Ripples from the Dunes is a weekly nature article series written by staff and guest writers that has been published for over 50 years.
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Ripples 5/1/25
By Kennedy Zittel, naturalistBird eggs come in all sorts of colors and patterns, from brilliant blues to muted browns, from plain to polka dots! We may be familiar with bright blue robin’s eggs – but there are many other species such as Eastern Bluebirds, Gray Catbirds, and even Starlings that also lay blue-green eggs. Red-winged…
Ripples 4/17/25
by Jim Knickelbine, volunteer In the 1970’s, when I was a student at Roncalli, I was formally introduced to bird watching by my wonderful biology teacher, Sister Verna Osterhout. I grew up in the country and was familiar with the birds on the hobby farm where we lived. My mom always had a bird feeder…
Ripples 4/10/25
by Nancy Nabak, communication & development coordinator Inedible but cool, concentric cool. That’s what I discovered on a hike last Saturday morning. The “it thing” was a specimen of Daldinia concentrica, an inedible but purposeful fungus. It was a tiny little thing, like four centimeters tiny, but once in my sights, I needed to create…
Ripples 4/3/25
By Jessica Johnsrud, assistant director and education coordinator I have said this before, but it bears repeating: one of the best parts of my job is spending time with children. I feel so lucky to be able to teach them about nature and introduce them to the beauty that is right here in their backyard.…
Ripples 3/27/25
Ripples by Max Kornetzke, land manager The canopies of American Elms (Ulmus americana) once draped their graceful branches over many of America’s urban streets and boulevards. As I drive between work and home every day, I admire the beauty of the remaining specimens along Memorial Drive, which at one time was covered with at least…
Ripples 3/20/25
Ripples by Nancy Nabak, communication & development coordinator Last night around 5:00 pm, I met a friend out for a quick bite at Kurtz’s Pub & Grill in Two Rivers. As I stepped out of my car, I heard a high-pitched and fast cackle coming from across the street. Knowing this wasn’t a “normal” Main…
Ripples 3/13/24
By Jessica Johnsrud, assistant director and education coordinator Spring sure feels like it’s here or on the horizon. The snow isn’t sticking around much (did it really at all this winter?) and the days are getting longer. Each morning, I hear more birds singing like cardinals, nuthatches and I recently heard a couple of robins…
Ripples 3/6/25
Ripples by Kennedy Zittel, naturalist The Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) is an international collaborative research network that uses radio telemetry to better understand migratory animals. By placing small radio transmitters on migratory animals (such as birds, bats, or even insects) those animals’ movements can be tracked by stations across the world. Stations are scattered…
Ripples 2/27/25
By Max Kornetzke, land manager Ever wonder how spring wildflowers spread across our forests? Many unrelated spring wildflowers have developed a strategy for making sure their offspring have a safe home to grow. Spring Beauties, Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches, Trilliums, and some Violet species have unique fatty deposits on their seedcoats called elaiosomes. These lipid and…
Ripples 2/20/25
By Sue Crowley, executive director I stopped into the Woodland Dunes Photo Hub meeting the other day. The passionate photographers, from novice to experts, were gathering to discuss winter textures. A handful of interesting photographs were displayed on the large monitor in the West Foundation Room. I was immediately drawn to the picture displayed with…
Ripples 2/12/25
by Kennedy Zittel, naturalist Love is in the air! On Valentine’s Day, humans may send each other cards, flowers, or even just show a little extra love to one another. Whether it be a courtship flight, song, or even gift – many local birds have interesting ways that they woo their love interest. Roses are…
Ripples 1/30/25
By Max Kornetzke, land manager Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is one of the dominant bunchgrasses of the Great Plains shortgrass prairie biome, but its distribution spans much wider across most of the United States, southern Canada, and down into central Mexico. In Wisconsin you can find this grass on dry prairies, old fields, and even…
Ripples 1/23/25
By Nancy Nabak, communication coordinator Let’s have a snow day! While kids are out of school in Southeast Texas and parts of Louisiana with their first-ever blizzard warning, we are scoffing at the pittance we’ve gotten in Northeast Wisconsin. I haven’t even made a snow angel yet this year, one of my annual traditions. (One…
Ripples 1/16/25
By Sue Crowley, executive director What a beautiful morning with just a dusting of snow to blanket the world with a fresh layer to explore tracks and other signs of beings moving about. I savor the absolute clean chill of the cold air as I take the first breaths of the outside air. Although a…
Ripples 1/9/25
By Kennedy Zittel, naturalist Many people look forward to what bird will be the first bird they see in the new year. I eagerly anticipate seeing what bird will begin my new yearly bird list, giggling at how it usually is a junco or chickadee. There isn’t anything wrong with a sweet junco or feisty…
Ripples 12/19/2024
Ripples by Nancy Nabak, communication coordinator The air was black, chilled to a nice 41 degrees, and silent. So incredibly silent. But my friend and I were grateful to be one with nature while participating in the annual Christmas Bird Count. We were looking and listening for owls in a semi-rural area. The evening was…
Ripples 12/12/24
By Sue Crowley, executive director “Deck the hall with boughs of holly… Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! “ American Holly and European or English Holly have such beautiful and rich green colors with the bright red berries to add holiday flair. Hollies are scientifically found in the genus, Ilex, with American…
Ripples 12/5/24
By Jessica Johnsrud, education coordinator A few weeks ago, I was walking outside just after dusk when I heard a loud series of hoots. It was the stereotypical owl song heard in the movies – the call of the Great Horned Owl. I stopped to listen, and the next time the owl sang, a second…
Ripples 11/27/24
By Kennedy Zittel, naturalist It’s that time of year again when the spotlight is on those once “extinct,” gobbling, snood-covered birds. Wait – what? Wild turkeys. It was only recently that we could even see wild turkeys here. The species went extinct in Wisconsin in the late 1800s due to overhunting and habitat loss. In…
Ripples 11/21/24
By Max Kornetzke, habitat manager Only recently have I really started to appreciate the beauty our winters have to offer. I used to view it as an uncomfortable nuisance and waited anxiously for greenery that was months away. Getting out of the house to walk somewhere natural and slow down to observe the details around…