On Saturday, June 7, at 6:00 AM, 16 people met at the Zillmer Trail parking lot for the WSO’s Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit field trip. The weather was good, with partly cloudy skies, very light wind, and temperatures in the mid-60s. Our route for the day included: Auburn Lake Road, Jersey Flats Prairie Restoration Area, Haushalter Lane, Haskell Noyes Memorial Forest, Mauthe Lake Recreation Area, Long Lake Recreation Area, and Spruce Lake Bog.
After carpooling at Zillmer Trail, our first stop was along Auburn Lake Road. Here, we added 21 species, including two of our target species: Morning and Pine Warblers. Both birds were fairly cooperative, allowing great views. Other notables included: Great-crested Flycatcher, Yellow- throated Vireo, Veery, Eastern Towhee, American Redstart, and Indigo Bunting. Our next stop was Jersey Flats Prairie Restoration Area, on CTH SS just west of New Prospect. As we arrived, we could see that the resident Red-tailed Hawk was perched in his usual spot atop the large oak just out from the parking lot. After getting out of our cars, we heard a Clay-colored
Sparrow and Field Sparrows. This site is usually one of the best locations in the KMSF for Henslow’s Sparrow, but this year has been different. Most of the birds have moved farther north in the prairie. We finally got a look at one not far off the trail, but the views weren’t great, and he didn’t stay long. We also added a Wood Duck, Sandhill Crane, Turkey Vulture, Eastern Kingbird, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, and Eastern Meadowlark. We had 34 species here.
Pine Warbler, Photo: Amy Harbach
Haushalter Lane is often our most productive site on this trip, and it didn’t disappoint. We had 55 species along this productive road. Nearly all of these are summer residents. Notables include: Wild Turkey, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a flyover Double-crested Cormorant, Hairy Woodpecker, a late Olive-sided Flycatcher, Acadian, and Alder Flycatchers, Eastern Phoebe, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged, Black-and-white, Nashville, Mourning Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded, Chestnut-sided, Yellow, Pine, Chestnut-sided, Pine, and Black-throated Green Warblers. That’s 12 species of warblers we saw or heard.
Mourning Warbler, Photo: Amy Harbach
Our next stop was along County Highway GGG on the south edge of Haskell Noyes Memorial Forest. Cerulean Warbler, a Wisconsin threatened species, was our target species. This species has been in decline in the KMSF for several years and is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Although soon after we parked, I could hear our bird singing from not far away, and finally had great looks at our target low in the canopy. We had 19 species here.
Pine Warbler, Photo: Amy Harbach
Mauthe Lake Recreation Area was our next stop. Our first stop was at the boat landing. Here we found a Willow Flycatcher. This is a species that can be difficult to find within the borders of KMSF. Here in the state forest, birds of this wet Alder/Willow habitat are mostly Alder Flycatchers. But for the last few years, Willow Flycatchers have made a home. Other birds around the parking lot were: Sandhill Crane, Great Blue Heron, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Gray Catbird, Swamp Sparrow, and Common Yellowthroat. From the parking lot, we took a short walk west to the bridge over the Milwaukee River. Here we could see an adult Bald Eagle on its nest, and watched as an Osprey carried a large stick to a nest on top of the cellular tower south of the bridge. From here, we made our way to the picnic area. We then took a short walk on the “Tamarack Circle Trail” towards the Campground. Along the way, we added the following notable species: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, heard a Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Veery, Chipping Sparrow, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided and Pine Warblers, and Indigo Bunting. Once at the campground, we had great looks at a Least Flycatcher sitting on its nest. From Mauthe Lake, we then returned to the Zillmer Trail parking lot to pick up our cars. We had 49 species here at Mauthe Lake.
Eastern Phoebe, Photo: Amy Harbach
Upon returning to our own cars at Zillmer Trail, we all headed to Long Lake Recreation Area. Here we had 33 species. Our target species here was a Brewster’s Warbler. This is the typical hybrid of the Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers. This bird has returned to this exact location for the last 3 years. I’m pretty sure it’s the same bird because it's singing the same Golden-winged Warbler song every year. It took a little time, but finally we had scope views of this bird. With its neon yellow cap, gold wing bars, and black eye line, it's one handsome bird. Our final stop of the day was at Spruce Lake Bog SNA. Here, the flora is often the attraction. With temperatures in the upper 70s, the bird life here was less active. We only had 18 species here. But it was the bog plants that were in bloom that had us looking down. Plants like Pink Lady Slippers (moccasin flower), Pitcher Plant, Royal Fern, the floating sedge mat, Three-leaved Gold-thread, American Starflower, Partridgeberry, Common Winterberry, Leather-leaf, Bog-rosemary, Poison sumac, the Yellow blue-bead lily, to name a few.
Our trip concluded here at Spruce Lake Bog at about 12:45 PM. We had a wonderful group (as always), during which we were able to see or hear 80 species. Here is the link to our entire day’s eBird Trip Report. Thanks to all who attended. We had a fantastic group, and it was a pleasure spending a morning with you all.
Jeff Baughman
Olive-sided Flycatcher, Photo: Amy Harbach
Least Flycatcher, Photo: Amy Harbach
Willow Flycatcher, Photo: Jon Bartell
