[wisb] A good day at the UW Arboretum - Carolina Wren

From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:43:28 -0600
I went for a hike at the UW Arboretum in Madison late this morning/early this 
afternoon.  (The trails, as expected, were icy, but I had a spike-tipped hiking 
staff, which helped quite a bit.)  The big spring in Wingra Woods was rather 
quiet - just a flock of Mallards, and a Robin singing quietly somewhere out of 
sight.  I hiked down to the skunk cabbage spring (the cabbage was beginning to 
come up - reinforced the feeling of Spring!)  There were a couple of Tufted 
Titmice there, and two Song Sparrows (based mostly on the chip notes) flushed 
out of the tall vegetation along the spring and dove back into cover.  I walked 
up to the road, hoping to get a better look at the sparrows.  One of the 
Titmice was going through its repertoire of vocalizations, when all of a sudden 
a Carolina Wren burst into full song from down by the spring (very definitely 
NOT the Titmouse, and twice as loud.)  I pished, but couldn't get a look at it. 
 This was across from the last few houses on Arboretum Drive before you get to 
Wingra Woods.
 
I also hiked in to the Lost City Forest, hoping to maybe hear a Great Horned 
Owl - in fact, I'm pretty sure I heard a pair dueting softly (at 1:00 in the 
afternoon, on a sunny day - go figure.)  I came back past the Teal Pond 
wetlands, and saw a Hermit Thrush feeding on buckthorn berries.  A little 
further on, a No. Flicker flushed off a small tamarack.  The usual flock of 
Turkeys was foraging along the edge of the gardens near Gallistel Woods. 
 
Around 4:30, I checked Lower Mud Lake in McFarland.  There were circa 230 
Tundra Swans (plus five Mutes) - couldn't pick out any Trumpeters, but they're 
all the way across the lake from the overlook at the end of Highland Ave.  Also 
had 200+ Common Mergansers and 300+ C. Goldeneye, plus a few No. Shovelers and 
11 Canvasbacks.  One adult Bald Eagle was sitting on an ice shelf.   Just 
before 5:00 p.m., most of the thousand or so Canada Geese left - must have been 
suppertime.
 
Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co. 
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[wisb] A good day at the UW Arboretum - Carolina Wren

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