[wisb] Iowa, Sauk, Grant Counties today
- From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:55:50 -0500
I wanted to scout my new Owl Survey route in northern Grant County in daylight,
so I cajoled Steve Thiessen and Jim Otto into riding along on an excursion west
of Madison today. Overall, with the brisk northeast winds and below-normal
temps, things were a bit on the quiet side, but we did find some birds.
After cruising west of Mazomanie and not finding anything out of the ordinary,
we stopped at Arena Boat Landing in Iowa Co. and saw a few Purple Finches, two
Great Blue Herons, a bunch of Wood Ducks (looking for all the world like
retainers to the pair of Canada Geese they were gathered around,) and an E.
Phoebe apparently gleaning insects from the creek surface. There were several
singing Song Sparrows, but no other sparrow species.
Spring Green Preserve in Sauk Co. had more Song Sparrows and 8 or 9 Turkey
Vultures that took off from the west end of the bluff to soar on a thermal. At
Bakken's Pond there were lots of common ducks, with Ring-necks predominating.
Very few geese and no swans, unfortunately. Again, only sparrows were a few
Songs. On the way there, we saw a small flock of DC Cormorants fly over. We
headed down Hwy 23 to Gov. Dodge St. Park in Iowa Co. - had another pair of E.
Phoebes, more Song Sparrows, bunches of Juncos, more Turkey Vultures, three
Bald Eagles soaring over Twin Valley Lake, and a Cooper's Hawk that zoomed over
while we were watching the eagles. The updrafts were so strong at that
location that a large piece of paper or mylar was kept aloft and kept
distracting us, as were dozens of dead leaves that I kept trying to turn into
swallows (they were probably a couple hundred feet up in the air.)
With the strong winds, we weren't too surprised that we didn't see any EC Doves
in any of the towns along Hwy 18 between Dodgeville and Fennimore (for that
matter, we barely saw any Mourning Doves today.) After scouting my owl route
northeast of Fennimore (looks very intriguing,) we headed up Grant Co. Hwy G to
Muscoda. On Studnicka Rd. southwest of Muscoda, we saw a Pileated Woodpecker,
a pair of Swamp Sparrows and a Bald Eagle on one of the nests.
Back in Sauk Co., we checked the marsh at Peck and Mercer Rds. northeast of
Lone Rock. There was a big flock of Am. Tree Sparrows right at the corner, and
at least four No. Harriers working the marsh. We had another Harrier and
another B. Eagle on a nest along Hwy 60 east of Spring Green. After dropping
Jim off on the west side of Madison, Steve and I stopped briefly at Lake Farm
Park to check Lake Waubesa. With the brutal wind off the lake, we weren't
inclined to set up the scopes, but with bins we could pick out three or four
Horned Grebes (a couple in full breeding plumage) and a Common Loon out near
the trestle. Not many ducks, partly due to two dedicated (or possibly insane)
fisherman in a canoe out in the open water. Brrrr....
Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co.
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