By Mary Leigh
Below are highlights from recent outings:
Big Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area
A group of 7, led by Bob Walton, went to Big Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area on Tuesday morning, 6/3/25. Trumpeter Swan including 6 young were a highlight. On our way to Bellevue for brunch/lunch, Bob’s offer to stop at a place where we were likely to find a Prothonatory Warbler received an enthusiastic response. He knew of a tree cavity where he suspected they were nesting. Initially we could hear one calling but could not find it. Our patience paid off, and we got some great views. As a finale, two birds appeared in the tree where Bob thought they were nesting. I believe some in the group saw one go into or come out of the hole in the tree; I missed it, probably because I was taking pictures!
Deere Dike Park (John Deere Marsh) & Riverside Rd.
On Sunday morning, 6/1/25, 1 person joined me. We started off with a scope to look for shorebirds. We saw at least 1 Semipalmated Plover along with many Dunlin and Semipalmated Sandpipers, which was not surprising because they had been seen quite a bit recently. As I scanned the back edge, 2 birds stood out from the crowd. Hudsonian Godwits! I thought we had made a new discovery for the day, but it turned out that some others had already reported them in eBird. Before leaving, we returned with the scope to take one last look, since we hadn’t seen the Ruddy Turnstone that was reported the night before. We again saw the Hudsonian Godwits in the distance, but some birds had moved much closer, and we counted 4 White-rumped Sandpipers, 3 Semipalmated Plovers, and 1 Ruddy Turnstone! (Full disclosure: I later found a Ruddy Turnstone in the background of one of my earlier photos, but I had missed it. Sigh.) Even when they moved closer, the birds were too far away for sharp photos, but I got proof of ID for all of them. I wasn’t sure about the White-rumped Sandpipers, but I studied the photos after I got home to confirm. Some shorebirds can be tough to identify, and I’m still learning.
Mines of Spain
2 of us decided to go out on Tuesday morning, 5/6/25, and to invite those on the “More Birding” list for weekday mornings to join us. 1 person took us up on the offer, and for Warblers, we saw Golden-winged, Nashville, Cerulean, Yellow, and Palm Warbler. We were pleased to get good views of 4 Carolina Wrens by the canoe launch. 2 of us stayed longer and saw a Gray-cheeked Thrush by the Farmstead Picnic Area, which was a lifer for both of us!
Wolter Woods (University of Dubuque private property)
On Saturday, 5/3/25, Gerry Zuercher led a group of 12. I was hoping for Warblers and saw a Golden-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Palm Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler!
5/3/25
See the information below if you’re interested in more birding!
“More Birding” Email Sign-up
As an experiment in 2025, we are creating a separate email list for those who would like more group birding opportunities. See the sign-up page to read more.
