[wisb] Picnic Point - UW Campus - this p.m.

From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:29:30 -0600
I had a mid-afternoon doctor's appointment, so decided to take my bins along 
and go to Picnic Point on the UW Campus afterward.  Almost as soon as I had 
started out along the trail along the marsh and lakeshore, I heard a Robin 
squawking. It was in a large tree near the trail, along with a Red-bellied WP.  
Had either several Brown Creepers, or a pair that was moving all over the 
place. Unfortunately, as I headed out to the point, I heard shouting and then a 
police car came up behind me on the trail (really a road that goes out to the 
point.)  I quickly realized that someone had gone through the undoubtedly very 
thin ice that had been open water as recently as New Year's Day.  Several more 
police cars and the ice rescue squad quickly followed, so I stayed out of the 
way.  I heard the ambulance take off, siren blaring, so I presume they got to 
the guy (and I would bet anything it was a guy) in time.

I figured that with all the traffic, my odds of seeing the Screech Owl were 
low.  It took me a while to find the Wood Duck box - I didn't find it by the 
restrooms as the descriptions had led me to believe, but by the old, closed 
bathhouse. (At least I assume I had the right box - it was the only one I saw.) 
 No owl, of course.  I wandered out to the Biocore Prairie and then back to the 
tall pines and spruces where the trails all come together.  Pishing produced 
the expected Red-breasted Nuthatches and GC Kinglets.  I decided to check the 
box one last time before I left, as it was getting darker.  I flushed a large 
raptor out of the conifers, but I couldn't get a good enough look at it through 
the trees to be sure.  I thought the head looked large, but it was flying away 
from me.  If it was a GHO, the Screech Owl had better beware.  (Or maybe that's 
why I didn't see the little owl...)

Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co.
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[wisb] Picnic Point - UW Campus - this p.m.

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