[wisb] Sheboygan, northwoods and Buena Vista

From: Jerry <jerry937975@xxxxxxx>
To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:10:39 -0500 (EST)
I just completed a 3 day loop that started at Sheboygan, then to the northwoods 
and back south through Buena Vista. Some of the highlights include:

Barrow's goldeneye was seen at Sheboygan. I first observed it from the parking 
lot by the motel, but it was way to the north beneath the north jetty with a 
bunch of common goldeneyes. As I waited, it began working its way south towards 
me. I did not see the snowy owl, but did see several great black-backed gulls 
and at least 3 different glaucous gulls. From there I worked my way north 
hoping to find some snowy owls inland, but despite working very hard, I did not 
see a snowy owl between Sheboygan and Oconto Marsh.

Below the dam at De Pere were cormorant and white pelicans.

On Wed. I woke up at our cabin (ok, it's a shed but it was warm) and before I 
was out of the driveway, 8 pine grosbeaks were seen on the road. New yard bird! 
(For our place up north anyway).

In Newald, which is just off Hwy. 139 I had a small flock of 11 Bohemian 
Waxwings feeding on a crabapple just north of the fire station.

On Morgan Lake Rd. about 1 1/4 miles east of Hwy. 139 I found a flock of 
chickadees which included a single Boreal.

Heading back north on Hwy. 139 there were a couple small flocks of pine 
grosbeaks seen between Morgan Lake Rd. and Long Lake, but the big numbers 
started to show up on Halsey Lake Rd. between Long Lake and the Halsey Lake 
boat launch.

In Alvin I finally located a flock of evening grosbeaks at the tops of the 
trees on the north side of town. I did not see anything but chickadees at the 
feeders in town. Brule River Campground was dead.

Heading back south, I ran into some sizable flocks of pine grosbeaks on 
Haystack Corners Rd. (Pine River Rd. turns into Haystack Corners Rd. east of 
Divide Rd.). Where ever I encountered half a dozen pine grosbeaks, a little 
pishing brought in two dozen more.

Pine River Bridge was dead as was everywhere else. Seems like the whole forest 
went dead after 1:30 pm. About the only nice find I had after that was a large 
flock of crossbills (for sure white-winged, but might have been some reds mixed 
in) at the outlet for Long Lake. The creek is open and flows into a very nice 
tamarack bog area.

Woke up this morning and the forest areas were dead. I did pish up a northern 
shrike at Pine River Bridge. Nothing else in the forest. I headed down to Buena 
Vista.

I did a figure 8 through the area several times. I had no less than 8 
rough-legged hawks, a couple of red-tails, a northern shrike, 2 bald eagles and 
a flock of 14 prairie chickens on Griffeth Avenue. Also had a snowy owl on the 
north side of Cnty. Hwy. W just east of Townline Rd. I agree with Daryl that 
the roads are not the best. Not only are they narrow, but they are quite icy, 
so the slightest error in judgement can easily ruin your day.

Jerry DeBoer
Central Racine County

www.photographyfromtheheartland.com



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[wisb] Sheboygan, northwoods and Buena Vista

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