~ David Bailey
Cedar Waxwing
Today might end up being my final Pheasant Branch bird outing for 2012, but I'm going to try and hit it one more time on Saturday or Sunday. The temperature was only 10 degrees Fahrenheit when I hit the trail this morning. On account of the cold temps and it being Christmas, I was a little surprised to see quite a few other people out there. Nearly everyone I met commented on the beauty of the snow covered trees. It really was spectacular.
The lighting was much better today, but I know from experience that it's a tad difficult getting sharp digiscope results when it's so cold. Still, the calm conditions and bright sun made it a great day to bundle-up in layers, walk the trails, count the birds, and survey the aftermath of Thursday's big blizzard; lots of trees had fallen from heavy snow.
That's the spot!
Bird-wise, it was a story of expected winter species. But there were a few changes since the Madison Christmas Bird Count on the 15th. I was unable to find the White-throated Sparrows that had been hanging out behind the Conservancy Condos and the Sandhill Cranes finally left the marsh the day after the winter storm. I already miss hearing their bugling calls. I found over a dozen Pine Siskins, but no redpolls. There was a flyover Red-tailed Hawk and Bald Eagle, a few Cedar Waxwings, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and White-breasted Nuthatches.
At one point a Cooper's Hawk flew in and scattered the finches, juncos, tree sparrows, and other songbirds in all directions. The fire-eyed raptor chose a high perch to survey the area for any lingering birds that might become its next meal. Quite a menacing looking bird!
After birding the trail system north of Century Avenue, I headed over to the creek corridor to see what I might add to my day list. The only birds I found there were Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, a few Dark-eyed Juncos, and two Brown Creeper. No owls! But the neat ice formations attached to rocks at the creek crossings caught my eye, so I spent some time photographing them.
Hands
After a few hours of admiring the winter woods, my toes were starting to feel numb. I decided to head home to warm up with some Tazo Vanilla Rooibos tea. Have you ever felt that peculiar sense of accomplishment after a long winter walk? Compared with spring and summer, it's much more of a production in terms of preparation and then removing layers once you're back inside. It's a great feeling!
Pheasant Branch, Dane, US-WI
Dec 25, 2012 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
26 species
Canada Goose
Mallard
Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
All images © 2012 Mike McDowell