Here They Come

This morning, just after 5 a.m. I woke to this on the radar...

BIRDS!

"Here they come," I thought to myself. And my mind bridged into a Primus beat, DUN DUN dun-da-dun-da DUN DUN...

"Here they come. Here come the bastards..."

Excited as I was, per my usual early-riser fail, I fell back asleep for another two hours before I rose to meet the best weather day we will have this entire week. Lucky me, I had the day off! Temperatures climbed to 60°F which had not happened since the first week of December 2017!

I hit the trails shortly after 8 a.m. Initially, I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of birds. As temperatures rose over the next hour, bird activity picked up in small spurts. By the end of my first 100 minutes of birding, it was apparent the activity on the radar was represented by an increase in Yellow-rumped Warblers, Eastern Phoebes and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Another wave of Golden-crowned kinglets had also arrived.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Nine Springs, Dane Co, 12April2018

Shorebirds were also among the new arrivals but remained relatively sparse in diversity and numbers.

Greater Yellowlegs, Nine Springs, Dane Co, WI 11April2018

Speaking of shorebirds which generally seem to be late this spring, an early Baird's Sandpiper defied the trend on Sunday and Monday. It was a nice patch bird to get under my belt. It also serves as a testament to another one of those weird spring migrations where many birds have been late to arrive, yet a few oddballs like this Baird's arrived early. My sympathies go out to these hardy scouts.

Baird's Sandpiper, Nine Springs, Dane Co, WI 9April2018

Following solo birding for the first part of the morning, I met my birding buddy, Kyle for some brief clandestine birding followed by the usual mix of shorebird, waterbird and passerine birding that occupies the lives of we freak birders. We birded in the fanatical fashion I've become accustomed to over the past month. The intermittent reinforcement of first-of-the-year birds combined with some tantalizing gems, fed our addiction to keep birding. 

The Franklin's Gull at Ashton K pond was a year bird for Kyle. For me, it was simply delightful to see this species again under far better viewing conditions than last time I observed it. The small flock of Pectoral Sandpipers, Wilson's Snipe and two Greater Yellowlegs present at Ashton K had us excited we might find more shorebirds at the much more expansive Nine Springs. However our misguided prediction for good shore-birding did not bear out. No worries. If birding were simply everything one expected it would be rather boring. The surprises undoubtedly are a large part of allure. 

Franklins' Gull, Ashton K, Dane Co, WI 12April2018

Franklins' Gull, Ashton K, Dane Co, WI 12April2018

The Red-necked Grebe reported at Stricker's Pond (Yes! In my birding patch!) was a welcome surprise to fuel our afternoon birding.

Red-necked Grebe, Stricker's Pond, Dane Co, 12April2018

Following the Red-necked rendezvous, we visited the adjacent Tiedeman's Pond where I spied what had become my nemesis patch-bird for the past two weeks, a Great Egret. With no time for photos, I returned later in the day to capture a few images of the egret and Red-necked Grebe. I was hoping to find the grebe in better light and closer to the shore. That did not come to fruition. But returning to Stricker's for late day birding was worthwhile nonetheless as it yielded my sixth patch FOY of the day, Purple Martin. Apparently they were MIA during our earlier visit.

Great Egret, Stricker's Pond, Dane Co, WI 12April2018

Purple Martin, Stricker's Pond, Dane Co, WI 12April2018

As mentioned before, Nine Springs was nearly a bust on shorebirds. However, it delivered on many other levels: American Bittern, numerous Fox Sparrows, an unexpected Vesper Sparrow, brilliant Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and more Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrush and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Hermit Thrush was another species that had eluded me for the year until today. By the time we reached Nine Springs we had seen single birds at at least three locations. Clearly they, along with more sparrows, had rode the recent wave of migration.

Today appeared to mark the arrival of Chipping Sparrow. Where have they been?! I don't blame them for staying south. Our weather in Wisconsin has not been friendly to the bold bird scouts arriving ahead of the pack.

Chipping Sparrow, UW Arboretum, Ho-Nee-Um, Dane Co, 12April2018

That's a wrap for birding on this glorious Thursday.

Since my last post, I've continued to bird and eBird at a compulsive pace. I really DO NEED to address my growing TO-DO list before migration really heats up. With the continual appearance of goodies in my birding patch it's difficult to reason doing much of anything else outside of work but bird.

A Ross's Goose made an appearance earlier this week less than two miles from my house. Eek. A nice bird to admire en route home from work.

Ross's Goose, Gammon soccer fields, Madison, Dane Co, WI 10April2018

And even on the days when FOYS are one or none, I continued to lose myself in the birds and to contemplate their lives and journies. The frequent freezing temps of recent weeks and few observable insects left me pondering how the flycatching Eastern Phoebes were managing to find food. Wonder no more. Minnows!  While I was not fast enough to freeze frame the encounter, I watched an Eastern Phoebe fly down to Stricker's Pond, come up to a branch with minnow in bill and whack it to death before swallowing it whole. Who knew?! I've seen many a passerine and flycatcher engage in "whack-a-bug" but never "whack-a-minnow." I guess when faced with hard times, protein is protein?

Eastern Phoebe, Dane Co, WI 8April2018

And finally, lest you think, THIS, ALL OF THIS, is just about the numbers (how banal!), I'll leave this image of these swallows whose fluid recirculating feeding engrossed me for the spell of over an hour one calm afternoon. These are the graceful patterns soothing my soul. They become tattooed on my retina and keep me looking for that next indelible experience. This is the gravity of birding. The numbers, that's just icing. Fun but at times nauseatingly too sweet.

Tree Swallows, Madison, WI 8April2018

April Snow into Patch Gold

Early Tuesday evening this was the birding scene...

I woke the next morning to this...

SNOW! April 4th and we are dealing with snow in southern Wisconsin.

However for contrast, here was the scene in the backyard this morning. The snow was largely gone, but the frigid weather and the shittest birds in the world (Wild Turkeys) remained.



In the wee hours of this morning, during one of my many periods of wakefulness, my handy phone told me it was 18° F! Eek! Yeah that's more like "degrees FUCK!!!" not Fahrenheit. That was enough to tip my decision to sleep in.

Despite the sense of being under the spell of Snow Miser, the birds continue to trickle into the state albeit trickle is key word. Where are all the Bonaparte's Gulls?!? I associate Easter with a large influx of Boni's. Yet Easter has passed and thus far Bonaparte's Gulls seem in short supply. This particular bird has been spending time at Stricker's Pond this past week and is probably one of the most photographed gulls in the area right now. Scruffy looking little bugger. My hands went numb and I failed to get a sharp image despite my relative close proximity to the bird.

This past Thursday was our best weather day with temperatures climbing into the 40s. Woohoo! I was fortunate to have the day off and took advantage of Nature's reprieve from arctic blasts. I walked over six miles between my neighborhood, Owen Conservation Park, the Confluence Ponds, North Fork Marsh and the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor trail. I continued to add FOY species to my birding patch list...

Winter Wren, Owen Conservation Park, not cooperating for photos
A new patch addition this week

...as well as relish in admiring recurrent but nonetheless stunning birds decked out in their finest plumages.

Fox Sparrow, Owen Conservation Park, Madison, Dane Co, WI

Sandhill Crane in the snow, Stricker's Pond, Middleton, WI 

Sandhill Crane exercising what might be a faulty nesting strategy if we get the rain that is forecast

Great Blue Heron, Stricker's Pond, Middleton WI

Friday's strong winds blew in a few Franklin's Gulls that continued in various locations today. I finally saw this FOY species at Ashton K pond during my second attempt at birding this small ephemeral pond. I saw reports later in the day of two Franklin's having been present today. I suspect I simply missed them in the tightly packed flock of Ring-billed gulls. To my good fortune, one was standing outside the flock upon my return, making it more easily discernible. Moments later it moved into the interior, effectively disappearing again. An el crappo doc shot was obtained which I will spare from display on this blog.

My good fortune continued into the afternoon when I hit PATCH GOLD, so golden little can be uttered about this nugget. Patch gold and a golden high sure to make for the sweetest of dreams this eve. Here's lookin' at you kid (x3). It doesn't get any better!

March into April

Well that's a wrap for March. We are off and birding into the second quarter of the 2018!

My local birding patch statistics. I completed March with ninety-nine species in my local birding patch which is centered around near west Madison, WI.  Forty-two of those species were first seen in January, only seven in February and the remaining fifty were seen in March. As of today, April 1st, my local birding patch total sits at 102 species for the year. Per eBird, my days of checklist streak stands at twenty one. My best streak is only twenty-nine days. I’m going for 100!

I had no plans to bird much yesterday, March 31st due to the weather forecast looking like more of winter with 20-30 mph winds, gusts to 40 mph and a mixture of rain and snow. Yes it was windy and cold but the day turned out to be more tolerable than anticipated.

Song Sparrow, North Fork Marsh, Middleton, Dane Co, 31March2018

This Song Sparrow looks about as happy I was to be out in the blustery conditions. Have I ever mentioned how I annoying I find birding in the wind?

Being a fair-weathered spirit as of recent, I slept in late and planned to work around the house most of the day. However, I was enticed into what was supposed to be a 15-20 minute walk to breakfast. Of course we went with binoculars in hand. It is spring after all and we live in a decently birdy neighborhood. Our route to breakfast took us through Kettle Pond which revealed increased sparrow activity including an influx of Fox Sparrows and a smattering of singing White-crowned Sparrows. Following breakfast we noted Golden-crowned Kinglets in the Spring Harbor neighborhood where we dined, more evidence of new arrivals. Given we were only 5 minutes from Lake Mendota we decided to check for waterfowl. The wind was gusting and the birds were moving. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Pine Siskins and Great Blue Herons flew overhead. On the water we found multiple Horned Grebes mixed in with the same waterfowl I had been seeing for the past week. Horned Grebe had been my nemesis species for a good two weeks. So I was quite happy my relatively incidental birding effort yielded a new year bird in my patch. I surmised there must have been an influx of Horned Grebes overnight as well. Scanning the lake, it appeared the ice on Lake Mendota had finally gone out. As of the day before I could see still an ice edge lined with gulls in the southeast corner of the lake where none seemed present on March's final day.

Merrill Springs Parks with view of Lake Mendota in background, 31March2018

I was tempted to bird some more on Saturday but remained disciplined in getting chores done around the house. However, an early evening run to Costco found me on some quick birding detours which yielded my last two patch species for March, a lone Pectoral Sandpiper and two Snow Goose at Ashton K pond.

So here we are on the day of fools, April 1st. I worked the morning then headed out in the afternoon for some brisk weather birding. A brief stop at the Confluence Ponds yielded an unexpected Sharp-shinned Hawk and an exciting but somewhat concerning encounter with a bat.

I spotted this bat flying from one of the wood duck boxes. It crossed Deming Way to land on the ledge of a window at the business across from the pond. It rested for a spell, flew a short then landed on the building, scaling the concrete wall. It appeared to be gleaning insects from the textured surface. It crawled all the way down to the ground, proceeded along the building edge until it finally found a small hole between the mulch and foundation where it absconded to what was hopefully a warm refuge. It seemed a bit exhausted. Good luck little buddy! I seem to be on at least a 5-year streak of seeing bats in late winter/early spring.

We returned to Spring Harbor Beach where the waters were much calmer than the day before. A similar number of Horned Grebes continued from the day prior. Red-breasted Mergansers were plentiful.



Seeing the mergansers engaged in a courtship dance made this unplanned stop well worth it!

Finally we arrived at our planned destination Frautschi Point which we found quite lively with an impressive number of Golden-crowned Kinglets (38 estimated!), my first-of-the-year Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Barred Owl, Cooper's hawk and an assortment of common woodland birds.

Golden-crowned Kinglet, Frautschi Point, 1April2018

Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Frautschi Point, 1April2018

At the nearby Eagle Heights we scoured the terrain looking for sparrows. American Tree Sparrows were present in the dozens, followed by less numerous Song Sparrows, a few Fox Sparrows and my final FOY patch bird of the day, a somewhat disheveled looking White-crowned Sparrow.

American Tree Sparrow (after it heard a good joke about 2 more weeks of winter),
Eagle Heights, 1April2018

White-crowned Sparrow, Eagle heights gardens, Madison, Dane Co, 1April2018

It may be frigid outside, but hope certainly abounds! I'm ecstatic with my new birding digs, with rediscovering old haunts from when I formerly resided in Madison and uncovering lesser known pocket's of birding goodness. Nature's surprises never cease to amaze me!

Patch Madness

Well I better get in the saddle and ride this thing, this blogging business.

Wow. Time keeps on rolling forward and I along with it. Over the past few months, both inertia and paralysis prevented me from settling down to edit photos, write, and attend for more than a few minutes to the box of light and madness we call the computer. But here I am, back at it. The worst of winter 2018 is surely behind me.

My Wisconsin birding efforts were rather subdued throughout January and February. I pretty much stuck to low-key birding in my neighborhood, knowing that most of the bird species seen during these months would be present when the weather was more favorable. My most notable neighborhood bird observation from this time period was a wintering Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Birding was low priority taking a back seat to hibernation. I opted to spend many a morning sleeping well into the 9 o'clock hour, enveloped in the comfort of my heated mattress pad and the confines of my house. Oh sure, I ventured out some to see the winter field birds, Lapland Longspur, Horned Lark and Snow Buntings. I also ventured to southern Dane County to see the Short-eared Owls that were plentiful this winter at Brooklyn Wildlife Area. But mostly I continued to settle into my new house, paint, attempt to make order of chaos...and sleep.

I made some time for a couple of extended bird trips. Enticed by the owl irruption to our north, I traveled solo to Sax-Zim Bog after a several year hiatus of avoiding the growing owl paparazzi. But that story is for another time...

Also in late February I returned to the Lower Rio Grande Valley to visit my winter Texan parents where the birding and butterflying is spectacular. I amassed many photos. Per my usual I have not found the time to compose a blog post about my travels here. I've logged over a dozen trips to the valley without a single post dedicated to the amazing birds and butterflies. Perhaps one is in the works...For now I'm bogged down with identifying all the butterflies I photographed from this region.

And that brings us to March. I returned from the Lower Rio Grande Valley early in the month just in time for a late winter walloping of snow in the Upper Midwest. Despite the snow storm, spring thaw was in progress. Many birders in my home county were flocking to Lower Mud Lake (Dane Co) to view the waterfowl that concentrates here annually on the lake's early thawing waters. I resisted the trip reasoning that I could eventually see most, if not all those species, in my 7.5 mile radius local birding patch. Patience and restraint! And with that, the birth of my patch madness grew. I began an obsession with restricting much of my birding to my new local birding patch. The 7.5 mile radius patch is Wisconsin's effort with standardizing patch birding. It began in 2014 and was modeled after Texas's local patch challenge. My interest in patch birding and has waxed and wane over the few years since its inception in Wisconsin. But as of this month it has become the focus of my birding.

A compelling landscape of rock out-croppings and a gorge in my local patch

Most of March I have been consumed with exploring unfamiliar and familiar parks, natural areas, fluddles, and ponds within my patch. I've been energized by discovering under-birded and compelling natural areas in what is a relatively heavily-birded county as far as all of Wisconsin is concerned. While the well-known hotspots in my patch certainly have their allure, I'm intrigued to see what warblers and other passerine migrants I can find in some of the natural areas off-the-beaten path.

Up until the last week, I was cranking out new patch and year species almost daily. However when one birds daily during a time period of rather stunted migration, the law of diminishing returns applies. Sure I could bird once a week and be at or near the same number of species with far less checklists. Instead I've been checking hotspots in my patch with some redundancy. I've also committed myself to eBirding regardless of whether anything new or interesting is present. Afterall, selectively entering checklists based on how impressive the birding is in terms of quality and quantity of species present only serves to introduce more bias into the data.

Waterfowl has been the theme most of the month. It's actually my least favorite group of birds (so no duck photos-BORING!). Estimating ducks numbering in the 100s is painstaking and borders on being work, not leisure. I keep telling myself if I regularly check the fluddles, lakes and ponds in my patch, I will eventually turn up some rare to uncommon loon, duck or other waterfowl. Think Cinnamon Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Eared Grebe or Red-throated Loon. I would much rather find some sweet passerine or sexy shorebird, but waterfowl is the predominate trend for now. Thus far, passerines and shorebirds have been slow to arrive. Eastern Phoebe and Wilson's Snipe are recent arrivals, present only small numbers.

Eastern Phoebe, Gardner Marsh 24March2018

Wilson's Snipe, Hwy 14 ephemeral pond, Middleton, WI 26March2018

Speaking of shorebirds, while my patch lacks the northern Dane county ponds and fluddles which attract a good number of rare shorebirds, Nine Springs with its impoundments and shorebird habitat is included. Some years the water levels at Nine Springs can be rather disappointing. Other years this spot has produced notable birds including godwits, red knot, whimbrel and white-faced ibis. I plan to be there looking for these gems!

Earlier in March I struck patch gold when my friend Shawn texted with information regarding a Snowy Owl present on Lake Wingra. Though this species had an impressive irruption south this winter and was quite common, seeing this one was still thrilling. Finding one in the areas comprised within my patch can be difficult even in an irruption year.

Snowy Owl, Lake Wingra, Madison, WI 13March2018

Another good year for Northern Shrikes in southern Wisconsin. Early in March I found myself fretting I would not find a Northern Shrike in my patch before they left for their northern breeding climes. Shovelers Sink had been a territory for one last year and just this past December I observed one up the road from my house in the University Research Park Prairie. I had checked both these spots dipping on all occasions. Finally on a recent trip to Shovelers Sink a distant shrike obliged me. It was perched in the same patch of dogwood as last year. Of course within days of seeing the Shovelers Sink shrike, I had the serendipity of finding one singing at Dorn Creek Wildlife Area.

Northern Shrike, Dorn Creek Fishery Wildlife Area, 16March2018

Then on March 28th, I saw what is likely the Dorn Creek bird at the adjacent Governor Nelson State Park. Once again, to my great delight, the bird was singing! I cannot think of anything more endearing or treasured about March birding than witnessing singing Northern Shrikes!

My shrike streak continued today. I found the presumably same shrike hunting near the entrance to Governor Nelson State Park. I relished in watching it hunt for a good fifteen minutes knowing within the next month, this favored species of mine will be absent in the state. Perhaps April will yield a few more observations. Wisconsin has a number of April shrike records mostly occurring in the first two weeks. I hit my personal late record for seeing Northern Shrike last year with an April 7th sighting at Perry/Primrose Bird Conservation Area.

Northern Shrike, Governor Nelson State Park, Dane Co, 30March2018

Though seemingly becoming more common in southern Wisconsin, Carolina Wren is another one of those species that gives me dipping angst each year. I did not encounter this species in Dane County in 2017. Therefore when I came upon the pair inhabiting the creek corridor of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, I was quite pleased. I was traveling light with my small mirrorless DSLR, but was glad to at least have some sort of camera on hand when the pair rewarded us with their presence and song.

Carolina Wren, Pheasant Branch Conservancy, 16March2018

Owls. By March Great-horned Owls are well underway with nesting and owlets begin to emerge. Observing the progression of any raptor nest but especially owls is quite the treat. When I viewed this nest in Middleton on March 19th, the down fluff of a chick was visible. However, I have not seen the owlet(s) since. I'm assured at least one owlet is present. A friend captured a nice image showing the face of the owlet on March 29. 

Great-horned owl with chick, 19March2018

Great-horned Owl sleeping on the job, 26March2018

Until a flock of blackbirds lands over head....

Meanwhile back at the ranch this is what's been happening in the yard.

Wild Turkey, Madison, WI 18March2018 

They are colorful, but quite the nuisance especially when 40+ are hanging out around the yard. Unfortunately my neighbor spreads corn for them almost daily.

And let us not slight our common and abundant Song Sparrows and American Robins. Numbers have markedly increased as March progressed. Breeding is underway for these species!

Song Sparrow, Pheasant Branch Conservancy, 28March2018

American Robin, Pheasant Branch Conservancy, 28March2018

Oh! And a non-birding observation! My first-of-the-year butterfly! March 18th I saw this Mourning Cloak at Black Earth Creek Wildlife Area. Then today while birding Pheasant Branch Conservancy, I spotted another!

Mourning Cloak 18March2018

Until the next time, bird on and be nice. BE NICE.

Out my window

View from my window, 28Jan2018

Unconsciously holding my breath

until I can't breath

My respiratory rate rises faster, shallow,

in clavicular waves of inadequacy

Heart racing in an unsustainable pounding rhythm,

bellowing between my ears

Temple under pressure

Run to breathe

Out my window,

the lightness of being a bird

Lives less sentient

Oh to be.

New Year's 2018

On New Year's Day I was one of many crazed Wisconsin birders who ventured out in the subzero temperatures to see what feathered friends survived the raging parties the night before. Actually I think eBird and the re-setting of yearly lists provides great motivation for birding on January 1st. Even those who do not eBird speak of "getting a jump" on their annual lists. I suppose I would have to admit the re-setting of the lists contributes to part of my enthusiasm for birding on New Year's Day. Though more and more I enjoy it simply for the sake of tradition as well as the camaraderie of sharing the day with other hardy birders.

In Madison, my day started at -9 °F. It was one of those snot-freezing days where deep inspiration through my nares resulted in split-second moments of nasal occlusion from the freezing moisture (aka snot). The wind chill was deep within the negative double digits. My legs stung from the freeze. I rapidly concluded birding sans snow pants was a bad call...

Ah but there was glorious sunshine and this fine little creature to warm my soul, the UW Arboretum Townsend's Solitaire.

Townsend's Solitaire, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 1Jan2018

These were not the warmer temperatures I was hoping for when I spoke of revisiting this bird. Fortunately I avoided any painfully frigid waiting. Instead the bird was obligingly perched in the open upon my arrival to the "juniper knoll" of the Longenecker Gardens. The bird made a clockwork appearance just before 9:00 a.m. I admired it in the company of a few other birders who were present when I arrived. However I quickly found myself alone with the bird as the other birders quickly moved on to other birds and perhaps warmer temperatures. Such one-on-one crushing bird moments are pretty much what I live for. I watched the solitaire feed on the juniper berries, fly to its perch, poop and repeat. The bird seemed oblivious to my presence, focused on the basic needs of nutrition and hydration.

Townsend's Solitaire, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 1Jan2018

After a spell of gorging on juniper berries, the solitaire descended to a low horizontal trunk where it delighted me with outstanding eye-level views while it perched in the sun and ate snow.  

It was difficult to walk away from a bird that was so cooperative. I could have lingered much longer, giving into my obsessive desire to perfect photos of this bird. But alas bird photos are a dime a dozen and I am but an amateur at this...and the day was calling. There were other birds to see. Plus it was cold and time to start moving to get warm.


Townsend's Solitaire, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 1Jan2018

So I peeled myself away for a 3.5 mile hike along the arboretum trails which was more exposure to the bitter cold than I intended. My original plan was to minimize time outside and do more car birding. However the lure of exploring the arboretum woods for new year birds kept me moving along the trails. I was looking for familiar birds that had been present at 2017's end as well seeking those less common species that over-winter in small numbers in Wisconsin. Think Hermit Thrush and Fox Sparrow. I had not seen either species around the arboretum in recent months but both were good bets for January 1st. Great Blue Heron should have been an even better bet. One had been seen at the Big Spring up through December 31st. However it was not seen January 1st. 

Same goes for the Yellow-rumped Warbler that was present in the company of the Townsend's Solitaire during the final days of December. It too was MIA on January 1st. In fact I don't believe I have seen any reports for this species for Dane County in 2018. Then again, I have not been in the loop with social media birding reports for quite some time. So I cannot speak with much authority as to what others are reporting outside of eBird.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 29Dec2017

I also checked for what is probably one of the most photographed owls in Madison, the UW arboretum Eastern Screech-owl (like there is ONLY one in the whole arboretum, hehe). He too was absent... or perhaps just tucked deep within his roost hole. I have not seen him since late November though others reported him in mid-December. 

Eastern Screech-owl, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 27Nov2017

It's been a good year for Red-breasted Nuthatches in southern Wisconsin. The arboretum has been hosting at least a few of this irruptive species. They continued their presence into the New Year.

What do the nuthatches do during these arctic blasts? Like the Townsend's Solitaire, they eat snow!

How about all those Pine Siskins found around the Longenecker Gardens last month? Oddly I heard only one on January 1st. Instead, Common Redpolls were more numerous, a species I did not see in southern Wisconsin in 2017.

And yes, I did pick up my year Fox and White-throated Sparrows while birding the arboretum. The Fox Sparrow (pictured below) was found with 2 others at the Spring Trail Pond along with a White-throated Sparrow. This is a traditional location where I and other New Year's birders have gotten this species over the past few years. Though a Hermit Thrush was seen by what is referred to as the Icke Boardwalk, I missed this species since I seemingly struggle with navigating the arboretum trails to find this location. Soon enough early spring will bring many more Hermit Thrush into Wisconsin.

Fox Sparrow, UW Arboretum, Madison, WI 1Jan2018

Unlike 2016 and 2017, I did not put in a "big day" effort for this January 1st. I birded most of the day but at a more leisurely pace with no intent of chasing after every duck species present on the limited open water in Dane county. Truly there is no rush to see all the birds on the first day. Most of the birds present now will be around for the next few months and some throughout the year. 

I keep telling myself I should take the opportunity with this cold weather to get some projects completed indoors, take a break from birding, read, acquire more knowledge, learn a new skill... Yet I find myself yearning for the next adventure and forever opting for the outdoors over the banal responsibilities of data entry or house projects. Alas there are so many directions to go. With no new year goals in mind, free will is my pilot in 2018. What happens next is anyone's guess.