[wisb] Milwaukee Lakefront, 9/8-9/9 – Ross’s Goose, Eagle, six new BIGBY birds

From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2@xxxxxxxxx>
To: wisbirdn <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:17:44 -0700 (PDT)
Beautiful weather for birding Milwaukee’s lakefront. Cool and crisp, with 
stunning sunrises over Lake Michigan both mornings. I managed to add six new 
Milwaukee walking BIGBY species, bringing my 2010 count to 126 species. (What's 
a BIGBY? See: http://bit.ly/cn3cbv). 

Here are the highlights from Wednesday, September 8:

* Eastern Screech-owl. Milwaukee walking BIGBY species #121. Heard before 
sunrise from Back Bay Park.

* Savannah Sparrow. BIGBY #122. Saw it in a sandy patch of tall native grasses 
and wildflowers at the north end of Bradford Beach. I had seen some movement 
when I first got there, so I stood there patiently for about 20 minutes and 
eventually the bird came into view for a bit.

* Lots of Chimney Swifts above the Lake Park bluffs. Maybe as many as 1,000. I 
was down below the bluffs and had a vantage point where I could pretty much see 
the whole stretch of Lake Park bluffs from North Avenue to Kenwood. The swifts 
were swarming like crazy. I’m guessing that the trees at the top of the bluffs 
are the first to be warmed by the morning sunlight and the insects are most 
abundant there in the early morning. After a half hour or so they were pretty 
much gone. Next day I saw one bird.

* There were also about 12-15 Barn Swallows over the rugby field at North 
Point. Haven’t seen any since.

* While watching the swifts and swallows, some movement out over the lake 
caught my eye. Adult Bald Eagle, headed in a southerly direction. BIGBY species 
#123.

* Lake Park was pretty active with warblers (no new BIGBYs) and quite a few 
migrating Northern Flickers. Also had a Red-breasted Nuthatch.

* There was an American Kestrel hover-hunting over Lakeshore State Park. I 
always enjoy watching kestrels hunt like this. It made a couple of dives to the 
ground, but came away with nothing.

* Beautiful Red Fox. It was mousing and insect hunting (even tried to grab a 
dragonfly) in an overgrown grassy area right east of the Veterans Park lagoon. 
It was a big fox, and its red and white coat was resplendent in the clear 
bright sunlight. At one point we stood and looked curiously at each other for a 
couple of minutes.

* Ross’s Goose. BIGBY #124. Life bird, probable state early fall record for 
Wisconsin, my best BIGBY bird of the year, and maybe ever. Need I say more? :-)

Here are the highlights from Thursday, September 9:

* Watched two Sanderlings fight on the North Point algae mat. Never seen 
Sanderlings have an argument before. They would stand toe-to-toe and flap their 
wings, chest-bumping and vocalizing agitatedly. They did this several times. 
Each time the bird to my right would eventually back down. Must have been some 
choice tasty morsels on that stinky spot of algae.

* Hermit Thrush. BIGBY #125. In a Lake Park ravine.
* Gray-cheeked Thrush. BIGBY #126. In a Lake Park ravine.

And two non-nature highlights:

* On Wednesday I walked past the old Edmund Fitzgerald house just north of Lake 
Park. The ship in Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 song "The Wreck of the Edmund 
Fitzgerald" was named after the guy who once lived in this house.

* On Thursday in Lake Park I stumbled onto the opening ceremonies of the lawn 
bowling “North American Challenge”, pitting the best lawn bowlers of the U.S. 
against their Canadian counterparts. They even had a bagpiper. I think that was 
the first time I’ve ever been serenaded by bagpipes while birding. :-) If 
you’re curious about this event, see: http://bit.ly/cAvWsE. 

Bernie Sloan
Milwaukee



      
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[wisb] Milwaukee Lakefront, 9/8-9/9 – Ross’s Goose, Eagle, six new BIGBY birds

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