5.02.2021

It's May!

"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