The weather was nearly perfect for our 2023 Birdathon at Honey Creek (May 27-28), with about 9 people showing up to camp overnight at the Cox Nature Center. Some of us took a couple of Saturday evening bird walks down Alder Lane, including one for owling. The 7:00 PM hike found 24 species, including Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, and both species of cuckoos. The 9:00 PM owl hike produced several Barred Owls, and a late-calling Veery.
On Sunday morning we were joined by a few early-arriving birders around 3:45 AM for the pre-dawn walk along Skyview Road. The early morning temperature was a chilly 45 degrees, but the skies were mostly clear (with slight overcast), and the wind was calm. We heard half a dozen Barred Owls calling from various directions, and they were soon joined by other birds that were waking up across the landscape – including Willow Flycatcher, Swamp and Song Sparrows, and Blue-winged Warbler – and many others, totaling 45 species by 6:00 AM.
Skyview Road at Dawn - Photo by Tom Schultz
At that time, we started a new bird hike, working our way down the road to the entrance to the Honey Creek legacy trail, and then up the trail to the first creek crossing. Along the way we found a total of 55 species, with the highlights being Louisiana Waterthrush, Acadian Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager and Black-and-white Warbler – along with a woodpecker slam… finding all seven species that occur in southern Wisconsin!
At the first creek crossing, we discovered that a couple of large Hemlock trees had fallen from the sandstone cliff, and were lying right across the place where we normally ford the creek. The big logs had been cut up in places, but our group of six spent some time trying to arrange some of the cut pieces to allow hikers to cross the stream.
We returned to the Cox Nature Center by around 8:00 AM, where the bird-banding activities were well underway, and Lisa Hartman was setting up “Uncle Butzie” (her captive “education” Turkey Vulture) for public viewing.
Lisa Hartman with Uncle Buzzy - Photo by Tom Schultz
Around 8:30 we started gathering for the main birding hikes through the Honey Creek property, and broke up into two groups of about 14 – with Jeff Baughman leading one group, and me leading the other. One group started on the east side, hiking up through the Dischler tract, and the other group heading west, and up the legacy trail. Both groups were walking along a big loop through the property, and crossing paths in the middle.
Jeff's Group on the Dishler section of the hike - photo by Tom Schultz
The middle section of the hike proved to be a challenge, with some “bushwhacking” required for a few hundred yards where fallen trees and growing underbrush had obscured the trail. The groups persevered, however, and both managed to make it through! The two hikes returned to the nature center by around 11:15 AM, where the bird-banding activities were also coming to a close. The temperature at the close was about 75 degrees, under sunny skies and calm to light winds.
Tom Schultz, WSO Field Trips Committee co-chair
