[wisb] Mon birding (11/28) Milwaukee-King Eider, Snowy Owl, Scoters, Grebes: Johnson Creek-Gulls: Devil's Lake- Scoters, Solitaire + photos
- From: Chris West <little_blue_birdie@xxxxxxx>
- To: "[Wisb]" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:57:00 -0600
Hey everyone,
Yesterday, my friend Rob Pendergast from Stevens Point and I decided to hit up
Milwaukee for the reported King Eider.
The trip was an amazing success with the Eider coming so close, I didn't even
have to crop the photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto/6425502901/in/photostreamhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto/6425524827/in/photostreamhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto/6425543617/in/photostreamhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto/6425534579/in/photostream
We arrived bright and early (around 8am) and immediately spotted the Flores duo
watching the bird. We hurried over and had outstanding views of this awesome
lifer. Several other birders showed up during the time I was there including
Nolan Lameka from Chicago. As always, the best thing about chasing vagrants is
meeting new people and seeing old friends. :)
After spending some time freezing our toes with the Eider, Rob and I headed for
North Point with Daryl Tessen. Once again, views of both Surf and Black
Scoters were outstanding, close enough to see every field mark clearly. I also
got on Daryl's Red-necked Grebe. Interesting to compare it to all the
Mergansers that were flying around out there.
Rob and I then headed to the overlook next to Lakeshore State Park and under
the bridge. From there, I managed to one one of (the?) the Snowy Owl/s that
has been hanging around. As reported, it was sitting on the breakwall, straight
out from the park. First of the season for me and a lifer for Rob. We also
spotted a couple Great Black-backed Gulls sitting on the breakwall as well.
Having nowhere else to go that wasn't much farther away, we decided to book it
to Devil's Lake State Park to look for Solitaires and Tom Prestby's/Quentin's
Scoters.
Along the way, we made a quick pit stop at the Johnson Creek landfill and
picked up Thayer's and Lesser Black-backed Gulls for the day.
We arrived at Devil's Lake around 3pm and hiked up the Balanced Rock trail. Up
at the top, near the Devil's Doorway trail, we found a single Townsend's
Solitaire:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto/6425547643/in/photostream
The bird didn't stick around for long, but quickly dove straight down off the
cliff and into the conifers.
After carefully hiking back down (the bare rock being a welcome relief from the
usual snow and ice) we spent a few minutes scoping the lake and quickly found
the White-winged Scoter and the 4 Surf Scoters. We also spotted a pair of
Ruddy Ducks among the Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks.
Down at the far (north) end of the lake, I spotted 4 swans that Tom had had
earlier in the day. Taking 5 minutes to run around the lake, we confirmed that
they were indeed Tundras.
A Barred Owl in Steinke Basin completed our day and left us with 68 species for
the day. Not bad at all for late Nov! :)
Happy Birding! --Chris W, Richland County Interpretive Naturalist Mississippi
Explorer Cruises
http://mississippiexplorer.com/chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com/
http://www.nabirding.com/http://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto
"The beauty and genius of a work of art may be reconceived, though its first
material expression be destroyed; a vanished harmony may yet again inspire the
composer; but when the last individual of a race of living things breathes no
more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be
again."
(From William Beebe's "The Bird: Its Form and Function," 1906)
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- » [wisb] Mon birding (11/28) Milwaukee-King Eider, Snowy Owl, Scoters, Grebes: Johnson Creek-Gulls: Devil's Lake- Scoters, Solitaire + photos - Chris West
