I heard my phone vibrating several times Saturday morning. I figured I’d better check it, since it is usually bird related that early. Sure enough, 17 Red Crossbills at Warnimont Golf Course parking lot! I grabbed my camera and quickly headed down there. By the time I arrived, they had already been feeding in the pine trees for almost an hour. I was able to watch them for about 15 minutes and then something scared all of the birds. I think a hawk was in the area, but I never saw it fly over. There is a Cooper’s Hawk nest about 50′ into the woods, north of the parking lot, so it could have been one of them. 3 flocks of crossbills left the trees very noisily and joined to form one flock, which I counted as 21. They flew NW out over the golf course and did not return. I tried using Merlin app to record their calls, but of course the one time I wanted it to work it doesn’t! It would only pick up Cedar Waxwings. It would have been nice to know what kind they were. It appears that crossbills are showing quite well in Wisconsin this summer, more than the usual breeding ones. My guess, the wildfires in Canada are the reason. Interesting to see how the winter finches show this year. Photos below are from the morning of 7/22. Enjoy!
I had not been to this site to look for butterflies before, but I heard there were Baltimore Checkerspots here. I spent several hours there on Sunday morning, walking around the entire area. It was hot and sunny, perfect for butterflies. While I did not find any Baltimore Checkerspots, I did however have an amazing day! I found 25 butterfly species, including a county first sighting of Acadian Hairstreak, which I found 3 of. I also saw a very rare stray Zebra Swallowtail. It zipped by about 50′ from me. I got a great look at it and took off running after it. I was hoping it would stop, but it never did, continuing north. That is a very cool butterfly, one I have seen many times in Florida and once last year in Dane County at the Olbrich Gardens. I had good numbers of many other butterflies, but I did not have very many grass skippers. I think that is because it was rather windy. They are so tiny and dart around like little fighter jets, making them hard to follow in the moving grasses and flowers. I was able to manage decent photos of about half of the butterflies seen. Most of them were very uncooperative. If you would like to see my entire checklist for the morning, you can click on the link below. Wisconsin Butterflies is a wonderful website, with great information about the species that can be seen in the state. The photos below are from the morning of 7/9. Enjoy!
Despite having terrible weather conditions in May, to produce huge numbers of warblers, I still ended up with 36 warbler species. I just didn’t have very many big days, like I’m used to. We were stuck with E, NE or N winds for the majority of the warbler migration, thanks to our “great” Lake Michigan! Of the 36 warblers, 35 of them were in Milwaukee County. The lone one outside of Milwaukee County, was a Painted Redstart that showed up in Sauk County. I missed one, a Black-throated Gray Warbler that made an appearance at Wind Point Lighthouse in Racine, and only because I was busy that day. Most of the county parks were just average at best. Warnimont Park was producing rather solid numbers most days, like usual and is still my favorite spring warbler park. One little gem, that was basically the county hotspot, was Shorewood Nature Preserve. This tiny little park, nestled between a couple mansions in Shorewood, hosted some great birds including, Worm-eating Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, multiple Yellow-throated Warblers, Prairie Warbler, multiple Hooded Warblers, and a Louisiana Waterthrush. All of those warblers are great for the county. Lake Park hosted a couple of Connecticut Warblers, like it usually does. Warnimont Park also a had several, however viewing is better a Lake Park for them. This is a very large gallery of photos, but warblers are my favorite and I spend a lot of time with them in the spring. As always, I try for male and female, along with first spring birds, to show the varying plumages between them. It’s tough to get them all though. All of the photos below are from Milwaukee County, with the exception being the Painted Redstart. Enjoy!
American Redstart
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Canada Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Connecticut Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
Ovenbird
Painted Redstart
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Sorry, no photos of these this spring, but I did see and hear them twice.
A Red Knot was found this morning on McKinley Beach. This bird was just starting to get its reddish orange coloring in. It was very cool looking. If we get one in Milwaukee, its usually just the plain scaly gray with a slight buff coloring. As soon as I got the message about it, I left work to try for it. The beaches in Milwaukee County have been overtaken by joggers, dog walkers and metal detecting walkers! If we get shorebirds, it is at sunrise and then they don’t stay very long before being chased off by one of those 3 people/dogs. The good thing about McKinley Beach, it’s fenced off, so people don’t swim in the small cove, due to the constant riptides. Because of that, I figured there was a good chance it would stick around a few hours. I arrived just before 8am. I made my way to the fence and saw it was on the south end. I walked out to the middle of the beach and sat down by the water. Within 5 minutes it was walking towards me. It got as close as 25′ before turning around and working back the other direction. Heat distortion was already quite bad at that time, which is unusual for that early. I took over 600 photos and less than 20 turned out halfway decent. I knew it was an issue, which is why I took so many. I could hear the autofocus on my lens constantly searching, to lock on. I watched it feed up and down the shoreline a few times and that was good enough for me. I thought I might try in the afternoon when the lighting would be better, however I never made it back down there. Photos below are from the early morning. Enjoy!
I received a “needs alert” email from eBird just past 12:30pm, that a Snowy Egret was seen at Lincoln Park, in Milwaukee. I cleaned up at work and made my way over there. I parked in the lot off Hampton Ave and walked to the river. I found it, about 300 yards north of the Hampton Ave bridge, where the river 3-ways around to the golf course. It was quite far away when I first saw it, so I thought I would try to get closer by going to the other shoreline, from the golf course side. There was no clear way to the river edge, so I ended up trucking through some thick wooded area before finding a deer runway that led to the river. When I popped out close to the shore, I was only about 100′ from the Egret. I’m not sure how I managed to get to the exact spot I needed, walking through what I did! I used the new Willow tree growth on the shoreline as a blind. I watched the bird for about 15 minutes, until it took flight East, around the tributary towards the golf course. When I first saw it from afar, it was actively feeding and moving around. Once I got closer, it wasn’t doing much, just preening and standing around. By the end of the afternoon, I heard it had moved Southeast down the river to Estabrook Park, near where the old damn used to be. Photos below are from early afternoon on 5/22. Enjoy!
On 5/18, I started my day just past sunrise, walking around the golf course at Warnimont Park. I was searching for warblers, which I found 24 species in a few hours. While I was doing that, I had heard that there were Sanderlings, a Semipalmated Sandpiper and a Semipalmated Plover at McKinley Beach. I was not in a hurry to see those but figured that was a nice group to add for the year. After I walked the golf course, I decided that was enough and thought I would head downtown. I arrived at McKinley Beach, just after 10. I just grabbed my binoculars and left my camera in the car. I figured I would see what it was like before lugging everything out there. I walked out to the fence, started scanning the beach and found the Sanderlings. All of a sudden, a group of birds flew in. I got my binoculars on them, and it was 2 Marbled Godwit and 7 Ruddy Turnstones! Holy S***! I ran back to the car and got my camera setup. I quickly walked out there and tried to relocate everything. I found them all on the south side of the beach, except the Marbled Godwit. They were nowhere to be found. I guess it was just a very brief pit stop and away they went. They only stopped for a minute or two! I walked to the south end of the beach, so the sun was at my back, and sat in the sand, close to the water. The birds made their way to me and got so close, I had to take off my extender. As is usually the case with shorebirds, if you just sit close to the water and don’t move, they won’t pay attention to you. They continued closer, within the minimum focus distance of my lens. So, I just sat and watched them without taking pictures for a while. I think the Ruddy Turnstone, in full breeding plumage, is one of the most beautiful shorebirds! 3 of 7 were just that, so beautifully colored. I was so excited that they came flying in. The group of 7 only stuck around for 5 minutes or so. They fed, bathed and took off. When they took off, so did everything else, except the 4 Sanderling. The 4 Sanderling were very cool as well, since each one was in a different plumage. After everything took off, I stayed and photographed the Sanderling for a while before something spooked them. When they returned, they landed in the middle of the beach, and I didn’t feel like waiting for them again, so I took off. I just happened to arrive at the perfect time to get to see everything. Photos below are from the late morning of 5/18. Enjoy!
Friday morning, a Connecticut Warbler was heard singing from the Locust Ravine at Lake Park. I started the morning at Whitnall Park and was just waiting to hear a report of one. I quickly left and went to Lake Park, arriving just past 10am. It took a few hours, but I finally got on the bird after it came to the base of the ravine for a bath. It then flew up and continued walking the ravine side. There was a group of us in the base of the ravine looking up, trying to follow this bird through the vegetation. Since the undergrowth is quite tall already, it was extremely difficult to see the bird move throughout the vegetation. I snuck up the side of the ravine, about halfway and waited for it to come into a clearing area. It did and came into view about 20′ in away from me. I was able to freeze his movement with the sound of my camera shutter going off. That worked out perfectly, as it froze right in front of me, mostly out in the open. It then continued to walk towards a thicker area. I was looking through my camera to see if any of the photos turned out, when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. It was another Connecticut Warbler, coming from the same direction as the first one. This time though, the bird was only 10′ away from and which is too close for my lens to focus. Another warbler flew past giving an alert chip and I saw both Connecticut Warblers at the same time, fly into some brush a little further up and away from me. After a minute or so, one of them started walking back down the ravine, providing the others with some good views. It’s been 3 straight years of good looks at a Connecticut Warbler in the Locust Ravine, which I hope continues in the future. Photos below are from late morning/early afternoon Friday. Enjoy!
A Cerulean Warbler was found yesterday 5/10, at the Shorewood Nature Preserve, in Milwaukee County. I was out of town, so I did not have a chance to see it. I had already seen one at Warnimont Park a week earlier, so it didn’t bother me as much. This morning I started my day at Whitnall Park, and just like every other day there so far, it was dead! I heard that the Cerulean Warbler was again singing at SNP, so I figured I would go down there and check it out. I’m glad I did, because it was one of the most cooperative Cerulean Warblers I ever had! I walked over to the amphitheater area where it had been seen, however, I didn’t hear it or see it. Within 5 minutes, I heard it sing one time to the north and then it flew right into the tree above the amphitheater, and right above me. I couldn’t believe it! It moved from that tree to the downed tree/brush pile next to it, with a group of other warblers passing through, and then back into the tree. Several others had joined me, and we watched it sing consistently for the next 30 minutes, only 20′ away. This is a stunning bird with a beautiful song, that is very uncommon. It’s always a treat to get to see one, especially that close. I spent 5.5 hours at SNP today and from what I was hearing, it was the only park in Milwaukee with any birds. A White-eyed Vireo was also there as well. I ended up with 73 species and 21 warblers there, which I think is very impressive considering it’s so small! In the past 4 days, this park has hosted Summer Tanager, Yellow-throated Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, 2 Hooded Warblers, Prothonotary Warbler and White-eyed Vireo! This is crazy, since it might only be 2 acres in size. Every year there is a hot spot in Milwaukee and SNP seems to be the one this year. Photos below are from Thursday 5/11. Enjoy!
The past 3 days have been excellent for Golden-winged, Blue-winged and Blackburnian Warblers at Warnimont Park. The area between archery range and parking lot, the golf course and the woods just south of the golf course have all been productive. The “winged” warblers are spectacular looking and sounding! Their songs are loud and bring a smile to your face, while walking around, trying to locate them. It’s always very exciting to see these birds. Blackburnian Warblers are spectacular looking as well, with their fire orange throat on black and white body. They really stand out in the morning sun! I have had at least 3 of each the past few days. The photos below are from Warnimont Park between 5/6-5/9. Enjoy!
I went to Shorewood Nature Preserve this afternoon/evening to look for the reported Summer Tanager. The rain was supposed to stop by 2pm, then by 5pm and it’s still raining as I type this at 9:30pm. The local meteorologists sure know how to do their job!!! So, I was stuck walking around this park in the rain. Also reported from there this morning, were Yellow-throated, Prothonotary and Hooded Warblers. Of course, I wanted to get photos of those three as well. When I arrived, I walked down the bluff, headed on the north path and made a loop. It was very quiet, and I didn’t see or hear much. I then went towards the lake and found a small pocket of warblers, mostly Palm and Yellow-rumped. I walked the beach north, to the park edge and still nothing. I walked back to the path, and I finally found the Summer Tanager. It was feeding high in the treetops. I watched it for a little while and it never came lower or cooperated for that matter. I gave up on it and focused back on finding the warblers. I headed back north and as soon as I crossed the large fallen tree, a dull warbler jumped up from the ground in the raspberry bushes. I assumed it was an Orange-crowned, since they are usually low in the thicker growth and the color matched. It was very close to me, but there were to many branches to clearly see. I looked through my binoculars, tried to quickly focus and got a fast glimpse of black stripes on the head. I knew right away, Worm-eating Warbler!!! I love finding these guys. Of course, I lost it right away. There is so much thick undergrowth in the park, I wasn’t sure if I would find it again. I continued on the path and ended up circling back around to where I first saw it, no luck. I walked forward again going towards the lake and taking a different path north. I started getting close to the black fence at the park edge and saw a bird fly a short distance. I got it in my binoculars, and it was a Northern Waterthrush. Sigh. Then I saw something right next to the waterthrush move and there it was! A couple of weak chip notes and it was gone again, flying towards the brush pile at the base of the bluff. I didn’t know if it went in there or continued up the bluff. So, I set up shop by the brush pile and waited. After 15 minutes or so, it popped out and provided some pretty short, decent looks. I was shooting in silent mode on my camera, but I think it still heard or maybe just was knew I was there, because it flew up the bluff a short distance. At that point, I figured I wouldn’t see it anymore. By this time, I had already spent almost 3 hours walking around in the rain. I made one more quick loop through the entire park and most singing had already stopped, so I called it a night. I did find Blue-winged and Hooded Warblers though and ended with 18 warbler species. I missed on the Yellow-throated and Prothonotary Warblers. I guess I will need to wait for a later date with those two. Photos below are from this evening, while rain soaked and a chilly east wind. The pin location below is approximately where I last saw it. Good luck! Enjoy!
