Today I took my field ornithology class to Sax-Zim Bog for a whole day field trip. We had a fantastic time, and the class not only got to experience several new birds that they have not observed via class species list, but also learned about the habitat and overall ecological-uniqueness of the bog. One of the biggest highlights was coming across a Brown Creeper, which one of the students noticed was going into the tree! Up until today, I had never seen a Brown Creeper nest, and what a treat it was to see this little bird working hard to construct the nest under the flap of bark, bringing fine twigs one at a time! Kudos to my class for finding this seldomly-seen treat. Currently they've experienced 6 days in the field since the term started, and I am very impressed at the skills they are establishing!
Photo of the Brown Creeper next to its nest :-) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/134610508 Throughout our ~5.5 hour stay in the bog limits, we not only noted songbirds, but also kept track of migrating raptors overhead, which included 7 low-flying (migrating) Sharp-shinned Hawks and 2 migrating Bald Eagles. Although never seen, a HARRIS'S SPARROW was heard. Right as we were entering the outer limits of the bog, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew across the road... the bird was distant, but the less-panicked yet powerful wingbeats & robust body of this accipiter were evident. Oh and even more icing on the cake was seeing not one, but two Black-backed Woodpeckers. They were likely a pair (one male and one female, seen in the same nearby vicinity). My class got to hear them chatter and call! A Gray Jay was seen today, as were 4 Black-billed Magpies and a first-of-the-year Blue-headed Vireo. First-of-the-year Winter Wren was heard but not seen. Birds with an asterisk are species that the class as a whole had not observed before today! Another big treat (end really special moment, for learning bird ID) was seeing a small flocked of mixed blackbird species... About 15 birds total in the flock; species included Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, and our first Brewer's Blackbirds! Across the road at the same time, were Common Grackles too! We must have relaxed and watched this flock for almost 20 minutes, and really got to soak in the birds' beauty and field marks while being in-the-moment. The day's bog bird list is below. Canada Goose Mallard Blue-winged Teal Green-winged Teal Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Bald Eagle Ring-billed Gull Mourning Dove Rock Pigeon Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker* Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Blue-headed Vireo* Blue Jay Gray Jay* Black-billed Magpie* American Crow Common Raven Tree Swallow Barn Swallow* Black-capped Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren* Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Nashville Warbler (heard but not yet seen for the class) Orange-crowned Warbler Common Yellowthroat Clay-colored Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Harris's Sparrow (heard only twice) Swamp Sparrows (MANY) Song Sparrow Brown-headed Cowbird Red-winged Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird* Common Grackle Back here in Ashland, WI... some Chimney Swifts were heard flying overhead as I walked back to my apartment this afternoon. Good Birdwatching, Erik Bruhnke Ashland, WI -- *NATURALLY AVIAN* www.pbase.com/birdfedr www.naturallyavian.blogspot.com [email protected] ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
