Fox Sparrow
Birders from around Wisconsin are on the lookout for Bohemian Waxwings, Red Crossbills, and Evening Grosbeaks. On Saturday morning I walked my regular route through Pheasant Branch Conservancy, but didn't find any of these irruptive species. That Evening Grosbeaks have already been observed south of Dane County and in Milwaukee gives me hope of the possibility of finding some in my neck of the woods.
American Tree Sparrow
There were a lot of American Tree Sparrows at prairie parcel, some Fox Sparrows, just one Swamp Sparrow, and the largest flock of House Finches I've ever seen (+200 birds). No Northern Shrikes. I checked the creek corridor, but there wasn't much going on there either. I picked up Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse and Brown Creeper. Near the conservancy condos I found a few more Fox Sparrows, plus White-throated Sparrows, Pine Siskins, Winter Wren, and this Cooper's Hawk:
Cooper's Hawk
Pheasant Branch, Dane, US-WI
Nov 10, 2012 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
37 species
Canada Goose
Mallard
Ring-necked Pheasant
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
American Robin
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
All images © 2012 Mike McDowell