Horicon Lake 4/22--Eastern Kingbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat

Swamp at Horicon Lake

Despite the 31 degree temperature when I awoke this morning, today's birding at Horicon Lake felt more Spring-like than most days this month. The woods around the lake were lively with bird song, most of which I could identify!  I was especially happy when I first heard a "tze-tze-tze" song, thought that it sounded like a Black-and-white Warbler and then found one on a bare branch along the road.  I thought that was pretty good to remember the song, since I hadn't heard one in 6 or 7 months.

An easier bird to identify was while I was standing at the edge of the swamp (above): "Witchety, witchety, witchety, witch." That was a Common Yellowthroat, undoubtedly. It usually takes me days, if not weeks, before I finally see one of these warblers, but today I ventured deep into the woods that run along the swamp and when I walk as far as the trail went--and then pushed through the bushes a little farther--I managed to see a bright, full breeding plumaged male a few feet in front of me, skipping from low branch to low branch.

A bird that wasn't on my radar today that I was happy and bit surprised to see was Eastern Kingbird, which I found sitting on a dead stump fairly close to shore in the swamp. No real reason I should be surprised, but I've been more focused on finding and familiarizing myself with warblers that other birds sometimes become an afterthought.

Not much on the lake today--all the winter ducks have finally flown off. 2 Laughing Gulls on the shore greeted me upon arrival and a few Double-crested Cormorants were fishing in the lake and resting on the pilings. I only mention them because they allowed me to get close enough to take a couple of photos:

The Day's List
29 species
Canada Goose  4
Mallard  2
Double-crested Cormorant  3
Great Egret  2
Turkey Vulture  1
Laughing Gull  2
Mourning Dove  1
Belted Kingfisher  1    Heard
Northern Flicker  1
Eastern Kingbird  1
Blue Jay  2    Heard
Fish Crow  1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Tree Swallow  15
Barn Swallow  10
Carolina Chickadee  2    Heard
Carolina Wren  1    Heard
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
American Robin  3
Northern Mockingbird  1
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Common Yellowthroat  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  2
Chipping Sparrow  1    Heard
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Common Grackle  5
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
American Goldfinch  1    Heard

Great Egret in swamp