May Ends

Nashville Warbler

Another May of birding has come to an end. Migration isn't technically over just yet, but we're well past peak. I think the biggest lesson of this spring has been the freakishly cold weather and how birds responded to it. It hasn't been a problem for the past few weeks in southern Wisconsin, but migratory birds headed for Canada's boreal forest continued to experience weather related hardships into northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. You can read more about what happened on Laura Erickson's blog.

There were several days at Pheasant Branch Conservancy when warblers and other songbirds were searching for insects on the ground. I've seen this before during past migrations, but never the extent that it occurred this spring. On one hand it meant photographic opportunities and incredible views of birds that are usually in the canopy, but I was cognizant to appreciate they were struggling more than usual to find something to eat with the colder conditions.

I visited the conservancy 31 times this month and tallied 145 bird species, surpassing my previous May record of 136 species set in 2012. I missed Connecticut Warbler and Olive-sided Flycatcher, but found a Pileated Woodpecker, Nelson's Sparrow and Virginia Rail – three species I seldom ever find at Pheasant Branch.


Gray-cheeked Thrush - Dane County

I wasn't impressed with catharus thrush migration this spring. While Hermit Thrush numbers seemed typical in April, I found only one Gray-cheeked Thrush and only a handful of Swainson's Thrushes and Veeries during May. While eBird shows typical migration for Gray-cheeked for the entire state, Dane County was down. Did the birds take a route along Lake Michigan instead of more inland? Did favorable winds push them through in a hurry? Also, what happened to Blue-headed Vireos in Dane County this spring? Their numbers were way down, too. Every migration seems to have a few mysteries.

Digiscoping-wise, I had a very productive season with lots of beautiful images to preserve memories of my spring birding excursions. Sometime in April I switched from using the Swarovski TLS APO adapter to the DCBII with an 18.5mm lens (Nikon 1 V1). The shorter focal length made it considerably easier to track fast-moving songbirds. When I felt I needed more magnification, I simply changed the ocular zoom from 25x to 30x, or even 40x, with only minor loss of detail and resolution. There are pros and cons with each adapter, but I plan to stick with the DCBII for a while.

I'll likely spend more time at prairies throughout June. I bought a new macro lens for my Nikon 1 V1 and intend to do more insect and wildflower photography.

Nashville Warbler © 2013 Mike McDowell

Late May at Baxter's Hollow

Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager had been singing throughout the morning from the highest points of the forest canopy. As he changed perches, a chance meal in the form of a bright green caterpillar would interrupt his song, but only momentarily. Perhaps the tanager was already aware of the small pools of water near the base of the tree trunks or maybe he came upon them purely by chance.

Taking a longer break from his song, he moved down through the branches and made is way toward the forest floor. The pools were so calm they appeared as mirrors reflecting images of the leaves skyward. They beckoned the tanager to move in even closer. The invitation was too great to ignore and his descending flights from branch to branch became more deliberate and precise with intent.

I didn't see the tanager bathe, but witnessed the theatrical preening that followed. The rest is how I imagined it before human eyes were fixed upon the bird. Birders crave these moments and capturing it in a photograph preserves the memory of a great day of birding at Baxter's Hollow in the Baraboo Hills.


Nodding Trillium

Most songbirds were heard only. This is how it is by late May at Baxter's Hollow. Leaves conceal thrushes, flycatchers, vireos, and warblers, but at least colorful wildflowers are visible near your feet. If you know the behavior of the bird behind the song, then you're likely to appreciate your chances of seeing it. A Winter Wren in the woods on the opposite side of Otter Creek? Forget it. Listen for a few moments and move on.

You'll also pause for the voices of Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Canada Warblers, or the haunting calls of a Pileated Woodpeckers, but you're unlikely to see them. If you're lucky, though, you might catch a glimpse of a Veery, Ovenbird, or Acadian Flycatcher. Of the fifty or so bird species that were detected by song, fewer than half were ultimately seen.


Columbine


Mayapple

Baxter's Hollow SNA, Sauk, US-WI
May 26, 2013 7:00 AM - 10:30 AM
51 species

Great Blue Heron 
Turkey Vulture 
Mourning Dove 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 
Barred Owl 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
Downy Woodpecker 
Pileated Woodpecker 
Eastern Wood-Pewee 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 
Acadian Flycatcher 
Alder Flycatcher 
Least Flycatcher 
Eastern Phoebe 
Great Crested Flycatcher 
Yellow-throated Vireo 
Red-eyed Vireo 
Blue Jay 
American Crow 
Black-capped Chickadee 
Tufted Titmouse 
White-breasted Nuthatch 
Winter Wren 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
Veery 
Wood Thrush 
American Robin 
Gray Catbird 
Ovenbird 
Louisiana Waterthrush 
Blue-winged Warbler 
Tennessee Warbler 
Common Yellowthroat 
American Redstart 
Blackburnian Warbler 
Yellow Warbler 
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Canada Warbler 
Eastern Towhee 
Chipping Sparrow 
Field Sparrow 
Song Sparrow 
Scarlet Tanager 
Northern Cardinal 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 
Indigo Bunting 
Brown-headed Cowbird 
House Finch 
American Goldfinch 

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

A visit to Spring Green Preserve

Spring Green Preserve is an awesome place for nature photographers; there's something for every nature enthusiast to enjoy and appreciate. From fascinating insects and reptiles, wildflowers, to beautiful scenery, and of course, lots of interesting grassland birds. With yesterday's gorgeous weather, it was an excellent place to spend my afternoon.


Prickly Pear Cactus

On the scenery side of things, I finally got to see the landscape of the prairie without the oak barrens that used to be in the southwest corner by the parking area. It's somewhat perplexing to consider this an improvement, as it was habitat for a multitude of bird species, including Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher, and others. Aesthetically, it shielded the prairie from the road and town and also provided a degree of sound proofing. Steve Richter, The Nature Conservancy's director of conservation in agricultural landscapes, explains why this clearing was done at this link.


Lark Sparrow

It didn't take long to find a few Lark Sparrows. Spring Green Prairie is one of the few places in Wisconsin where this species can be observed in respectable numbers. This particular individual moved down from its perch to investigate something along the sandy trail.



A little bit further down the trail, I found another handsomely perched Lark Sparrow surveying its domain. As sparrows go, these are especially attractive ones. I love their head and face patterns; every topological plumage feature is accented with stark contrast and color. Plus, they have an amazing song that's full of sweeping notes, trills, chips, and whistles.



At first glance, the prairie's wildflowers seemed little subdued, but the keen observer will find flowering gems like this Blue Toadflax (below). There was also Birdsfoot Violet, Hoary Puccoon, Cream Wild Indigo, and more. You could spend all day simply appreciating the prairie's unique flora. It changes every couple of weeks, too, so a return trip may yield an entirely different wildflower experience.


Blue Toadflax

Another bird I was hoping to see was the Grasshopper Sparrow. They're a member of the genus ammodramus, which are my favorite sparrows. This particular bird was perched on the west side of the trail, so I didn't have an especially good angle on the late afternoon light. Still, the backlighting gave the sparrow pleasing chestnut color accents that aren't as apparent with direct light. He sang on and off the entire duration of my visit.


Grasshopper Sparrow



All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Worm-eating Warblers in Madison!

Absolutely amazing! There are two Worm-eating Warblers present on the Grady Tract at the UW Arboretum. Apparently, one of them was observed there by Sumner Matteson on May 14th, so it's possible these birds are on territory. Don't they like Baxter's Hollow any more? It's been years since I've seen (or heard) one there.





I visited the Grady Tract today to try to get a photograph of one of the warblers, but the lighting wasn't very good and the most vocal and obvious of the two spent its time foraging and singing way up in the canopy. At one point the bird came down mid-story, but it was too far away for a close-up portrait. Instead, I opted to capture a video of it singing:



And who said warbler migration is over? While waiting for the Worm-eating Warbler, I heard Cerulean Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Canada Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, and Blackpoll Warbler. It isn't over yet!

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

What is it?

Taken this spring at Pheasant Branch Conservancy.

All of the Prothonotary Warblers I've observed so far this spring have had what appears to be a reddish-orange stain above the bill, sometimes extending over the head. I've recently observed the same feather feature in prothonotary photographs taken by other birders as well.

I first noticed this "field mark" a few years ago on a bird at Pheasant Branch Conservancy (see photograph below), but it was faint enough that I thought it was merely a plumage characteristic, perhaps something adult birds acquired over the course of subsequent molts. However, photographs I've taken this year show that it isn't just coloration, but appears to be something sticky that’s matting their feathers.


Just a hint of the stain is visible on this 2011 bird.

While conducting researching on the Internet, I discovered a message thread on the Illinois Birders’ Forum about a "weird prothonotary warbler" regarding this plumage mark. An experienced bird bander who has handled many Prothonotary Warblers had this to say about the mark:

"Having handled a few hundred male Prothonotaries over the past 8 years in southern Illinois, the brown feathers at the base of the bill like the Busey bird are fairly common. As they commonly stick their head in small nooks and crannies amongst the foliage at the water edge, they will routinely 'foul' their head feathers. This can last for weeks, but will wear off over time."

What do you think it is, though? Dirt? Tree sap? Something else?

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Scarlet Tanagers!

"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life."

~ John Burroughs


Pheasant Branch Conservancy creek corridor

While Pheasant Branch Conservancy is a wonderful natural area to view and photograph a wide variety of songbirds, it isn't always the most tranquil place. The multi-use creek corridor trail is quiet for the first hour or so of daylight, but eventually it becomes a busy place with bicyclists, joggers, and dog walkers. Even the seasonal influx of birders and photographers can add to the cacophony of interfering human noises. But for an escape to genuine woodland solitude, Baxter’s Hollow in the Baraboo Hills is a relatively short distance away.



The plan for my day off was to first go birding with my friends at the conservancy, and then head up to Baxter’s Hollow to photograph wildflowers and Scarlet Tanagers. I found tanagers at both locations, but they were actually much more cooperative at the conservancy.





Right now there’s a lovely variety of wildflowers along Otter Creek, including Jacob’s Ladder, Spring Beauty, Marsh Marigold, and Nodding Trillium. For me, though, the best part about a trip to Baxter’s Hollow is to find a comfortable place to sit and listen to the songs of birds and be idle for as long as possible.


Otter Creek at Baxter's Hollow




Jacob's Ladder


Spring Beauty


A place to decompress!

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Madison Audubon Warbler Walk: Results!

Baltimore Oriole

Around 60 birders attended the Madison Audubon Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy this morning and observed at least 22 warbler species. A Mourning Warbler was reported, but only a few people got to see (or hear) it. New for spring were Wilson's and Canada Warblers. There was an influx of vireos, but we still haven't seen many thrushes like Swainson's and Gray-cheeked. I wish I had the entire day to bird there because things were hopping!

Pheasant Branch, Dane, US-WI
May 14, 2013 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM
74 species

Wood Duck
Mallard
Green Heron
Broad-winged Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow


Trillium

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Creek Corridor Beauty!

Pheasant Branch Conservancy creek corridor

Though there is a lot of honeysuckle, garlic mustard, and other invasives along the creek corridor trail of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, it's still a treasure trove of Nature's wild gifts. May is a great time to live in Wisconsin. Having traveled half the states in our country, nothing beats Wisconsin. I'm grateful to witness our state's phenological progression through spring every year. Though there are familiar colors, shapes, and forms, each spring renders a few surprises and carries elements of unpredictable uniqueness.


Colorful Tree Lichens


Violets are finally blooming.


Mink!

I was finally able to capture a photograph of a creek corridor mink. This particular one appeared to be protecting a meal that was stashed behind the rocks. An enthralled and amused group of observers watched, but were never exactly sure what it was carrying in its mouth. Some thought it might have been a baby squirrel that had fallen out of its nest.


Wood Ducks

A pair of Wood Ducks relaxed in the late afternoon light. It's comforting to know their lives aren't always filled with skittishness and that there are moments for them to simply enjoy being ducks. I seldom ever observe them being so docile, especially when they first arrive at the creek corridor in early April.


Bay-breasted Warbler

This Bay-breasted Warbler put on quite a show for a group of birders along the east trail between the first two bridges. A fine bird, indeed, but I was more captivated by a Black-and-white Warbler probing its bill into the crevices of tree bark. At one point he stuck is entire head into a small cavity and found something to eat, perhaps a nice juicy spider.


Black-and-white Warbler


Black-and-white Warbler


Black-and-white Warbler


Least Flycatcher

Shortly after I took this photograph, this Least Flycatcher got harassed by a House Wren. While the wren was no match for the flycatcher's agility, the commotion between the two attracted the interest of a nearby Song Sparrow, who began to chase the House Wren! The flycatcher perched higher up, as if to observe the melee from above and perhaps reassess the situation. The wren dashed for cover under a fallen log, but the sparrow perched on top of it and waited. Once the wren reemerged, the sparrow took off after it again. This went on for several more minutes until the sparrow declared victory with a burst of song. Calm restored, the flycatcher resumed looking for flying insects to eat.

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Creek corridor Barred Owls: Update!

Prey item looks like a species of sucker.

Bird activity this morning at Pheasant Branch Conservancy was slightly subdued, but I still managed to find 18 warbler species which included a singing Cerulean Warbler. At least one Black-throated Blue Warbler was still present and a Cape May Warbler continues to favor a particular hackberry tree near the frog pond on the west trail. Overall numbers have been dwindling the past few days, but I suspect the next big wave will arrive on Thursday.



I photographed Barred Owls for a couple of minutes this morning. I don't like to stand in their presence for very long because they're busy bringing food to their young and I want to keep disturbances to a minimum. Still, these owls are attracting a lot of attention from curious onlookers. One couple I spoke to drove up from Iowa to see this family of owls. A couple days ago I seized the opportunity to provide an educational moment and also let kids look at the owls with my spotting scope. They were in awe and it was cool to share enjoyment of these birds in the glow of their enthusiasm.


Youngster awaits a meal from its parents.

As you can see from the pictures, sushi was on the menu this morning. I remember the night I walked through Pheasant Branch and observed one of the Barred Owl fishing. Prior to that, I thought they only ate small rodents and birds. They are opportunistic predators. In addition to fish they also eat small reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates like crayfish and large insects.

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Score!

Newspapers, magazines, calendars, DVD & CD jackets, and now beer!

Friday, May 17th 5:00-7:30pm

LOST OWL LAGER HOOTENANNY: A Fundraiser for the Great Wisconsin Birdathon

If you're one of the hundreds of people who flocked to the Brewery to see our very own Lost Great Grey Owl, this event is for you! Join us for the Lost Owl Lager Hooetenanny: A Fundraiser for the Great Wisconsin Birdathon, featuring live music and a raffle to win one of the fibe great prizes: Binoculars donated by Eagle Optics, Case of Lost Owl Lager donated by Capital Brewery, Free Big Day Field Trip of yur choice for up to 4 people donated by the Great Wisconsin Birdathon, Free Field Trip of your choice for up to 4 people donated by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Fabulous birding books donated by Steve Betchkal. All proceeds help bird conservation in Wisconsin.

Link: Order Lost Owl Lager today at Capital Brewery!

The Warbler Parade continues!

Black-throated Green Warbler

It was another thrilling morning of warbler watching at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. I didn’t cover much ground because most of the activity was occurring between the first and second bridges on the east creek corridor trail.


Magnolia Warbler

The light was good and the birds were foraging relatively low once again. I got a couple of nice images of Black-throated Green and Magnolia Warblers, but my favorite of the morning was a Black-throated Blue Warbler.


Black-throated Blue Warbler



There were two of them, actually. Both birds were singing and making their way closer to the trail. Eventually, patience paid off and the handsome warbler perched in the open for a nice portrait.



All images © 2013 Mike McDowell

Warbler Weekend!

Tree buds opened virtually overnight, decorating branches with every shade of green imaginable. It was a veritable warbler bonanza on Saturday, but things were a little slower today and most of the White-throated Sparrows apparently moved out of the conservancy for destinations further north. I'll miss their sweet melancholy songs early in the morning.


White-throated Sparrow


Dutchman's Breeches


Dutchman's Breeches


Trout Lily

More spring ephemeral wildflowers have blossomed. I thought about heading up to Baxter's Hollow to photograph more, but I stayed at Pheasant Branch to digiscope warblers. Somehow I missed seeing Dutchman's Breeches at the conservancy in past years, but there they were right along the creek corridor trail. There's also a nice Mayapple patch near the east entrance that's coming up nicely.



The warblers were plentiful and cooperative. Though we experienced warmer weather this weekend, the birds were still foraging close to the ground. My hunch is that there haven't been adequate insect hatchings to lure them back up to the canopy. Warblers favor Hackberry trees for foraging. Perhaps they're finding juicy spiders or midges hiding in bark crevices.

And now for the birds!


Blue-gray Gnatcatcher


Yellow Warbler


Yellow Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Black-and-white Warbler


Nashville Warbler


Black-throated Green Warbler


Black-throated Green Warbler

The above bird photographs were taken with a Swarovski ATX 85 spotting scope, Nikon 1 V1 & 18.5mm f/1.8 lens, and Swarovski DCBII adapter. This combination renders less magnification compared to the Swarovski TLS APO, but it provides faster shutter speeds and makes framing fast-moving songbirds considerably easier. Once I managed to get a bird in the frame, I would increase the eyepiece magnification from 25x to as high as 40x depending on the composition I was going for.

Pheasant Branch, Dane, US-WI
May 4, 2013 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
89 species

Canada Goose 
Wood Duck 
Mallard 
Blue-winged Teal 
Green-winged Teal 
Lesser Scaup 
Pied-billed Grebe 
Great Blue Heron 
Cooper's Hawk 
Bald Eagle 
Red-tailed Hawk 
Sandhill Crane 
Killdeer 
Spotted Sandpiper 
Solitary Sandpiper 
Ring-billed Gull 
Rock Pigeon 
Mourning Dove 
Great Horned Owl 
Barred Owl 
Belted Kingfisher 
Red-headed Woodpecker 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 
Downy Woodpecker 
Hairy Woodpecker 
Northern Flicker 
American Kestrel 
Least Flycatcher 
Eastern Phoebe 
Eastern Kingbird 
Blue-headed Vireo 
Warbling Vireo 
Blue Jay 
American Crow 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 
Tree Swallow 
Barn Swallow 
Cliff Swallow 
Black-capped Chickadee 
Tufted Titmouse 
White-breasted Nuthatch 
House Wren 
Carolina Wren 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
Eastern Bluebird 
Veery 
Wood Thrush 
American Robin 
Gray Catbird 
Brown Thrasher 
European Starling 
Ovenbird 
Northern Waterthrush 
Golden-winged Warbler 
Black-and-white Warbler 
Tennessee Warbler 
Orange-crowned Warbler 
Nashville Warbler 
Common Yellowthroat 
American Redstart 
Cape May Warbler 
Northern Parula 
Magnolia Warbler 
Yellow Warbler 
Blackpoll Warbler 
Black-throated Blue Warbler 
Palm Warbler 
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Chipping Sparrow 
Clay-colored Sparrow 
Song Sparrow 
Lincoln's Sparrow 
Swamp Sparrow 
White-throated Sparrow 
White-crowned Sparrow 
Dark-eyed Junco 
Northern Cardinal 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 
Red-winged Blackbird 
Common Grackle 
Brown-headed Cowbird 
Baltimore Oriole 
Purple Finch 
House Finch 
Pine Siskin 
American Goldfinch 
House Sparrow 

All images © 2013 Mike McDowell