[wisb] Weekend Birding (5/7-9) [a tad long]
- From: Chris West <little_blue_birdie@xxxxxxx>
- To: "[Wisb]" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 00:28:26 -0500
Hi all,
This past weekend was a completely insane one for me. I managed to travel to 3
corners of western WI in 3 days (about as many miles as I'll probably do during
the Big Day on Sat). Anywho:
Fri, I drove to Durand, WI in the pouring rain. My first stop was at
Trempealeau Lakes where I picked up a small warbler flock including the
farthest north Prothonotary Warbler I've ever seen. Trempealeau NWR was pretty
dead. Just a few sparrows and a lone Peregrine Falcon sitting in a tree.
Merrick SP was similarly dead. Way too much crummy weather.
The rain stopped as I headed north of Merrick. A random roadside park near Alma
added Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper for the day. The best find of
the day was in Durand where I found a lone adult male Harris's Sparrow in with
a mixed flock of sparrows. Also in the flock were: White-throated,
White-crowned, Lark, Savannah, Song and Vesper.
Skip ahead to Sat morning: I arrived at the meeting place for the "Birding by
mini-railcar" trip hosted by Wings over Alma. Kelly Larson had recruited me and
3 other guides to help out on the trip. Despite the 70 something people on the
trip, the entire trip list was compiled mostly between me, Scott and Kelly as
most of the birds on our list for the morning were heard only. The weather was
still cloudy and cold, but at least it wasn't raining. A lone Northern Parula
kicked off the morning followed by a flock of Cedar Waxwings. Moving down the
t"rail" we picked up a spectacular Kingfisher that gave us excellent looks at
it while hovering and diving. As we rode through the woodland, Scott and I
picked up several species of warblers but never saw any of them. As I had
mentioned to the people on my car to look out for, several Wood Ducks flew off
through the woods at one point. A few Ovenbirds called from the nearby woods
and Northern Waterthrush were common by song. A calling Red-shouldered Hawk
provided our only hawk of the morning.
After running on down to the end and turning around, we stopped to scope out a
Bald Eagle nest. Fortunately, the eagles had chosen to stay home that day and
provided decent looks.
After concluding the trip, the 4 guides pooled together our sightings and
surprised us by somehow coming up with 52 species despite the cold, high winds
and occasional freezing rain.
After the trip, I headed home via Necedah (if only that LB Heron report had
come in sooner.....). No matter where I went, it was super quiet. The high
winds and occasional showers were keeping everything down. Stomping around in
southern Adams county produced my first Nashville Warbler for the year though.
I wasn't sure if that one was going to slip by me or not...... The Osprey at
Petenwell dam was sitting huddled low on it's nest. The lake itself was so
choppy that you would've had to have stood high above it to actually see
anything.
Disappointed in the weather, I headed home. A lone Sandhill Crane in Richland
County gave excellent looks. I stopped to check the traditional Eagle nest and
found two Bald Eagles. While checking the nearby marsh, a Great Horned Owl
surprised me by hopping up in a tall pine. Having perked my interest, I
stopped off at my fool-proof Screech-Owl spot and quickly picked up a highly
cooperative Gray-phase Eastern Screech-Owl. (photo on my Flickr page) A
calling Barred Owl at my house sealed the 3 Owl evening. Amazingly, I had
managed to find a total of 86 species for the day. Even considering my almost
complete lack of shorebirds and ducks and the crummy weather.
Skip to Sunday: I awoke early and drove to Baxter's Hollow where I met my 4
clients for the morning. We didn't find anything unusual at Baxter's and only
one Chipping Sparrow that nearly gave me a heart attack! Louisiana
Waterthrush called all up and down the stream, a Cerulean Warbler gave us
decent views at the bridge, a Winter Wren sang it's tinkly little song from the
very top of a 50ft Pine, a Scarlet Tanager gave us spectacular views at eye
level and we managed to pick up a Black-billed Cuckoo at the usual spot near
the pond. Interestingly enough, no Hooded Warblers were heard or seen and no
Acadian Flycatchers. Redstarts were common though.
After leaving my clients with directions to Burma road and Devil's Lake, I
headed directly to Goose Pond. All I could find were a few ducks and some
Yellowlegs. My next stop was Harvey Road which proved to be a pointless stop
due to the complete lack of shorebirds.
Running down to Schumacher Rd, I hit the jackpot. Hundreds of Yellowlegs,
Dowitchers, peeps and a Willet calling from the back of the pond. After giving
the peeps a quick look (Baird's, White-rumped, Semi-P, Least) I glanced over
the Dowitchers. Only Short-billed.
Scanning more towards the back, I picked out a bird that looked slightly
different from the Lesser Yellowlegs around it. The first thing that hit me was
it's buffy head and neck. The sunlight made it stand out like a sore thumb from
the Yellowlegs. The wingtips extended beyond the tail and the general
impression of shape was a rather bulky, stocky yellowlegs with a long neck and
a very small head. Checking the bill, I noted that it was shorter and more
decurved than that of a Yellowlegs. Suspecting what it was, I asked the farmer
for permission to walk closer (which was granted readily). Getting as close as
I could possibly get without swimming after the bird, I photographed it and
studied it at length. It was definitely either a young male or a Female Ruff.
Here's an overall description: A Medium-sized shorebird (roughly the size of a
Lesser Yellowlegs) with a bulky/chunky-appearing body (rather like a
Long-billed Dowitcher), a long neck and a disproportionately small head. The
bill was shorter than that of a Lesser Legs and distinctly decurved. The
feathers on the back were very distinctive. Almost like a Buff-breasted
Sandpiper in the way they made the bird stick out among the Yellowlegs. They
were very dark or black with light, buffy edging. The wing-tips definitely
extended beyond the tip of the tail which, combined with the long neck gave the
body a slightly elongated appearance. The back of the neck and head were some
kind of buffy color that really only stood out when the full sunlight caught
it. The neck, chest and belly were a grayish to off-white color with thin,
undefined black horizontal barring on the upper chest. The leg color was a
grayish-green. Similar to the color depicted in the Kaufman Guide (and I think
Sibely too).
After spending almost 3 hours observing the bird along with various others who
showed up, I headed to Pheasant Branch. I took the opportunity to explore a
section of the conservancy that I don't normally visit (where the trail isn't
yet paved). I had the good fortune to come across a flock of White-throated
Sparrows which then lead me to a flock of Warblers. 9 species in about 15 mins
including Black and White, Parula, Black-throated Green and Blackburnian.
After taking Mom out to dinner for Mother's day, I birded my way home:
Arena Boat Landing produced my FOY Common Nighthawk.
Spring Green Preserve had the full compliment of sparrows, the Mockingbird and
the bonus of a Whip-poor-will.
I finished this amazing day with 16 species of Warblers, 15 species of
Shorebirds and 9 species of Sparrows to make a grand total of 128 species for
the day!! The highlight of course being the Female (assuming for now) Ruff.
This coming weekend promises to be at least just as good if not better!
Hopefully, on Sat, I will finally break the 200 species mark for a single day
of birding. Wish us luck!
Happy Birding! --Chris W, Richland County
http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.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] Weekend Birding (5/7-9) [a tad long] - Chris West
