The Sora!

"I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing."

― Herman Melville

Before meeting up with my birding posse at the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor, I made a stop at the Black Earth Creek Natural Resource Area for newly arrived migrants. It had been a week since my last visit, so I figured prospects were good. There were dozens of Marsh Wrens and among the swallows I picked out a few Cliff. But the highlight was a Sora that was somewhat out in the open. 

Given swampy and tangled vegetation, it was virtually impossible to get a clear shot without some obstructing plants, but these are the best Sora shots I've captured in a long time. 

What a nifty bird!

Unfortunately, the creek corridor was surprisingly quiet on the warbler front — aside from a handful of Yellow-rumps, a Northern Waterthrush, and a Pine Warbler. We made up for the lack of variety, though, by finding singing Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Carolina Wrens.

 

After a few hours of birding, we called it an outing and went our separate ways. 

Sue and I had more to do, though.

 

On our way up to Sauk, we detoured to Ashton K Pond to check for shorebirds. It's not a pond per se, but an agricultural field that floods after heavy rains (we've had them, as you know). Once I got the spotting scope set up, I was thrilled to find a pair of Black-necked Stilts, followed by two more further east; since we hadn't realized they'd already been reported, it was a fantastic surprise year bird and my first sighting of the species in about eight years. I think it was Horicon NWR where I'd last seen them.

While we were scanning for other shorebirds, they all started giving alarm calls. I said "There's gotta be a raptor coming in!" Sure enough, the whole shorebird crew took off northward, and I spotted a Peregrine Falcon diving down. It skimmed right over the pond but missed the strike, then landed on the western edge about a dozen feet from the water. I got it in the spotting scope but it didn't stick around long — it took off again and we lost it heading west. 

The amusing part was all the birders who kept showing up for the Rare Bird Alert on the stilts only to find they just missed them. That's the life of the chaser, I suppose!

Sauk Prairie State Recreational Area was alive with tiger beetles!

 

I love it so. 

Within minutes, I located several Big Sand, but there were also impressive numbers of Oblique-lined and Festives. 

Here's a rather festive-colored Festive.

And some reddish Festives making more ... Festives.

Remember the flooded Wisconsin River?

It was incredible to see how much the water had receded in just a few days. With the shoreline habitat reappearing, Bronzed Tiger Beetles were out in full force — dozens of them were busy hunting and mating along the banks. While the recent flooding likely claimed some of the population, the survivors were out in impressive numbers, carrying on as if nothing had happened.

 

Nature is resilient. 

We considered heading to Baxter's Hollow in search of Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica), but ended up finding them right along Burma Road at Devil's Lake State Park instead. If you're planning a trip, keep in mind that while you can head in from Sauk Prairie Recreation Area, you'll eventually hit a gate that prevents vehicle access into the park itself. As a bonus, though, there are on-territory Pine Warblers present.

After a solid day's adventure, we grabbed dinner at Tumbled Rock Brewery & Kitchen. A couple friends had recommend it, and we can report that the food and service was fantastic. The beer was good, too! I had the Devil's Doorway Double IPA. Generally, Sue and I would hit Vintage Brewery on our way back home from our Sauk County excursions, but being right next to Devil's Lake State Park makes Tumbled Rock much more convenient place to plan around.

I highly recommend the walleye.

 

It's a busy week coming up, so I'm not sure how much birding or blogging I'll get done. There's a wedding to attend, a David Byrne concert, and work. Alas, this likely wraps up the month of April.  

 

I'll see you in May! 

 

All images © 2026 Mike McDowell

How did I miss this?

 

Incontrovertible proof that anyone can get a big life list!

Storms, Flooding, and Migration

"There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on whats brewing for tomorrow."

― Maria Snyder

 

Part I: Migration Update 

This past weekend's birding added two new wood warblers to my year list: Northern Waterthrush and Pine Warbler. The recent wave of migration also brought first-of-season sightings of Henslow's Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Dunlin, and Broad-winged Hawk.

 

NEXRAD showed solid migration during the night on the 17th ...

But the next night, a massive cold front came in and kept migrating birds to the south and east ...

Again, the overlapping wind map ...

Part II: Storms

 

On Friday, this particular system rendered severe thunderstorms that spawned dozens of tornadoes and large hail ...

This is some of the largest hail I've ever seen. Although we have underground parking where I live, vehicles left in the outdoor lots were peppered with dents. Strong winds downed a few trees in my neighborhood. Ringle (Marathon County) was hit the hardest with an EF3 tornado, destroying or damaging several homes. Fortunately, nobody was severely injured or killed. 

 

Part III: Sauk County Bound 

The Wisconsin River was already running high, but the storms pushed it into dramatic flooding. These photos were taken at the Sauk City Canoe Launch—one of my favorite tiger beetle haunts. It remains to be seen whether any of the beetles will endure the flooding or return to the site once the waters recede.

Next up, Devil's Lake State Park ...

Our hike along Grottos Trail yielded little bird activity—just a Winter Wren and several woodpecker species—though the trail never fails to deliver its breathtaking view of the East Bluff. Despite the natural beauty, this particular path always stirs darker memories: I can't help but recall the tragic murder of John Craig Schmutzer, who was stabbed to death here on October 14th, 2020. The case remains unsolved. Devil's Lake has a body count, but most are from climbing accidents and drownings. 

Sue and I had never been to the park's Nature Center. Situated on the North Shore, functioning as the primary hub for the park's exhibits, naturalist programs, and visitor resources. It features animal and geology displays, hands-on natural history specimens, and historic photographs. I couldn't help notice an error on this Black-throated Green Warbler display, but didn't have the heart to tell them.

There were Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) in bloom near the park's main entrance ...

It's a fascinating wildflower native to eastern North America, distinguished by its unique shape that resembles upside-down pantaloons, which have evolved for specialized pollination by bumblebees capable of forcing them open. As a spring ephemeral, it employs a clever phenological strategy, completing its entire above-ground life cycle quickly before the forest canopy leafs out and blocks sunlight, relying on a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi to efficiently absorb nutrients during this brief period. 

All parts of the plant contain toxic psychoactive compounds, including apomorphine, protoberberine, and protopine. While cattle typically avoid it, ingestion can lead to a neurological condition known as "cerebral cortical necrosis" or "craze seizures," earning the plant the rancher's nickname 'Staggerweed.' This toxic nature stood in stark contrast to the delicate image held by some of its admirers; allegedly, Victorian wildflower enthusiasts were not amused by the common name "breeches," particularly because they were aware that the singular form "breech" referred to the buttocks.

We concluded our weekend adventure by checking for Birdsfoot Violets (Viola pedata) at Spring Green Preserve, where it proved abundant.

This wildflower is host to the eggs and caterpillars of the Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia), which is an endangered butterfly in Wisconsin.

The cooler temperatures had me thinking the sandy trail would be devoid of tiger beetles, but we spotted one lone Festive Tiger Beetle soaking up the sun.

Just two Lark Sparrows were found, but a lot more are on the way.

In fact, a lot more of everything is on the way!

 

All images © 2026 Mike McDowell

Shameful: H.J.Res.140

"This joint resolution nullifies Public Land Order 7917, which withdrew approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, Minnesota, from mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years. In 2023, the Bureau of Land Management issued the order to protect and preserve the Rainy River Watershed, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area, and the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa from the potential adverse effects of mineral and geothermal exploration and development. The joint resolution removes such protections and allows such land to be leased for the exploration and development of minerals and geothermal energy." 

Vance vs. Pope

"Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated Holocaust camps and liberated those, those innocent people, you know, those who had survived the Holocaust? I certainly think the answer is yes ... but I think one of the issues here is that if you're going to opine on matters of theology, you've got to be careful. You've got to make sure it's anchored in the truth, and that's one of the things that I try to do, and it's certainly something I would expect from the clergy, whether they’re Catholic or Protestant."

— J.D. Vance

"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

— Stephen F. Roberts

From an intellectually honest, evidence-based perspective, we don't know whether any god or gods exist. Because of that, any claim about which "side" god supports in a geopolitical conflict is ultimately speculative. Both Pope Leo and J. D. Vance are making confident assertions about divine alignment based on their own interpretations of theology and history, but neither has a verifiable way to substantiate those claims.

The Pope's statement that Jesus "is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs" reflects a particular theological viewpoint rather than an empirically provable fact. Likewise, Vance's claim that god was on the side of Americans during World War II is his own interpretive conclusion, though very likely shared by many Americans. But just because many people believe something doesn't make it true.

During WWII, German soldiers certainly thought "Gott Mit Uns" (god is with us):

In this sense, though, both are attributing positions to god that align with their broader moral, political, or theological frameworks. The exchange highlights how religious language can be used to frame and legitimize political arguments, even when those claims about divine intent cannot be independently verified.

Since no one has the slightest evidence of divine intervention in history, both are merely ventriloquizing for a silent heaven. One baptizes pacifism, the other nationalism, and each calls it theology.

Back to birding and insecting ...

Migration Notes!

"Some people are very competitive in their birding. Maybe they'll die happy, having seen a thousand species before they die, but I'll die happy knowing I've spent all that quiet time being present."

― Lynn Thomson

 

Part I: Migration Update

On Sunday, Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor was alive with Yellow-rumped Warblers. These hardy wood warblers—often the first to arrive in spring migration and the last to depart in fall—seemed to be everywhere, flitting among the budding branches and darting out in aerial sallies to catch emerging insects (mostly midge flies). Common, but still gorgeous.

I'm at 4 warbler species so far this spring:

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Louisiana Waterthrush

Palm Warbler

 

Take a look NEXRAD from early Sunday morning ...

And the wind ...

The overlapping pattern of wind direction and birds aloft. 

 

Migratory birds almost always wait for a tailwind—they can boost speed, conserve energy, and increase survival during migration. Checking NEXRAD radar first thing in the morning provides a preview of what the day's birding might hold. Radar images can reveal large concentrations of migrating  birds, giving birders a heads-up about potential fallouts or heavy migration activity. By checking radar, you can anticipate whether you'll encounter a significant movement of birds or a quieter day in the field.

Having said that, radar conditions don't always translate to uniform bird distribution across all locations. A night with heavy migration might show impressive radar returns, yet specific hotspots can remain surprisingly quiet. This has happened more times than I can recall. The reality is that birds concentrate in favorable habitats, and without local intelligence, you might miss the action entirely. 

 

Here's a nice trail to bird ...

A scenic section of Military Ridge State Trail I cross on my way to work every morning. I'll typically find 20 to 30 species in just 20 minutes. This is where I found an Orange-crowned Warbler this morning, and my first-of-spring Red-headed Woodpecker and Brown Thrasher.

 

Part II: Vesper Sparrows

On the outskirts of Sauk City, I spent some time photographing Vesper Sparrows at a dead-end road near old tiger beetle haunt. While development has since claimed most of the beetle habitat, the sparrows endure (for now). Despite the hurdles of a stiff wind and cloud-filtered light, my digiscoping efforts were rewarded by the their persistent songs rising from the ground and trees.

Perhaps 3 or 4 singing males were present.

A nifty looking sparrow with an incredibly melodious song.

The wind rendered that do!

Part III: Stuff at Baxter's Hollow

A storm was closing in from the west, but we had just enough time to check Baxter's Hollow. As expected, the Louisiana Waterthrushes had returned. I heard two of them counter-singing along Otter Creek, though they remained at too great a distance to photograph. A nearby lightening strike sent us scrambling back to the car, then the sky unleashed its fury was we drove out of the woods.

Round-lobed Hepatica—there was a lot more this time.

Marsh Marigolds were open ...

Skunk Cabbage! The spathe is the colorful bract or leaf-like structure that encloses the spadix (flower cluster) or inflorescence. It's essentially a protective sheath that can be mistaken for a petal but is botanically distinct. 

The spadix, on the other hand, the actual flower cluster itself—a fleshy, spike-like structure covered in numerous tiny flowers. It sits within or emerges from the spathe. The spathe serves to protect the developing spadix and often acts as a visual attractant for pollinators. In some species like skunk cabbage, the spathe can even generate enough heat to melt through snow.

There's something comical about Wood frogs. It's one of the first amphibians to stir in spring, often emerging while snow still blankets the ground. They gather in temporary woodland pools to breed, their quack-like call echoing throughout the hollow.

All images © 2026 Mike McDowell