― Martin Buber
Pheasant Branch Conservancy ― Owl Country
What a wonderful change in the weather compared to last weekend! Temperatures reached into the low 30s on Saturday and birds were taking advantage of the balmy respite. An early avian phenological change in January, Northern Cardinals were singing their bright whit cheer cheer cheer songs. White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and Black-capped Chickadees were more vocal and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were churring and defending territories. These are the principal voices that will shape the woodland choir throughout February and into early March.
Barred Owl
Hiking near an owl roost I know extremely well, I spied a Barred Owls tidying its feet. I wondered what those feet were catching under the moonlight. After a few minutes of preening, the owl fluffed up its feathers and settled into a slumber. But I knew it was keeping a keen eye on me, so I left the bird to the tranquility of the winter woods.
Barred Owl
Bird-wise, everyone was busy. Busy stretching...
Mourning Dove
Hammering away at seeds...
Black-capped Chickadee
Contemplating which branch to fly to next...
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Nuthatches, chickadees, and other birds of the forest have much work to do, but they're always on the alert for predators. Once you become familiar with their alarm calls, upon hearing them your first instinct should be to look for a raptor, especially an accipiter like a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's Hawk. This time fortune was on the side of the birds in my vicinity, but the hungry Cooper's Hawk flew off into the direction of Harbor Village Condos where there are lots of bird feeders.
Cooper's Hawk
Some interesting ice formations along the creek:
Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
Jan 23, 2016 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
35 species
Canada Goose
Mallard
Ring-necked Pheasant
Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Northern Shrike
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
House Finch
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
All images © 2016 Mike McDowell