Mount Horeb Green Team

08/31/2026

Check out Nick's styrofoam recycling events coming up!
https://www.ecosynergypartners.com/s/

08/28/2026

Signs of summer winding down.

There's a bird crossing your sky at dusk right now that will spend New Year's in Argentina. The nighthawks have started south, and late August is their big push: loose, silent flocks slipping over rooftops and ballfields in the last usable light, eating as they travel.

They were probably here all summer without an introduction. Not hawks at all, but big-mouthed insect catchers that work the dusk shift, swooping for beetles and flying ants the way swallows work the afternoon. Old-timers called them bullbats, for the stiff, batty way they row through the air.

The trip they're starting is one of the longest of any bird on the continent, thousands of miles to southern South America. They won't be back until the air over your garden fills with insects again, next May.

So the season's clock has a hand you can actually watch. Step out in the half hour after sunset and look up. Slim dark wings, a sharp white band near the wingtip, a flight path that never runs straight. Every one you see is already leaving. 🍂

08/26/2026

Help birds safely migrate! Lights off!

🚨 Lights Out Alert 🚨Tonight, an estimated 19 million birds will fly over Wisconsin!

We are urging everyone to turn off or dim non-essential outdoor lights and close window shades from 11 p.m.– 6 a.m. to help birds safely on their journey.

Fall migration is just starting to ramp up in the mid-west! Most birds migrate at night, and light pollution can disorient them, leading to deadly window collisions. Over the next few weeks, it's critical that we reduce outdoor lighting to ensure birds can safely pass through the state.

In addition to turning down the lights, you can also help by treating windows to prevent collisions. If you’re looking for a quick fix, draw lines or dots on the outside of your windows (no more than 2” apart) with a bar of soap, oil-based markers or tempura paint.

A few simple steps can save countless birds, conserve energy, and protect our night skies.

👉Share this post to spread the word!

Want migration alerts sent straight to your inbox? 📩
Sign up for BirdCast alerts through the link in the comments. BirdCast added 4 Wisconsin cities this year: Appleton, La Crosse, Madison, and Milwaukee. If you don’t live in one of those communities, choose the one closest to you.

BirdCast sends alerts only on the biggest migration nights; about 8–10 nights each season that combined account for roughly half of all migration traffic.

08/25/2026

Save the date for 10/4 for the Ride for your life event in Madison. Let your legislators know by asking for support of Sasha’s Bill (AB 655 SB 699) in the Wisconsin Legislature, which would allow judges to require those found guilty of reckless driving and repeated or extreme speeding to use GPS-enabled intelligent speed devices in their cars.
https://rideforyourlife.org/madison/

08/24/2026

One of the college students killed while out training was from Kenosha.

Haylan Engdahl was killed by a driver while riding with the Milligan cycling team in Tennessee. Haylan and several other injured riders are part of our Wisconsin riding and racing community.

Help us remember Haylan by riding in his honor. Details at link in bio.

Please consider donating to Wisconsin Bike Fed to support cycling advocacy.

08/22/2026

Know your sunflowers.

How's your Wisconsin sunflower identification?

Learn about some common Wisconsin sunflowers most likely to be associated with Wisconsin prairie and savanna in Rob Baller's recent Blue Sky Botany -- Sunflowers blog: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/blue-sky-botany-sunflowers/

Pictured is a quick overview of featured sunflowers (left to right): ox-eye (Heliopsis helianthoides), woodland (Helianthus strumosus), showy (Helianthus pauciflorus), western (Helianthus occidentalis) and sawtooth (Helianthus grosserratus). Photos by Rob Baller.

What sunflowers have you spotted so far this year?

08/22/2026

08/03/2026

Green Team August Meeting will be 8/5 at 7 pm. Location will be the MH Chamber Welcome Center conference room in the back.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NCIPgsQV-XycrKDsamfWbXADGiDpy5mlCWYXHa-L0bs/edit?usp=sharing

07/20/2026

An alternative to throwing things out. Maybe it can be fixed.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1RctoY7ZP3/

Don’t throw it away! Sector67, Madison’s community hackerspace, is hosting a Repair Café on Saturday, August 1 from noon to 4 p.m. and we want you to bring in your broken things. Whether it’s a lamp that stopped working, a bike in need of tuning, a beloved small appliance on the fritz, or a piece of furniture that’s seen better days, bring it in and skilled volunteers will work with you to try to bring it back to life. No appointment needed.

07/16/2026

The Village of Mount Horeb applied for the Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designation. If you ride a bike in the village, here is your chance to provide input.

This is your chance to give feedback to a national organization that works with communities to improve safety. Be it having your kids ride to school, or to help drive our local economy as a cycling destination for visitors using the trail system.

Help the BFC gain a better understanding of local bicyclists' experiences in our community.

See the public survey link so that bicyclists in our community can provide their input to the BFC review process. Thank you!
BFC Public Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFC_2026