And Then October

There are times when I embark on blogging by first compiling photos from the day and allowing the photos to lead the story. However, more often I prefer to recount an experience through text, supplementing photos where I can. This method of constructing the text first often leads to many unfinished blog entries. Thoughts come to die in the many unpublished wishful entries of my past. Brevity of words has never been my friend. By the time I've organized my copious musings into what is hopefully a meaningful narrative, I am too exhausted to finish the job of editing photos. Alas I have several blog posts in the works. But life doesn't stop for such internet fluff. It is here and now, passionate and hellish all rolled into one badass coursing mess of fits and spurts. Or something like that anyway...So I'm onto the next thing. Today, then the next and so it goes...until it ends. Today. Today was mighty fine as far as birding goes. And as I settle down to write my tale I vow to see this to completion...

Swamp Sparrow, Tiedeman's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

After a bout of unseasonably warm weather and south winds, last night the winds shifted out of the north. Coupled with a band of rain situated across southeast Wisconsin, the weather conditions seemed certain to drop a nice surge of migrants somewhere in Dane county. Therefore I cannot say I was disappointed to have work cancelled freeing my time to bird to my heart's desire.

Birdar 9:52 p.m. central time, 3Oct2017

Birdar 6:32 a.m. central time, 4Oct2017

I woke this morning intent on birding. However, I have this uncanny ability to nearly cripple my birding plans with indecision about where to bird. Do I start at a spot more optimized for sparrows or one for warblers? Or do I try for both in the first few hours of daylight? Do I bird my neighborhood first? My yard? Can I add another migrant to my growing yard list? Fortunately I squashed my over-analysis and directed myself to get on with my day, go for both sparrows and warblers.

White-crowned Sparrow, Tiedeman's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

Having just familiarized myself more thoroughly with two local kettle ponds, Stricker's and Tiedeman's, I felt pretty good about starting my day at these two hotspots which are a block from each other. The trails through prairie, woods and marsh can be easily covered at a relatively leisurely birding pace within a two hour time frame. The variety of habitat situated in a relatively small area seems to be promising for efficiently delivering decent bird diversity.

White-throated Sparrow, Tiedeman's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

I believe I hedged my birding bets well. My birding effort of approximately two and a half hours yielded 52 species including 7 warbler and 5 sparrow species. Not bad for early October despite my list being a little weak on sparrows. By my estimation it seems much of the noise on the "birdar" for the day was White-throated Sparrows and Palm Warblers along with much smaller numbers of other warblers, sparrows and waterfowl.

Palm Warbler, Tiedeman's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

As I walked the even gravel paths and was often effortlessly presented with crushing views of various birds, I contemplated how these particular hotspots fall into the "geri-birding" or "fluff birding" category. Not quite the posh birding to be had at the feeding stations of south Texas, the pinnacle of geri-birding, Stricker's and Tiedeman's offer some easily accessible close views of sweet birds, all with little to no mud on your boots, hitch-hikers on your clothes and few tripping hazards in your path.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Stricker's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

In contrast, my former home county of Jefferson had anything but "geri-birding" haunts. Jefferson county birding often involved uneven terrain, wading in calf-high water or hiking on trails with ankle busting rocks and holes or no trails at all. As with anything, there are pros and cons to each scenario. On the con side, the convenient trails of the geri-birding friendly haunts around Madison (Dane county) attract more pedestrian traffic. Some more than others.

A scruffy Common Yellowthroat, Tiedeman's Pond, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

As far as Stricker's and Tiedeman's are concerned, the pedestrian traffic in my limited experience has been minimal. There are a few dog walkers and joggers, but it definitely pales in comparison to nearby Pheasant Branch's creek corridor where wide paved trails attract bikers and many more pedestrians of the running, loud-talking and shouting variety. Sometimes hoards of kids from the two adjacent schools come barreling through in all the excitement that embodies puberty and the awkwardness of being pre-teen and teenage. BUT there is something to be said for for those stolen of moments of serenity that happen on rare occasion...And there is definitely much to be said about the rushing water of Pheasant Branch Creek through the relatively sheltered corridor that yields a reliable showing of migrating passerines despite the intermittent nuisance of traffic.

Brown Creeper, Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

Hence why I opted to visit the creek corridor after lunch in hopes of finding a few more migrating songbirds. Yes, I realize it's sparrow month, but I could not resist looking for more warblers. Plus with it being midday on a weekday it seemed like one of the safest times I could visit this birding treasure trove on this glorious fall day. The trail is quite easily navigable and I thought I could hit it in a quick hour. Not. Per my usual I exhausted over two hours exploring the corridor despite it being midday and somewhat subdued as far as bird activity was concerned.

I managed to find a few warblers, adding Magnolia to my list for the day, bringing my daily total warbler species for my patch to eight. Toward the tail end of my visit I eeked out some thrushes, Gray-cheeked and Swainson's. It was about time! My first non-robins of the day. These will likely be the last of these species I will encounter for the year. Surprisingly I found no Hermit Thrush. Other than American Robin, Hermit Thrush seems to be dominating thrush migration per my recent birding efforts. It was odd not to encounter one today. Off-timing, little birding in the woods and perhaps my lack of intense observation were to blame. The woes of Nature is she is often distracting, pulling me in so many directions, but always good and satisfying to my curiousity.

My favorite bird from the corridor was this Philadelphia Vireo. Its fall plumage can be difficult to discern from fall Warbling Vireos. Since I'm good for niggling self-doubt, I double-checked my identification with a highly revered and skilled birder. Philadelphia it is.

Philadelphia Vireo, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

Philadelphia Vireo, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

It was doing the classic vireo "whack-a-bug" routine with what I believe was a moth.

Whack-a-bug Philadelphia Vireo, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

A few butterflies and dragonflies were flying about as well.

Common Buckeye, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

This almost prompted me to divert to another location in search of insects, but I remained steadfast to make the most of birding today.

Orange-sulphur, Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

Shadow Darner, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

There is no rest for the freakish birder driven by a sense of a "hard rain is gonna fall," by a sense of this could be last of it, at least until spring. Winter is coming and then what?

So I gave myself an hour and a half of downtime at home, then I hit it hard for Ammodramus the last remaining hours of day.

Moonrise, Dane Co, WI 4Oct2017

But that is a tale of Ammodramus and the Moon that will have to wait until another day as I feel somnolence upon me and the need to rejuvenate for another day.