"May—the very word makes the heart leap. Birds, Buds, Blossoms, Beauty! Break away from every bondage of circumstance or low spirits and go out into the sunshine. Answer back the bird-note in your heart, kiss your finger tips to every new blossom, and be a part of the spring."
— Eva Kellogg
Well, I've reached my 200-species target for the year and I'm done.
Connecticut Warbler, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo—they can all
wait for another season's efforts. Naturally, the list chasers and competitive birders will keep gunning for that 300-species
milestone, a number I've never actually hit despite attempting a
Wisconsin Big Year back in 2004 when I landed 293. That was a
nightmare of chasing RBA reports and dropping everything at a moment's
notice. I haven't attempted one since. From this point forward, any new birds on my annual list will be
incidental discoveries while out bug hunting.
Here are 'The Reliables' of Dane County who'll keep right on going:
Gas prices and environmental consequences be damned—the higher the count, the better the birder. Despite pronouncements from some being done listing and chasing, they keep right on doing it year after year.
Hey, that's their right.
With gasoline prices approaching $5.00 per gallon, competitive birding becomes an activity filtered through economic privilege. When a serious birder needs to chase rare species across a region, the fuel costs alone can be substantial.
I can afford it, but screw that.
All of these bird portraits were taken at Pheasant Branch last week when things finally began to pick up. In truth, I no longer enjoy carrying my digiscoping rig around; my back and neck simply can't handle prolonged hikes with that weight anymore. It feels less like I'm aging and more like the warranty on my body is starting to expire.
Though it was a slow start, my vacation was timed perfectly to catch warbler migration's peak. Those consecutive +20-warbler species days seem to be a thing of the past, but landing just one is still a very gratifying experience.
Here's Tennessee Warbler bathing, then preened at a perch.
This particular Magnolia Warbler had an odd song that was reminiscent of a White-eyed Vireo ...
I watched him sing, and he was indeed the culprit! I've never heard one quite like it before. Observations like this prompt me to wonder if, during its song development, it was near some other influence—perhaps mimicking a neighbor or an unusual sound that became permanently woven into its repertoire. Or perhaps it's something they just do that I've never noticed before.
Who doesn't love a Baltimore Oriole?
Or Scarlet Tanager?
A real stunner!
This was fun ...
Fresh from its recent bath, this Common Yellowthroat devoted nearly ten
minutes to the fastidious ritual of preening. With meticulous precision,
it worked its bill through each feather, methodically checking every
covert and flight feather before moving on to the intricate details of
its wing edges and tail. The bird twisted and contorted, ensuring not a
single feather remained out of place, until its distinctive black mask
was set against perfectly groomed olive-yellow plumage.
The colors of May paint a vivid portrait of spring's peak vibrancy, dominated by fresh greens and a diverse palette of blooming flowers. Green stands as May's signature color, symbolizing growth, rebirth, and Nature at its most expressive. This verdant backdrop serves as the perfect stage for the month's spectacular floral display: Woodland Phlox, Wild Geranium, Trillium, Columbine, and Shooting Star.
Alas, there will be new bird portraits, but expect more bugs in the near future!
All images © 2026 Mike McDowell