resident raptors on the trails. Flight demonstrations will amaze you! Kohl’s Wild Theater and special guest Mark Berres, Avian Biologist at UW-Madison, will entertain and educate. Crafts, games and more! All proceeds from this event support the care of our resident raptors.

Adult $10 Youth $5

Word with a Bird

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

THANK YOU THANK YOU Memorials

Honoraria

Raptor Sponsorships

Dorothy Fowler Ronald & Susan Mills

Dayle Dieffenbach Dick Dieffenbach & the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Greater Cedarburg Foundation Fund

Barley – Barn Owl Lauren Michelle Casey (In honor of the Casey/ Anderson Wedding) Sue B. Holcomb (In honor of Brooke Gilley, Barbara Wheeler, & Joyce Michelstetter)

Rich Giesen Robert & Tracy Ropicky Lois McGarvie Ken & Connie Fehrer Rick & Colleen McGarvie Stephen V. Strother

Margarete & David Harvey Mary S. Pollock The Smallwood Family Anonymous

Wind Chill McCloud – Snowy Owl Dara Carneol, Lauren Aquino & Lili Aquino

Gilbert Schmocker Christine Gygax

Myra Van Uxem Jean Downie

Lorna Skrivseth Sarah Bland Julie Dickerson

New Members and in-kind donations are now listed in our weekly eNews, once a month.

Gail Seefeldt Carolyn & Reinie Zellmann

DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE

HISTORIC MILWAUKEE, INC. PRESENTS

MKE DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE

Our Raptor Program Steve Giles & Jennine Pufahl (In honor of Mira Giles-Pufahl)

Doors Open Milwaukee Sunday, September 20 | 9:00am - 5:00pm

FREE FOR ALL! Children & Family Passport Site Doors Open Milwaukee is the annual celebration of Milwaukee’s architectural treasures. Participants have the opportunity to visit locations that are not always open to the public. Schlitz Audubon participates on Sunday from 9:00am – 5:00pm with guided hikes, building tours, and raptor flight programs. The Center is proud to be a Family Passport site during Doors Open Milwaukee.

Join us on social media! Admission

FREE admission to Members Adults: $8 | Youth $5 (ages 3 — 17)

Hours

Open 7 days a week 9:00am - 5:00pm

1111 East Brown Deer Road | Milwaukee, WI 414-352-2880 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

Credits for Panorama | Fall 2015 Marketing Manager Nancy Quinn Design | Illustration | Select Photography Zoe Finney Editing | Select Writing Ed Makowski

Fall 2015 | www.schlitzaudubon.org

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center 1111 East Brown Deer Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217

U.S. Postage

PAID

Milwaukee, WI Permit No. 4168

FALL PANORAMA

All Members $5 Non-members Adult $10 | Youth $5

Cider Press | Guided Hikes Chainsaw Carving | Fall Market Fall Wagon Rides