Forgot to mention indigo bunting and palm warbler from this morning.
Later in the day, in Janesville (Rock County), had my first warbling vireo,
northern rough-winged swallow, and Baltimore oriole at Rotary Gardens and
first blue-gray gnatcatcher and gray catbird at Riverside Park.
Back in Fort in the afternoon, I picked up my first American redstarts,
yellow warblers, and wood thrushes (all singing), as well as an osprey, two
white-crowned sparrows, and a bunch more catbirds (3 in one tree!).
Yellow-rumps are still around, too.
Hope everyone had a great, birdy weekend.
-Yoyi Steele
Ft. Atkinson, Jefferson County
On Sun, May 6, 2018, 1:50 PM Yoyi Steele <yoyi@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Greetings, Wisbirders,
Migration is proceeding around here. On Friday afternoon, I came upon a
pocket of warblers in my neighborhood, and they were all yellow-rumps, one
and all. I spotted my first great crested flycatcher. Common early local
breeders like chipping sparrows, tree and barn swallows, purple martins,
and song sparrows are all back and singing, and I spotted a rose-breasted
grosbeak at the feeder. A couple of white-throated sparrows we're still
hanging around yesterday morning, and I heard a couple Nashville
warbler-like twitters and a lone black-throated green song.
This morning, provocative seets and twitters through the window again drew
me out to walk around the neighborhood in my nightgown (I did throw a
jacket on over it this year ð). I spotted a Swainson's thrush in a
neighbor's shrub and heard that black-throated green song once more but
everything else was elusive, in trees behind people's houses where I
couldn't get good looks. So, back home I went to resume the normal routine.
And then it happened. Our bathroom has a south-facing window overlooking
the backyard with a good view of the large Norway maple we have there, just
starting to leaf out. Looking out at it, I saw movement. Then, more
movement. I grabbed my binos (which I, of course, had with me) and was
treated to great looks of Nashville, Tennessee, parula, and not one, but
two gorgeous Cape May warblers.It was a great moment in birding!
This is what I love about migration time. Birds can surprise you anywhere
- even in your bathroom! You just never know!
Happy May!
Yoyi Steele
Fort Atkinson, Jefferson County
