[wisb] Nicolet NF today
- From: Mike Duchek <mikeduchek@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:55:44 -0500
Headed over to the Nicolet NF area today. My plan was to stick close to
Military Rd. and try some other spots. I started off at my usual spots off
Military Rd. which are north of Brand Rd. near Three Lakes. Of FR 2043 I
quickly got 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES in the normal spot. I also had a number of
warbler species, including OVENBIRD (many seen and heard, they actually are
quite responsive and raise their "crest"), MAGNOLIA (multiple seen and heard,
sort of a tough song to learn), CHESTNUT-SIDED (seen and heard), NASHVILLE
(heard and seen), YELLOW-RUMPED (seen and heard), common yellowthroat, and
BLACK-THROATED GREEN (heard). Other birds in the area were GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLETS, HERMIT THRUSH, WINTER WREN, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, etc... Both FR
2043 and 3186 across the street have been very reliable for gray jays for me
the last few years, but not today.Continuing on I went over to the Haymeadow
Creek area near Sevenmile Lake. This is a dammed up area that I found opens up
further back into a large wetland. I had a couple ducks (too far to ID) and a
kingfisher. Not too much else of note there, but a nice spot. I was then
going to take another venture along the trails at Blackjack Springs Wilderness,
but the rain was continuing, so I instead took HWY 70 over toward Alvin and up
to the Brule River Campground, which, as usual, was devoid of campers though a
couple cars drove through while I was there. Turned out to be a good decision.
However, I'm also usually able to find some gray jays here too, and no luck
with them there either. But as I was driving through, as I rounded near
campsite #2, I thought I heard a faint "puck, puck, puck" so I got out and
walked in there, and in a tree toward the back of that campsite was a pair
(male and female) of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS on the same tree, on opposite
sides. Picture perfect. (Second time I have had them there, and first time I
have ever seen a pair anywhere.) Of course I had not grabbed my camera, so I
went back to grab it and when I got back there they'd split up, but I was able
to find the male nearby. He was banging away on a dead red pine, pretty low.
Due to the continuing rain (and it's a shady area anyway), the only photos that
really worked at all were with the flash, but here are a few:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2039095700059461204TFcDIkhttp://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2352109450059461204tEqbkK
The pine, below. This was closer to the water pump in case anyone wants to
know. http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2578193230059461204GwPTtg
Also there, I had quick looks at a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, a PINE WARBLER
(usually too high to see), RED-EYED VIREOS and a pair of BLUE-HEADED VIREOS.
Also there were at least 3 LEAST FLYCATCHERS. I also heard a distant NORTHERN
PARULA on the Michigan side of the river. So I am getting better at warbler
calls, but just feels like a really slow process for me. Easier to know what I
am not hearing than what I am. For instance, I finally feel pretty confident
about being able to pick out chestnut-sided and... I find they also do an
alternate song. Another one I didn't regognize I heard at the Alvin fire
station on the way out. Turned out to be a NORTHERN PARULA. I knew its
ascending song (which it then did too) but hadn't recognied the other one. Got
good looks at that too in an aspen. But slowly but surely, getting better with
my warbler songs. For raining half the day, it was pretty good bird wise out
there. -Mike Duchek, currently Bradley, Lincoln Co. (loon still on nest here)
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