Today’s Forecast

35º | Cloudy | 15% chance of sleet | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 4:39 p.m.

🪶 Bird is the word

Local birds in Madison

Male and female American Goldfinches | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

City Editor Ally here — I recently got a bird feeder that hangs outside of the window at my work-from-home station. Since I’ve been getting up close and personal with some local birds, I thought I’d do a little deep dive into the who’s who of the flighty friends we share the city with.

Black-capped chickadee

Sounds like: Two-noted, clear high-to-low whistle.
Buzzy “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” or clear “fee-bee”

Looks like: Black cap and bib, white cheeks, gray back, white underparts.

Enjoys: Suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.

Black-capped Chickadees live for two to three years. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

House sparrow

Sounds like: Repetitive, high-pitched, single notes.
“Cheep” or “chirrup”

Looks like: Males — gray heads, white cheeks, black bib, black + brown striped back. Females — pale brown, grayish-brown underparts, black + brown striped back.

Enjoys: Millet, corn, and sunflower seeds.

Male house sparrow — This a male house sparrow. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Northern Cardinal

Sounds like: Loud, metallic two-noted whistles that speed up and end in a slow trill.
“What-cheer, cheer, cheer” or “purty-purty-purty-purty”

Looks like: Male — red, black face, red bill. Female — pale brown, red tinges on wings and tail, black face, red bill.

Enjoys: Sunflower seeds.

American Goldfinch

Sounds like: Long, even cadence.
Think: The bird is quietly saying “po-ta-to-chip”

Looks like: Males — bright yellow, black forehead, black and white wings. Females — dulled version of male colors, black and white wings.

Enjoys: Sunflower seeds and Nyjer

Now that you know which local feathered friends to keep an eye and ear out for — and their favorite snacks — check out our bird feeding guide to become the most popular house on the block.

Events

Monday, May 29

Distorted Pony, Reptoid, and Bron Sage | Monday, May 29 | 7 p.m. | High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave., Madison | $12-$15 | Jam out with this triple threat of a rock lineup.
Madison Mallards Opening Day 2023 | Monday, May 29 | 4:05 p.m. | The Duck Pond at Warner Park, 2920 N. Sherman Ave., Madison | $6.08-$53 | Welcome back to the Duck Pond — it’s going to be an exciting season.*

Tuesday, May 30

Open Mic | Tuesday, May 30 | 6-9 p.m. | The Bur Oak, 2262 Winnebago St., Madison | Free | Kick back with a drink and enjoy local talents, or brave the stage yourself.
Hmong Day Downtown | Tuesday, May 30 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | The Top of State Street, 101 State St., Madison | Free | Nepalese elders will share songs and dances while Hmong musicians will sing traditional songs to celebrate Asian heritage.

Wednesday, May 31

Tiki Cocktail Class | Wednesday, May 31 | 6-8 p.m. | Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green, Madison | $170 | Learn how to make five different tropical cocktails using top-shelf and local spirits.
Family Pajama Storytime | Wednesday, May 31 | 6-6:45 p.m. | Library, 5530 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg | Free | Put on your favorite pj’s and listen to some relaxing music and stories.

Thursday, June 1

First Care Clinic for Women | Thursday, Jun. 1 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | 1632 W. Main St., Sun Prairie | Free | Call 608-259-1605 to make an appointment for free women’s wellness services including pregnancy testing and ultrasounds.

Sunday, June 4

SSM Health Cancer Care Survivors and Thrivers Ice Cream Social | Sunday, Jun. 4 | 1-3 p.m. | Turville Bay Radiation Oncology Center, 1104 John Nolen Dr., Madison | Free | Celebrate National Cancer Survivor’s Day with cancer survivors, caregivers, providers + staff while enjoying 10 flavors of Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and music from the Go Deans.*

100+ more events

Click here to have your event featured.

Finance

Kim, Kylie, Kris (...and Kanye) invest in this $1.7 trillion market, and now you can, too

Masterworks’ goal is to democratize art investing. | Photo by Masterworks

They know how to make smart money moves, and so do you. That’s why you’ll love this.

Masterworks is a platform that helps you invest in multi-million dollar art by names like Basquiat and Picasso — yep, the very same artists in their collections — for a fraction of the cost.

Not convinced? Masterworks investors enjoyed three recent sales where they earned 10.4%, 13.9%, and 35.0% net annualized returns — AKA real numbers, real returns.*

Skip the waitlist

News Notes

Today Is

Memorial Day, honoring US military personnel who died in the line of duty. It is a federal holiday, meaning civic offices, most state offices, banks, and public libraries will be closed. Observe the day at the 66th annual Monona Memorial Day Parade or one of these regional events. (NBC 15)

Opening

We a-brew-ve this message. The local hop-free beer producer known as Herbiery Brewing is opening a taproom at 2015 Winnebago St. The taproom’s grand opening is slated for Saturday, June 24. Follow Herbiery’s progress on Instagram for further updates.

Try This

Madison’s Monday night Lakeside Cinema Screenings at Memorial Union Terrace are back for the season with a showing of “Good Burger” today at 9 p.m. The series will last until Monday, Sept. 4, and screenings will include “Black Panther,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and “The Big Lebowski.” (NBC 15)

Plan Ahead

Join former governor Tommy Thompson for a celebration of Taliesin Preservation’s 30th anniversary and Frank Lloyd Wright’s 156th birthday on Saturday, June 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center. The event will include hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a performance by the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra. Buy tickets.

Kids

Looking for a week of enrichment for your kids this summer? Sur La Table has cooking camps little chefs will love, teaching everything from rolling sushi to kneading homemade pizza dough. Camps run June through September — browse and sign up.*

Sports

⚾ Play ball

How to celebrate baseball with Copa de la Diversión

Check out the special Copa de la Diversión uniform. | Photo courtesy of the Timber Rattlers

Minor League Baseball fans know that baseball season means it’s time for Copa de la Diversión (or “Fun Cup”) — a season-long event series designed to “connect teams with their local US Hispanic communities.”

For special games and events, the Timber Rattlers transform into Los Cascabeles — so named because it translates into “jingle bells,” another way to describe the rattlesnake’s warning sound. Hold onto your hats. This year, the Cascabeles’ uniform changed to a new lime green palette.

This year, 90 MiLB teams will compete to be crowned campeón based on ballpark experience, community engagement, and philanthropic impact.

Help Los Cascabeles win by attending events and cheering them on at one of these upcoming games:

Los Cascabeles vs. Lansing Lugnuts | Wednesday, June 21 | 12:10 p.m.
Los Cascabeles vs. Quad Cities River Bandits | Friday, Aug. 25 | 6:40 p.m.

Just be sure you’re representing your team in style.

The Wrap

Emily Shea wearing a black shirt next to houseplants

Today’s edition by:
Emily

From the editor

If you love chocolate like me, you’ll be happy to know that Madison Chocolate Company’s second location is now open at 5521 Odana Rd. In addition to many of the same items offered at the Glenway Street location, this spot offers a dedicated gluten-free bakery and separate gluten-free chocolate kitchen.

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