The first draft of this message I was writing about some of the environmental problems we face today. As I read through what I had written I started to get discouraged so I turned my thoughts to some of the positive things that are happening in our area, here are a few of those.

The process to get the Carney fen designated as a State of Michigan Natural Area has begun. Although there is a lot of work ahead for us at least we are moving in a positive direction. On the Wisconsin side of the river we have a new state park and adjoining state forest. This area encompasses some 10,000 plus acres. Currently the master plan is being worked on for the state park. The master planning process for the new state forest will begin shortly.

The draft vision statement for the state park reads as follows: Governor Tommy G. Thompson Centennial State Park provides an opportunity for present and future generations to enjoy and protect the unique character of this state park in synergy with the adjacent Peshtigo River Flowage and state forest lands. This park provides diverse areas for recreation and education in a serene, rustic, north woods setting. Currently the Wisconsin DNR is involved in a process to protect some of the environmentally sensitive areas along the west shore of Green Bay. The initial stage of this project is to define where these areas are and the best way to protect them.

As members of The Upper Green Bay Basin Partnership Team both Wendel Johnson and myself are involved in the three Wisconsin issues. Ross Wolf is leading the Carney Fen project. If you would like to get involved in any of these issues or have suggestions or comments feel free to contact any of us. How's that for positive!

It's that time of year again. Your Chappee Rapids Audubon membership needs to be renewed. Dues help fund educational efforts, environmental projects, the newsletter and operational expenses. Consider renewing at the Supporting or Contributing level.

Pay your dues to Treasurer Ruth Farrell at the September meeting. Alternatively, use the enclosed envelope to send in your check along with the renewal form on the back of this newsletter.

It is particularly important to include you e-mail address! This will allow you to receive notice of events that may not be in the newsletter. We will not send your address to any other organizations.

Tammy Martinson will give a presentation on her thesis topic, "The Effects of Birdfeeders on Arthropod Populations" at our November meeting.
Tammy studied these effects on arthropods while working on her thesis at Michigan Technological University.
Please spread the word to all of your entomological friends and fellow birders. Come find out what you can expect for those spiders in your backyard.
The meeting will be held on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 P.M. in Room M-110 at the UW Marinette

Thanks to an enthusiastic group of 19 volunteers, the Lake Noquebay Trail is again open. Prior to the November 2 work outing, much of the trail had grown over and in some places was not even visible. In October, Mary Ellen Kozak, representing Chappee Rapids Audubon, presented a plan for trail restoration to the Marinette County Parks Committee. The committee was receptive and authorized the project. With this authorization, Joe Kraczyk re-marked the most obliterated sections of trail. On the day of the outing, the original designer of the trail, Bob Brisson, along with Rich Richlen, remarked the last section. The volunteers cut logs and brush to reopen the trail. At the end of the day, brushing had been completed on almost all loops.

Most of the trail is now open and, in sections where the way is less obvious, marked. Chappee Rapids Audubon is working with the Marinette County Parks Department on signing of the trail. A revised version of the original map is available. Click Here For Map

About ten years ago, Chappee Rapids Audubon held its last ski outing on the Lake Noquebay Trail This year's winter outing will take place in February on the newly cleared Lake Noquebay Trail. Shall we cross country ski or snowshoe? Should we have a potluck or bonfire? You help decide. Bring your ideas to the November or January meetings.

Final details will be available on the Chappee Rapids web site and on e-mail updates to members. Or call Laurie Lata at 735-5961 for more information.
Lots of cold and snow are predicted for this winter so get those snowshoes ands skis ready!

The ever popular Member Slide Show will be held in January. Come for a treat on a cold January evening. If you would like to show your slides at the January meeting, please arrive 15 minutes early so that we have time to organize the presentation. Any type of outdoor slides are acceptable. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 16 at 7:00 P.M., Room M-110 at UW-Marinette.

Mark Saturday, December 14th and Saturday, December 28 now on your calendar for the Annual Christmas Bird Counts. Don't miss this fun day with fellow birders as you count species and numbers of birds for the National Audubon Society. Please remember that you do not have to be an expert at bird identification. You will be placed with someone knowledgeable and it will be a wonderful learning experience. Come join thousands of counters across the continent.

To learn more about the Marinette County count scheduled for December 14, call Jerry Smith at 920-829-6353.
To learn more about the Menominee County count scheduled for December 28, call Joan Campbell at 732-1277.

We are selling the Weatherfriend Calendar, an almanac of Northeast Wisconsin and the UP. This phenology calendar tells us what nature is up to each season in Northeast Wisconsin's woods, lakes and our own back yards. The 2003 Weatherfriend Calendar sells for $6, with Chappee Rapids Audubon keeping half.
Supplies are limited, so call Laurie Lata at 735-5961 to buy one now.

Winter Bird Feeding Books
If you wish to pursue your interest in feeding the birds, consult one of these books listed below.

The FeederWatcher's Guide to Bird Feeding . By Margaret Barker and Jack Griggs. New York:HarperCollins, 2000.

Birds at Your Feeder: A Guide to Feeding Habits, Behavior, Distribution, and Abundance. By Erica H. Dunn and Diane L Tessaglia-Hymes. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, Inc., 1999.

A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding. By John V. Dennis. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.

Wild About Birds. By Carol L. Henderson. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, 1995.
-Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology

As I update the website November 16th. and am looking out my window. There is a scarcity of birds at the feeders. Not even them damn squirrels. Then whooosh...2 Coopers Hawks take off towards the river.
A few minutes later the Blue Jays start arriving followed by the Chicadees and Nut Hatches. A loan male Cardinal grabs a sunflower seed and some Juncos land on the ground.
Aware that the hawks are gone other birds start to arrive. The Woodpeckers make an appearance and a couple of Morning Doves decide to take advantage of the mess the Jays are making. It is beginning to snow those large white flakes making this morning's scene truly magnificant.

The unusually cool summer did not hinder our avian friends. Great Egrets were spotted frequently in the Twin Cities. Did anyone locate a nest? Cardinals continue to increase in town and along the rivers. Mockingbirds were frequently reported and Black and Yellow-billed Cuckoos were abundant. Bill Taylor Sr. reports that cormorants are increasing rapidly on the bay, with 2,000+ reported in mid-August at Escanaba.

The birds are preparing for migration. Bluebird groups of 15-20 are here everyday. Also Common Yellowthroats and wrens are always flitting in the willows. Coopers, Sharp-shins and Broad-winged Hawks have been moving along the roadways in the past week. Watch for the Nighthawk migration in the first two weeks of September. On still afternoons, over open fields and along the bay, these quiet graceful relatives of the Whip-poor-wills are about to leave for the winter.

When your neck gets tired, look down at the fields and edges where asters and goldenrods reign supreme. There are more then two dozen species in our area. The genus name is Solidago from the Latin solidare (to unite) and refers to the plant's reputed medicinal properties. Goldenrods do not produce the symptoms of hay fever, so pick a bouquet, add Queen Anne's Lace and Joe Pye weed. It will look great. Goldenrod produces a lot of pollen and nectar and so attracts innumerable insects and their predators, spiders and birds. They all look great in an informal area at the edge of your yard. Keep the lawn grass down and you'll get interesting compliments. I will have seed available by request about November.

Most field guides will help you identify 5-15 different species. You will need a good taxonomic guide like Britton and Brown and lots of time to do more. Start with the easy ones: Grass Leaved goldenrod, Zig Zag goldenrod, Canada goldenrod and Hairy goldenrod. Good luck!