Ripples from the Dunes: Spring Parasites
By Max Kornetzke, land manager Early spring often evokes the imagery of showy flowers. Many are delighted after winter to see the native plants like trilliums, spring beauties, or bloodroot; or, for many Americans, ornamentals such as daffodils, crocus, and tulips. But spring is also a time for some unique flowering ...
Apr 19, 2024
Ripples from the Dunes: Spring
By Kennedy Zittel, naturalist Spring is here! And with that brings a lot of birds returning for the warmer months once more. Among those returning birds is one of my all-time favorites! Perhaps not everyone's top choice when thinking of their favorite bird, but it holds a top spot on my list. Soaring high in the sky wi...
Apr 11, 2024
Ripples from the Dunes: Hello Spring!
Written by Kennedy Zittel, naturalist As each day passes, it is looking and sounding more like spring every day here at Woodland Dunes! Animals are returning and plants are budding... Hello spring! Near the Nature Center: Cardinals and robins perch at the top of trees and sing their springtime songs for audiences below...
Mar 21, 2024
Ripples from the Dunes: The Fallen Tree
Written by Max Kornetzke Growing up, I used to look down at the fractures in the sidewalk as I walked home from school. As I looked down, I projected a map onto the pavement. Each crack was a river, an archipelago, a series of peaceful nation states. As an adult I find myself still staring at the ground, but what catc...
Feb 29, 2024
Ripples from the Dunes: Love in the Dunes
Written by Jessica Johnsrud February is a time of year when some people offer chocolates, candlelit dinners, flowers, and other gifts to woo their love interest. This is a time of year when love is also in the air for several of our wild neighbors. The earliest nesting bird in Wisconsin is the great horned owl. An unp...
Feb 15, 2024