I spent much of the day poking around various spots at Horicon Marsh, both the
State Wildlife Area and the NWR. Started scoping at the Education Center on
Hwy 28 but didn't see the WF Ibis that has been reported recently. I noticed a
bunch of photographers by the pump house to the west of Indermuhl Island, so I
drove back to the access point on 28 and walked in from there. No ibis that I
could see, and the photographers were all gone by then. I did pick up a Cape
May Warbler singing in the woods and a calling Virginia Rail as I walked back
to my car.
Next stop was Dike Rd., which is open and freshly graded (but already has a
pothole with all the rain.) Lots of Marsh Wrens and Swamp Sparrows singing,
but not a ton of other birds. I ran into Sylvia and Tom for the first of
several times on the day. Shortly after stopping to yak with them, I spotted
my FOY Savannah Sparrow, immediately followed by an Am. Bittern pretending to
be inconspicuous next to the dike road. Got my FOY Yellow-headed Blackbird in
the marsh to the north just west of the curve. Just north of the gate, I
noticed a single Bobolink preening on a weed stalk.
Northern Rd. was pretty good, with Hermit and Swainson's Thrushes and a calling
Veery, as well as a Lincoln's Sparrow feeding along the road. On S. Point Rd.
where it turns north to become W. Point Rd., a Peregrine was harassing the
Canada Geese and a Sandhill Crane out in the stubble field. Ledge Rd. was
pretty quiet. Not much on Hwy 49 until I got west of the historical marker.
There were four Black-necked Stilts in the large open area on the south side
where they hung out last year. I noticed a small flock of egrets flying up and
landing in a tree to the west - one looked smaller, with quicker wingbeats. I
moved farther west on 49, but never could get a good look at the tree, as it
was behind another that was beginning to leaf out (which is just happening up
there - somewhat farther along here, although still behind schedule.) The
Auto Loop was also pretty quiet, although I picked up a Sedge Wren east of the
last impoundment.
I poked around a bit north of 49, but whiffed on some of the birds Sylvia had
mentioned they'd seen earlier. However, the flooded field north of 49 on the
west side of Bauer Rd. (by the Mischler's sign) had around 200 shorebirds. The
vast majority were Yellowlegs - slightly more Lesser than Greater. I also
picked out a single White-rumped and a couple of Least Sandpipers. Sylvia had
mentioned Dowitchers, which were still there. I'm reasonably certain it was
one Long-billed and two Short-billed (the actively feeding one was larger,
hump-backed, and more rufous underneath.)
Gorgeous day to be poking around one of my very favorite places.
Peter Fissel
Madison WI
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