[wisb] Dane and Columbia birding

From: Sandy Rueckert <sandyrueckert@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Apple Inc." <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 19:04:54 -0500
I took a few hours to drive out to Goose Pond and environs today. Although I 
love watching birds whenever I am able, I especially fond of close up views, 
which abounded today!  Schumacher Road in Waunakee yielded many duck species; 
lots of redheads, but also a few canvasbacks, scaup, widgeons, teal,ringnecked 
(why isn't it ring billed?) and shovelers galore.  At the DM ponds I finally 
saw a few pintails, which I thought was rather late in the year for them, among 
numerous other species, though shorebirds were not on the mudflats.  The birds 
at DM were being strafed by what I thought was a marsh hawk-I saw a white rump 
anyway.  At Schoenenburg Marsh I walked out on the road you used to be able to 
drive on, and the water was jammed with ducks of all sorts.  Wind however was 
incredible!  
At Goose Pond I immediately noticed a bald eagle harassing the ducks- what a 
sight!  And at Whalen Grade there was an osprey low over my head, loons, and 
about 50 pelicans, terns (most of them swimming-was it too windy?). I think 
they may have been Forster's as the wing edge looked whiter on the flyers, but 
they were way out.
All in all, a fun birding day. Absent were mergansers and swans and white 
fronted geese, but I assume most of them may have moved on.  Sandhills were 
everywhere, which brings to mind how rare they were when I started birding in 
the 70's. Bluebirds too- we looked for them for years. On the other hand, 
though, warblers of every sort were to be found on every bush and tree at 
Picnic Point on a May morning. That I do miss!
Sandy Rueckert
Middleton Wi

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[wisb] Dane and Columbia birding

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