[wisb] A Remarkable Day!!
- From: Daryl Tessen <bhaunts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 16 May 2009 22:03:55 -0500
Some times the weather can fool you into thinking it will not be an
interesting day. This was my thinking as I ventured out around 7
this morning. I decided to check Heckrodt for passerines and the owl
that had been reported. There were 11 warbler species present, the
best I have seen there this spring. Also present for a long time was
an Olive-sided Flycatcher and several E. Wood Pewees. In the spot
where the owl has been reported (between stations 15 and 16) was a
red phase E. Screech Owl. I watched it for quite some time.
Next stop was the B pond in Calumet county. This proved a pleasant
surprise with 10 shorebird species, highlighted by a Piping Plover
among 10 Semip. Plovers and 4 Am Golden Plovers, plus a Stilt Sandpiper.
Two Rivers had impressive numbers of Caspian and Common Terns. A
large flock of Bonaparte's Gulls were swimming just off shore. Among
them was a Little Gull (non adult). Deciding to try the park by the
parking lots along the lake I could hardly get the vehicle parked.
There was an unbelievable amount of activity in the trees and shrubs
right across from the 2nd and 3rd lots. For 1.5 hours I could not
handle the number of birds working the foliage. It literally was
nonstop birding. There were 21 warbler species, 5 vireo species, 6-7
flycatcher species, several Scarlet Tanagers and one female Summer
Tanager, etc, etc.
The Manitowoc impoundment was a challenge with the wind!! There was
an impressive number of terns, mainly Common and Caspian. This was
especially true when they occasionally all took flight. Curiously no
shorebirds were present.
The F/LS pond south of Manitowoc had good numbers of gulls including
27 Franklin's Gulls, several shorebirds including a White-rumped
Sandpiper and one curious one that had the field marks of a
nonbreeding Curlew Sandpiper! (I ran into Aaron and Jim H who
informed me of the Whimbrels and Willets at Fischer Creek.)
I was successful in seeing the two shorebirds way down the beach.
There also was a nice warbler wave here, but it paled in comparison
to the Two Rivers park experience.
Cleveland yielded standard waterfowl plus a C. Goldeneye and Black
Scoter.
Sheboygan had a small warbler wave across from the parking lot plus a
nice variety of gulls that included a 2nd year Iceland, 1 Glaucous, 2
Great Black-backed.
For the day I tallied 13 ducks, 7 hawks, 24 shorebirds!!!, 10 gulls,
9 flycatchers, 5 vireos, 24 warblers!!! and 7 sparrows. When counted
up just a few minutes ago, I was pleasantly surprised to end with 173
species. And this was not even a big day but just a leisurely drive
around the northeastern/eastern part of the state. Apparently the
strong winds!!!!! really localized the birds where there was food,
and they were vigorously feeding most of the time. Certainly this
made for a memorable day!!
Daryl Tessen
Appleton, WI
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