[wisb] Northwoods Trip day 2

From: tom prestby <jjprestby@xxxxxxx>
To: Wisbird <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:40:43 -0600
Our group of 8 birders had another fun day in the great northwoods. Much warmer 
than yesterday-- it was 24 degrees at dawn in Eagle River in contrast to -13 in 
Menominee County on Saturday morning. Overall, the woods were very quiet as 
they were yesterday but we managed a few highlights. Fire Lane Road north of 
Conover was practically birdless, a couple Brown Creepers and a Ruffed Grouse 
were the only noteworthy birds. We searched a few other close by spots for 
Spruce Grouse and Black-backed Woodpeckers but stuck out. 

The first highlight of the morning actually came while we were eating breakfast 
at McDonalds in Eagle River (no, the McMuffins are not the highlight I'm 
referring to...) when we noticed a swarm of birds out the window in the 
distance. We realized they were Bohemian Waxwings and tracked them down to some 
Crabapples near the river. There were at least 250 Bohemians and 2 Cedars in 
this group as well as a Pileated Woodpecker feeding in the same tree. 

From here we headed to Alvin where all of the activity was at the north end of 
town. This house is the last (furthest north) house in the town on the east 
side of Hwy 55 and the feeders are on the front deck. Highlights were a group 
of 40+ Evening Grosbeaks, our only evenings of the trip, and a very unexpected 
Gray Catbird. The Catbird is visiting the suet feeders of this house and eating 
apples on one of the apple trees. I would be curious to learn the furthest 
north locations in the state that Catbirds have overwintered (or at least 
tried). 

On the way back we tried for the Hawk Owl just north of Rhinelander and were 
unsuccessful. We drove Hwy 17 several times and checked the nearby roads 
between noon and about 1pm. 

Our last stop was at the Buena Vista Grasslands where we birded for the last 
hour of daylight. Taft and Lake Roads had groups of Lapland Longspurs (about 
100 total) and Horned Larks (about a dozen total) and on Townline Road we 
watched 2 Short-eared Owls just as it was getting dark. 

It was a great trip with great birds and cooperative weather. Stay tuned for 
pictures. 

Tom Prestby
Milwaukee
                                          
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[wisb] Northwoods Trip day 2

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