Early last week it appeared the excitement of migration through Dane county came to a screeching halt on May 15th.
 |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (male), Gallistel Woods, UW Arboretum, 14May2018 |
Our last push of impressive migrant numbers and diversity occurred the day prior.
 |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (at my feet), Pheasant Branch Conservancy, May 2018 |
Storms early that morning forced many migrants down.
 |
| Philadelphia Vireo, Graber Pond, Dane Co, WI 14May2018 |
 |
| Wilson's Warbler, Graber Pond, Dane Co, WI 14May2018 |
Thrushes dominated the day at densities I don't recall seeing before in Dane county.
 |
| Veery, Wingra Woods, UW Arboretum 14May2018 |
 |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush, Gardner Marsh, UW Arboretum, 14May2018 |
 |
| Swainson's Thrush, UW Arboretum, 14May2018 |
Spring migration 2018: It felt somewhat delayed, then came on fast and furious. It will certainly go down as one for the record books of my gray matter.
 |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (at my feet), Pheasant Branch Conservancy, May 2018 |
On the waning side of its climax, warblers continued at my feet, but with far less frequency. As temperatures climbed, birds moved to food sources high in the tree canopy.
 |
| American Redstart, the iconic warbler of waning migration, Graber Pond, Dane Co, 14May2018 |
The serendipity of Black-throated Blue warblers was certainly with me this spring which contributed to its overall superior rating as far as migrations go.
 |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (male), Gallistel Woods, UW Arboretum, 14May2018 |
Throughout the first half of May, I was fortunate to encounter several of these captivating blue warblers at various locations. Frautschi Point delivered my FOY. The UW Arboretum offered stunning looks of both sexes over multiple days. And as we passsed migration's peak, I saw the last male I will likely see for the season at Graber Pond (May 15th). All in all, it simply does not get much better than a Black-throated Blue Warbler quietly sneaking up in serious face-melting proximity during a quiet afternoon stroll in Gallistel Woods.
It appears the birding fairies knew before I did that there would likely be no additional Black-throated Blue magic for me in the coming months. Unfortunately my travel plans to visit the Black-throated Blue Warbler breeding grounds in the eastern U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) have been thwarted by my mother's unexpected hospitalization. This is keeping my part-time Yooper parents in the Lower Rio Grande Valley at least until mid summer which means my time in the U. P. will be limited this summer. Oh how I already miss the remote shores of southern Lake Superior...
 |
| Hooded Warbler (female), Wingra Woods, UW Arboretum May 2018 |
As migration wanes, there is still plenty of birding candy to behold. The Hooded Warblers present in Wingra and Gallistel Woods at the UW Arboretum are likely to breed there. Even with lulls in migration and the slowness of the afternoon, these birds are typically active getting about their business of trying to perpetuate their genes.
I have also been following the progress of a Ruby-throated hummingbird nest in the same woods where the Hooded Warblers appear to have taken up residence. You can hear the Hooded Warbler singing in the background of this video showing the bird building her nest.
 |
| Ruby-throated hummingbird adding soft lining to her nest, UW Arboretum, Madison, Dane Co, 14May2018 |
And of course new blooming ephemerals continue to reveal themselves almost daily.
 |
| Bird's Foot Violet, Mazomanie Wildlife Area, Dane Co, WI 17May2018 |
And as more plants are flowering and temperatures rise, butterfly diversity and numbers are also increasing.
 |
| Juvenal's Duskywing, Mazomanie Wildlife Area, Dane Co, WI 17May2018 |
By Wednesday of last week I was certain migration was a wrap. Stick a fork in it. Finished in an abrupt and cruel fashion.
Sadly I had turned my attention to all the things I had been neglecting during my month of birding fever, my garden, home, etc.
But could it be so? Was migration really over?
What about the cuckoos? And the myriad of empidonax flycatchers? And Olive-sided flycatchers? So few have been reported this year...Surely there must be more.
Sadly I had turned my attention to all the things I had been neglecting during my month of birding fever, my garden, home, etc.
But could it be so? Was migration really over?
What about the cuckoos? And the myriad of empidonax flycatchers? And Olive-sided flycatchers? So few have been reported this year...Surely there must be more.
 |
| Black-billed Cuckoo, Graber Pond, Dane Co, WI 21May2018 |
Today's verdict on the question of whether migration is a wrap is a resounding "HELL NO!"
Migration may be waning, but indeed there is still more!
Migration may be waning, but indeed there is still more!
 |
| Bay-breasted Warbler, Graber Pond, Dane Co, WI 21May2018 |
 |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher, Graber Pond, Dane Co, WI 21May2018 |
Oh my. So crushy. What do you shoot with anyway?
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a wayward Black-throated Blue while I was on the UTC, but no joy there. Maybe will get one for the year in CA this fall.
For birds I shoot with Canon 7Dii, 100-400m ii, sometimes with 1.4 extender. These are all newer within the last 1.5 years. The 7Dii can tolerate some pretty high ISOs without looking too noisy. I also have a Canon Macro 100mm which I use for plants and sometimes bugs. The 100-400 ii has a close focus range. So sometimes I just default to using the one lens for everything.
ReplyDelete