While enjoying the spring warbler migration at Lake Park a Northern Mockingbird had been spotted on the golf course. Images were taken on May 15, 2013.
Binomial name: Mimus polglottos
Category: Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Size: 10” long, 14” wing span
Weight: 1.7 oz
A Lark Sparrow was found by a local birder on the oval running track at Lake Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin. It is a place I check often now as birds obviously stop at this location. The Lark Sparrow not common at all here is found on rare occasions during spring migration. This bird appeared to be feeding on weed seed on the track. This was a life bird for many birders that day that were present. If my memory is correct, Paul Sparks found this bird. Images were taken on April 27, 2013.
Binomial name: Chondestes grammacus
Category: Emberizids
Size: 6.5″ long, 11” wingspan
Weight: 1 oz
This Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow was found by local birders during spring migration at Lake Park. The exact location of this bird was at the east end of the “Magic Hedge”. The Magic Hedge is a line of deciduous trees running perpendicular with Lake Michigan just south of the Milwaukee Water Filtration Plant. It hung around for most of the day and was a life bird for many. Images were taken on May 18, 2013.
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Binomial name: Ammodramus nelsoni
Category: Sparrows
Size: 5″ long, 7” wingspan
Weight: 0.6 oz
The uncommon sightings of Prairie Warblers here in Wisconsin. The location of one was found as has been reported in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010. The other Prairie Warbler was only viewed by me as I birded Lake Park on September 5, 2010.
Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010
Binomial name: Dendroica discolor
Category: Warblers
Size: 4.75″ long, 7” wingspan
Weight: .27 oz
Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010
Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010
Prairie Warbler at Lake Park in Milwaukee on September 5, 2010
Prairie Warbler at Lake Park in Milwaukee on September 5, 2010
The report of Yellow-breasted Chats in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha County drew my attention both times. Not a common bird for this area, some years there are reports, others not. I headed out and with some other birders at the reported location reported off of Wilton Road, the bird was found in minutes, this date was May 16, 2012. The other Yellow-breasted Chat was reported off of Hwy 59. That location I birded for about 15 minutes before I locating the bird by its call, this date was May 30, 2013.
Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013
Binomial name: Icteria virens
Category: Wood-Warblers
Size: 7.5″ long, 9.75” wingspan
Weight: 0.88 oz
Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013
Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013
Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012
Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012
Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012
Horned Lark Waukesha County WI. Photographs taken on January 18, 2012
A flock of 37 American Avocets had spent the day at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 1, 2012. Within the flock was one lone Willet that just mixed right in with the Avocets as they feed and rested for the day.
Binomial name: Tringa semipalmata
Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies
Size: 15” long, 26” wing span
Weight: 8 oz
Lesser Yellowlegs at Horicon Marsh and Hustisford Wisconsin. Photographs taken May 12, 2012
Bonaparte’s Gull photographed at South Metro, Oak Creek WI. on November 8, 2010 and at North Point in Sheboygan WI. June 17, 2013.
Bonaparte Gulls with a couple of Herring Gulls
Doing some birding on the lakefront in Milwaukee today I came across a gull just a little smaller than the rest. A hatch year Ring-billed Gull along with it some adult Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls too. Some images from today at the beach. Images were taken on December 3, 2014.
Binomial name: Larus delawarensis
Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
Size: 17.5” long, 48” wing span
Weight: 1.1 lb
Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult middle
Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult right
Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult right
Binomial name: Regulus satrapa
Category: Kinglets
Size: 4” long, 7” wing span
Weight: 0.21 oz
Lapland Longspur, female
Binomial name: Calcarius lapponicus
Category: Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Size: 6.25” long, 11.5” wing span
Weight: 0.95 oz
Rusty Blackbird, female
Binomial name: Euphagus carolinus
Category: Blackbirds
Size: 9” long, 14” wing span
Weight: 2.1 oz
(FYI, An old bird sighting I added to my blog since a Cinnamon Teal has been in the birding news) On a birding run this morning I was rewarded with a Cinnamon Teal, male. It was on the southwest corner of the figure 8 ponds on the western side of the marsh. A very rare bird for the state as the normal range for this bird are western states. The bird moved in and out of cattails sometimes following Blue-winged Teals and was not seen often. I was fortunate enough to get some distant shots. A birder had reported this bird earlier. Images were taken May 5, 2012.
Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teals, male front, female in the middle
Binomial name: Anas cyanoptera
Category: Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Size: 16” long, 22” wing span
Weight: 14 oz
Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teal, female
Cinnamon Teal, male
Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teal, male
I discovered a roost in Pewaukee Wisconsin back in 2009. I followed it for a couple months. During that time I watch some of the nest building, adults sitting on eggs and feeding the young. I found out adults bring sticks and branches to the nest as maintenance continues on the nest until the young leave the nest. Food was being bought in from nearby lakes and steams as I watched the adult herons come with food from all directions to the roost area. In that spring I counted 34 nests in this rookery, 18 active. A couple of years later I returned to the area and it had changed drastically. Many of the trees had fallen and the area was no longer being used by the Great Blue Herons.
Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing to the nest
Binomial name: Ardea herodias
Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies
Size: 46” long, 72” wing span
Weight: 5.3 lb
Great Blue Heron bringing in a small branch to the nest that must be in need of repair or made stronger or bigger as the young grow
Great Blue Heron just spending time by the nest
Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing near the nest
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron near the nest
Great Blue Heron near the nest looking around
Great Blue Heron near the nest stretching
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron feeding the young with a fish from a nearby lake, river or stream
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron with young
Great Blue Heron near the nest just watching the young
Great Blue Heron rookery from a distance
Great Blue Heron rookery from a distance
Great Blue Heron rookery from a distance
Great Blue Herons watching the eggs in the nest
An airplane flies overhead and the young Great Blue Heron just look up and wonder
Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing at the nest
Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing at the nest
