"Observe always that everything is the result of change, and get used to thinking that there is nothing Nature loves so well as to change existing forms and make new ones like them."
― Marcus Aurelius
I think migration must still be stalled ― or is it seasonal bias? Phenology-wise, Sylvia believes we're about two weeks behind what's normal ... but today what's normal seems like a faded memory. I recall a time decades ago when the phenology of flora and fauna was much more predictable, but the past several years things have gotten a bit more disordered and out of sync.
Given last night's south winds, I prognosticated a good morning of birding for Sunday, but there were far fewer birds than I anticipated. There were some new arrivals like Blue-headed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Golden-winged Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler, but overall numbers seemed significantly down.
There are hypotheticals. Perhaps differential meteorological conditions prompted birds to migrate en masse more easterly along the Great Lakes. Or perhaps there's been significant fly-over migration. Whatever the case may be, there are some notable and potentially concerning observations.
So far this spring there's been a dearth of catharus thrushes. At least along the Pheasant Branch creek corridor, Hermit Thrushes seemed exceedingly low, significantly fewer Swainson's Thrushes, not a single Veery (yet), and just one Gray-cheeked Thrush. What's also interesting is the overall lack of birdsong. Singing requires energy and the mornings have been a bit on the cool side, so I think birds are spending more time foraging and concerned less with vocalizing. Naturally, there are exceptions like Gray Catbirds, Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and many resident species are singing as they should. This could be explained that these birds are all on territory now, so replenishing fat stores isn't as critical, and thus they can engage in song production.
Flora-wise, it looks like mid-April. The forest canopy is still bare, but tree buds are finally beginning to open up. At least for the avian observer, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as birds will be easier to find and view. As one who primarily locates birds by songs and calls, this is a break, but what's good for me isn't necessarily good for obligate insectivorous birds that rely on plant and tree phenology. When temperatures soaring into the 80s this coming week, the woods will pop.
Alas, we know this, and we know that, so perhaps my hypotheticals are just wishful thinking. How will these declines look over time to the astute observer? I sense this is likely what a long-time naturalist is witnessing. What will birding be like in another 10 or 20 years? No question about it ― when I started birding in the late 1980s, there were definitely more songbirds at Pheasant Branch than there are today. And I mentioned in a previous post, the modern conservation movement has failed to reverse these declines, notwithstanding a few success stories pertaining to individual species.
Thus, the long goodbye.
Meanwhile at the beach ...
On the other hand, I'm having a stellar tiger beetle season this spring. I went to the Sauk City Canoe Launch on Saturday and found my first of the year Big Sand Tiger Beetle. Also present were Festive and Bronzed, which I spent a few hours photographing ― I forgot to put sunscreen on and got a little cooked. Anyway, that makes six of the sixteen. Six-spotted will likely be the next one I observe, and then the summer beetling will render Sandy Stream, Ghost, Hairy-necked, Punctured, and more.
A very purple-y Festive!
The coveted sideview:
Le Big Sand:
Smaller, but no less vicious Bronzed Tiger Beetle:
Birds and tiger beetles have been on this planet for over 100 million years. It's astonishing what one particularly weedy species can do to change populations and phenology in just a few hundred years.
Middleton Area, Dane, Wisconsin, US
May 7th & 8th, 2022
85 species
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Pipit
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting