F.O.Y. = J-O-Y

If JOY is to be found...start with your FOYs

Hayward, Wisconsin (not to be confused with Hayward, CA or Hayward, MN or any other Hayward) has many nice places to find and observe birds, if you don't mind a bit of a treasure hunt of sorts to find them.  I was fortunate to spend several weeks at the end of April into May of 2012 looking.  I was in the area to assist my Dad with his second hip replacement as his assistant in all things recovery.  There were (fortunately for me) times when all he needed was sleep, so I was able to find time to go bird-watching.

One such hidden treasure was the Town of Hayward Recreational Forest. You find it heading out west on County Hill road out of downtown.  The Town of Hayward purchased the 160 acre Kozniesky property in May of 2007.  Development began in March of 2011.  The purpose of this area was described as; “To provide Sawyer County with a “green space” in an area that is rapidly being developed, offering hiking trails, interpretive trail identifying plants, trees and forest management practices, skiing and snowshoeing trails and other non-motorized sports. We also will provide an area to sustain the 4th grade tree planting days as room allows, and an area for the high school science class and area residents to do a native plant and wildflower restoration in some of the open field areas within the (Rec) Forest. We feel that the Forest will draw new visitors to the area and offer a peaceful place to go enjoy each season of the year.”   {GPS Coordinates}

The Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area (940 acres - map - designated 1983) is just west of the recreational forest area (to the north) of County Hill road.  Find it from Hwy. 63 in Hayward, take Greenwood Lane ¾ mile north to County Hill road turn left (West) and travel 1 ¼ mile to the SE corner of the property. The property consists of Aspen and swamp conifer (cedar, black spruce, tamarack).  The property features a 10 acre lake known as the Kissick Alkaline Bog Lake (No. 191) Note: It is completely undeveloped with two barely used "roads" just off the pavement (into the grass) that end at locked steel gates.  You have to look closely to find them.  While lots of wildlife inhabit the forest and swamp; the Wood and Deer ticks are voracious and rampant in their numbers.

FOY Eastern phoebe

Another place to find birds is the small knot of gravel trails that wind through a sparse woods behind the Hayward Sherman and Ruth Weiss library located on Hwy 77, 1/4 mile west of Hwy 63.  Park in their lot and walk north towards Hospital road to find the new trails and the boardwalk and long pier that juts out into a nameless pond.  You may see waterfowl as I did, like beautiful Hooded and Common mergansers.  Eastern phoebes and Blue jays surround the pond, flitting and darting between the pine trees.

FOY Y.B. Sapsucker

The Smith Lake Pond trail (off Nyman Avenue) under the newer of the two water towers, is a springtime wet wonderland.  Eastern American Toads and Leopard and Bull frogs abound, with peeps and croaks of varying pitch ranges.  Today (May 9th, 2012) I went to visit the trail around 9:00 AM.  Huge fluffy clouds set upon intermixed azure-blue background floated overhead.  The temperature was 57 degrees.  As I started down the rough trail, it seemed as though the recent rains of the past week had completely flooded the wood-chip trails in most places. The Smith Lake stream and pond had overfilled and were running off into the underbrush, determined to follow gravity's pull.  Carefully walking through the shallowest areas, my waterproof Hi-Tec boots did the job, keeping my feet nice and dry.  

FOY Chestnut-sided warbler

My attention was immediately drawn to new bird-song in the nearby trees. Learning (and remembering) the many, many different songs are a birders first (and in my opinion most important) tool in identification of bird species.  For example; the nasal "pank, pank," of a Red-breasted nuthatch would have birders looking higher in the canopy and nearer to the tree's trunk, than would the "FEE-be" of an Eastern phoebe lower and more towards the periphery of that same tree.  Songs and calls are not the only "sound" to pay attention to while bird-watching.  The scratch and shuffle of dead leaves could mean that a small mammal such as a chipmunk were nearby, or that a pair of Spotted towhees, White-throated sparrows, Brown thrashers, etc. are foraging for insects under last year's fallen vegetation.  Pay strict attention to the sounds you hear.

FOY Baltimore Oriole

When a bird-watcher sees a certain bird for the first time of any given year, the abbreviation is "FOY" or First Of Year.  As it turned out; this day would bring me many FOYs.  Among these were a male American redstart, Yellow warbler, Chestnut-sided warbler, and Connecticut warbler.  Finally seeing these colorful and lively migrants for the first time of the year always fills my birdy-heart with "joy."  Birders from all over the world report their individual "FOYs" to Internet databases like "e-bird." Wisconsin birders in particular report their on an Internet email-listserve called "wisbirdn" (or the Wisconsin Birding List.)  The purpose for this "reporting" is many-fold.  Some birders report to give other birders tips on where they are seeing birds and when, while other more novice birders report to ask for identification assistance, etc.  Either way, there are always plenty of faithful bird-watchers posting their FOYs as a way to celebrate their personal J-O-Y.


So, what are the FOYs in YOUR lives?  Remember them and celebrate them...after all, even though they come each year they bring J-O-Y each and every time!


My list of FOY's for May 9, 2012 are:

• Chestnut-sided warbler
• Connecticut warbler
• M American redstart
• Yellow warbler
• Rose-breasted grosbeak
• Black and white warbler
• Baltimore oriole
• Brown thrasher
• Black-throated green warbler
• Ovenbird
• Wood thrush
• Red-eyed vireo
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Reading of Phoebe...

Snetsinger that is...

Have you read about Phoebe?  I have.  As a matter of fact I finished the book about her life and times while in Florida on spring break.  The book I read was entitled: Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds by Olivia Gentile.  My friend Tammy had loaned it to me and I eagerly began reading it, interested to learn more about the woman, the myth, the legend.  Granted, this book has been reviewed by all the biggies out there, so my little response isn't really all that necessary, but I'll lay it on you anyway, in just two simple words: astonishingly sad.

I found the book a but sluggish and boomerang-esque with all its back and forth through Phoebe's life over a period of many years.  You do learn more about the ins and outs of the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency (Phoebe's father) but the frequent story rewinds are a bit too, "who cares" for my taste, to keep me riveted to the book.  As a result of that, it took me far longer to trudge through this book than it did for me to read Kenn Kaufman's Kingbird Highway.  Now that book I truly enjoyed, but back to Life List for a few more moments.

The "astonishing" part of my two word review deals with the remarkable birding accomplishments of this uniquely driven, maniacally obsessed woman.  With her boundless financial resources and the understanding of her long-suffering (Purina-rising star) husband Dave; its no wonder Phoebe was able to see all the birds she has recorded on her life list.  Add the threat of a shortened life due to cancer, and Phoebe let 'er really snap.  She took chance after chance with both her safety and her life in pursuit of goal after goal.  Some would look at this behavior and merely applaud it, however I was torn between a "you go girl" attitude, and "what the hell were you thinking?" mindset.  The unfortunate scenarios that she gets herself into are the "sad" portion, and her final, untimely demise is truly the saddest thing about her life.  Most will wistfully say, she died doing what she loved...I logically say, she died and that's a damn shame...I blame the van operator by the way.  If there was ever a more aptly named person (who shared a bir's name) I have yet to read about them...both loners, both obsessed with flitting about in search of stuff...yep, both Phoebes indeed.

So if you want to delve deeply into (not only Phoebe Snetsinger's life) but the lives of anyone she was related to, or came into contact with, read Life List.  If you want pure unfiltered Phoebe, by Phoebe; read Birding On Borrowed Time - her posthumously published autobiography.  I plan to do that very thing; just as soon as Tammy buys it.