PHOTOGRAPHER'S PERSPECTIVE ON LOCATION SERIES: WISCONSIN

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARBORETUM
MADISON, WISCONSIN
Text and image copyright Matt Kuchta, all rights reserved

ACCESS
The University of Wisconsin Arboretum is located just south of downtown Madison, Wisconsin with parking lots near the major arboretum areas. Several wide, mown trails and many miles of footpaths lead through the grounds. The visitor center and a few larger natural areas are handicap accessible. A word of warning: the drive winding through the arboretum is closed to through traffic except on Sundays, so be sure to plan accordingly. The arboretum is open from 7am until 10pm daily.

AREA LAYOUT
The UW Arboretum contains the oldest restored prairie in the world. The arboretum’s 1,260 acres consist mostly of prairie and marshlands with gardens and forested areas as well. Access is either from the north or the southwest and follows a curved path to the center of the arboretum. The visitor’s center contains restrooms, a gift shop and a few displays. Planned activities such as presentations and field trips usually start here.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND
Because of the variety of habitats there are dozens of bird and mammal species in addition to the insects and plants at the arboretum. Wide-angle and scenic photographs are a challenge since the signs of a managed wilderness are everywhere – and the arboretum is in the middle of a city! The area is heavily used by joggers, walkers, and birders in the summer; in winter, skiers make use of the arboretum’s trails.

For bird photography, the best places are the Gardner Marsh boardwalks and Curtis Prairie. Birds in the arboretum are often wary, so a slow approach is best. In the marshes you’ll likely find Redwing Blackbirds, Yellow Warblers, Catbirds, Sandhill Cranes, and Marsh Wrens. The more open waterways have many species of migrating ducks including Northern Shovelers and Blue-Winged Teals. The prairie has many Song Sparrows and Common Yellowthroats. Hawks and herons can be seen flying overhead. American Goldfinches, Eastern Bluebirds, and House Wrens commonly make their nests in the Longenecker Gardens. Wild Turkeys will also strut around the plants eating berries. There are many uncommon species that appear from time to time – each visit to the arboretum is different.

Spring and early summer are the most productive times for bird photography, but be sure to bring plenty of bug spray. Migrating warblers come in by the hundreds and are easily spotted in the bare branches of April and early May. The paths and walkways get relatively close to the shrubs, so even short telephotos have enough reach and may even have an advantage in the close quarters. Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, and Eastern Kingbirds are common around Lake Wingra, north of the arboretum. Many migrating birds including grebes and terns use the lake as a resting ground.

Once the spring migration ends, a few bird species stick around through late summer. Swallows build nests in the Visitor Center awning and their young are quite bold. Goldfinches and Eastern Bluebirds can be seen zipping about feeding their offspring. Common Yellowthroats feed their young in the willows near the waterways. In the evening, Red-Tailed hawks will often use the railing or large tree on the south side of the Visitor Center as a lookout for meals amidst a dive-bombing of swallows. Butterflies fuel up on the native plant blossoms in the garden and prairie.

Berries and trees in the gardens can provide quite a bit of color in the fall and autumn migrants include many types of waterfowl. By September the insect population becomes much more tolerable. Winter may not be as exciting, but the stark landscape of the prairie can be very beautiful. Chickadees, Cedar Waxwings and Cardinals are common throughout winter.

LIGHT
In the forest, it stays fairly dark a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset. The marshes and prairie, however, get good light until the sun sets behind the forest. The center of the prairie stays well-lit the longest. Sunrise and sunset can provide good opportunities since many of the north/south paths have different habitats on either side. Summer sunrises, however, may be missed since the arboretum is closed before 7am.

MORE INFORMATION
The arboretum’s web site is http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/arboretum/index.htm.

Upon going digital this year Matt Kuchta has become an avid nature photographer. More of his photographs, many from the arboretum, can be found at http://nomennudum.com/photo/.