Bobolink
Curt Caslavka and I led a Madison Audubon field trip through Morey Field this morning in search of grassland birds, especially Bobolinks. We've been doing this particular field trip for 4 or 5 years now and it's a real crowd pleaser on account of how many Bobolinks are present. However, the biggest surprise of our outing came when we were near the back edge and I picked up the song of a Bell's Vireo. Checking my records, the last time I found this species in the Middleton area was during the breeding season of 2008 at Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Bobolink (female)
Pope Farm Conservancy
Curt mentioned he found Dickcissels at
Pope Farm Conservancy, so I headed over that way after lunch. I
didn't see or hear any until I got to the prairie on the north side
of picnic area. There were at least two. One was singing away perched
at the top of a small oak tree and was acting aggressively at other
songbirds. Any Field Sparrow or Clay-colored Sparrow that ventured
too close and the Dickcissel would swoop down from his perch and
chase it away. The other Dickcissel was in the northeast corner of
the prairie, perched on a skinny branch and appeared unruffled by
other birds.
Dickcissel
Dickcissel
It's hard to believe we're already
halfway through June.
White Penstemon
Middleton Municipal Airport, Dane,
Wisconsin, US
Jun 14, 2015 8:15 AM - 10:00 AM
33 species
Canada Goose
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Great Blue Heron
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Willow Flycatcher
Bell's Vireo
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch