[wisb] Dane/Columbia ponds today

From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 21:35:46 -0500
Due to a creaky back, it took me until late morning to get going today.  I 
started out at the Ashton pond on Dane Cty K, which had lots of Ring-billed and 
Bonaparte's Gulls, but no Franklin's.  Pectoral SP, Wilson's Snipe and Lesser 
YLs were it for shorebirds (the latter actually were my FOY, as were the 
Bonis.)  There was a Great Egret (FOY) in the wetland north of Waunakee on Easy 
St.  Lots of gulls at Schumacher/Cuba Valley Rd., but nothing jumped out at me. 
 County V ponds were dead.  Not much of note at DM & I, either.  
 
I headed up to the Jackson WPA, taking WIBU Rd. north from DM.  I stopped to 
check out the little pond on the east side of the road, midway between DM and 
Meek Rd. and something white caught my eye.  It was the completely 
leucistic/albinistic Am. Robin, first found on the WSO field trip at the end of 
March in the same spot.  It's stayed put for three weeks, so it may stick 
around if anyone wants to look for it (it's hard to miss - wonder how much 
longer it can escape predation?)   Cool-looking bird.
 
The Jackson WPA, just into Dane Co. along Patton Rd. west of the interstate, 
had several Greater YLs, plus a few ducks and Canada Geese.  Very few 
shorebirds anywhere else I checked.  The most productive spot was Schoeneberg's 
Marsh.  The little woodlot on Priem Rd. at the southwest edge had a Brown 
Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, E. Bluebird pair, and a few Yellow-rumps.  From the 
abandoned road  that goes along the edge of the marsh, I had a very nice 
selection of ducks, plus my FOY Red-necked Grebe.  I relocated to Erstad 
Prairie and walked out to the end of the pavement on Harvey Rd.  Had a much 
better look at the RN Grebe, which had been snoozing earlier and then woke up 
and swam north.  Also had several Yellow-headed Blackbirds (another FOY.)  
 
Almost forgot - on my way to Schoeneberg, I took Thiele Rd., which runs between 
Goose Pond Rd. and Hwy 22 north of Hwy 60.  I pulled over onto a field access 
when I saw a bunch of small passerines in the air.  It turned out to be a flock 
of several hundred Longspurs - presumably all Laplands, but Steve Thiessen had 
mentioned Smith's to me the other day, so I was hoping they'd settle down and 
let me scope them.  Alas, they kept going.  While I was standing there, my FOY 
Vesper Sparrow landed in the ditch fifteen feet away from me.  
 
Harvey Rd. north of 60 had ducks and geese, but no shorebirds. Similar results 
at Harvey/DM/Wangsness, although there were a few gulls and some Pecs.  
 
Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co.
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[wisb] Dane/Columbia ponds today

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