Máistir Nádúraí: Birds on Lake Mendota

11.27.2007

Birds on Lake Mendota

Common Loon on Lake Mendota

Since I haven't been getting out much lately, there hasn't been much birding news or photographs to share on my blog. The last time I went birding I went to look for some Western Grebes at Spring Harbor Beach on Lake Mendota that had been reported to the Wisconsin Birding Network. Though they turned out to be Horned Grebes, they were still pretty neat to look at. (The report of five Western Grebes did seem to be extraordinarily unusual, I thought).

Horned Grebes

Other birds on the water included Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, Red-necked Grebe, Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, American Coots and lots of Common Loons. There have been a few reports of a Pacific Loon on Lake Mendota, but I haven't tried to go look for it.

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.