Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at the Milwaukee Coast Guard Impoundment on October 25, 2015

I made a run early morning down to the Milwaukee Coast Guard Impoundment with hopes to see the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that was reported yesterday. This uncommon bird for Wisconsin is a common bird in the state of Kansas and south to southern Texas in summer. A few other birders also showed up as the sun came up. We sort of split up after a couple minutes and moments later James F. had located the bird just north of the large wind turbine on a wire. From there the bird pretty much continually forged and ate insects for the few hours I was there in a loop of a freeway ramp. It mainly remained a distance off, but we all really enjoyed the show it put on every time it went for an insect. At the end, it took flight over some tracks and headed south to who knows. It was said today, this is a male bird by the length of the tail, it is very long. One dog walker asked what bird we were looking at, we showed her on the camera and her remark was, that bird was here last year same time. I could not ID it she said, but it had that big long tail! A fun morning out with some great birders and friends. Not a life bird for me as I got the one in Mequon a couple years back. Thanks to Karen M for finding this bird on a routine check in the area and reporting it for others to see. Images were taken on October 25, 2015.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Binomial name: Tyrannus forficatus

Category: Tyrant Flycatchers

Size: 15” long, 14”-15.5″ wing span

Weight: 1.5 oz

Just after a try for an insect

Look at those tail feathers!

Scissor-tail

Here it was a little agitated as some Dark-eyed Juncos had just enter the tree below the bird

Early morning sun high in a tree

Early morning sun high in a tree

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher still hanging around. Images below taken November 1, 2015 at the Lake Express Ferry in Milwaukee Wisconsin

With grasshopper

With grasshopper