"When April steps aside for May, like diamonds all the rain-drops glisten; fresh violets open every day; to some new bird each hour we listen."
― Lucy Larcom
In anticipation of great weather for being outdoors, I took off Thursday and Friday from work ― an extended weekend of birding and other earthen things. It might end up being the nicest four day stretch of weather for the year! Once northwest winds abated and changed to southeast, the Pheasant Branch creek corridor was gangbusters for warblers and other migratory songbirds. In fact, I tallied nearly twenty warbler species on Sunday alone. Weekdays are relatively muggle free, but on Sunday they were crawling off-trail all over everything, and even swimming in the creek. This is why it's best to hit the corridor trial super early on weekend days. At such times the naturalist has a few hours of peace and calm when every bird vocalization can be heard throughout the themes and layers.
There are more private places, though. The various side trails along the creek corridor are reminiscent of how the entire trail system once looked over a quarter century ago. Sometimes I feel it's an absolute disgrace what Middleton allowed the main trail to be transformed into ― when I struggle to take nature photographs at a nature conservancy but can't because there are too many interruptions ... yeah, I still think it's a shame.
But this is me being selfish with my beloved creek corridor!
It's certainly true at the same time it's rather important, more so than ever, for people to foster healthy relationships with nature given the state of where we are as a species ― there are increasing divides between people and nature. Even though I often look upon them with derision, they would likely be voices of support (I hope) against future threats. They just seem so unconnected to what's there, though. Thus for me, getting there early is the key, and these gorgeous secondary trails are a diminutive treasure for photographing nature in a more secluded state.
An avian phenomenon this migration is the impressive number of Northern Waterthrushes. It's still possible to have Louisiana Waterthrushes migrating through, but for the most part they're likely already on on territory in places like the Baxter's Hollow, Parfrey's Glen, and Blue Mounds. Though Connecticut Warblers are a few weeks out yet, the occasional birder gets tripped up by some of the more syncopated song-bursts these warblers are capable of composing.
More of a sure-thing during fall migration, it's always nice to find a Lincoln's Sparrow foraging in the rocks along the creek corridor. I don't find many during spring and their window at Pheasant Branch seems rather narrow. I also had my first empidonax flycatcher of spring, a Least. It whitted more than it chi-bicked. Baltimore Orioles returned in a big way overnight ― there must have been a singing male every fifty yards or so. There were several Rose-breasted Grosbeaks singing away, but their songs are easily obfuscated by the chorus of American Robins.
Though the creek corridor's wildflowers aren't really uncommon or rare, I'll still take a break from birding and photograph my first-of-year Wild Geraniums, Wood Poppies, and Jack-in-the-pulpits. To find rarer plants, Baxter's Hollow in the Baraboo Hills will be late May and early June destinations.
Mark Johnson informed me of his first Six-spotted Tiger Beetle of the year, so checked a few locations and came up with a couple of the shiny green monsters. Given all the sand that is now present along the corridor post 2017 flood, this is the second year I've found Bronzed Tiger Beetles along the trail. Today I was delighted to share them with a couple of nature photographers who were unaware of the beetles.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 2, 2021
72 species
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Solitary Sandpiper
Green Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
All images © 2021 Mike McDowell