Nelson’s sparrow photo by Mike McDowell
Mike McDowell, along with two other birders, reported in an eBird checklist a high count of 12 Nelson’s sparrows on October 10th, 2020 at Goose Pond Sanctuary. His report from The Vera & Marshall Browne Prairie stated, “There were easily more”.
Prior to 1995, Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrows and saltmarsh sparrows were considered the same species. Sam Robbins wrote in 1991 in Wisconsin Birdlife that sharp-tailed sparrows were uncommon fall migrants from late August to mid-October. Sam wrote that “A. W. Schorger found them near Mazomanie (Dane County) regularly from 1926 to 1929, with a sighting of as many as 20 birds on 24 September 1927.” It would have been interesting to know what the high count of Nelson’s sparrows and how many individuals stopped in fall migration at Goose Pond.
Nelson’s sparrow range map by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology provided an excellent description of this secretive wetland sparrow, “A richly colored sparrow with a saffron-yellow eyebrow and whisker marks framing a grayish cheek. The interior-breeding form of Nelson’s Sparrow, this yellow color continues strongly onto the throat, breast, and sides, with streaking on the breast and flanks.”
Steve Theissen from Stoughton is one of Wisconsin’s best in locating fall migrating Nelson’s sparrows. This sparrow is difficult to find in migration. In addition to knowing the identification you also have to know their fall migration habitat.
Steve wrote on October 9th that, “Jim Otto had mentioned large numbers of pine siskins in the prairies at Goose Pond. I walked some of Browne Prairie and was treated to a few large flocks of siskins. As usual, I headed for sparrow habitat. I was trying to see a probable Nelson’s sparrow, which flew, and I happened to check out a song sparrow. In the same bush there were two Nelson’s. Besides these two, I’d say there were three more small sparrows in the area. There were lots of savannah, song and swamp sparrows. This area would have a lot easier viewing, early, with low winds. Quite windy, today.”
Other birders reporting Nelson’s sparrows were Deb Turski (2 on Oct. 10th), Cicero Stewart (2 on Oct. 11), Aaron Holschbach (4 on Oct. 18th), Logan Carlton (1 on Oct. 18), and Tim Fenske (1 on Oct. 21). Nelson’s sparrows were on the 1978 Goose Pond Bird List. While Steve’s Nelson’s sparrow observations were the first ever reported at Goose Pond on eBird.
There were other sparrow species found in the same area. On October 10th, Mike McDowell found one LeConte’s sparrow, a first eBird entry for Goose Pond. Also reported on eBird were 44 savannah sparrows (high count for Goose Pond), 18 song sparrows, and 38 swamp sparrows reported by Aaron Holschbach. Mike also found two Lincoln’s sparrows and Dennis Casper also reported two on October 20th. All the sparrows were feasting on seeds in this diverse habitat.
The sparrow habitat that Steve was searching was in Jill’s Prairie about 1,000 feet south of the Browne Prairie bench along the trail with tallgrass prairie on the west side and a weedy food plot and wetland habitat on the east side of the trail. See satellite photo. The star is the Browne Prairie bench. The photo shows the “flat” covered by water. Along the west side is where the sparrows were found.
In most years the 20-acre “flat” is leased to a local farmer and cropped. In addition to providing funds for habitat management the harvested cropland provides a place for waterfowl to feed on waste corn. On average the flat is cropped nine times in ten years.
The basin filled with water in March of 2019. Water levels dropped last summer and annuals such as smartweeds, barnyard grass, and water plantain along with other moist soil forbs, grasses, and sedges germinated.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
Annuals are quick to grow and set seeds. This is the habitat that Steve searches for Nelson’s sparrows. Steve mentioned that he frequently sees Nelson’s feeding fresh green grass and sedge seeds, and other annuals. He also mentioned that, ideally, the moist soil is not covered completely by vegetation.
In addition to the moist soil habitat Nelson’s were also found in the adjacent food plot dominated by foxtail grass and sorghum and in the prairie restoration. If the flat was planted to prairie the prairie species would die out in high water years and overtime the area would be dominated by reed canary grass.
Nelson’s sparrow, photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
Steve also wrote “In Dane county there are two public areas where birders have had fair success, in finding Nelson’s sparrow. The Swan Pond Waterfowl Production Area; about one mile northwest of Oregon, south of Highway M and just west of Lake Barney and the Brooklyn State Wildlife Area. The time to look is the third week of September to mid October.”
About 75% of the flat is covered with water and if water levels drop next summer birder watchers may again be able to view Nelson’s sparrows. Hopefully birders will be able to find 12 in one million. At least three-quarters of North America’s one million Nelson’s sparrows breed in Canada.
Written by Mark Martin and Susan Foote-Martin, Goose Pond Sanctuary resident managers
