Máistir Nádúraí: Bell's Vireo

7.24.2008

Bell's Vireo

The most exciting bird news this summer was finding a Bell's Vireo at Pheasant Branch in early June – it's my first time recording this species at the conservancy. Recently, I confirmed two adults repeatedly carrying food items to a central location. The apparent nest is well off the trail in scrubby habitat. Naturally I'm not going to try to see it in order to further verify their breeding status. Instead, I'm checking the site every few days to try and glimpse the fledged vireos – hopefully they haven't been bringing food to a cowbird all this time!

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.