Good afternoon!
My name is Zach Krogman. I live in Stevens Point, in Portage County. Or I
will live here for the next couple of months, I plan to move to La Crosse,
WI at the beginning of June. I grew up in Stevens Point, so I'm sure I'll
be back quite often even after I move.
I've always maintained some bird feeders and taken note of interesting
birds as I hike, kayak, or cross country ski. But recently I've gotten
more interested in birding. I've started doing eBird checklists and going
out with the express purpose of spotting birds. I have a very cheep (Ha!)
pair of binoculars that aren't really doing the trick for identification.
So I'm looking to invest in a decent pair of binoculars to allow me to have
a better look at the markings/size/shape of birds off in the distance.
I've tried my luck at a few spots in the Stevens Point area, but my best
trip so far was to Iverson Park. There's a good number of dead trees that
attract woodpeckers. I saw two pileated woodpeckers and two hairy/downy
woodpeckers (cheap bins strike again!). I'm also 99% sure I saw a pine
grosbeak on the way to work, just sitting in a tree right along Fourth
Avenue in town. eBird told me it was rare, and by their records one hasn't
been reported in Portage County since 2016, which makes me hesitant to
really believe it was a pine grosbeak. But everything from markings, size,
sounds, and behavior matched my guides. I look forward to getting better
at this so I can feel a little more confident in these "rare" sightings!
Same thing happened this morning, where a pair of sparrows were eating at
the feeder. They looked more like chipping sparrows than tree sparrows,
but all the guides say they are rare in the winter! I didn't get a clear
enough look to be as confident as I was about the pine grosbeak, so I'm not
sure I can cross the chipped sparrow off the list.
Anyways! I'm excited to grow into this hobby, and to learn from the
community.
Thanks!
Zach Krogman
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