Springtime Birding along Underwood Creek

A warmer than usual Saturday morning in early April had me thinking about birds.  Again.  I drove the SPT out onto the freeway and headed west.  After a short cut-through on Discovery Lane in Wauwatosa, and a quick jaunt up Swan Blvd; I pulled into the parking lot at Hoyt Park.

Tree leaves had begun budding and the forest floor along the river showed signs of life in the form of fresh green shoots.  The water in the noisy creek was high and running rapidly to the east.  The trees at the trailhead were alive with Ruby-crowned kinglets dashing to and fro in search of insects. Standing still only for fractions of a second; they present an intimidating photographic subject. Songs of many other birds filled the air as I slowly walked along the rain-dampened soil of the trail.  A group of children explored the playground equipment as some young men practiced volleyball.  Only the popular and often bustling Hoyt Beer Garden was silent on this particular day.

Over the next two and a half hours I walked my "usual" circular pathway and tallied 31 species of birds.  Noticeably missing were the many, many warblers that would be arriving in the next couple of weeks.  I also did not see any ground dwelling sparrows like White-crowned and White-throats.  I did however record my FOY dragonfly and Garter snake, as well as many Clouded Sulphur and Red Admiral butterflies.  Compare this spring to 2013 at Hoyt, and you will notice the differences.

The County Detention Pond in Spring

A male Ruby-crowned kinglet flashes his crown

You can see just a bit of this male's red crown

A Ruby-crowned kinglet briefly pauses on a branch

Here is a Golden-crowned kinglet on a spruce tree

Siberian Squill in a log

Siberian Squill

Wisconsin's State Flower - Wood Violet

(Myrtle) Yellow-rumped warbler

A White-breasted nuthatch is caught outside it's knot hole nest.

This Garter snake decided to take a swim in a mud puddle

The wind ruffles the feathers of this detention pond Song sparrow

A Killdeer near the railroad tracks

This Mallard's bright green head shines in the sun

A Red Admiral butterfly sits on some dead leaves

Here's the rebuilt Hoyt bridge from below

A female Hairy woodpecker searches the bark for insects

A blooming Dogwood along the trail

A Black-capped chickadee perches on a twig

Classic shot of a Black-capped chickadee on a branch

A robin's nest below the new Hoyt Park bridge

This male American robin watches from the safety of a tree

This female robin is carrying nesting materials
and is warily watching the male cardinal

List of birds seen:

1. Mallard
2. Common Merganser
3. Pied-billed Grebe
4. Mourning Dove
5. Killdeer
6. Ring-billed Gull
7. Red-tailed Hawk
8. Belted Kingfisher
9. Red-bellied Woodpecker
10. Downy Woodpecker
11. Hairy Woodpecker
12. Northern Flicker
13. Blue Jay
14. American Crow
15. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
16. Black-capped Chickadee
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
18. Brown Creeper
19. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
20. American Robin
21. House Sparrow
22. House Finch
23. American Goldfinch
24. Yellow-rumped Warbler
25. Eastern Towhee
26. Savannah Sparrow
27. Song Sparrow
28. Northern Cardinal
29. Red-winged Blackbird
30. Common Grackle
31. Brown-headed cowbird

"Birding Pals" from around the globe

My first experience with being a local birding guide occurred on Saturday, May 17th 2014.  I had been

contacted a couple weeks earlier (via email) from a gentleman who was in my area visiting his daughter from Germany, and wished to go out and see some of the local birds.  He contacted me through a web service called "Birding Pals" that offers birders from around the globe an opportunity to connect.  I had signed up over a year ago and had basically forgotten it but was thrilled to see an email land in my inbox from a requesting bird watcher.  Of course I replied, "yes" and that I would love to go out birding together.  

The following is direct from the BirdingPal website and describes what exactly it is:

"The History of Birdingpal 

Birdingpal.org was started year 2000 by Knud Rasmussen, a Canadian birder, who found himself alone in British Columbia, Canada with a day to spare for a little birdwatching.  Spending most of the time driving around trying to find good birding spots, he realized that if there had been an existing website, he could have contacted a local birder via the internet from his laptop. The day would not only have been more productive, but also a good chance to meet a new person with the same interests as himself. This gave him the seed of an idea for a birdwatching website.

Within a month, he launched Birdingpal, a global site for traveling birders.  Today, Birdingpal has more than 3200 contacts in 156 countries including all the US states and Canadian provinces, and provides an important source of information for the traveling birder.  Birdingpal is ideal for business/conference travelers, who like to take a day or two for their favorite hobby while in a new place, but who do not have the time to do extensive research before they leave.  Many birders are retired people, who like to travel, and Birdingpal is the perfect tool to assist them in planning a trip that gets the best out of birding and provides an opportunity to meet local people.  It is not unusual for birders, who have met each other on Birdingpal, to become good friends and even visit each other. 

What is a Birdingpal?

Someone who signs up to be a Birdingpal is a local birder, who, regardless of his/her experience, is prepared to answer email inquires to the best of his/her ability, and possibly agree to show a visitor around.  Many Birdingpals are highly skilled birdwatchers with many years experience. Some are keen photographers, and others are heavily involved with habitat and wildlife protection. Many members have been Birdingpals for years.  A professional Pal will charge a fee, but whether or not to bird with a professional is, of course, entirely up to the person contacting them.  Birding with a local Pal, not only makes birdwatching more productive, but also safer, since they are familiar with their own customs and environment."


I met 66 year-old, retired pharmacy supervisor, Andreas Bader from Bielefeld, Germany at the Hart Park Senior Center at 8:30 AM.  His daughter dropped him off when they spotted the WPT.  We greeted one another as his daughter drove off (apparently satisfied that she hadn't delivered 'ol Dad into the hands of a serial killer) and that was that.  We strapped on our various birding gear and began walking West out of the park and towards the Menomonee (Underwood Creek) waterway section that I frequent nearer to Hoyt Park.  Andreas' spoken English was 1000 percent better than my one or two German phrases I absorbed from my children's four-year German studies; so we had no trouble communicating.  Andreas told me that he'd been birding a long time and that he had a rather extensive Life List, but he had not really ever sat down to compile one.  It was on his German equivalent of a bucket list, now that he had retired.

Thankfully the weather was completely cooperative (sunny, cool and a bit partly cloudy with low wind speeds) as we walked.  I set my typical slow bird watching pace, and that seemed to suite Andreas just fine.  We encountered several groups of walkers, dog walkers, runners, joggers, and a guy collecting Morel mushrooms in a black silken sack.  The guy graciously opened it up so I could see what one looked like and told me that this very weekend was the Muscoda, WI 32nd annual Morel Mushroom fest and that he was bummed to be missing it.  Yeah, I could understand that...missing something like that when it was your hobby is a real downer.  Who knew that Muscoda was the Morel Mushroom Capital of Wisconsin?  Plus, it's in Grant County; a place where I have visited and love to hang out in.  Now, it's on my own list for the near future, for sure.

We walked my usual pathway and traversed the same general circuit which Barbara and I have made many

times.  The birds were diverse and plentiful!  There were far more Baltimore orioles than I have ever seen in my ten years of walking along the river (creek).  Andreas had never seen a Wood thrush, so first I heard one and then we tracked one down so he could actually see it.  He had with him, two digital cameras; one quite large and expensive looking.  He was able to get some rather nice images as we walked and paused for picture taking.  We chatted a bit (about birds) as we moved from area to area; me preparing him for what he'd most likely see before we reached the spot.  A cool wind kicked up a bit in the open "prairie" area of the County Detention Pond, so we were both glad we had dressed in layers and had worn a hat.  

Sora rail (photographed in FL - 2010)

It was there that I heard and identified the "whinny" of at least one if not two Sora rails in the marsh grass.  Andreas had never heard one before, but was soon imitating the sound.  These small birds are quite elusive. and from the distance we were to them; we had no chance to eyeball any.  He also was able to see his first ever Eastern kingbird, Savannah sparrow, and Lincoln's sparrow in this area.  He was thrilled.

Chestnut-sided warbler

We spent about three hours on the trail before deciding to retreat to town.  We both were hungry so I suggested a new place that neither he nor I had been in called Cafe' Bavaria in downtown Wauwatosa.  Of course its the coolest thing ever to go to a new "German" restaurant (or even an old one) with an actual German guy right?  I suggested we order beer and a Bavarian pretzel with mustard and cheese.  Andreas agreed and the two of us sat there enjoying our food and drink while looking at the images we had taken earlier.  Andreas picked up the tab and we walked back to the WPT sitting in Hart Park parking. I then drove him to his daughter's house to bid him farewell, but not before he gifted me with authentic Storck chocolates from Berlin.  All in all, the entire experience was enjoyable and rewarding for the both of us.  Now, each of us has a "BirdingPal" in another country; and fond memories to cherish always.

The WPT (Birdstud-mobile) - Andreas photo

Here's our list for the morning:

1. Mallard
2. Canada goose
3. Solitary sandpiper
4. Northern cardinal
5. Tree sparrow
6. Lincoln's sparrow
7. Savannah sparrow
8. House sparrow
9. Barn swallow
10. Northern rough-winged swallow
11. Tree swallow
12. Eastern kingbird
13. Cedar waxwing
14. Red-bellied woodpecker
15. Downy woodpecker
16. Hairy woodpecker
17. Blue-gray gnatcatcher
18. Wilson's warbler
19. American redstart
20. Wood thrush
21. American robin
22. American crow
23. Black and white warbler
24. Common grackle
25. European starling
26. Mourning dove
27. Black-capped chickadee
28. American goldfinch
29. House finch
30. Alder flycatcher
31. Least flycatcher
32. Blue jay
33. Sora rail
34. Red-winged blackbird
35. Marsh wren
36. House wren
37. Common yellowthroat
38. Baltimore oriole

American Redstarts F (left) and M (right)

Andreas' Kingbird - Photo by him

Hoyt Park and the Underwood Creek - Wauwatosa, WI

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go out summer bird-watching. Barbara was working so I took Opie for a walk to do his duty, dropped him off in the apartment then jumped in the WPT and headed for Hoyt Park.  As per usual, I parked in the lot on the west entrance side, strapped on my birding gear and walked south through a short copse of brambles to the railroad tracks.  The sky was overcast and the air temperature was a cool 65 degrees.  There was a threat of rain, however it had not done so as yet.

Birding along railroad tracks is one of my favorite places to walk.  I love trains, train tracks, railroad ties, loose gravel and the long panoramic views in both directions.  I appreciate the smell of creosote on the massive brown ties.  Birds apparently like the tracks too.  They flit in and out of the surrounding brush into the open area of the train tracks, eating whatever is growing along them.  Doves and Pigeons will sit on the shiny and sun-warmed rails. American robins and their fledglings also seem to like the openness of the corridor as they practice flying to and from the larger trees that line each side.

I was standing watching several American goldfinches eating from the thistles that proliferate along the embankment when I heard the sound of a Downy woodpecker.  This little bird was flying from plant to plant pecking at something unseen to me as it clung to the vertical stalk.  I was surprised to see that the plant was a mullein and not the familiar bark of a tree trunk.  Having never seen this behavior before from a Downy; I watched with great interest in my binoculars.

A biennial plant; first year mullein plants are low-growing rosettes that have bluish, gray-green leaves and a felt-like texture. As the plant ages, the hairs on the leaves are mechanically worn away, but not completely. Leaves range from 4-12 inches in length and 1-5 inches in width in the rosette stage. Mature flowering plants are produced the second year, and can grow from five to ten feet in height, including the conspicuous flowering stalk. Leaves alternate along the flowering stalk and are much larger towards the base of the plant. Mullein typically begins to flower in late June and peaks in early August. The flowers are yellowish and have five petals.

Seventy-five to 85% of the downy's diet is made up of insects, their larvae, or eggs. Because of their small size (7”) and their  incredible agility, they can feed on insects on smaller branches and farther out on the tips than other larger and heavier woodpeckers. In addition, downy woodpeckers will also eat seeds, nuts, berries (even those of poison ivy), spiders, and snails, and even take sap from the holes of their cousins, the sapsuckers. It seems logical that this woodpecker was going after the seeds of the mullein, although the flower stalk could have been infested with insects.  This Downy was either eating insects from between the flowers on the stalk, or a part of the stalk itself.  I guess it will remain a minor mystery.

Next up along the tracks were a couple of humans which quietly materialized behind me while I was Downy-pondering.  They appeared to be working on invasive weeds alongside the tracks.  I approached them and asked casually about their reason for pulling plants and stuffing them into bags. The man-half of the duo explained that they were harvesting catnip for their cats.  He told me that they dry the plant and that their cats love it.  Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a perennial herb of the mint family. Although originally native to Europe, it has been successfully imported to many countries of the world where it is often considered to be a weed. The plants can grow as high as 3 feet, have lots of branches and can be recognized by its clusters of small white purple-spotted flowers at the ends of its stems.  They must have spent the better part of 1/2 an hour and filled two huge black garbage bags with the stuff; enough to make any feline positively catatonic.

Mulberry trees near the Menomonee river had ripening fruit in their branches.  These trees were positively filled with immature and mature American robins, busily eating the plump red and purple compound berries.   In appearance, each tiny swollen flower roughly resembles the individual drupe of a blackberry.  Red mulberry trees rarely live more than 75 years, while black mulberries have been known to bear fruit for hundreds of years. The mulberry makes an attractive tree which will bear fruit while still small and young and is a wonderful addition to any "bird garden."  

While I was still standing there a pleasant woman (named "Melissa" I later learned) and her three polite (but off leash) dogs walked by on their morning jaunt along the river bank.  I always appreciate good doggie manners and not having my crotch indiscriminately sniffed by a marauding canine with no sense of personal space.  Just then a stubby and awkwardly-shaped bird suddenly flew in and landed high in a bare, dead tree; a Green heron.   This was my first for this area, and certainly the first time I had ever seen one in a tree above 5 feet off the ground.  Melissa herded her snuffling group back in my direction and came over to ask what I was watching now.  I handed her a pair of my binos and explained.  She was amazed.  She had not seen something like that before.  A bird that sits so still, trying to look camouflaged; beak pointed straight up in the air.  Truly a master of disguise. I ultimately logged sixteen species into the Audubon Birds app for my IPhone during my 1-1/2 hour bird-walk; including an immature Baltimore oriole.  I took some nice pictures with a digital camera along the way too. 

These short but incredibly sweet forays into nature always provide me with greater knowledge and even more questions each time I am fortunate to go wandering.  It is a blessing.

A robin impersonates an insulator