[wisb] Milwaukee lakefront, 9/13 and 9/14 - Nine new BIGBY species
- From: "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: wisbirdn <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:57:19 -0700 (PDT)
Spent a lot of time birding in the beautiful Monday and Tuesday weather. I was
out for eight hours yesterday alone, starting at 5:30AM. I located nine new
Milwaukee walking BIGBY species, bringing my 2010 count to 135 species. (What's
a BIGBY? See: http://bit.ly/cn3cbv).
It's kind of funny how sometimes a simple thing can affect you psychologically.
On Monday I saw my first-of-season White-throated Sparrow hanging out with a
mixed flock of birds by the Lake Park tennis courts. Didn't think anything
about it at the time. Yesterday the WTSPs were all over the place...including a
single flock with 30-40 birds, with several singing snippets of their sweetly
haunting songs. The presence of so many winter sparrows made my brain shift
subconsciously into winter mode, and I was cold for the next half hour or so.
First a couple of mammal highlights, both from Tuesday:
* A bat was sleeping under the overhang above the walkway on the south side of
Discovery World. Not sure how it managed to get a grip there...the surface
seemed pretty smooth. I'm guessing it was a Little Brown Bat.
* I saw a Gray Fox running through the large white rocks at the Summerfest
venue near the entrance to Lakeshore State Park. I'm assuming it was one of
the foxes that live at the park.
Here are the Monday bird highlights (an especially birdy day):
* I was serenaded by an Eastern Screech-owl as I walked past Lafayette Place
where it heads down the hill to the lakefront. It was in some trees just to the
east of a couple of ultra-modern apartment highrises. Kinda interesting
contrast...the small owl vocalizing in front of the tall white towers.
* Lots of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, including one who burst into song by the
North Point Lighthouse.
* Six thrush species in Lake Park: Hermit, Wood (BIGBY #127), Swainson's,
Gray-cheeked, Robin and Bluebird).
* Five woodpecker species in Lake Park: Flicker, Sapsucker, Downy, Hairy,
Red-bellied.* Both nuthatch species, including 3-4 Red-breasted. I don't know
why it is, but when I see my first RBNU migrants in the fall, my gut reaction
is "chickadee". Maybe it's the black and white pattern on the head. Then, a
couple of seconds later, it registers in the old brain.
* Fifteen warbler species. No new BIGBY species, but fun none the less. This is
the most warbler species I've ever had in one outing. Most were in a flock by
the Lake Park tennis courts: Cape May, Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia,
Black-throated Green, Palm, Bay-breasted, Black and White, Redstart,
Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Blackburnian, Wilson's, Pine, and Common Yellowthroat.
* Blue Jay. Only the third one I've encountered in my six weeks birding the
lakefront.
* Turkey Vulture. Milwaukee walking BIGBY species #128, high overhead.
* Ruby-crowned Kinglet. BIGBY #129. Lake Park.
* White-throated Sparrow. BIGBY #130. One in Lake Park Monday. Everywhere on
Tuesday.
* Lincoln's Sparrow. BIGBY #131. South end of Lake Park, where the upper part
of the lake bluff is thick with foxtails.
And here are Tuesday's highlights:
* Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. BIGBY #132. Lake Park. As my Peterson's says: "a
wash of yellow from throat to belly." Eye ring had a slight yellowish tint as
well.
* Brown Thrasher. BIGBY #133. Flew by as I looked for sparrows in the foxtails
at the south tip of Lake Park.
* American Coot. BIGBY #134. Four birds behind the Milwaukee art museum.
Waterfowl migration has started!!
* Wood Duck. BIGBY #135. Veterans Park lagoon. I was distracted by the harsh
sound of a heron's call. I found an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron who
seemed a little irritated by the Wood Duck invading its personal space. I never
would have noticed the Wood Duck if the heron hadn't been so cranky.
Bernie Sloan
Milwaukee
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