"The richness of the rain made me feel safe and protected; I have always considered the rain to be healing―a blanket―the comfort of a friend. Without at least some rain in any given day, or at least a cloud or two on the horizon, I feel overwhelmed by the information of sunlight and yearn for the vital, muffling gift of falling water."
― Douglas Coupland
It's May!
South winds from a few nights ago brought millions of migratory birds into southern Wisconsin. However, since then a massive weather system has been spinning over the state rendering pewter skies and damp, cool conditions. Alas, too cold for tiger beetles and other insects this weekend, but there's nothing quite like catching a binocular glimpse of a colorful warbler against monochromatic scenery ― even a spring Palm Warbler can be a stunner. For my part, I stayed close to the Middleton area, especially the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor to welcome returning birds. But most will move on once the winds change, having not yet reached their final destination.
Both Saturday and Sunday were double-digit warbler days: Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler. One birder I spoke to at the creek corridor found a Blackburnian Warbler, but that was one I missed. It's still early and I have vacation time coming up next week when I'll cleanup on the Parulidae. Is it pah-roo-lah or par-ah-lah? Look, if it's par-ah-lah, then how do you pronounce Parulidae? It's pah-roo-lah, kool kids.
I also noticed a substantial increase in the number of birders at the creek corridor ― and that's how it will be until the end of the third week of May. At least soggy weather kept muggles at a minimum! I have read from meteorological sources that the first half of May will be cooler than typical, so perhaps it'll be warbler parade with minimal interruptions and distractions. Though somewhat tough on the obligate insectivores, the tree canopy remains open. This ought to help birders get excellent views of songbirds, and perhaps great opportunities for portraits.
White-throated Sparrows made a big push into the woods last weekend and there are still hundreds upon hundreds of them at Pheasant Branch. I haven't yet spotted a White-crowned Sparrow, but I'm sure I'll likely have one at my patio sometime this week. Never passes a spring when I fail to hear their happy little chee-chee songs out my window.
Middleton Area, Dane, Wisconsin, US
April 30th & May 1st, 2022
89 species
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
All images © 2022 Mike McDowell