"Even though February was the shortest month of the year, sometimes it seemed like the longest."
― J.D. Robb
Here in southern Wisconsin we finally got a break from below-zero temperatures this weekend, which prompted me to go outside for winter birding. The chosen destination for the greatest reward was Pheasant Branch, where I was hoping to find Common Redpolls, and did so. There were several American Robins and a Belted Kingfisher―their voices combined with Northern Cardinal and Black-capped Chickadee songs rendering a sense-taste of the coming spring. Other enthusiastic avian vocalists included Tufted Titmouse, American Tree Sparrows, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatches, and a single Brown Creeper, my first of the year.
Wintery woodlands are as stunning as they are calm, especially after a fresh snowfall―I do long for the return of plants, wildflowers, and insects, though. It's always fun to return after a few days and investigate various critter tracks in the snow. My brief visits do not tell the tale of all the animals that are plodding here to there in search of food or shelter. To be sure, life outdoors picks up pace during the second half of February, or at least it becomes more obvious to the studious visitor. There are already plenty of ornithological cues that spring isn't too far off. By the end of this month Sandhill Cranes and Red-winged Blackbirds will be back at the marsh. And do you realize that some tiger beetle species can be found by the end of next month? I can hardly wait.
Lately there have been some extraordinary sunsets I've witnessed on my way home from work. At the present time the length of daylight works out very well to seeing them from a particular hill just south of Shovelers Sink near the Town of Middleton. I really like the sun pillar of the first photograph, but such images always fall well short of scenic beauty when you're actually out there―nothing quite does justice standing in awe of the huge canopy of the dusk sky. A few avian silhouettes I identify as Mourning Doves chase the twilight, making their way to their nocturnal roosts. For these fleeting moments, all seems right in the world, and yet they happen every single day to the astute observer. I'll stop and admire them any time I'm able to.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy
Feb 20, 2021
25 species
Canada Goose
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
European Starling
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
All images © 2021 Mike McDowell