"When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself."
― Ernest Hemingway
I hit the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor trail early this morning ― there was still frost on the ground. I had anticipated a bit more avian activity, but I did find my first Yellow-rumped Warbler of spring. It's never disappointing even when it's quiet. Other birds included Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, many Golden-crowned Kinglets, a few Winter Wrens, Pine Siskin, a variety of woodpeckers, and resident busy-bodies like chickadees and nuthatches. Dark-eyed Juno song was omnipresent, but they'll be with us through April. More birds are on the way!
This female Wood Duck was inspecting a potential nest cavity.
How's it look? Oh, and the male was hard at work:
The day was young and I was pretty thorough at the creek corridor. I decided to do my first trip out to Spring Green Preserve for the year. It was a bit chilly for tiger beetles, but I thought it would make a better hike than all the muggles at the creek corridor ― solitude was a certainty and that's what I was really after.
Truly a favorite haunt ... and what a fantastic new sign:
Remember this fiasco? And then post public hearing. Look what The Nature Conservancy put on their new signs: Pets impact bird nesting and behavior, and they have been documented injuring reptiles on this property. Poor Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy had to abide by the poor leadership of Dane County Parks, who will always be subservient to the muggles of North Lake ― what's popular trumps what's right. FoPBC's motto is Restore, Protect, Promote. Yeah, a nice sentiment but ignorance pervades. Nothing like being vindicated by TNC, though.
Anyway, back to nature-y things. To my pleasant surprise, there were actually a few insects about. There was a small black wasp that went unidentified. I also saw a single American Copper Butterfly, but it also escaped documentation. However, one couldn't miss these Black Sharpshooter Leafhoppers, I identified as Cuerna fenestella. There were literally hundreds of them along the trails.
Well, that was exciting and good macro photography practice.
Not that I need it.
Not that I need it.
All images © 2022 Mike McDowell