Máistir Nádúraí: Come see Bobolinks!

6.07.2011

Come see Bobolinks!

Curt Caslavka and I scouted the fields at Middleton Municipal Airport this morning ahead of the Madison Audubon field trip scheduled there for this Saturday at 8:30AM. We found around 50 BOBOLINKS, close to 30 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, and dozens upon dozens of SAVANNAH SPARROWS. We thought we heard a DICKCISSEL far off (I know there are some along Deming Way right now). Other birds on the property included EASTERN KINGBIRD, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, YELLOW WARBLER, WARBLING VIREO, and some GREEN HERONS.

If you're planning to attend this Saturday, you should:

Bring drinking water.
Bring insect repellent.
Wear long pants.
Wear waterproof hiking boots.

The field trip will provide a rare opportunity to see an impressive concentration of Bobolinks and other grassland bird species. I think it's cool there's a place so close to town where they are flourishing like this. Thanks goes out to Middleton Public Lands, Richard Morey (Airport Manager), and Curt for getting permission for us to lead a field trip on this interesting property!

Addendum 06/13/11:

Here's Rich Morey's contact info if you want to send him a 'thank you' note:

Richard Morey
8300 Airport Road
Middleton WI 53562
cfiirich@tds.net

Bobolink image © 2011 Mike McDowell

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.