Short-eared Owl

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Photography by Eric Ellingson, creative commons

Rippled across the plains in seas of grass, scattered on abandoned fence posts of wood and of rattlesnake master—which seems an unlikely support—sits an owl. Its forty inch wingspan belies its body length of 15 inches and weight of less than a pound. An archetype of grassland adaptations, this short-eared owl.

Rather than profiling the short-eared owl, the short-eared owl profiles a region and landscape and way of life.  Like other grassland species, the owl nests on the ground, the only owl to construct its own nest. 

As an apex predator, the short-eared owl lives mostly free from the worries of a song sparrow. As a result, the owl's courtship display celebrates a lifestyle of movement and freedom, the bird soars hundreds of feet into the air, plummets, then rises again while audibly clapping its wings... applause on the prairie.

The short-eared owl seems, by all accounts, a random bird. From year to year, paired birds will find new mates and new nesting sites. On Buena Vista Marsh in 1970, an explosion of short-eared owls occupied the grasslands along with high numbers of northern harriers. Most populous though, was their prey source, the meadow vole. Fran Hamerstrom's “vole index,” a measure of the abundance of voles on the marsh, was extremely high in 1970.

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Photography by Mark Moschell, creative commons

Previous records showed only one nesting pair of short-eared owls on the marsh in 1961. In 1970, “the year of the short-eared owl” there were 104 short-eared owls at Buena Vista.

The owls hold no fidelity to the same sites. In this way, the bird resembles nomadic peoples across the world, from Tibetan Drokpa to Great Plains Lakota. Movement characterizes these cultural identities, which some may consider primitive. Yet moving through a grassland of continental size allows efficient routes to emerge. Optimizing the phenology of their movements, these groups followed bison herds, spent hot summers in high altitude mountain meadows, and avoided areas of flooding or drought.

Likewise, the short-eared owls link their movements to efficient routes. The owls have been found to be synchronous with vole activity, optimizing their hunting. Their seasonal movements trace the availability of food resources. Overwintering in Wisconsin starting in November, they migrate from areas where snow cover becomes too deep, or where food availability has decreased.

I witnessed a short-eared owl in the Crawfish River prairies in late November, before deep snow cover. I haven't seen one since, though the prairies have been populated with harriers, kestrels, red-tailed and coopers hawks.

In Wisconsin, the short-eared owl follows the prairie fires of large grassland tracts, and breeds almost strictly on the Buena Vista Marsh and in Crex Meadows in Northwestern Wisconsin.

Most striking though, are the eyes. The eyes of a short-eared owl can only be described as fierce and piercing. Undiluted yellow lights up the bird like 90 watt bulbs.

Researchers wonder how often prairie fires occurred throughout the North American continent, and what combination of indigenous/lightning the fire was sourced from. These scientists overlook the short-eared owl, which starts a grassland ablaze with simply a stare.

I push my nordic skis down Prairie Lane as the sun begins to set, scooting through a rut in the snow to look for owls. Briskly, I slide down into the floodplain of the Crawfish River to the east. North and west, slivers of sunlight fill the horizon. Where I'm headed is gray, though I'm not experienced enough to keep my head up long enough to observe as I would when walking.

I make my way down to Martin and Tillotson Prairies and ensconce myself in the grass and rosinweed and wait. And I see nothing. A few tree sparrows and juncos, but that's all. Even the bald eagle's nest along the river is vacant.

Two days earlier, three birds were documented on ebird but this evening those ghosts haunting the prairie have vanished. Ethereal, these birds have been seen in 14 areas of the state in the past month. Part of this has to do with their declining numbers which corresponds with declining grassland habitat. 

Photography by Tim Lenz, creative commons

In a dream that night I see at first three short-eared owls. The number grows to fifteen as I wait, prone in a ditch. They surround me and behave like affable sparrows, pecking at the ground. I've read that if you stumble upon a short-eared owl it's reluctant to flush. In my dream would be almost all of the short-ears occupying the state this month.

It's not uncommon for short-eared owls to congregate in small groups to roost during the winter, but not in a group of fifteen, at least in Wisconsin. The dream birds peck at corn and gravel where there should be a sea of voles for them to hunt. Their eyes are not piercing yellow, but rather a dull brown.

These ecological mismatches wake me from my dreams. Even in my imagination, I can't seem to follow the thread of the short-eared owl, that haunting nomad.

Written by Drew Harry, Faville Grove Land Steward

American Tree Sparrow

This winter resident is fairly easy to identify with their rusty cap, black breast spot, and fairly long tail.  They are the most abundant sparrow found at Goose Pond in the winter. After winter, these sparrows fly north to their breeding grounds in the tundra.  We are not sure why they are called “tree” sparrows.  In winter they are found in open areas at Goose Pond and they nest in the tundra in areas with scattered shrubs.

American Tree Sparrow, Photography by Kelly Colgan Azar

American tree sparrows are often found in small flocks on the ground, feeding on weed seeds. They frequently are found feeding with dark-eyed juncos along roadsides, in open fields, and at bird feeders.  Along roadsides they are feeding on annual foxtail seeds that result from the June roadside mowing which favors the growth of foxtail grass.  The mowing and winters snow plowing leaves a disturbed area adjacent to the pavement providing ideal habitat for foxtail seed to germinate.

We have been feeding birds at our feeders since 1979 and provide a constant supply of mixed birdseed (sunflower, millet, and cracked corn) spread onto the ground in several locations. Goose Pond Sanctuary is an ideal location for this winter species.  

On the December Christmas Bird Count, Mark and his party only counted 19 tree sparrows at the feeders at the two residences.   Usually over 100 tree sparrows are present at the feeders however we were not surprised at their low numbers.  We thought the volunteers counting in the seven acre food plot would find good numbers of tree sparrows, and they did not disappoint us when they reported 132 tree sparrows.  The food plot contains an abundance of foxtail and sorghum seeds.

Maia Persche, with assistance by Jim Otto, surveyed the food plot weekly beginning August 18th.  Tree sparrows arrived in late October and their numbers increased to 173 individuals on November 9th.  From November 9 through January 22, the weekly count ranged between 125 and 323 tree sparrows with an average weekly count of 193.  It will be interesting to track their numbers for the rest of winter and to see when they begin their migration north.

We are looking forward to the Great Backyard Bird Count that is being held on February 17-20th.  To participate and also to check results go to http://gbbc.birdcount.org. This bird count helps scientists to better investigate migration trends, distribution, and habitat, and you get to learn more about the birds in your area. Don’t have a backyard? The Great Backyard Bird Count can be done in a park or local neighborhood area.

Tree sparrows should be easy to find in the right habitats since Partners in Flight estimates the breeding population of American Tree Sparrow at 20 million, with 87% spending some part of the winter south of the Canadian border.

Written by Mark and Sue Foote-Martin, Goose Pond Sanctuary Managers, goosep@madisonaudubon.org

Lapland Longspur

Lapland Longspur, Photography by Mick Thompson

The Lapland longspur breeds in the arctic and winters in the central United States, with populations into the millions overwintering on the Great Plains. Wisconsin longspurs have more modest groupings, but will flock in large groups in open areas of fields, prairies, and meadows, especially if manure has been recently spread.

Distinguished with a reddish wing patch and black patches on each cheek, the Lapland longspur's call, a bubbly chirp, can make it stand out in a drab field.

Lapland Longspur camouflaged in the background, Photography by Kenneth Cole Schneider

The bird has adapted to a diet of seeds, as its beak can attest. While seed collectors at Faville Grove might be lucky to collect a bucket full of seed, Lapland longspurs are masterful seed collectors, especially given their size. A single bird can eat up to 10,000 seeds per day. They prefer seeds and waste grain while overwintering in Wisconsin.

With drab plumage while it spends time in Wisconsin, the longspurs largely go unnoticed while occupying this southern “tundra.” But these are very interesting birds. Researchers have investigated the circadian rhythms of longspurs, and demonstrated that the species is regulated by an internal circadian clock that cycles endogenously (from within the organism) throughout the constant daylight of the arctic summer. The mechanisms through which the species accomplishes this rhythm are not clear, but even in the never-ending daylight of an arctic summer, male birds sing in the morning at roughly the same time.

You can find Lapland longspurs throughout the Faville Grove Sanctuary in open areas and near agricultural fields. 

Written by Drew Harry, Faville Grove Land Steward

Goose Pond Christmas Bird Count

Goose Pond Bird Count- 20 species and 733 individuals. 

Six people participated in the Goose Pond unit of the Poynette Christmas Bird Count (CBC) held on the last day of the year.  Beginning in 2000, two to four people have spent most of the day counting birds at Goose Pond Sanctuary.  This year we were pleased to have Maia Persche, her father Todd, and Jim Otto, join Mark, Jim Hess and Bill Walters on the CBC.  Jim and Bill have participated on the count for many years.  Our 2,000-acre count area includes MAS’s 660 acres, Judi Benadi’s 80 acres, Manthe’s 66 acres, and surrounding lands. 

A first-year female Cooper's hawk at the Kampen Road residence, photo credits to Maddie Dumas

The count highlight was Maia, Todd, and Jim Otto’s search of the seven acre food plot where Maia has been conducting weekly counts since late August with the assistance of Jim Otto. In the food plot they found a flock of 35 pheasants, 1 Cooper’s hawk, 1 rough-legged hawk, 217 mourning doves, 1 downy woodpecker, 4 black-capped chickadees, 126 American tree sparrows, 8 dark-eyed Juncos, 3 cardinals, and 24 goldfinches.  The Cooper’s hawk was seen flushing the mourning doves.  The downy woodpecker may have been feeding on insects in the sorghum stems and the other birds were likely feeding on sunflowers, sorghum seeds, or weed seeds.

Ten species were found, at the fully stocked feeders that include suet, at the Kampen Road and the Prairie Lane residences.  Totals were 4 rock pigeons, 3 mourning doves, 3 downy woodpeckers, 8 chickadees, 19 American tree sparrows, 3 dark-eyed Juncos, 1 house finch, 60 American goldfinches, and 26 house sparrows.  The doves and goldfinches move back and forth from the feeders to the food plot.

New to the Goose Pond count was a swamp sparrow that was found on the Manthe farm, bringing the total species found in the unit to 38 species.

The six of us also searched part of Judi’s property that includes shrub and tree plantings and 45 acres of restored prairie.  Highlights at her parcel included five pheasants, five blue jays, and 17 chickadees.

Other interesting species included 15 Canada geese that silently flew over, and one American kestrel, not far from the nest box on the Lapinski – Kitze Prairie. We ended with 50 pheasants, the highest number since 2009 when 126 were found.

A northern harrier hunting over the food plot in mid December, photo credits to Maddie Dumas

Mark found the top bird of the count and the last bird he saw in 2016 when a short-eared owl with a moth-like flight was seen in the headlights as it flew down Kampen Road adjacent to the food plot at 5:13 p.m.   The grassland and food plot provide ideal small mammal habitat and that is why we had a red-tail hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel, and the short-eared owl in those areas. 

Wild turkeys have never been seen in this count area, however they came close to being added when Sue and Diane Tomlinson saw a flock of 34 about 300 yards from our count area.  Missing from the count were snow buntings and Lapland longspurs.

The bird species and numbers help show the importance of habitat and feeders for our winter birds. 

Written by Mark and Sue Foote-Martin, Goose Pond Sanctuary Managers, goosep@madisonaudubon.org

Friday "Fur" Feature: Muskrats

A Muskrat House from a Muskrat Perspective, Photography by Drew Harry

“The wonderful thing about muskrats in my book is that they cannot see very well, and are rather dim, to boot. They are extremely wary if they know I am there, and will outwait me every time. But with a modicum of skill and minimum loss of human dignity, such as it is, I can be right “there,” and the breathing fact of my presence will never penetrate their narrow skulls.” —Annie Dillard from Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Faville Marsh moat, showing the band of ice on the periphery, Photography by Drew Harry

It's hard to know a mammal that's hardly seen, but then again it's hard to know most wild mammals. Birds are easier with songs and calls, less likely to disappear underwater, like a muskrat. Perhaps flight makes birds less wary of being seen, but then again a bird always seems to fly away just before one catches a marker of identification.

I've had a few chance encounters with muskrats, but they appear on the fringes and vanish underwater within seconds. I've chased them in kayaks, only for the muskrat to amble through the water, up a bank, and out of site, as if I were no more concern than a fall breeze.

In winter, muskrats take center stage. Faville Marsh's peripheral moat is covered with muskrat houses. Trapped under the ice for the winter, these muskrats become as evident as walruses atop the ice. Yet they remain unseen.

Sphagnum used for insulation, Photography by Drew Harry

Each lodge houses on average five muskrats, and can house up to twenty. High overwintering densities of 35 muskrats per acre have been recorded. The density helps keep muskrats warm over winter, along with their rich walnut fur coat. Another method is the use of sphagnum in the construction of their houses. Here, the muskrats parallel the people of the Russian Taiga who insulate their winter hunting cabins with sphagnum.

Muskrats follow the ecological rule of bigger litter sizes in higher latitudes. Wisconsin muskrats average two litters of 14-15 offspring per year and will mate from early spring until fall. Remarkably, it is estimated that 87% of a population will die in the first year, with only 2% surviving past year two.

Muskrats cycle in 10-14 year periods, and it seems that they respond to water level fluctuations. Drought and disease can decimate populations, whereas high water years can see exploding populations. It's difficult to know for sure, but perhaps the wetter than normal fall this year bolstered the population of muskrats at Faville Grove. 

Otter tracks featuring Drew's Glove for scale, Photography by Drew Harry

I've noted a few sets of tracks leading out from muskrat houses, often considerable distances. Typically muskrats will wait under the ice all winter, ranging a mere five meters from their house, feeding on stored cattails and bulrushes in their lodge and pondweed and arrowhead beneath the ice. It's possible that these muskrat wanderers were booted from the house and forced to find shelter elsewhere. These exiled muskrats will often make shelter in the dens of other mammals.

Muskrats need water in winter to feed and drink. A cover of ice is desirable for cover from predators and for insulation. The ice also can come crashing down on a population. If the ice freezes through, the muskrats will wander elsewhere, vagabonds for the mink, coyotes, bobcat, foxes, and owls. Faville Marsh presents an interesting study because the water depth is no more than three feet, and one would presume this moat would freeze through. However, within Faville Marsh's complex of tamarack are groundwater seepages. This relatively warm groundwater does not freeze, and may provide aquatic habitat for muskrats.

Written by Drew Harry, Faville Grove Land Steward