"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
So far the 2023 trickle-of-a-warbler parade has included many Yellow-rumps, Palms, Pines, Orange-crowned, and a surprise Prairie Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler. The Prairie Warbler was at Carpenter-Ridgeway Park on Madison's east side, which I had never been to previously. It kind of reminded me of a smaller pre-development Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor, so it might be a good place to visit again. The Yellow-throated Warbler has been observed at the creek corridor for the past couple of days ― I got to see it this morning before any other birders were present. By 8:00am the place was swarming with birders hoping to see it, as well as a Summer Tanager that was reported the previous day.
As far as I know I was the first birder to spend a considerable amount of time birding the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor ― put it on the ornithological map, so to speak. Not that lists are important things, I think I have close to 240 species for its combined parcels. The venerable Randy Hoffman wrote in 2008 "Mike McDowell began birding Pheasant Branch in earnest and found an avifauna as impressive as that of northern Columbia County ... the primary take-home lesson―unexplored habitat is found all around us. Seriously consider visiting that woods you drive by on your way to your favorite areas."
Middleton had an opportunity to make the creek corridor a special place for birds and other interesting critters, but they wanted a multi-use commuter road instead. After the Great Flood of 2018, they're finally getting around to replacing the bridges and repaving the trail (starting at the west end), which appears to be even wider than it was before. Watching the creek corridor become despoiled year after year has been a letdown and I'm almost sorry I discovered the place three decades ago. Oh, what it could have been. Having griped, the place still attracts an incredible variety of birds because the proper ingredients remain: cover, water, insects.
My birding friends and I have seen some pretty remarkable things there over the years, but such sights have decreased over time: watching otters and mink hunt for fish, being spied on by curious foxes, having a variety of owl roosts to check, and much more. One time a couple of White-tailed Deer followed close behind me as I walked the trail ― it was kind of surreal. Back in 2002 there was even a wolf there, but it was hit by a car on what is now Parmenter Street. A few of us saw it before it was killed. A necropsy that was performed found it to be a veritable wild Timber Wolf from Minnesota via isotope analysis.
Too many Projects + Too many People = Pressure
Anyway, a weather system brought northwest winds and an unwelcome spring cold-snap which included snow flurries at times. Early morning temperatures were in the low 30s barely getting into the 40s by midday. Though chilly for this time of year, it provided an opportunity to observe migratory songbirds forage low in the understory and even on the ground. Watching them carefully, one can see that they're finding plenty of micro-sized insects, tweezing them off plants with quick strikes of their pointed mandibles.
Naturally, on account of the wintry weather, all tiger beetle excursions were canceled.
Spring wildflowers remain on schedule.
Purple Violets are in bloom ...
So are Virginia Bluebells ...
Round-lobed Hepatica ...
And Dutchman's Breeches.
Alas, the extended forecast looks pretty gloomy for next weekend: 40s/50s and rain. Perhaps the avian trickle will render a rush of migrants come May. My expectations might be set a little low, but there's nothing Nature loves so well as subverting them ― even on cold or rainy days, there's sure to be something worth going to see at the creek corridor.
All images © 2023 Mike McDowell