Summer Tanagers are quite uncommon for Milwaukee, although I usually see one each year. This past week however, there were 3 at Warnimont Park, all molting males! So beautiful with the mixture of red and greenish yellow. They were feeding along the bluff on spider webs, that had caught midges in them. As of today, 5/1 there was still one being seen at the southern end of the park, by the Kelly Senior Center. This week also brought in early Scarlet Tanagers as well. They are common in the area but are usually high up in the trees, therefore tough to photograph. This week however, they were on the ground or at eye level. There were at least 3 of them too! Two males and a female. These three were also doing the same, feeding in the spider webs that were loaded with midges. Funny to watch both species having the same feeding behavior. A real treat to see these birds so close! Photos below are from this past week. Enjoy!
There have been 2 Hooded Warblers along the bluff, behind the archery range at Warnimont Park. One was still seen today, but was on the golf course, just across from the archery range. I’m guessing the brutal east winds on Wednesday, forced them away from the lake a little. This is one of my favorite warblers and they were just posing for the camera Monday and Tuesday, while I was there. It was hard not to sit and watch them all day, but there was so much else going on too. Every time I would make a pass back and see one, I’d stop an admire a little more! Photos below are from Monday and Tuesday this week. Enjoy!
Wow, what a morning!!! Scissor-tailed Flycatcher had been seen there the past several days, but an Ash-throated Flycatcher was photographed last night and confirmed to be one. I met a friend around sunrise, and we began searching for the Ash-throated Flycatcher. We split up to cover more ground. I ended walking along the beach to the golf clubhouse and didn’t find it. I started heading back and got a text she had it, back by the lighthouse. I ran over there and were joined by others in searching the tree line. It had gone down to the beach side, which was blocked somewhat by the wind. That’s where I would’ve been too! For the next 45 or so minutes it was feeding south along the beach. This was a life bird for me!
After watching the Ash-throated Flycatcher for a while, I drove over to the golf clubhouse parking lot and walked down to the beach. I looked to my left and a friend was taking pictures of something. I looked through my binoculars, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher! I walked to the north a little and it was perched on some rocks and sticks on the beach. Just incredible! I watched him for 20 or so minutes and decided it was time to go to work. Have to do that once in a while. Photos below are from this morning. Enjoy!
A Prairie Warbler was found at Warnimont this morning and I was able to relocate it about 200 yards to the northeast, almost an hour later. I was walking down a trail and I heard it sing. I’m very familiar with the song, which really helped out. I started walking towards the song and then waited, heard again and continued walking to it. I stopped and listened, heard again and ended up walking just past it. I went back and then a little to the north and there he was, sitting atop Red Twig Dogwood! It was on the south side of the large “butterfly” ravine in the center of the park, closer to the east. He was just singing away. After a minute or so, he flew up into a tree and fed. Shortly after feeding, flew down into the shrubs again and continued singing, along with some preening. He repeated that procedure again and that is when I left him. Also feeding with him were an Orange-crowned, Nashville, Palm and several Yellow-rumped Warblers. Another awesome warbler at the start of the warbler migration! I don’t think it was relocated much after that and if it was, not in the same spot. Good luck if you try for it tomorrow, though I don’t think it’s very chasable. Pictures are from this morning. Enjoy!
Today a Lark Sparrow was found at the entrance to the ferry. When I arrived, it was feeding in the grass right off the walking path. I was only able to watch it for a few minutes and then a person walking flushed it. It flew across the street, and I lost it. I scanned the across the street with my binoculars but couldn’t find it. By the evening, it was relocated in the same general area. Photos below are from the brief time watching it feed. Enjoy!
I have been on vacation for a while in Florida and one of my main target birds this year was Snail Kite. I saw a couple last year while I was here, but very brief views and no photos. I tried several of the known locations for them right away but was unsuccessful. I finally found a female at Torry Island, in Bella Grade on the south side of Lake Okeechobee. I was talking to a local woman about a Painted x Indigo Bunting, when it flew up from the marshy area. I saw the general area where it landed, so I walked over to and climbed the observation tower to scan for it. After a few minutes, I finally found it sitting really low to the water, but it was at least 200 yards away. Of course, it was on the south side of me, sitting in terrible light. After a few minutes, it flew down to a stump in the water and then again quickly flew and grabbed a snail. It took the snail and flew to another perch and started eating it. This was a really slow process and since it was further away, I gave up watching after 40 minutes or so. This area was also hosting a beautiful male Vermilion Flycatcher and two Tropical Kingbirds. Both of those birds were life birds for me, so I focused on them for a little while. I came back to the observation tower after, and the Snail Kite was still in the same spot and hadn’t moved. I guess I didn’t miss anything to fun. Below are the photos from that day. Enjoy!
Lake Tohopekaliga
A couple weeks later, we took an airboat tour on Lake Tohopekaliga, with Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures. I didn’t bring my equipment with me, as I thought it just going to be a fun boat ride. Well, that was a huge mistake! We saw 6 Snail Kites, which like most birds in Florida are extremely tame. We got within 75′ of a female sitting on a post hunting, in a large, loud airboat! The captain turned off the boat and explained to the others what bird it was and that it’s endangered. I couldn’t believe it, best view I ever had and no camera, unbelievable! After the tour, I talked with our boat captain, and he suggested I do a private tour just for the Snail Kites. So that’s what we did. I booked it for the following day, early in the morning, to get the best possible light. It was amazing and well worth it, if you are interested in getting up close and personal to them. On the private tour we saw 8, including two males, one of which posed beautifully for me. I highly suggest doing one if you’re down ever down that way. Photos below are from the private airboat tour. Enjoy!
Snail Kite information
I’ve included a few links with more information about them.
These owls are very hard to find and blend in with their surroundings incredibly well. You can be looking right at them and not see them. They are nocturnal and sleep during the day. Consistent activity around a roosting site can cause them to expend too much energy that is needed for the nightly hunting. If you ever stumble across a roost, please use discretion and proper etiquette. That being said, they are very approachable (within reason) and will let you know if you are too close based on their facial expressions. I will try to show you the various stages that they show you, with the 4 owls at this particular roost, in the following pictures:
Acknowledging you but showing content
Notice that they might look at you, but their eyes are mostly closed. They still watch their surroundings, in case of any potential threats, but are fine with your presence. They will most likely go back to sleep, but you should keep your distance.
A little too close for comfort
Notice how their eyes are mostly open. They are intent on watching you, to make sure you are not a threat to them. At this point you should move away slowly and give them their space, so they can return to sleeping.
Too close, back off
Notice their eyes are wide open and they consider you an immediate threat. If you end up at this point, try to move away very slow and quietly. Failure to do so will most likely end up in flushing one or more from the roost.
On Friday 11/26/21, a Small-billed Elaenia was discovered near Waukegan Municipal Beach, IL. The exact location can be found at these coordinates, 42.3620817, -87.8185852. It doesn’t show up on eBird as an alert, so people might not know about it, that don’t live in Illinois or belong to certain groups. I think it was originally posted to a Facebook group “what’s this bird?”
The Small-billed Elaenia is a tyrant flycatcher of South America. If confirmed, it would be only the 4th record in North America. Remarkably, another was found in 2012, not too far from here, at Douglass Park in Chicago! More information about this species can be found at the following link, Small-billed Elaenia – eBird
I decided to try for the Elaenia on Tuesday, 11/30. The bird was seen in 8 o’clock hour, so I figured I would have good chance to see it. I arrived just before 10am, and there were at least 10 others looking for it as well. It was over an hour before it finally “popped” up, just after 11:15. Everyone that was present, was rewarded with fairly good looks at it. After this it was in and out of view for the next couple hours. This bird was in a mixed group of yew shrubs and cedar trees, behind a chain link fence. The yew shrubs are very thick and it’s really easy to lose sight of it in there. It was eating the red berries of the yew shrubs, and occasionally a few insects that were flying around the shrubs. A very cool bird to see and an enjoyable day talking to people from all over. Pictures below are from the several hours spent there on Tuesday. Good luck if you try for it! Enjoy!
There has been a Red-necked Grebe in the Milwaukee Harbor the last couple days. It has been seen north, near Lakeshore State Park and south into the river mouth. Today I spent a few hours starting at sunrise and never saw it. Right away, a tug boat went down the river, which didn’t help. There were a couple hundred mergansers, that all took flight and scattered. It’s possible that it was in or near that group early on. Then it was reported near the lighthouse around 11am, go figure. I went back down there and it was starting to head up the river mouth, by the time I arrived. I watched it for about 45 minutes and it was moving slowly west. When I left, it was around the first bend, heading south towards Jones Island. The one that came through in January of ’20 was in winter plumage, but this one is near breeding plumage. It is a very pretty bird! Pictures below are from the late morning. Enjoy!
For anyone that doesn’t already know, the male Harlequin Duck in Sheboygan is finally in full breeding plumage. He has been there for almost a year now. In spring on his first molt attempt, he acquired about 50% of his plumage. I was really hoping that he would stick around until the fall, so I could see him in all his glory. Well… he did and he is absolutely stunning!!! It is worth the trip to Sheboygan, if you have the chance. The only time I’ve seen one like this, is at the zoo. Now if you do go, you need to have patience and check the entire area, as he moves around quite a bit. I saw him right in the marina, just north of the public boat launch. I walked right past him, only 15′ away. Others have had him closer to North Point, by the jetties. He also likes to sleep on the docks and also on the rocks, both out by the break and right next to shore. If at first you don’t see him, keep looking. Good luck if you try for him and if you need motivation, check out the photos below. Enjoy!
