Do you live in southern Wisconsin? How would you like to see some of these cool and exciting birds in the wild? They've come from hundreds, maybe even thousands of miles...how about a look? Here is my field trip schedule for Spring Migration 2005:
May 3rd – Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy
This is a Madison Audubon Society sponsored field trip. Meet at 6:30AM at the Branch Street Retreat Bar & Grill parking lot (intersection of Branch Street and Century Avenue in Middleton). During this field trip we will concentrate on wood warblers, vireos, flycatchers and thrushes.
May 7th – Warbler Walk at St. Benedict Center (full).
May 14th – Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy
This is a Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy sponsored field trip. Meet at 6:30AM at the Branch Street Retreat Bar & Grill parking lot (intersection of Branch Street and Century Avenue in Middleton). During this field trip we will concentrate on wood warblers, vireos, flycatchers and thrushes.
June 15th – Prairie Birds of Pheasant Branch Conservancy
This is a Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy sponsored field trip. Meet at 6:30PM at the parking lot on Pheasant Branch Road about 1.5 miles north from Century Avenue. Remember, this is the Dane County parcel of Pheasant Branch and not City of Middleton property. Because the prairie restoration effort is a work-in-progress, the focus of this field trip will be grassland species such as Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlarks and whatever else has decided to nest in the area. I’m optimistic that Henslow’s Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows will eventually be found here.
For those needing binoculars to use for the field trips, please call me at (608) 850-4122 and I will reserve a pair for you courtesy of Eagle Optics. With the exception of the May 7th event at St. Benedict Center, the field trips are free and open to the public. So long as weather isn't servere with lightning and/or high winds, the trips are on!
Common Yellowthroat image © 2005 Michael Allen McDowell