I have seen Yellow-shafted Northern flickers in groups on the ground before; but until today I didn't know why. In the past at Havenwoods, Barbara and I witnessed about five under a tree in the grass. When we approached they flew and that was that. I came upon this one on a narrow dirt path along the side of a detention pond near the Milwaukee County grounds. Because I didn't want to scare it and I wished to get a picture; I stayed plenty far back and observed with my trusty Bushnells. Even at the distance I was, I could not discern exactly what it was up to. I assumed that it was eating in some way because it kept spearing its beak at the ground, but until I moved in closer I couldn't tell what. When it had finished doing whatever it was; it moved away and I moved up. I discovered the reason it was riveted to the spot; ants! The bird had been pounding away on the entrance of an ant colony and was busily lapping the creatures up as fast as it could. As I rounded the corner and down the berm I witnessed another flicker taking a dirt bath on the side of the road near the old cemetery. I had never seen that before either.
Ant hill meal for a Northern flicker
FOY (first of the year) birds were plentiful on my little bird watching tour of the parkway. I saw Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, and Black and white warblers. Blue-gray gnatcatchers were busy in the trees as well as a wonder opportunity to take a photo of a Rose-breasted grosbeak. Red-winged blackbirds were by far the most numerous bird in the cattail basin of the detention pond area. Savannah sparrows and Barn swallows were also plentiful. I stood and watched for about 20 minutes as four small Mallard ducklings with no parental supervision; swam around in circles in the eddy of the Menomonee River. I was worried about their safety, but powerless to do anything about it as the water was very high and the depth unknown. I just hoped that they'd have enough sense when they grew fatigued to get to the shore somehow.
The BIRDSTUD in the flesh at the County Grounds of Milwaukee
The next cool thing I witnessed was a FOY Brown thrasher as it worked through its repertoire of double songs of other bird species. These birds always impress me whenever I am fortunate to hear them.
Enjoy a few photos I took
of some of the birds I saw:
American Robin - My Favorite Bird
Baltimore Oriole
Black and white warbler
Blackburnian warbler
Bluejay
The Blue-gray gnatcatcher takes flight
Brown thrasher
Eastern phoebe
House wren
Magnolia warbler on the wing
Magnolia warbler
A red-tailed hawk gets chased by Red-winged blackbirds
Savannah sparrow
Song sparrow
Rose-breasted grosbeak (m)
Here is my (impressive) list of 40 species seen during just 2-1/2 hours of birding after work:
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!
