The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative: "A cooperative partnership to deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation emphasizing voluntary stewardship."

The WBCI (Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative) e-News is a periodic e-newsletter to quickly share that is happening in bird conservation across Wisconsin (and occasionally beyond).

We'd like to welcome the most recent WBCI endorsers which brings our number of partners to 138: Wisconsin NatureMapping, and Beaver Creek Nature Reserve.

Quote: "The meaning that birds have for us increases with the depth and precision of our knowledge." - Roger Tory Peterson

I.    Neotropical Migratory and Forest Bird Habitat Projects – Funding Opportunity
II. Get Your Optics Donation Matched at WBCI/WSO Symposium - Fri & Sat, Feb 4-5, 2005 - Wisconsin Rapids
III. WBCI Committee Meetings Announced
        Issues, Fri, Sept 17, 9:30-12:30 UW-Madison, Russell Labs
        Outreach, Wed, Oct 13, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., DNR Research - Monona
IV.   Other Meetings and Events Announced
            Necedah Whooping Crane Festival - Saturday, September 18 - Necedah
             Birthday in the Bog - Saturday, September 18 - Cedarburg Bog
             Grand Opening and Riverside Park BioBlitz - Saturday, September 18 - Urban                                 Ecology Center, Milwaukee
             Prairies Jubilee! - Sunday, September 26 - Arlington, WI
             Wisconsin Urban Bird Workshop: Managing Birds, Habitat, and People in Urban                         Communities - Tuesday, October 12 - Havenwoods, Milwaukee
             Horicon Marsh Important Bird Area Dedication - Saturday, October 16 - Horicon                         NWR
V.   Cavity-nesting Birds & Competition Study
VI.    Milwaukee Area Land Conservation Request

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I. Neotropical Migratory and Forest Bird Habitat Projects – Funding Opportunity

The Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana State Foresters have joined in partnership with the USDA Forest Service’s Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry to build a watershed-wide approach to forestry in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The Forestry Partnership will focus activities, demonstration projects, and cooperative programs on key watershed forestry issues. Among other activities, the Partnership uses forestry practices and programs to improve water quality; restores forests, prairies, and savanna habitats; and practices sustainable forest management on all forests. The Upper Mississippi River Basin is a focus for forest restoration because it is a flyway for 60 percent of all North American bird species.

II. Get Your Optics Donation Matched at WBCI/WSO Symposium - Fri & Sat, Feb 4-5, 2005 - Wisconsin Rapids

Birders’ Exchange, a program administered by the American Birding Association, provides aids to researchers, educator,s and conservationists in the Neotropics, some of whom work without the most basic equipment. The program makes sure that new and used birding equipment and educational materials get into the hands of people who are working to conserve Neotropical migratory birds and their habitats in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition to binoculars and spotting scopes, Birders’ Exchange accepts tripods, field guides to Neotropical and North American birds, ornithology texts, laptop computers, and backpacks—and, of course, cash! Although they will not be matched, we’ll also accept your donations of items other than optics (make checks payable to ABA). Donated equipment must be in good working order (e.g., binoculars must be in proper alignment, focus wheel operational, and glass without flaws). We have a supplier who makes minor repairs for us, so feel free to donate optics that are slightly less than operational during this event. For more information about the program, visit the ABA website, www.americanbirding.org, or call 719-578-9703.

If you plan to attend the symposium, bring your optics for donation with you. If you aren’t able to be there, send your donations to Noel Cutright (3352 Knollwood Rd., West Bend, WI 53095) so they arrive no later than February 1, 2005, and be sure to indicate they’re for the symposium matching program. Include your name and address with the donation, since all contributions are tax deductible to the extent permissible by law, and Birders’ Exchange will acknowledge them by letter.

We have arranged for about 20 eight-foot skirted exhibit tables, and WBCI member organizations have priority on reserving them. See the registration materials, which will be available during October, for details.

“Neotropical Migrants: Insuring Their Return” will be Friday & Saturday, February 4 and 5, 2005 at the Hotel Mead & Conference Center, Wisconsin Rapids.

Meetings will begin by 9:00 on both days (preceded by shadegrown coffee, tea, and pastries), with a full day of presentations and a dinner with speaker on Friday, and departure by 3:00 on Saturday. We have a limited number of rooms blocked for Thursday and Friday nights at special rates ($79 for one person, $89 for two people, plus tax). We encourage you to reserve your room early; call 800-843-6323 and mention WBCI or WSO.

All WBCI meetings are open to everyone. Please attend if possible and pass along word to anyone who may be interested in attending or joining any WBCI committee. Contact committee chairs for more information and agendas.

Issues Committee - Bill Mueller, Chair (iltlawas@earthlink.net)
Fri, Sept 17, 9:30 a.m.-12:30, Russell Labs, UW-Madison
Work will continue on the development of white papers.

Outreach - Jamie Nack, Chair (jlnack@wisc.edu)
Wed, Oct 13, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. DNR Research, 1350 Femrite - Monona
Finishing touches will be put on the communication plan and related pieces, then the committee will look to future projects.

IV. Other Meetings and Events Announced
(To have your bird-related event listed here, please submit a short notice with a link or contact for more information)

Necedah Whooping Crane Festival - Saturday, September 18 - For more information about the festival and the whooping crane recovery project, visit www.whooping-crane-festival.com

Birthday in the Bog - Saturday, September 18 - at Cedarburg Bog in Saukville, Wisconsin - Wisconsin Wetlands Association, for more information, see wiscwetlands.org/35years.htm

Grand Opening and Riverside Park BioBlitz - Saturday, September 18 - Urban Ecology Center - for more information, see http://www.urbanecologycenter.org/

Prairies Jubilee! - Sunday, September 26 - Arlington, WI - Madison Audubon Society - for more information, see http://madisonaudubon.org/

One nesting season is ending, and it's time for me to send a reminder to think about the next one, well in advance. The Cavity-nesting Birds & Competition Study will collect data for one more year (2005). See online descriptions of the project at either of the following links: http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/Cavitynesters.htm or

http://www.uwgb.edu/birds/wso/cavitynesters.htm Data forms and instructions for participating are available by e-mailing me, or writing to the regular postal address given below. Please inquire if further information is desired. Thanks in advance.

--submitted by William P. Mueller, Cavity-nesting Birds & Competition Study, 1242 S. 45 St.

Milwaukee, WI 53214, iltlawas@earthlink.net

VI. Milwaukee Area Land Conservation Request

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District has designated various land parcels in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties for potential acquisition for conservation. The Conservation Fund in Milwaukee is soliciting opinions from the natural history community and
recommendations from knowledgeable parties about the quality of these lands for use by birds or other value based upon other aspects such as vegetation present in order to prioritize acquisition. John Idzikowski, UWM, is hosting a simple website http://my.execpc.com/CE/5F/idzikoj/mmsd/conserv.htm so that maps of these parcels can be viewed. Please look over these maps if you are familiar with these counties and contact David Grusznski, DGrusznski@mmsd.com, with any comments. Please pass this message along to other listservs or individuals that may have opinions about these lands from the viewpoint of other natural history considerations.

--submitted by William P. Mueller, WSO Conservation Chair, WBCI Issues Chair, iltlawas@earthlink.net

Invitation to contribute news. Please submit items for the WBCI e-News to this e-mail address. These could be anything that you and your group or agency wish to share about what is being done, where, and by whom: projects that are in the works, whether large or small, local or state-wide; activities, programs, and workshops; what the average birder might do to help out; what the problems are; or what help you might need on specific projects.

No attachments will be allowed. Instead, try to include web links whenever possible for more detail. Or if the information is lengthy, and only an attachment would be efficient, provide an e-mail contact so that those interested can ask for the attachment. The source of the item posted will be included at the end of each message.