Birding weekly 20140901

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialias) catching insect at dusk on a farm outside Madison.

The weather this week in Wisconsin has not been the best birding weather. However the moments the sun shines through the clouds the birds to show there face and fly into the sun spots to dry off while they can. Birding has another challenge though and that is the mosquito's. One can see why the state bird of Wisconsin is the Mosquito. If one sits still for one moment while birding you will end up swatting a mosquito off you before you get a chance to lift your binoculars to get a better look at the bird. Then once you've swatted the first it means the rest are in suite and you're then flogged by hundred of them and forced to move on. I understand the paranoia around mosquito's carrying malaria in Africa, if we had the same densities I would also be worried.

Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) feeding around the farmhouse

Despite this it has been great birding in the Southern part of Wisconsin for a while, and then back in the central part of Wisconsin. The Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) have been a favourite as they feed in the harvested wheat fields. The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) young are looking more adult like nearing the end of the summer and getting ready for the winter. what is changing is that birds from the North are starting to move South to escape the change in season before its too late.  This change in season has also created a feeding buzz among the birds as they prepare for their trek south. The American Bluebirds (Sialia sialis), an amazing bird is readying itself for the winter migration south by feeding well after the sunsets. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are making the most of the feeders for them and seemingly more of them around the feeders competing for the nectar. The Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is seem more regularly at the feeder with its larger cousin the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carlinensis) always nearby.

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) looking for food around
 a fallen tree

With the odd canoe trip down the river I was able to spot a number of waterbirds I still hadn't seen two in particular was the Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) and the American Woodduck (Aix sponsa) lost among American Black Duck - Mallard Duck Hybrids. What was a pleasant sighting but not a bird was the family of Beavers busying themselves on the edge of the water swimming around looking for food. it looks ungainly in the water yet moves around at ease. The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) made himself visible sitting on a fallen tree in the water, while the Grey Catbird (which sounds exactly like a cat calling called be heard foraging in the undergrowth. Further downstream along a dense reed bank the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) sat still looking into the water until I got too close for its comfort and it flew off.

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Around the feeder the Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is always around while the Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) almost an exact larger replica comes in once in a while. The American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) seem to live of the feeder leaving it to chase other American Goldfinches.

Answers to the trivial questions from the last birding weekly.

Image 120140824 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Image 220140824 Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Image 320140824 Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

Image 420140824 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Image 520140824 Ring-billed Gull (Laurus delawarensis)

Image 620140824 Common Loon (Gavia immer)