It appears to be spring 2013 in southern Wisconsin…finally. The northern counties have had particularly more
than their share of extended winter weather this year. Whichever side of the “global warming/global
climate change” debate you are on; this has been a strange year so far. Bird watching has been a bit off the mark as
well. It seems as though they (the
migrants) have decided to err on the side of caution and not venture northward
as fast as last year. Granted, last spring
was unusually early and warm already in late March into April; however this
spring’s journey has been especially retarded.
(Oh, and I can safely use that word in that context…no worries mon)
That brings me to the subject of this edition of the
Birdstud’s Birdchat; Rocky Arbor State Park.
I recently had the good fortune to be able to visit after a long day of Safety seminar attendance while in the Wisconsin Dells area. I had camped there with the family years ago and remember being especially taken with its uniquely beautiful driftless (1) geography. The last time Barbara and I had driven past
the park’s entrance in late fall of 2011 (while camping at Mirror Lake) the
gate had been locked for the season.
Unable to return again until spring of 2013; I was eager to explore it
once more. It was again seasonally locked,
but I had more time and was undeterred as I had specifically packed my birding
boots and gear for the trip.
I parked the WPT at the gated entrance and suited up; geeky
birding vest, twin binoculars (far and close-up), fanny pack with ID books,
insect repellent towlettes, and cliff bars, and digital camera. Yes, I admit I love to “play the part.” It is not unlike many other sports or hobbies
which lend themselves to a bit of (some might argue) over the top costumery. I like it, it makes me happy, and so I do it
routinely as a way to transition from real life to intrepid citizen explorer. So, feeling a little like Clark (of notable Lewis
& __ fame) I walked to the unmarked trail entrance of the “bluff” path I
recalled from my initial visit. Why “Clark”
you might ask? Well perhaps it’s because
the poor fellow always seems to take second position in any discussion of discovery,
so I can empathize with any guy in the shadows making the boss look good. You can identify right?
The afternoon air was crisp and refreshingly
invigorating. Sunlight struggled to
break free of the smothering cloud cover that had gripped the area for the
entire day. Snow patches were still to be encountered atop last year’s fallen
leaf litter. Icy ponds of water existed
in the cold lowness of the valley as I walked quietly along the ridge of broken
rock. Familiar Black-capped chickadee
sounds filtered down from the evergreens, and a pair of Mallards crept noiselessly
around a strangely isolated rock-island, to avoid being seen by this sudden
interloper. I spotted a Black phoebe as
it sat on a single dead twig and heard the musically jumbled notes of a Song
sparrow as it sang. My attention was
drawn uphill, past various tenaciously growing cliff-side cedars to a squabbling
group of Blue jays that had decided to flush a large Great-horned owl from their
neighborhood. The owl begrudgingly took
flight from a branch, only to alight a short distance away. The jays undeterred; made their message of
unwanted company clear as the owl soundlessly departed from my line of sight.
Isn’t it so true that no image captured by man with machines
can ever adequately capture the grandeur of natural wonder? Things look smaller, less impactful and far
more underwhelming; but we take them anyway.
Some novices even use their flash attachment for unknown reasons in
hopes of that perfect shot. It matters
not, but we try…attempting to “save” moments of joy for later. I too am no stranger to this frustrating human
trait. The sheer beauty of God-made
landscapes such as this always causes me to take far too many indescribable photos. I tell myself that maybe this time the images
I have archived will inspire another viewer to feel and experience the awesome wonder
of my first-hand encounters; bringing the moments I captured to life. Alas…the boundless joy is only ever truly my
own to relive as I again click through the countless digital files - but that
is more than enough, is it not?
Rocky Arbor State Park is a truly hidden gem of the
Wisconsin Park system. A stone’s throw
from the frenetic hyperactivity of the tourist kingdom created in the Wisconsin
Dells; it offers a unique opportunity for a family to economically lodge within
a short distance from the far more expensive resorts and hotels. I am a fan of keeping the costs of vacationing
within reach of a manageable monthly credit card payment. Camping (and sleeping) there makes it possible
to spend a bit more money on another go-cart ride, or slice of pizza for the
kiddies while in crazy-town. The only
drawback to my ears is that (unfortunately) the I-94 freeway is a little too
close to the park to provide the quiet that one most closely associates with
woodsy relaxation. I’m from the city and
live next to the freeway, so I can “tune” it out for the most part, however it
is distracting for most people attempting to experience silence. Hell, my stupid tinnitus is more than enough
to distract me, so I’m one to talk…it’s just a fact you ought to consider
regarding this little slice of heaven, that constant traffic noise is a real part
of its charming motif.
My much-needed, soul-revitalizing bird walk ended around
7:30 PM as I believe I successfully traversed the entire abandoned park in
search of all avian life forms. I even made
a mental note of my favorite campsite’s number for future reference; intending
to surf Reserve America’s handy website for a time when it would specifically become
available. I backtracked the winding paved park road and picked up
another 15 species including some unexpected FOYs before arriving back where I had parked
the truck. The air had grown noticeably cooler
and I was thinking pizza and cold beer as I drove back to the sleepy Dells
area.
Yes Virginia, Rocky Arbor State
Park was exactly how I had remembered it; uniquely beautiful. Now won’t that be a personal joy to fondly recall at some later date? So where did I put those digital files again?
