[wisb] Grant and Iowa Counties today

From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 21:23:43 -0500
Several Madison-area birders visited Iowa and Grant Counties today.  Along Hwy 
18 in Iowa Co., we saw a EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE in Cobb, and another between 
there and Montfort near a farm.  At Wyalusing St. Park in Grant Co., there were 
multiple RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS at the entrance station feeders.  In the 
fields around the observatory, we had at least two HENSLOW'S SPARROWS, 
BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, and heard a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO calling.

The bird of the day was CERULEAN WARBLER - they were everywhere in the park, it 
seemed.  We had several up by the main overlook parking lot, and more down Long 
Valley Rd.  A KENTUCKY WARBLER was very cooperative up by the Passenger Pigeon 
monument, and we heard another down near the railroad tracks.  An absurdly tame 
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER entertained us at the boat launch, nearly perching on 
Chuck Heikinnen's camera lens at one point.  As we drove back up Long Valley 
Rd., I heard a suspicious trill from up on a steep slope.  We stopped and 
listened for ten or fifteen minutes as the bird worked around up the slope, 
finally giving up when it moved higher up.  I'm fairly sure it was a 
Worm-eating Warbler, but not enough to count it, so it remains my state 
"nemesis" bird.  

We drove out to the Hennenger Overlook to eat lunch (the road there off of Long 
Valley is still closed, but it can be reached through the Homestead 
Campground.)  As we ate, another YB CUCKOO flew up and perched nearby, then 
flew off and called from across the clearing.  We also heard another Kentucky 
Warbler along the road.  We looked for Yellow-throated Warblers at the 
Homestead picnic area, per Steve Thiessen's recommendation, but whiffed on them 
(it was early afternoon by this point, although most birds, including more 
Ceruleans, were still singing.)  I did have a nice male BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER a 
little ways down one of the trails in some big pines.  We went back down Long 
Valley to the turnoff for the Passenger Pigeon monument for one last shot at 
Yellow-throated Warblers, but missed them again - the singing Ceruleans were 
starting to get annoying, since I hadn't expected to whiff on Yellow-throated 
(first time in several years.)

We took a circuitous route back to Madison in order to cruise some of the roads 
south of Dodgeville for grassland birds.  Near the intersection of Iowa Co. 
Hwys D & DD, we had several WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, BOBOLINKS, DICKCISSEL, & 
SAVANNAH SPARROW.  At Thomson Prairie in far southwest Dane Co., we had a very 
cooperative GRASSHOPPER SPARROW that perched on the nearby Thousand's Rock 
Prairie sign.  Many photos were taken.  

All in all, it was a very good day, despite missing one "can't miss" bird.  The 
T-storms even held off until we got back to Madison.

Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co.
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[wisb] Grant and Iowa Counties today

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