Beyond Backyard Birding - 04 May 2024

​Saturday May 4th was a beautiful sunny day in the Preserve. Of the many people out enjoying the wonderful weather, ten of us were gathered at the Picnic Point entrance to go birding with Ashley Olah, UW graduate student and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance expert. Numerous yellow warblers and goldfinches provided flashy targets as we got used to our binoculars. Then we saw a red-headed woodpecker proudly perched high up on a dead tree. More warblers (including Tennessee and blue-winged) followed, along with some flycatchers and vireos. We were impressed by the beauty of tree swallows in their flights over the rippling water in the clear sunlight. Blue-winged teal, wood ducks, grackles and a sandhill crane greeted us in the marsh. By the time a bald eagle soared high above us, it was nearly time to go. Everyone walked back to the stone wall and went on with their Saturdays. All of that before 10:00am!

Report & Photo by Will Vuyk. 

Birders watch swallows over lake