Madison Audubon’s Reckless Wrens team participated in our 11th Great Wisconsin Birdathon. Our 12 birders set two records: 146 species observed (view full list here) and $2,843 raised to date!

Half of the funds will go to the Bird Protection Fund while the other half comes back to Madison Audubon, where it will be used to purchase Motus tags for tracking American Kestrels at Goose Pond Sanctuary. Donations are being accepted through June 15, so if you’d still like to donate, visit our team page here.

Our members concentrated primarily in Columbia County with most beginning on May 12 at 5PM and ending May 13 at 4:59PM. May 13 was also Global Big Day and World Migratory Bird Day, birding’s biggest day of the year, so many of our lists were submitted to eBird. Everyone enjoyed spending time looking for birds that Madison Audubon and its members are working hard to protect and provide habitat for. Read below for our team’s highlights!

*A Red-winged Blackbird calls out while perched on a wooden post (photo by Laura Wentz).*

Jim & Kathy Shurts

We stopped at various birding spots in northern Dane County and southern Columbia County. Lots of good birds, a total of 74 species for us.

The highlight was not a particular species but at a location, while we were stopped at a T intersection. We had just finished up at Jackson Waterfowl Production Area and were driving to the next location. At the stop sign, as I’m checking for cross traffic, a Blue Jay flew down from the oak tree in front of us on the other side of the road. While looking at the jay, a Wild Turkey crossed the field behind the jay. Then an American Kestrel landed on the power line next to us. While we were admiring the kestrel, a Red-headed Woodpecker flew out of the same oak tree and landed in the ditch! Four species in quick succession at one stop! It doesn’t get any better than that.

Graham Steinhauer

I spent most of the morning searching for Black-bellied Whistling Ducks which had been reliably reported at the Sauk City lagoons. After much scanning and climbing numerous trees for a better vantage, it was apparent that I was one day too late. Except for a few Wood Ducks and Mallards, I was duckless. But in the process, I became reacquainted with some familiar characters.

Indigo Buntings, Tennessee Warblers, and Warbling Vireos were a few of the species that I had not encountered since last year. Though Gray Catbirds are common and I had already seen them many times since April, I’m always eager to get a good look. I appreciate a bird with a strong vocabulary, and that handsome little cap certainly doesn't hurt.

Emma Raasch & Miles Roth

We birded at Goose Pond, Erstad Prairie, Schoenberg Marsh, and a few ponds nearby. We did our best to see through rainy and foggy binoculars, and saw 68 species total.

Our highlights include two Red-necked Grebes, an American Tree Sparrow (I didn’t realize this was an abnormal time of year to see them until eBird notified me that it was a rare bird in May!), and a very noisy Yellow-headed Blackbird, all of which were seen within a few minutes of each other. We were thrilled to see our first Black-necked Stilt flying over the ponds at Patton Road and Oak Lane. We also found six Chimney Swifts at Goose Pond’s Kampen Road residence.

Laura Wentz

I had a great time doing my Birdathon this year. It was my best 24 hours ever—80 birds! The places I went to were very local: my yard and farm, my parents’ barn which is right next door, Beich Road which is on the way to their house and then my favorite birding away from home place, the Baraboo River Waterfowl Production Area and that’s only three miles from home.

I was happy to see some of my “first of the year” birds including Willow Flycatcher, Common Nighthawk, and Blue-winged Warbler. I missed some easy birds I normally see or hear, including my resident owls, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pied-billed Grebes, and Wood Thrush.

My pastures are filled with good birds at this time of the year like Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Eastern Kingbirds, Savannah, Field and Song Sparrows. Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows were nesting in boxes.

Mark & Sue Foote-Martin

We concentrated birding at our Wildland cabin near Rio and also at the Otsego Marsh Reierson tract. We were pleased to find 84 species.

Our highlights were finding a Trumpeter Swan, Virginia Rail, Sora, Wilson’s Snipe, and Double-crested Cormorants at our wetland restoration. Another highlight was locating seven species of woodpeckers at Wildland. There may be four or five pairs of Red-headed Woodpeckers within one and half miles of our cabin. The Red-headed Woodpecker increase in the past couple of years is nice to see. Our neighbor south of Wildland had two Purple Martins that we hope will stay and nest.

JD Arnston & Meg LaPoint

Most of our time was spent at Mud Lake State Wildlife Area east of Poynette, Otsego Marsh, Rowan Creek, and after dark at Rocky Run State Natural Area. Our grand total for the day was 96 species, just short of 100!

We were pleased to find 19 warbler species. We checked to see if the Connecticut Warbler was still at Otsego Marsh, but no luck. On the other hand, we did pick up an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Black-throated Green Warbler (among others) there.

*A streaky Savannah Sparrow perched on a section of metal grid fence (photo by Laura Wentz).*

Other highlights included seeing a Black-billed Cuckoo that flew right up close to us for a great view while taking a water break at Mud Lake. We were lucky to pick up a Henslow’s Sparrow at Hagan Prairie that called just once, but was unmistakable. Despite the total cloud coverage and no moonlight, seven whip-poor-wills at Rocky Run State Natural Area were still fairly vocal and we also heard an American Woodcock.

Brand Smith & Bill Forest

We focused on the grade on Lake Wisconsin, the Portage power plant and Blackhawk Island, the local area around Poynette, and Lost Lake State Natural Area, spotting 75 species.

Highlights included a Black-billed Cuckoo that came from behind and landed in a bush about five feet from the vehicle; an Orchard Oriole along the Wisconsin River; Virginia Rail, Forster’s Tern, Bank Swallows, and Purple Martins at the grade. We also were fortunate to hear a Red-shouldered Hawk.

Thanks so much to our 52 donors for supporting us! Our whole team is looking forward to next year—our goal is to find 150 species and raise $3,000 for bird conservation.

Written by the Goose Pond Sanctuary team (Mark Martin, Susan Foote-Martin, Graham Steinhauer, and Emma Raasch) with Jim Shurts (Reckless Wrens team captain), JD Arnston, Brand Smith, and Laura Wentz

Cover image by Laura Wentz. An Eastern Phoebe with buffy coloration perched on a post is counted as one of the birds identified by the Reckless Wrens during their Birdathon.