Farewell May!

"In order to give meaning to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what he frames. This attitude requires concentration, a discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry."

"A photograph is neither taken nor seized by force. It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos."

― Henri Cartier-Bresson


Pheasant Branch Prairie

All of this took place today, but the muggles didn't see it.


Geothlypis trichas


Geothlypis trichas


Tyrannus tyrannus


Spinus tristis


Empidonax traillii


Penstemon grandiflorus


Penstemon grandiflorus


Tragopogon dubius


Spizella pusilla


Lupinus perennis 


Rosa arkansana


Tradescantia ohiensis


Vanessa cardui

Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 30, 2016 6:30 AM - 8:45 AM
48 species

Mallard
Ring-necked Pheasant
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

All images © 2016 Mike McDowell

The Nesters

"The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need ― if only we had the eyes to see. Original sin, the true original sin, is the blind destruction for the sake of greed of this natural paradise which lies all around us ― if only we were worthy of it."

― Edward Abbey


Pheasant Branch Conservancy

With spring migration winding down, the time has come to direct my birding endeavors to nesting species at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Avian diversity remains high despite the fact that most wood warblers have migrated on to northern Wisconsin and beyond. Warblers staying at the conservancy for the remainder of spring and summer are American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat.


Common Yellowthroat

Naturally, there's much more than warblers to study and photograph. The prairie and savanna hosts an impressive assortment of songbirds like Orchard Oriole, Brown Thrasher, Sedge Wren, Indigo Bunting, Willow Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Dickcissel, and Eastern Meadowlark. In fact, one can still find around 80 bird species at the conservancy during the month of July. It's certainly more than enough to keep a nature photographer content for subjects.


Eastern Meadowlark


Indigo Bunting

Spiderwort is beginning to bloom around the base of the drumlin. I look forward to observing the prairie's natural wildflower rearrangement from now through fall. But in the meanwhile, I plan on doing a lot of insect macro photography ― where there are buds and blooms there are bugs!


Spiderwort

I will also be checking the confluence ponds and North Fork marsh along Pheasant Branch Creek. Though a few birders have reported Marsh Wrens, I have yet to hear or see one this spring. The habitat seems perfect for them and they were once quite abundant in past years, so I'm left with speculation regarding their apparent decline or absence this year.


Green Heron

A careful observer might discover around 40 bird species just at the North Fork. Present right now are Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, various swallows, Yellow Warblers, Willow Flycatchers, Sora, Swamp Sparrows, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Ducks, and Spotted Sandpipers.


Spotted Sandpiper

Yesterday I co-led a Natural Resources Foundation tiger beetle and birding field trip at Spring Green Preserve. It took a few hours, but we eventually found Festive Tiger Beetles and one Big Sand Tiger Beetle. It was the weather. Overcast skies, gusty winds, and a recent rainfall kept the tiger beetles under cover. Not until the sun came out for while did the beetles begin to emerge. Fortunately for the participants, the preserve is such an astonishing and unique natural area, there was still much for us to appreciate.


Festive Tiger Beetle

Farewell May and hello June!

Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 26, 2016 8:15 AM - 9:45 AM
71 species

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Ring-necked Pheasant
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Tennessee Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Canada Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

All images © 2016 Mike McDowell

An Orchid Thief in Middleton

I hope you're happy with yourself, whoever you are. I should like to think you might be ashamed of what you've done, but someone as selfish and thoughtless as you are is undoubtedly incapable of experiencing shame. If you're reading this, I want you to know that my friend who was with me when we saw this Showy Orchis was absolutely heartbroken to learn of its demise. And I mean demise because it won't survive wherever you've replanted it. Thus, whatever enjoyment you hoped to gain from your selfish act will be short lived. My friend was especially saddened, as she expressed to me at the scene, because the orchid reminded her of a mutual friend who also loved orchids; he lost his life to cancer a few years ago.



To be sure, you broke the law by stealing this orchid from a nature conservancy, but you also broke someone's heart. It's difficult for me to even comprehend such opportunistic immaturity, greed, and selfishness. How many people walked that path each day and appreciated the orchid? How many knew of its value as part of the conservancy and were content with admiring its beauty and leaving it be for others to enjoy? And then you came along and destroyed such sentiments with your imbecilic and egotistical act. I can just imagine how childish you probably looked on your knees as you frantically dug around the base of the orchid; you were obviously in a hurry for fear of getting caught given the plant remnants and broken stalks. You knew it was wrong and yet you did it anyway out of pure obsessiveness and selfishness.

Shame on you!

Showy Orchis © 2016 Mike McDowell

Yellow and Black in Green

"Always there has been an adventure just around the corner ― and the world is still full of corners."

― Roy Chapman Andrews


Kentucky Warbler

Dottie battled a tough case of pneumonia during the first part of May and missed an entire week's worth of birding. How unfair! She recovered with rest, but ended up with a gap on her spring warbler list and wasn't sure if she would be able to catch up to Sylvia and I. Fortunately, she returned to the Pheasant Branch creek corridor just before the 17th when we found 24 warbler species. However, she still missed Prothonotary Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, plus a few others.

To help make up for her warbler deficit, I suggested a road trip to Wyalusing State Park on Saturday to get warblers on territory like Cerulean, Kentucky, Prothonotary, and Yellow-throated. And then Sunday we could visit Madison's Lost City at the UW Arboretum for Hooded Warbler.

Our plan was an amazing success.


Mourning Warbler

Not only did we get all of our target birds, we also found a singing Mourning Warbler perched on a tree branch. Mourning Warblers at the creek corridor seldom appear in the open or sing continuously from an unobstructed perch. This one, presumably on breeding territory, sang for several minutes before dropping back down to the understory to resume foraging for insects.


Wood Phlox

Long Valley Road, which runs from a campground to the boat landing on Glenn Lake, was decorated with stunning patches of Wood Phlox. Throughout our hike, singing Cerulean Warblers were nearly as common as American Redstarts. It's fortunate they're at least common somewhere as they are one of the fastest declining songbirds in the United States. When we arrived at the boat landing we immediately heard the song of a Prothonotary Warbler. We eventually spotted the bird as it resourcefully inspected parked car bumpers and grills for freshly killed insects.


Hooded Warbler

It only took us a few minutes to locate a Hooded Warbler at the Lost City on Sunday. The dapper songster looked great through my spotting scope, but he wasn't close enough for decent portraiture. We ended up with 23 bird species during our brief visit, but it included a pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos calling in the distance.


Wild Hyacinth


Canada Violet


Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor

Sylvia had a field trip to lead around lunchtime, so Dottie and I returned to the creek corridor to find a very quiet scene. We walked the east leg, but only found a few wood warblers. I assured Dottie it wasn't too late for Blackpoll Warbler and she finally got to see one Monday morning.


Maidenhair Fern


Mayapple

Near the end of our Sunday outing, I discovered a pair of Six-spotted Tiger Beetles hunting on a log. Most other tiger beetle species prefer sandy habitats, but this particular one will patrol just about any flat surface along a woodland trail.


Six-spotted Tiger Beetle







Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 23, 2016 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM
70 species

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Tennessee Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

All images © 2016 Mike McDowell

State of North America's Birds (2016)

"This report is based on the first-ever conservation vulnerability assessment for all 1,154 native bird species that occur in Canada, the continental United States, and Mexico. The assessment was compiled by a team of experts from all three countries. Of these 1,154 species, 432 qualified for the Watch List, indicating species of highest conservation concern based on high vulnerability scores across multiple factors."

Yes, extinction is natural. But the reason the background extinction rate is at least 1,000 times above normal is because of what we're doing to the planet.

Link: The Report (.PDF)

Date with the Bobolinks!

6-05 @ 8:30AM Middleton Airport Grasslands [OB] 

Good Birding!

Scarlet Tanager

Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 17, 2016 5:45 AM - 9:15 AM
75 species

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Bald Eagle
Caspian Tern
Great Horned Owl
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager © 2016 Mike McDowell

Days of May

"Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it."

― W. Somerset Maugham


Gray-cheeked Thrush

The month birders endure all winter for passes far too quickly; we're already halfway through May! The birding at Pheasant Branch Conservancy has been very good, but I kind of wish we could have a repeat of what happened in 2014. Conditions were somewhat similar this May, but lacked the sustained rainy weather along with cold temperatures. Having said that, what's good for bird photography isn't necessarily good for birds.



The forests are filled with verdant green leaves and the dense layers conceal many of the small songbirds birders wish to see. The fresh spring colors glow in the afternoon sunlight and a hike in the woods listening to birdsong is relaxing by just those simple merits. You wouldn't think an owl would be out and about at such a time, but they do have young to feed. Look carefully at the beak of this Barred Owl as it appears to have recently dispatched prey.


Barred Owl

May is a time for flowers ...


Wood Anemone 


Jacob's Ladder


Wood Phlox

And butterflies ...


Pearl Crescent

And tiger beetles!

My first tiger beetle of 2016 was this Six-spotted Tiger Beetle found at Pope Farm Conservancy one day last week. Later that same day, Mark Johnson and I checked out the action at the Sauk City Canoe Launch and found a few other species. In addition to Big Sand Tiger Beetle, there was Oblique-lined, Festive, and Bronzed.


Six-spotted Tiger Beetle


Six-spotted Tiger Beetle


Big Sand Tiger Beetle


Big Sand Tiger Beetle

Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 15, 2016 5:45 AM - 9:45 AM
78 species

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

All images © 2016 Mike McDowell