[wisb] Prothonotary, Goshawk+ (Portage Co.)
- From: tiger150@xxxxxxxxxxx
- To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 6 May 2012 16:30:58 +0000 (UTC)
Hello all!
Warbler diversity has been poor in the county for me, but yesterday I was
overjoyed to hear a singing PROTHONOTARY WARBLER while canoeing the Plover
River! I unfortunately never got to see him, but the song was unmistakable as
he belted out his tunes 2-3 times. The notes were high, clear, and each note
descended but the overall song was on the same pitch. The notes weren't as
separated as a Black-and-white Warbler's song. Its first song had 4 notes
whereas the second or third song had about 7 notes. The area was about 1 or 2
miles north of Jordan Park (Town of Hull). The habitat was appropriate:
undisturbed deciduous bottomland forest right by some quiet backwaters of the
river.
Other birds heard yesterday in that area included a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO,
WHIP-POOR-WILL, and a pair of first-of-year EASTERN KINBIRDS. I scared two
female COMMON MERGANSERS while canoeing which, given the time of year and
habitat, leads me to think that they'll be nesting here. This is just a little
far south than what I would expect for this species. LEAST FLYCATCHERS and
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS were abundant, among other noisy songbirds.
Yesterday was International Migratory Bird Day for the Aldo Leopold Audubon
Society. At Iverson Park (in Park Ridge), things were pretty quiet, although we
did have a couple of highlights: two male BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS and displaying
male COOPER'S HAWK AND NORTHERN GOSHAWK at the same time! The goshawk was
originally spotted by Stan Skutek on May 3rd and later relocated by Rob
Pendergast on the same day at a nearby park. (Erikson I believe). Northern
Goshawks have nested in the Stevens Point area before, so perhaps this will be
another year for them.
We also saw a BARRED OWL nest at Iverson, which a friend and I accidentally
stumbled upon on May 3rd, and on May 4th our ornithology professor climbed up
the tree to hold up one of the two chicks! The chick was only a few days old.
Backchannel me for halfway-decent photos. Lost Creek Wetland was quiet, with
the only highlight being a cooperative LINCOLN'S SPARROW.
And continuing with the nesting raptor theme, it appears that a pair of MERLINS
will attempt to nest in Stevens Point again. I have seen the pair since April
17th and I thought I saw the female on the nest yesterday (the male was in a
nearby tree). A pair had tried nesting in 2008 but failed to fledge any
offspring.
Good birding!
Alyssa DeRubeis
Stevens Point, Portage Co.
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