― Louisa May Alcott
The line of clouds covering southeastern Wisconsin didn't move beyond my neck of the woods until mid-afternoon. Finally, though, we got a bit of sunshine for a change. While the southern United States is getting pounded with snow, we have barely any.
I decided to bird several locations near Middleton and along the western shore of Lake Mendota. The Madison Christmas Bird Count is next Saturday, so this was more or less a scouting mission. For the time of year, three dozen species is about average. Pat Ready is now Captain of Area 21 where Pheasant Branch Dog Park is, but I'll be helping by searching for owls. Anyway, today the best finds were a Northern Shrike and a Merlin.
Northern Shrike
Tundra Swans
Another birder found a Snow Goose in the water near Marshall Park on Saturday. Not having one for the year, I initiated my search of Lake Mendota there. I didn't find the goose, but there were several Tundra Swans just off beach. Other birds on the lake included Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Mallards and Canada Geese. Further down the shore I heard the call of a Belted Kingfisher.
Cedar Waxwing
In other Wisconsin bird news, around 50 or so Snowy Owls have been reported in the state. I haven't seen one yet this fall/winter, but I'm sure I'll probably encounter one at some point. Not that I'm counting, it looks like I'll finish 2018 with 218 bird species―a meager effort compared to the state's listers and chasers.
It's been a strange year. I'm looking forward to writing my 2018 end-of-year post in a few weeks. After that? I'll probably blog less this winter than usual. I think for 2019 I'm going to place more of an emphasis on insects and maybe fossils. When this blog's anniversary comes up in February, there will be the nagging question whether or not to keep it going. It's a lot easier to share photographs on other social media platforms.
Middleton Area Birding
December 9th, 2018
36 species
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Mallard
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
© 2018 Mike McDowell