October

We have passed the middle of October. October in all its melancholy, perhaps the most melancholy month of all.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Mendota Park, Dane Co, WI 15October2018

October, the month of many dismal rainy days and the first killing frost.

"The Gorge", Dane Co, WI 2October2018

A month of fading light, vitamin D deficiencies above 37° north and the annual rebirth of the Impossible Task.

Aster species, Goose Lake Conservation Area, 5October2018

October, the month of green and amber crimson senescence. Of temporary and permanent goodbyes. Of stolen lives and the Hunter's moon.

Merrill Springs Park, 13October2018

Half empty or half full? Full of sparrows and vagrants, Rufous hummingbirds and adrenaline.

Song Sparrow, Fitchburg, Dane Co, 14October2018.
With the crappy lighting, this is one of the few reasonable sparrow photos I've been able to muster this month

Ah the orange sparrows. I have missed you this month and maybe will forgo your delight this year. The time for Nelson's is nearly past. The window for Le Conte's will be closing soon as well. I have made a few half-hearted attempts to find these orange beauties.

Asters against a dismal October 5th sky...and no orange sparrows. Goose Lake Conservation Area, Dane Co

But life carries me in other directions and I would rather bird sans the agenda of a target species, sans the angst and sense of failure when those targets do not come to fruition. Nature's gifts are abundant and far more soothing if I let go of  attempting to will things into happening.

Looking for sparrows in all the wrong places...Dane Co, WI 9October2018

Wisconsin's resident Ruby-throated hummingbirds will soon be gone. They have already hit the eBird filter as seasonally rare. However as I write this, I have one hatch-year male persisting in my yard. The past few years have seen more ruby-throats lingering in Wisconsin later into October. Climate change? Nah, IT'S A HOAX! (Insert sarcasm)

HY male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, yard, 16Oct2018

Per eBird, Dane County is seeing its share of seasonally late migrants. Over the weekend I encountered a late Northern Waterthrush at Kettle Pond. And just yesterday, I found a late Bay-breasted Warbler in my yard. It was the first warbler to christen my newly installed water feature. No photo of the Bay-breasted. But here are some other birds who recently discovered the fruits of my labor.

Do-it-yourself water feature, Madison, Dane Co, WI 14October2018

White-throated Sparrow, my backyard water feature, Dane Co, WI 17October2018

Late last Friday night into early Saturday morning marked our first killing frost in Madison. With that frost came a significant leaf drop including from my highbush cranberry where a Marbled Orbweaver had been making its home.

Marbled Orbweaver, yard, Dane Co, WI 5Oct2018

Over the past week, each day seems to bring more White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and both kinglets into Wisconsin. In suitable habitat especially along the lakes, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers are common as well.

Palm Warbler, Fitchburg, Dane Co, WI 14October2018

The incessant rain has brought out the fungus. I'm not much of a mushroom person, but occasionally I am struck by the brilliant colors or whimsy of them. This patch was bursting with candy for my eyes.

Fungus, Kettle Pond, Dane Co, WI 13October2018

Perhaps one of the finer silver-linings of October are the islands of warmth among the bitter winds that howl, "winter is on its way." October 9th saw temperatures rise to nearly 80 degrees. With that blip of warm weather came that last push of butterflies. I saw multiple Monarchs and Orange Sulphurs flying that day while out during one of my feeble orange sparrow quests.

Monarch, Dorn Creek Wildlife Area, Dane Co, WI 9October2018 

Even finer are the sunsets of those golden days when the sun wins the war against the clouds. Or does it? Or could it be those magical sunsets are the symphony of compromise between the sun and clouds? You be the judge.

Governor Nelson State Park, Dane Co, 13October2018

Either way, per the words of an old musician friend, "sun is best when it sits in a barren tree..." I'd have to agree.

Early Spring Nugget

After hitting it hard on the birding front this spring, my time spent birding dramatically fell off during the summer all the way through this fall migration. 

Being my first full green season in my new home, much of my "free" time was occupied with cultivating my yard to be more enticing to birds and pollinators. The other portions of my "free" time gravitated toward orchids, butterflies and insects. All in all I have to say, birding mostly in my backyard for last 4 months has had the benefit of adding several bird and insect species to my yard list.But I'll save that for another post...

When I look back on the incredible spring birding I witnessed this year, these owls take gold as the best birding patch nugget of spring and likely all of 2018. Any day I see an owl is a damn good day.

What was thought to be one, turned out to be three!

Ah the owls. Relatively uncommon owls. Fortunately it seems these owls escaped the circus that can often ensue around such captivating birds.

Most of the images I captured were digiscoped including this video of the owls preening. For the most part, they appeared oblivious to my presence.

Well except for this stink-eye... 

Here's lookin' at ya!

Winter is coming...but not before fall vagrant season is upon us! There's nothing like a juicy vagrant to fire up the birding adrenaline!

Soul Soothing

I can think of nothing more soul-soothing than the enveloping rays of the sun bidding farewell at the end of a satisfying hike through a desert, marsh or bog.

Spring Green SNA, Sauk Co, WI 12Sept2018

Being more of a night owl than an early bird, I often find myself in these moments....Among the din of crickets and frogs. Cleansed. Harnessing that ephemeral inner peace. Fleeting, but magical nonetheless.

Spring Green SNA, Sauk Co, WI 12Sept2018

September 12th I found myself at Spring Green State Natural Area for my second and likely final trip of the year. Strange yet sensible to have found myself here for only two visits for 2018.

One trip for Prairie Fame-flower...

Prairie Fame-flower, Spring Green SNA (west), Sauk Co, WI 5Aug2018

...and most recently, this second trip to witness September's Splendid Tiger Beetles.

Spring Green SNA bluff Splendid Tiger Beetle habitat, 12Sept2018

Undoubtedly the Splendids are something I look forward to each September, an exquisite reward for a moderately strenuous climb to the top of the bluff.

Splendid Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

The journey to the top reliably yielded nuggets of Nature's goodness along the way. Oblique Tiger Beetles were numerous along the sand path en route to bluff. This species seems quite prolific in early September whether it be the desert of Spring Green or sandy terrain of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Oblique Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

Few plants were flowering which is to be expected during this season of senescence. A smattering of Rough Blazing Star and Asters dotted landscape.

Rough Blazing Star, 12Sept2018

Aster species, 12Sept2018

They provided islands of nectar for a small array of butterflies including Eastern Tailed-blue, a species that was present on both my visits to the desert prairie this year.

Eastern Tailed-blue, 12Sept2018

Eventually to the top of the bluff I climbed. Inevitably as I approached my destination, a niggling angst of dipping invaded the serenity of my cognition. However my fears were quickly allayed when my peripheral vision detected the frenetic flight of a Splendid along the path. As I walked slow and methodical I spied another, and another, hooking me into the moment.

Splendid Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

"Hello grasshopper!" ~Splendid Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

These metallic nuggets of eye-candy endeared me for a good part of nearly an hour at which point I nudged myself to begin my descent back to the desert prairie and my car.

Splendid Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

Splendid Tiger Beetle 12Sept2018

Surprisingly, as glorious as the Splendid Tiger Beetles were, the Virginia Big-headed Tiger Beetles I found in the desert below were the pinnacle insect for the trip.

Virginia Big-headed Tiger Beetle, 12Sept2018

Having only seen this species once before, I was elated to find several that cooperated for photos. This species is known for being crepuscular. So I had hopes when I set out for Spring Green in the late afternoon that I might reap the reward of witnessing these buggers scurrying along the path near dusk. I could not have wished for more, or four to be exact.

Virginia Big-headed Tiger Beetle, 12Sept2018

Brimming with Nature's goodness, I hiked the remaining southern stretch of the trail in near darkness. Intermittently I found my thoughts being deafened by a crescendo of crickets. However, through the din of Nature's sometimes shrill accompaniment, I heard a distant and unseasonable call of a Whip-poor-will from the bluff. And as darkness continued to eclipse me, with the rising crescent moon by my side, my soul felt blanketed in the soothing near absence of light, in the stillness of the moment.

Peace had settled into my viscera along with a salient sense of satisfaction. Farewell to my dearest desert prairie. Until next year...

More Cow Path!

Saturday, August 25th, following my last trip north for hummingbird banding, I stopped on a whim to search for northern Wisconsin tiger beetles. Heading south through Vilas county, I spotted some promising sand on my Google satellite map. I could have continued south to chase a Wisconsin life Swallow-tailed Kite. Instead I opted to take advantage of one of my last opportunities of the year to find Cow Path and Boreal Long-lipped tiger beetles. Plus I figured if the kite stuck I could chase it another day.

Cow Path Tiger Beetle (Cicindela purpurea purpurea) , Vilas Co, WI 25Aug2018

I highly desired to find a Cow Path tiger beetle since I had only seen this species on one other occasion a few years ago. My wager on tiger beetles paid off in spades. I found both Cow Path and Boreal Long-lipped tiger beetles along with a numerous collection of a few other species.

Cow Path Tiger Beetle (Cicindela purpurea purpurea) , Vilas Co, WI 25Aug2018

This entomological honeypot didn't just host Cow Path and Boreal Long-lipped tiger beetles, but also an overall abundance of tiger beetles that I have not witnessed before.

Vilas County "honey pot"

In addition to the two Cow Path tiger beetles pictured above, I estimated seventy Cicindela scutellaris lecontei (Festive),

Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris lecontei), Vilas Co, 25Aug2018

Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris lecontei), Vilas Co, 25Aug2018

Eighteen Cicindela formosa generosa (Big Sand),

Big Sand Tiger Beetle (Cicindela formosa generosa), Vilas Co, WI 25Aug2018

Big Sand Tiger Beetle (Cicindela formosa generosa), Vilas Co, WI 25Aug2018

eight Cicindela tranquebarica tranquebarica (Oblique),

Obliqued-lined Tiger Beetle (Cicindela tranquebarica tranquebarica), Vilas Co, WI 25Aug2018

and one Cicindela longilabris longilabris (Borel Long-lipped).

Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle (Cicindela longilabris longilabris0, Vilas Co., WI 25August2018

The abundance of Festive tiger beetles made for a nice study of the variation in maculations seen on this species. Ten to twelve beetles were visible at a time as we methodically moved forward along a short stretch of sand two-track. Most were quite skittish, intolerable of close approach. Hence the doc shot quality of some of these photos. 

 A few butterflies and other insects were present as well. However I was too immersed in the tiger beetles to bother with identifying most of the other insects presents. I did find this obliging buffalo tree hopper right before my flash battery died.

And I even got the Swallow-tailed Kite the following day! 

Juniper Charms in Verdigris Bliss

I would like to think I have the wherewithal to roll out some extensive blog post sharing some goodies of recent weeks. But all I can say is, "Hell no!" I'll be lucky to get through this truncated post as I rise from several days of fevers and some horrible gastroenteritis.

Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

Against reason, in a cloud of a throbbing headache and trembling extremities from dehydration, I ventured out to Kahl Road in Dane County today to see if I could spot some Juniper Hairstreaks.

Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

Third time's a charm!

Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

For a spell of 20-30 minutes today I felt well, near normal. I was elated to find Kahl road could produce this species again. I had my life encounter with Juniper Hairstreaks at this same location last year.

Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

For a second year running I also found one of these lovely butterflies predated by an Ambush Bug. Bastard!

Ambush bug predating a Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

I knew not to spend too long in the direct sun since I was starting from below zero on the "hydrationometer."

Finally, I could time a visit to this road when weather was conducive to butterfly flight.

Juniper Hairstreak, Dane Co, WI 23July2018

On previous visits, despite a promising hourly forecast I had arrived to find overcast skies or rain. As one learns quickly when pursuing butterflies, rain and chillier temps will certainly hamper your odds for encounters with these beauties. Though no visit is entirely lost on me. During my last stop here a few days ago (while sick) I found a cooperative Ground Crab Spider to briefly amuse me.

Ground Crab Spider (Xysticus species), Dane Co, WI 19July2018 

Today's visit was all too brief. I would have loved to have had the endurance to pursue the ID of some of the other insects and butterflies or perfect my images of the Juniper Hairstreaks. However I knew not to push my luck as I felt the beads of precious fluids leaving my body by way of my forehead and I was still in the "do-not-trust-a-fart" phase of my illness (insert smiling pile of poo).

So back to the air conditioning I headed. I made quick stop for Pedialyte en route home which I am nursing as I write. Cheers to ridiculous summer viruses!

Season of the Ghost

Lately, my amygdala has been engaged in the absurd behavior of reflecting back on what Reason surmises is a vacuous slop of darkness and deceit. Wasting time occupying the spaces of my brain with such nonsense is troubling. 

Ghost Tiger Beetle, Sauk Co, WI 28June2018

Fortunately the evolving seasons have tethered me to Nature's forward momentum. I excitedly anticipate her grand seasonal displays. 

Late June through early July bring the season of the alluring state-threatened Ghost tiger beetle. Ghost tiger beetles decorated in cream and carmel patterns edged with frosted copper accents.

Nature's paintbrush is exquisite. Colors pleasingly coordinated...

In the "barren" sandscape that is anything but barren.

Tiger beetle (and then some!)  habitat

Where life and death are beautifully juxtaposed.

A carefully hidden Vesper Sparrow nest, Sauk Co, WI 28June2018

Parasitized by a Brown-headed Cowbird (Boooo!)

Either Cloudless or Orange Sulphur, Sauk Co, WI 27June2018

The seasons will continue in the form of particular flights of beetles and butterflies. Generally more insects will abound, more orchids will emerge. Birds are fledging. Shorebirds have begun their southward flight. That Spring Green Blue Grosbeak of recent years has returned only to be re-discovered in recent days. The wealth of critters and plants abound as they go about the business of thriving, reproducing, to eventually yielding to senescence.

I may orchestrate and plan. But nevertheless will always be surprised.

Absorb. Witness. Propel forward.

Time and Nature will not wait.