Máistir Nádúraí: Lots of WCSPs? Think HASP!

10.11.2014

Lots of WCSPs? Think HASP!

White-crowned Sparrow

Right on schedule! Just as White-crowned Sparrow numbers made a discernable jump, I found a Harris's Sparrow (bottom photo) this morning at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. I immediately called Dottie Johnson, left Sylvia Marek a message, texted a few friends, and then posted the sighting to the Wisconsin Birding Facebook group. Dottie and Mark arrived within 10 minutes and got to see the handsome sparrow; the bird was a Wisconsin lifer and their first Harris's in nearly 20 years. While we were waiting, I snapped a few digiscoped images of the gorgeous White-crowned Sparrows, however a couple of these images were taken yesterday.

Zonotrichia rules!

White-crowned Sparrow

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.