― William Shakespeare
Spring Green Preserve
That's a wrap for July! I was still feeling a bit fatigued from the illness I had a few weeks ago, so I took it easy on Saturday. On Sunday, I went to Spring Green Preserve with Mark and Dottie Johnson. We were hoping to find the previously reported Blue Grosbeak, but didn't encounter it during our outing at the preserve. We still found a fairly decent assortment of birds given the breeding season is drawing to a close. Some birds have already dispersed and won't be back until next spring. Meanwhile, before fall migration really kicks in ... it's still bug season!
Punctured Tiger Beetle Cicindela punctulata
Big Sand Tiger Beetle Cicindela formosa
Rober Fly Proctacanthella cacopiliga
Prickly-pear Cactus Opuntia humifusa
Mark found this cool jumping spider ...
Jumping Spider Phidippus whitmani
Just a few of the preserve's wildflowers ...
Dotted Horsemint Monarda punctata
Prairie Cottonweed Froelichia floridana
St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme
Chickweed Geometer Haematopis grataria
Just off of Highway 14, Kahl Road was on the way there and back. Plus, Dottie really wanted to see the Juniper Hairstreaks. We hit it on the way out but didn't find the little green butterflies. We were much more fortunate when we stopped to check the spot again on the way home. I decided to take photographs since they were so accommodating.
Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus
Not a single outing to Pheasant Branch during July. So much for breeding season data!
Spring Green Preserve, Sauk, Wisconsin, US
Jul 29, 2018 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
35 species
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Grasshopper Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Meadowlark
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch
All images © 2018 Mike McDowell