Category Archives: Bird Categories

Short-eared Owls in the South Kettle Moraine at the Scuppernong River Habitat Area in Waukesha County Wisconsin on March 8, 2013

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The Short-eared Owl has been one species on my list to see and photograph. The Scuppernong River Habitat Area in Waukesha County has some and I went out, spent the afternoon till dark to try to capture these cool birds. Late in the day as the sun is just starting to go down 4 birds appeared from out of no where it seemed. They hovered over the prairie areas and on occasion perched for a couple of minutes. These images are a little rough because of the little light that is left in the day when they come out and start their hunting, but show some of the action that took place. Images where taken on March 8, 2013.

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Short-eared Owl

Binomial name: Asio flammeus

Category: Typical Owls

Size: 15” long, 38” wing span

Weight: 12 oz

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With vole

Inca Dove

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An Inca Dove was found at Concordia University in Mequon Wisconsin. This bird was actually found by a instructor of ornithology at the campus taking one of his classes out for a morning bird walk. This bird hung around for awhile and was viewed by many birders state wide as being so rare for the state. The normal range for this bird is Texas, southern New Mexico and Arizona and Mexico. Images were taken on November 1, 2011.

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Inca Dove

Binomial name: Columbina inca

Category: Pigeons and Doves

Size: 8.25” long, 11” wing span

Weight: 1.6 oz

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Dickcissel

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At least a couple of nesting pairs of Dickcissels were present in the Scuppernong Prairie area in Waukesha County Wisconsin. When I was there I watched adults bringing food to the young in the nests. The nests were in short  growing brush vegetation in the open prairies. Images were taken on August 6, 2011.

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Dickcissel

Binomial name: Spiza americana

Category: Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 9.75” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

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Dickcissel, male left – Dickcissel, female right

 

Dickcissel flying into the nest with food

Dickcissel flying into the nest with food (in middle of image)

Lark Sparrow

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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.

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Lark Sparrow

Binomial name: Chondestes grammacus

Category: Emberizids

Size: 6.5″ long, 11” wingspan

Weight: 1 oz

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Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

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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.

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Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Binomial name: Ammodramus nelsoni

Category: Sparrows

Size: 5″ long, 7” wingspan

Weight: 0.6 oz

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Prairie Warbler

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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

Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010

Prairie Warbler

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 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

Prairie Warbler at Lake Park in Milwaukee on September 5, 2010

Prairie Warbler at Lake Park in Milwaukee on September 5, 2010

Yellow-breasted Chat

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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 Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat

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 Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

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 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012

Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012

Willet at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 1, 2012

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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.

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Willet

Binomial name: Tringa semipalmata

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 15” long, 26” wing span

Weight: 8 oz

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Ring-billed Gull – hatch year at Bradford Beach on the Milwaukee Wisconsin lakefront December 3, 2014

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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.

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Ring-billed Gull – hatch year

Binomial name: Larus delawarensis

Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Size: 17.5” long, 48” wing span

Weight: 1.1 lb

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Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year - Ring-billed, adult right

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

Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year - Ring-billed, adult right

Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult right

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