Fwd: Lake Park Warbler Walk report, Milwaukee 4/18 (& Corbo 4/17)

Lake Park Birders,

Jym Mooney led the first Warbler Walk at Lake Park for 2009.
Sam Corbo birded on his own the day before.
See their reports below.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================
From: Jym Mooney <hopmoon@milwpc.com>
Date: April 18, 2009 1:31:13 PM CDT
Subject: Lake Park Warbler Walk report, Milwaukee 4/18

Almost two dozen birders turned out to enjoy the first Lake Park Warbler Walk of the season, on a perfectly gorgeous day. The warblers didn't let us down. We saw quite a few yellow-rumped warblers, plus a pine warbler gave us time to really look at it and discuss the ID. Before the walk started I also found a black and white warbler and a Louisiana waterthrush. Ruby-crowned kinglets were quite numerous, and golden-crowned kinglet numbers were noticeably lower today. Many hermit thrushes in the ravines, flickers everywhere, and a few pairs of eastern phoebes were calling and flitting about. A great blue heron flew overhead at one point, as did a red-tailed hawk and three flocks of cormorants. We had seven sparrow species: savannah, song, American tree, chipping, white-throated, swamp, and dark-eyed junco. We had a total of 43 species.

Several birders split off from the group to assist the Lake Park
Friends in planting 100 oak saplings this morning.

Jym Mooney, Milwaukee

Location: Lake Park - Locust Ravine
Observation date: 4/18/09
Number of species: 43

Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 2
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors 2
Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola 20
Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula 6
Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator 35
Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus 1
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 50
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 25
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 8
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus 15
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 8
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 10
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa 6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula 30
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis 4
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 15
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 6
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 25
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus 1
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 1
Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla 1
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea 3
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 4
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis 2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 5
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana 2
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/
carolinensis 15
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 8
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 1
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula 2
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater 10
Purple Finch - Carpodacus purpureus 1
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus 2
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis 4
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus 3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/wi)

=====================================================
From: Sam Corbo <skcorbo@gmail.com>
Date: April 17, 2009 3:02:08 PM CDT
Subject: Milwaukee Lake Park Birds, 4-17-09

I birded Lake Park south to Veteran's Park in Milwaukee this morning. I was hoping to perhaps stumble into an overshoot migrant, but no luck. Regardless, a good day to get outside, and a lot of birds were present. Good numbers of both Kinglets (~75 Golden-
crowned, ~25 Ruby-crowned), Hermit Thrush (~15), Winter Wren (~15),
and Eastern Pheobe (7) were noted; both Kinglets and the Pheobes were very vocal throughout the park. American Tree Sparrows were present in good numbers as well (~15 birds), and a lone Fox Sparrow was still around. Also had a few personal FOY birds, including Field and Swamp Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Barn, Northern Rough-winged, and Tree Swallows. A lone female Purple Finch was present along the Veteran's Park Lagoon.

Sam Corbo, skcorbo@gmail.com, Milwaukee, WI

Lake Park, 4/2/09

Lake Park Birders,

Brian Hansen saw Flickers, sparrows and a Towhee in Lake Park.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================

From: Brian Hansen <rawshooter@gmail.com>
Date: April 2, 2009 11:36:41 PM CDT
Subject: Lake Park - Milwaukee

I hit Lake Park yesterday and today to fill the feeders. I had many - 20+ Northern Flickers both days. Also had an Eastern Towhee yesterday, many ravenous feeding Juncos (getting ready to move north), AM Robins, BH Cowbirds, Song Sparrows, 1 Fox Sparrow and 1 Chipping Sparrow along with the regular residents.

On another note the yardbirds from my east side home consisted of more DE Juncos than I have ever seen - maybe 25 or so plus AM Goldfinches with the males coming into breeding plumage, and my first yard Fox Sparrow ever. Can't wait to see what shows up in the next few weeks.

Brian Hansen

3/26 Ducks on Lake Michigan

Lake Park Birders,

Todd Wilson saw Horned Grebes and Northern Shovelers on Lake Michigan
this week.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================
From: Todd Wilson
Date: March 26, 2009
Subject: Milwaukee Lakefront

I went searching for loons along the Milwaukee lakefront this
afternoon, without success.

I did find a lone female Long-tailed Duck in the Harbor Island
lagoon: http://tdwilson.org/pics/birds/long-tailed_duck.jpg

Also:
Horned Grebes almost everywhere I stopped
N. Shovelors at Bradford Beach
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
L.Scaup
G. Scaup
Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Common Mergansers
Red-breasted Mergansers - greatly increased numbers from a week or so
ago
Blue-winged Teal at the Coast Guard Impoundment

At Veteran's Park I heard Fox Sparrows singing and found my first
Flickers of the year.

Todd Wilson
Milwaukee

Washington Park 3/21 Tory Bahe

Lake Park Birders,

Snow Goose on 3/20 sounds great.
I think I saw a Pied-billed Grebe on the Washington Park lagoon on
3/23 AM.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================

Begin forwarded message:
From: "Tory Bahe" <tbahe@urbanecologycenter.org>
Date: March 23, 2009 9:19:33 AM CDT
To: "Paul Hunter" <phunter1@wi.rr.com>
Subject: RE: Lake Park 3/21 Mike Goodman

Friday was the day for the waterbirds to return to Washington Park:
A pair of wood ducks
Great Blue Heron
Snow Goose

Kletzsch Shrike 3/23 Gordon Zion

Lake Park Birders,

Loggerhead Shrikes are uncommon spring and fall migrants. It is the
southern version of the Northern Shrike that is a bit more common and
a winter visitor to the Milwaukee area. Shrikes hunt small rodents
and large insects from perches in open grassy areas. They impale
prey on thorns and prongs of barbed wire.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================

Begin forwarded message:

From: ZZZZmail@aol.com
Date: March 23, 2009

Had a Loggerhead Shrike yesterday at Kletzsch

Gordon Zion

Lake, Riverside and Estabrook Parks, Vernon Marsh: birds 3/22/09

Lake Park Birds,

Sparrows and ducks are actively migrating.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================

From: Jym Mooney <hopmoon@milwpc.com>
Date: March 22, 2009
Subject: Milwaukee this weekend

Lake Park yesterday and today had brown creeper, fox sparrow,
northern flicker, great horned owl (being mobbed by crows), winter
wren, bluebirds, song sparrows (lots), American tree sparrows, and
the usual residents. Yesterday morning I saw a flock of about two
dozen tundra swans fly overhead
at Lake Park.

Found a horned grebe at South Shore Yacht Club. The Coast Guard
Impoundment is now a very large pond, surrounded by bare earth. This
will bear watching for spring shorebird migration. Today it was
loaded with ducks: ring-necked, redhead, green-winged teal, both
scaup (mostly lesser), and mallard.

Jym Mooney, Milwaukee
==================================
From: Dennis Casper <denncasp.bird@yahoo.com>
Date: March 21, 2009 10:33:20 PM CDT
Subject: Urban Ecology Center Bird Walk, March 19, 2009

Urban Ecology Center, Riverside Park, 1500 East Park Place,
Milwaukee, WI 53211
414-964-8505, www.UrbanEcologyCenter.org

Bird Walk
Thursdays, 8am-10am year round, Free and Open to the Public, All
Ages Welcome

Thursday, March 19, 2009
29 degrees
Cloudy
20 birders

Species: 24

33 Canada Goose
20 Mallard
2 Common Goldeneye
2 Pied-billed Grebe
1 Cooper's Hawk
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Ring-billed Gull
6 Herring Gull
8 Downy Woodpecker
8 American Crow

2 Black-capped Chickadee
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
7 American Robin
4 European Starling
19 Cedar Waxwing
1 Fox Sparrow
6 Song Sparrow
2 Dark-eyed Junco
6 Northern Cardinal

3 Red-winged Blackbird
3 House Finch
22 American Goldfinch
12 House Sparrow
===================================

From: Chuck Hagner
Subject: eBird Report - Estabrook Park , 3/22/09

Location: Estabrook Park
Observation date: 3/22/09
Notes: 38°, sunny, light wind from east. Canada Geese sitting on
island in pond, but no nests. Male-female pairs: Wood Duck, Common
Merganser. Cooper's Hawk was juvenile.
Number of species: 31

Canada Goose 22
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 27
Greater Scaup 2
Common Goldeneye 1
Common Merganser 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Killdeer X
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 3
Blue Jay X
American Crow 7
Black-capped Chickadee 17
White-breasted Nuthatch 5
Brown Creeper 1
American Robin 19
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 32
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 15
Northern Cardinal 16
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Common Grackle 16
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
House Finch X
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/wi)
====================
From: "Todd Wilson" <maxpaul@earthlink.net>
Date: March 22, 2009

Saturday morning I spent at Vernon Marsh, in Waukesha County.
3-4 Woodcock were peenting and performing their flightsong display
when I arrived at the Benson Ave. location at 6 A.M.
GB Herons are back on their nests.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over.
A pair of Trumpeter Swans were at the Frog Alley Location (http://
tdwilson.org/blogs/index.php/a/2009/03/22/trumpeter_swans)
Here's the combined list of waterfowl:
Trumpeter Swan
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Mallard
Black Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck (by far the most numerous species)
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser

Today I made a quick run down Jay road in Ozaukee and Washington
Counties.
In the swamp by the North Branch of the Milwaukee River was a flock
of 25 Rusty Blackbirds, along with numerous Redwing, Grackle and BH
Cowbirds.
At Hwy D and Lake Michigan I spotted a Horned Grebe.

Todd Wilson
Milwaukee

Diving Ducks at Discovery World, Ross's goose at Washington Park

Lake Park birders,

Ducks and geese continue to migrate through Milwaukee. As posted on
Wis Bird Net, many more are migrating through the wetlands and lakes
in Columbia and Portage Counties.

--- Paul Hunter,
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
=====================================================
Subject: Diving Ducks at Discovery World
From: Petherick Chris <cpetherick AT me.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:09:16 -0500
I made a stop at Discovery World on Lake Michigan today and took a
look just south, starting directly south of Discovery World and then
walking to the new park/beach further south (sorry, I don't know the
actual names). In the pool directly south of Discovery World I came
across a Common Loon that was swimming and diving and then made it's
way under the bridge into the second pool. There were also Red
Breasted Mergansers there. I came across a pied billed-grebe, lesser
and greater scaups, redheads, herring gulls, ring billed gulls,
Goldeneyes, 2 buffleheads and 2 song sparrows in the second and third
pools south of Discovery World.

The green winged teal was still at the Coast Guard Impoundment as of
this afternoon as were lots of scaups and redheads. I couldn't
identify any ring billed ducks there, however. I also saw a Red
tailed Hawk land on a light post in the ferry parking lot.

Chris Petherick, Milwaukee County
======================
Subject: Ross's goose at Washington Park, Milwaukee
From: "Jym Mooney & Carol Lee Hopkins" <hopmoon AT milwpc.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:51:32 -0500
I got a tip that a "snow goose" had been found at Washington Park this
weekend, and went over to check it out this afternoon. The more I
looked at
this bird, the more I became fairly sure it is actually a Ross's
goose. It
is noticeably smaller than the Canada geese it is hanging around
with. It
has a rounded head, and, most importantly, a small, triangular,
bluish bill.
I ran home for my scope so I could get a better look at the bill.
There is
a hint of a grin patch, so a hybrid Ross's x snow can't be ruled out.
However, a true snow goose would have a much larger bill, and an obvious
grin patch.

This goose is grazing along with the Canada geese on the sports playing
fields on the northeast corner of Washington Park.

Jym Mooney, Milwaukee