Really Good Birding!

Magnolia Warbler © Mike McDowell

There were a couple of fast-moving warbler flocks yesterday morning in Pheasant Branch Conservancy, foraging mostly in the upper-story (ouch, my neck). Rain kept to sprinkles - in Ireland, it'd be called a "soft day," nevertheless very enjoyable weather to be birding in.

About a dozen birders formed into a few groups, walking the length of the south stream corridor and back. Occasionally we would meet along the trail and exchange sighting notes - it's so much fun!

The most abundant warblers seemed to be Chestnut-sided Warbler and American Redstart. Two groups reported seeing Bay-breasted Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, but one group was privileged to find a Canada Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler.

The group I was with heard a Scarlet Tanager singing west of Park Street, but the view was too obstructed. Near the end of the trail we caught up with a mixed flock that contained a few warbler species and two Yellow-throated Vireos. We were able to follow the flock for several minutes and got excellent views of two Magnolia Warblers.

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Cooper's Hawk
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Empidonax Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbreak
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch

A Desert in Wisconsin

Prickly Pear Cactus

(click on image for larger version)

I've been spending most mornings at Pheasant Branch Conservancy watching the neotropical migrants come in. On Saturday, participants on the Friends of Pheasant Branch field trip were treated to a male Prothonotary Warbler singing away right from the parking lot (plus 14 other warbler species for the trip). We've been graced with Scarlet Tanagers, Canada Warblers, Blackburnian Warblers, Cerulean Warblers, Blue-headed Vireos and many more gorgeous birds.

But don't let me fool you...as I said before, I love sparrows and other birds of the prairie. One of my favorite places to visit this time of year is Spring Green Preserve - just a little over half an hour's drive west of Waunakee. The weather was absolutely beautiful today and I knew the lighting would be excellent for photography.

Owned by The Nature Conservancy, Spring Green prairie is a remnant of a once 13,000 acre "Wisconsin Desert." Here you can find pocket gophers, hognose snakes, glass lizards, prickly pear cactus and other flora and fauna not commonly found in other parts of Wisconsin.

Lark Sparrow

(click on image for larger version)

The prairie is also one of the few places in Wisconsin where Lark Sparrows are known to breed. Their chittery-chattery-buzzy songs fill the air, along with those of Eastern Kingbirds, Grasshopper Sparrows, Western and Eastern Meadowlarks, though Western have become scarcer the past few years. I knew if I waited long enough, a Lark Sparrow would eventually perch on the fence post I patiently waited near - the sparrows are very abundant at the preserve this year.

Bird's Foot Violet

(click on image for larger version)

Wildflowers bloom from May through September and right now there are bird's foot violets, blue-eyed grass, prairie smoke and more. At the southwest corner of the preserve is a black oak barrens where Orchard Orioles often take up residence.

Blue-eyed Grass

(click on image for larger version)

Link: All about the Lark Sparrow from Cornell's All About Birds

All images © 2006 Mike McDowell

Record bird numbers slip towards extinction

"BirdLife's annual evaluation of how the world's bird species are faring shows that the total number considered threatened with extinction is now 1,210. When combined with the number of Near Threatened species this gives a record total of 2,005 species in trouble - more than a fifth of the planet’s 9,799 total species."

Link: Full Article from BirdLife International

Acadian Flycatcher © Mike McDowell

Most Beautiful Birds

Grasshopper Sparrow

There is a “Most Beautiful Birds” meme going around bird-blogosphere in the form of a "tag" to cite 10 favorite plumaged birds. Since they're often absent or neglected from making such lists, I'm going to deviate from obvious choices and cast my vote for those sly birds affectionately known as “little brown jobs.”

In short flights, they can be as inconspicuous as a quick streak of brown as they dash into dense cover. "What was that?", a birder will say or think. But the patient observer will be rewarded. Close study will reveal their smart and magnificent character. Kroodsma's chapter on Song Sparrows from The Singing Life of Birds illuminated a greater appreciation for the very common, yet extraordinarily behaving brown little bird.

With adoration and respect, they are stealth masters of fields and prairies. From insect trills to melodious phrases, expert vocalists send songs that carry great distances. Color of wood, stone and cotton, often punctuated with dramatic highlights – bright patches of canary yellow, rich pumpkin eye-arcs, striking crown-stripes and malar markings.

1. Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
2. Henslow's Sparrow
3. LeConte's Sparrow
4. Grasshopper Sparrow
5. Harris's Sparrow
6. Fox Sparrow
7. Lincoln's Sparrow
8. White-crowned Sparrow
9. White-throated Sparrow
10. Chipping Sparrow

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Maybe sparrow you should wait
The hawks alight till morning
You'll never pass beyond the gate
If you don't hear my warning

Notes are hung so effortless
With the rise and fall of sparrow's breast
It's a drowning dive and back to the chorus

La di da di da di da
La di da di da di da

"Maybe Sparrow" - Neko Case

Link: My Sparrow Gallery

All images © 2006 Mike McDowell

Gone Birding!

(click on image for more artwork by Robin Street-Morris)

Yesterday was a soft day – warm temperatures, gentle rain and virtually no wind. While I enjoy putting on my poncho and birding in the rain, it usually means no pictures as my camera isn't waterproof. Lighting under such conditions isn't conducive for fast shutter speeds and I like my digiscoping to come easy (ha ha, yeah right). Still, birding in the rain seems to make the whole experience more tropical and isolated...most bikers, joggers and dog walkers will stay home when there's rainy weather. But ya know, sometimes I just like to go birding without all the added stress that comes with digiscoping!

Walking down the corridor trail of Pheasant Branch, I found Charles Naeseth pointing up at a bird. Then I heard it...za-za-zha-zah-zhreeeee! It was a Cerulean Warbler foraging in the wooded canopy just across the stream from him. Lucky for us the warbler eventually foraged lower, came over to our side of the stream and gave us excellent views. Through low numbers, Charles and I tallied about a dozen warbler species for the morning. Firsts of the year included Baltimore Oriole, Wood Thrush, American Restart and Ovenbird.

Last evening's migration and this morning's sunlight produced an even greater surprise for a few lucky birders. For most of the morning I had been birding with Sylvia, Dottie, Delia, Karen and Mark. Since the south stream corridor had fewer birds than the previous day, I suggested checking an area on the north side of the conservancy called the “overlook” parking lot. The habitat there is more of open savannah with dense brush and trees along the edges.

Upon arrival I jokingly said, "I'll leave my camera in the car, guaranteeing we'll find something super cool!" Moments later our group became stunned by a distinct and rarely heard birdsong for Wisconsin chik-a-puurrreeer-chik! There was a collective gasp – we froze in our tracks because we all knew it was a White-eyed Vireo! What a great bird – only the third time I've seen one in the conservancy.