Hello, four of us Muirland Bird Club members held our Big Day yesterday
for the Birdathon fundraiser and we carded 181 species for the charity in
22 hours of continuous birding.
We had several highlights including a flyover WHITE FACED IBIS while we
were trying for the Lark Sparrows on Dunning Rd. in Columbia Co. (got one
as we left- having given up). The Ibis flew in at an angle at tree top
height and i feared we would not I.D. which type it was and it swung around
and flew straight over us. We had many lucky moments like that yesterday.
We got 5 Ravens on the day. Two just west of Harrisville eating a car kill
Raccoon on the road and 3 more near the Pardeeville area!
We had 21 Warbler species on the day. Six new on the day were at Pheasant
Branch despite not getting there until 1:30 in the aft. Got Wilson's,
Blackburnian, Golden Winged at P.B. We did well on Warblers at the lower
dam/Hope Marsh area south off Montello (in Marquette Co.) much earlier in
the day. Highlights were Bay Breasted, Cape May, both Waterthrushes as well
as a stunning Scar Tan.
It helped that in scouting my dad found nesting Coopers Hawks, and a
nesting Red Shouldered Hawk. We already knew of 2 G.H. Owl nests. I found a
Euro Collared Dove in Arlington (Columbia Co.) a week ago that took less
than a minute to relocate yesterday. In Bancroft across from BVG we went
looking for a Hummingbird and scored a Pine Siskin as well at a feeder. Got
a late Canvasback and a Red Necked Grebe at Schoenberg Marsh after whiffing
on them in our scouting. V Ponds still had a Common Gallinule/Moorhen.
Ashton K Pond had a foy Dunlin for all of us. We would later see another
Dunlin at Leola spot we now call the dead Swan spot as it has a second one
laying there now. We got 3 Uppies on the day. Two were on Townline Rd
south of Griffith in BVG. Got a Pileated Woodpecker just north of there at
the junk house on Townline (of all places).
We may have had over a dozen Red Headed Woodpeckers on the day. Three times
we saw two at once. Locations included Leola Marsh area, Grand River Marsh
area and Montello City Park.
Orchard Orioles were abundant yesterday. Shorebird species were not.
We had a Long Eared Owl just north of Germania in Marquette Co. Had a
Pipit on the north side of DM just west of Wibu in northern Dane co. 3
Whooping Cranes on the day. 6 Pintail - on Co. Rd F south of Evergreen in
Buena Vista G. The Isherwood spot that the Curlew had been at was tiled and
drained and had zero shorebirds.
We wound down our day at Leola Marsh in Adams Co. and picked up what would
be our last 2 birds within seconds of each other on Apache Ave. As we got
out of the vehicle to listen for a drumming Ruffed Grouse we heard a
booming Greater Prairie Chicken. While we were still chuckling over that,
the Grouse started drumming. We finished the day whiffing on Short Eared
Owls there, and on Yellow Rails at Colburn SWA just south of Leola.
Steve Mullen - Oshkosh, on behalf of Daryl Christensen, and Mark and Karri
Stouffer.
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