Posts by emily
Charmed by Hummingbirds
by Brooke Gilley To see a group of hummingbirds (also known as a charm or tune) is a marvelous thing. I remember my first experience witnessing a charm of hummingbirds. It happened at the Woodlands Nature Station located in Land Between the Lakes National Recreational Area in Western Kentucky Among the multiple native plant gardens…
Read MoreBluebells and the Bumble Bee Brigade
By Brooke Gilley The blooming of Virginia bluebells marks the busy season for bumble bee queens and the beginning of monitoring season for the Bumble Bee Brigade. Bumble bee queens have been hibernating underground, waiting for the soil to warm up so they can start to gather the nectar and pollen needed to lay the…
Read MoreGo Outside and Play: Mud Pies and More
By Bev Bryant, Wehr Interpretative Naturalist Spring! Even the word is full of energy. I have to admit that spring has always been my favorite time of year. Something about the bright color of fresh green, the abundance of wildflowers and the sweet sounds of birds and frogs calling makes Spring THE TIME to fall…
Read MoreHow to Keep Yourself and Nature Safe When You Explore
Research has proven that getting outside into nature helps reduce stress…and right now we all have a lot of stress. The trails at Wehr are still open at this time for you to use to explore and relax. And judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, many people are indeed using Wehr’s…
Read MoreHow to Run a Nature Center During a Pandemic
Like the rest of Wisconsin, the last several weeks at Wehr Nature Center have been a whirlwind of emails, agency updates, and change. As the reality of this pandemic settled over our state our parent agencies, Milwaukee County and the UW-Madison (Division of Extension), took a lead in informing citizens of the dangers of the…
Read MoreSkunk Cabbage: Spring’s Weird, Smelly Wonder
Wisconsinites are always on the lookout for the arrival of spring. We celebrate each January or February thaw, even though we know it is just a tease. Hearing the “Konk-ka-ree” of the first red-winged blackbird in early March raises our spirits too, but nothing defines the arrival of spring quite like the blooming of the…
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