[wisb] Crex Preview-Yellow Rail, Least Bittern, Gtr WF Goose

From: "Carl Schroeder" <cschroeder@xxxxxx>
To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 18:58:34 -0500
I had a big day at the Crex Meadows on Wednesday, saw/heard 104 species from
3am to 10pm. (including the forest along the St. Croix River 1 mile directly
west of the Crex: Fox Landing, Nelson's Landing, Norway Point). The weather
was extreme, winds 20-25 mph the entire night and day making listening (even
standing upright) on the open meadows challenging, rain, mist, 39-55 degF. 
Best finds were a Yellow Rail at sunset near the water diversion gate on
Cranberry Dike Rd. Least Bittern south of Main Dike Rd, west of West Refuge
Rd. Greater White-fronted Goose on the north side of same spot on Main Dike
Rd. The Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the usual place on Phantom Lake in the
wild rice east of Auto Tour Stop #3. Upland Sandpiper in the Sand Prairie
SNA near the intersection of North Refuge Rd and West Refuge Rd.
Sharp-tailed Grouse near Reed Lake. Lots of Trumpeter Swans, a few on nest.

I worked hard to hear/see LeConte's Sparrow, to no avail. Though others
reported them in recent days on Main Dike Rd east of the pumphouse and from
the firebreak running north of Reed Lake Marsh, despite devoting 4 hours of
search time at dawn and dusk in both places, I never heard them. Well, with
the wind just short of gale-force I don't blame the little guys for taking
the day off.

Nor did I find any Sharp-tailed Sparrows; I was told they plan to arrive for
the convention.

A car-load of Minnesota birders also on a Big Day saw 106. Their best Crex
find was a Black-Throated Blue Warbler.

And I ran across Dan Jackson (don't worry, he's okay). He found the woods
along Abel Road held 18 warbler species. But when I got there they had
already dispersed.

And the ticks were thick. Wood ticks had the Deer ticks outnumbered 10:1. I
picked a couple hundred off me in the course of the day. After any short
walk on a wooded trail I would find a dozen wood ticks on my pants racing
for my beltline. Some used a different tactic, hiding among my shoestrings
until I had picked off the racers and later slowly creep inside my pants.
Bring heavy tick-repellent if you want to spend more time birding than
de-ticking.

Carl Schroeder

School Hill, Manitowoc Co.




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[wisb] Crex Preview-Yellow Rail, Least Bittern, Gtr WF Goose

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