Join us for an invasive plant workday, Saturday, February 17th, from 2-4 PM at the ANA. Bush Honeysuckle remains our current focus for invasive plant control at the Audubon Natural Area.  As noted in the current issue of Living Bird:

Honeysuckles provide birds with a source of carotenoids, but they are also very nutrient-poor. Ornithologists refer to honeysuckle berries as junk food for birds, high in sugar and low in essential fats and nutrients.

In a 2011 study published in the journal Ecology, Rodewald and colleagues found that cardinals with access to honeysuckle berries in urban areas had brightly colored plumage, but those bright plumes didn't translate to higher reproductive output. "In urban areas," says Rodewald, "the brightness of male Northern Cardinals stops being an honest signal of male quality." 

Loppers, hand saws, and chainsaws are all helpful tools to bring. Herbicide applicators will be supplied for painting the cut trunks. Parking is available by driving over the curb at the entrance sign, or using the hospital lot across the street. 

Contact: Jim Eldrett at Eldrett.jim@gmail.com.