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| Big Brown Bat, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI |
Despite my fall that day, I was fortunate, as I often am in early April, to find bats flying through the creek corridor. This latest experience probably tops all others! I am told these are likely Big Brown Bats which are listed as threatened in Wisconsin.
Mid-April, I traveled down to the Lower Rio Grande Valley to continue settling my late father's affairs. I also returned to continue my work on planting natives in my mother's yard and to continue to help her de-clutter her place. Of course, I managed to squeeze in some birding and butterfly time.
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| Mexican Bluewing, National Butterfly Center, Hidalgo Co, TX 12Apr23 |
Spring is definitely slower for butterflies in the LRGV. However, a slow butterfly day in far south Texas still beats most butterflying I have done in Wisconsin. I managed to find a Ruby-spotted Swallowtail at the National Butterfly Center. Apparently, this species has not been seen at this location in four years. I have only observed this species once before. So, it was a treat to see a Ruby-spotted again. Even better, I managed to find a rare butterfly on my own!
On the birding front, I focused my trip to Texas on three objectives: 1) Visit Santa Margarita Ranch for Brown Jay and Red-billed Pigeon 2) Take in some of migration at South Padre Island. 3) Catch up with the Elf Owl at Bentsen State Park.
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| Elf Owl, Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, Hidalgo Co, TX 14April2019 |
While the third objective, the Elf Owl was a total bust, I made good on the others. Sadly, after an eight-year stint nesting in the power pole at Bentsen State Park, the nest hole was confirmed to have been taken over by a Golden-fronted Woodpecker. According to Bentsen Park naturalist extraordinaire, Roy Rodriquez, this meant only one thing, something grave happened to the female of this Elf Owl pair be it predation or something else.
On a more positive note, after a multi-year hiatus for this species in the United States, a family group of Brown Jays was discovered in Starr County, Texas earlier this spring. Possibly more than one group???
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| Brown Jay, Santa Margarita Ranch, Starr Co, TX |
Though I have seen this species twice before, once in Starr County, TX and once in Zapata, I took the opportunity to take a guided tour to Santa Margarita Ranch to behold this drab yet dazzling corvid.
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| Townsend's Warbler, South Padre Island, TX 17April23 |
Also, while in Texas, we made the trip to South Padre Island for two days to behold early spring migration.
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| Blue Grosbeak with Indigo Bunting, South padre Island, TX 17April23 |
This was my first trip to South Padre without Dad. His eccentricities and commentary were noticeably lacking. The sense of his absence was immense.
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| Western Tanager, South Padre Island 17April23 |
Having witnessed minor fallout conditions twice before at South Padre, the trip this time was underwhelming in comparison. It was not the same as before on all fronts. Birding was OK. Pier 19, Dad's favorite restaurant on the island had succumbed to fire and the ocean. And Dad was gone too.
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| Yellow-billed Cuckoo, South Padre Island, 17April23 |
However, do not mistake my birding comment as some sort of complaint. Even without a fallout, watching birds on South Padre Island during spring migration remains rather face-melting.
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| Least Tern, South Padre Island, |
I returned to Wisconsin for the remaining ten days of April. Fortunately, I had dodged missing any rare birds. I was mostly concerned with Dane County and my 7.5 mile radius birding patch. I worried my trip to Texas would cost me Louisiana Waterthrush, possibly Pine Warbler and perhaps some less common wading birds.
None to worry though, the birding gods handily rewarded me in one fell swoop. My friend, Andrew had found a Yellow-throated Warbler at Pheasant Branch April . Though the chase that day was unsuccessful, the following morning the bird was refound at a different section of the corridor, near the same bridge where a yellow-throated warbler was found last year. Same bird?
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| Yellow-throated Warbler, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI |
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| Yellow-throated Warbler and Summer Tanager, Pheasant Branch, Dane Co, WI |
So, I hustled to the creek corridor with my 6-year-old nephew in tow. Not only did we see the Yellow-throated warbler, but a Summer Tanager flew in, landing in a shrub about five feet away while we observed the warbler!
Even better, when Dylan and I headed west down the path, I saw, then heard a Louisiana Waterthrush.
It was a brisk almost winter-like day, so the birds were down low, including a couple of Pine warblers.
And just like that my angst about missing certain early spring migrants due to my Texas trip was assuaged.
The final days of April continued to gain excitement between state rarities and local Dane County rarities.
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| Painted Redstart, Spring Green Preserve, Sauk Co, WI 25Apr23 |
In nearby Sauk County, a Painted Redstart was found by Ashley Olah on April 23rd. I caught up with the bird a couple days later...I also enjoyed the spontaneous reunion with old birding friends.
The following day, a Dane County Loggerhead Shrike was confirmed by Gail Smith. What a great reward for someone who volunteers her time with various bird conservation projects. Apparently, she discovered the bird while tending to her bluebird boxes in the nearby area.
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| Loggerhead Shrike, Dane Co, 26April23 |
Later that day, a migrating American Bittern was found using Strickers Pond as a stop-over. Word quickly spread about its appearance, and many enjoyed seeing this usually secretive species.
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| American Bittern, Strickers Pond, Dane Co, WI 26April23 |
April 28th, a Eurasian Wigeon was sighted on the Yahara River at Cherokee Marsh. I attempted to see it the following morning. In typical fashion, I missed it by minutes when the ducks spooked due to Bald Eagles in the area.
Later that day, it was refound on the north side of the Yahara. I made the slog through the deep, wet cattail marsh to eventually catch up with this duck. This was a Dane County lifer for me and by far the hardest I have worked for a bird in a long time. The guys who left the area before me, both sank down to their knees and needed to help each other get to higher ground. I was solo and took great care not to end up in a sinking situation with no help in sight.
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| American Wigeon, Yahara River, Dane Co, WI 28April23 |
And finally, on April 29, a Flame-colored Tanager, was found in Milwaukee County at Sheridan Park. Its presence is considered a big deal among many birders since this Wisconsin record is the only record outside of the limited records in Arizona and Texas. This bird is considered an American Birding Association (ABA) Code 4 species. To put this in perspective, Code 6 birds are those that are considered extinct. Code 5 are those species for which five or fewer records exist in the ABA area. Code 4 birds include birds observed six or more times in the ABA area but not annually.
This was not a lifer. However, the last time I saw this species was over fifteen years ago. It was a stunning male at Madera Canyon during my first trip to Arizona. The Wisconsin bird was a female. Since I was working in nearby Brookfield the day after it was reported, I stopped atop the bluff to be dazzled by this beauty.
I was fortunate enough that the bird was being seen at eye level upon arrival. I had heard others made multiple attempts and searched for several hours for a look at her.
The chill and rain may have felt more like winter on April's final day, but the birds utilizing the Michigan lakeshore told of different story. The warblers, vireos and kinglets were surely hinting of spring migration getting underway.
April 2023 Fun Facts
- Patch Lifers: Loggerhead Shrike, Brewer's Blackbird
- Wisconsin Lifers: Painted Redstart, Flame-colored Tanager
- Total ABA Area Species Observed for April: 270
- Total Wisconsin Species Observed for April: 137
- 2023 7.5 Mile Radius Birding Patch as of April 30: 150
- 2023 Total Species Observed in Dane County as of April 30: 206
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