How much do you know about falconry in Wisconsin? In this episode of Wildlife Matters, the Masked Biologist examines the centuries-old sport of kings. This time of year, there are a lot of birds with nests, either hatching eggs or feeding young birds. In some cases, they may already be teaching their young how to fly. Officially it is illegal to take chicks from their nests or keep wild birds as pets. The exception is a little known practice associated with the sport of falconry. Under a very

In this month's installment of Field Notes Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses Wisconsin’s maples and how they are used in homes and schools. Wisconsin has seven native maple trees and many more non-native ornamental maples, with some of these considered invasive. We all know the sugar maple, our state tree, but the others are less well known. Let’s look at Wisconsin’s maples and how they are used in our daily lives. I’ve already mentioned sugar maple, Acer saccharum . Our state tree and most

Organisms change over time in response to the environment around them. In this episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist examines adaptations and evolution. I have had a few discussions recently about evolutionary changes in living organisms. In the course of my writings, adaptations and evolution are recurring themes. Think about the amazing diversity of wildlife, fish, birds, and plants. Every time I choose a subject to write about, no matter how mundane it may seem at the outset, I

Constructing a bird house can be a satisfying activity both when construction is complete and when you see birds successfully using it to raise their young. In this episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist shares some pointers for building a safe and successful bird house. Every spring I get an inquiry or two about bird houses, wood duck houses, and bird feeders. Bird feeding is the number two hobby in the United States, after gardening, so it stands to reason that so many people are

The bird songs continue to increase as winter turns to spring and our migratory bird species return to claim their territory. In this episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist examines bird migration in relation to their nesting ground selection. I have noticed an increase in the frequency and variety of bird songs in the mornings. I have been getting reports that people in other parts of Wisconsin have begun to see and hear some of our early spring migratory birds. Meteorological

In this episode of Field Notes, Susan Knight gives us three reasons to look forward to spring. I am a huge fan of winter. But once the snow is clearly on its way out, who doesn’t start thinking about spring? And what says spring better than … skunk cabbage? Actually, there are three plants that come to mind when I think of early spring. Unlike those poor birders who have to wake up at the crack of dawn and contend with hordes of warblers descending on them within a two-week period, botanists can

There are many different signals that spring has arrived. In today’s episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist talks about a regional favorite—sugaring. Tapping maple trees, or sugaring, is a popular pastime for many folks, an important way of life or means of income for others. Humans are not the only woodland creatures that crave the sugars in the sap. Squirrels, porcupines, and a kind of woodpecker known as a sapsucker are all known to carve bark off of maple trees to access the sap

As our weather turns to spring, some of our thoughts might turn to winterkill. In this episode of Wildlife Matters , the masked biologist looks at lakes under ice and why winterkill happens. Every year when spring rolls around, I can expect fisherman and lakeshore owners to show concern about the potential for winterkill, a term for fish dying under the ice due to a lack of oxygen. A lake that has not winterkilled in the past is probably not likely to experience winterkill this year. However,

After an extended absence, Wisconsin’s elk reintroduction efforts have brought the population levels to a healthy enough level to allow a very small elk harvest this fall. In this episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist takes a brief look at Wisconsin’s largest mammal. The story of elk in Wisconsin dates back to pre-European settlement, when they ranged across much of the state, not to mention much of North America. They were extirpated, meaning their population was reduced to zero,

Have you ever felt like you’re talking to someone, but they just aren’t reading your body language? The New York based dance company the Equus Projects will be performing “The Breaking Ring” at ArtStart in downtown Rhinelander this weekend and they’ve made a name for themselves by listening and responding to the way humans — and horses — move. When you see a choreographed dance in person, it’s easy to recognize the skill and planning it took to carry out everything perfectly as it was planned.