AUTUMN AVIAN ENCOUNTERS AND OTHER DELIGHTS (2010)
by Michael Huebschen
During our autumn vacation in Vilas County, Cindy and I were lucky to be graced by the visual and auditory kinship
of Bald Eagles, Osprey, Common Loons, Pileated Woodpeckers, Ruffed Grouse (drumming activity), Northern
Flickers, Trumpeter Swans and Barred Owls. We also got to see a few of the "albino" deer for which that area is
becoming noted.
During my most recent vacation to the Mead Wildlife Area (18-22 October), my oculars were treated to the visual
delights of Bald Eagles, a juvenile Golden Eagle, a Great Horned Owl, Barred Owls, a number of Yellowlegs that
were heard but not seen, and a number of female Northern Harriers that were working the wetland pools for
waterfowl. Presumably, they search for weakened or crippled individuals. I did not see any duck dinner taken
during this trip, but had occasion to observe just that kind of predation on a female Northern Shovelor during
spring migration at Mingo Refuge in southeast Missouri many years ago. Many of the male Harriers that I've
observed are invariably cruising over the prairies and wet prairies, presumably stalking the small mammals that
comprise much of their diet. Without having conducted an exhaustve search of the literature, I would guess that
the considerably larger female Harriers also consume their share of small mammals outside of the nesting season,
with waterfowl taken being the luxury item rather than dietary staple. (During the nesting and young-rearing
season, most of the food is supplied by the hunting of their male mates.) I would not be so bold as to opine that
male Harriers never take ducks, but might entertain the suspicion that females take many more ducks than the
males.
My evenings in camp at the Big Eau Pleine County Park were often serenaded by the distant trumpetings of
Sandhill Cranes, oratory of Barred Owls and the canopy chirpings of what I guessed to be either Flying Squirrels or
Deer Mice.
Being mature hardwood forest, the park is home to numerous Pileated, Hairy, Downy, and Red-bellied
Woodpeckers. Blue Jays, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Chickadees brighten the camping and hiking experience
with their own enthusiasm. Red Fox were seen on a number of occasions. Gray and Black Squirrels are everywhere.
I was really tickled by the appearance of an Eastern Chipmunk twenty feet from my tent in a den opening at the
base of an Eastern Hemlock. The park is refuge for many Whitetailed Deer (probably too many to strike a good
ecological balance with this forest community), including some formidable bucks. I spent considerable time chasing
them with digital bazooka, and had, by my measure, some modest successes. In early November, I spent about an
hour on a mild, sunny afternoon photographing a 15 Point Monarch that was very cautiously checking on the
status of a number of does in the area, while a number of antlered upstarts at greater distances were chasing does
that were probably nowhere close to estrus, with considerable abandon. Any that strayed too close to the activity
of the senior ambassador, got a pronounced NO VACANCY greeting from the reigning monarch. The park is a great
place to take your children or grandchildren in late October or early November to see deer and a variety of birdlife.
A large network of hiking trails and horse trails is available. Two well wooded campgrounds are also available. If
you visit during the summer months, take along your best mosquito repellant.
On the morning of 20 October, I was about ten minutes into a sunrise vigil at one of the flowage boat landings,
when two passerines lit on the boulders rip-rapping the shoreline. I slowly retreated to the truck to recruit the aid
of my largest telephoto and tripod. As great fortune would have it, two Snow Buntings tolerated my photographic
stalkings for the next hour, while they moved about feeding on the seeds of Panicum and other grasses. I
managed some digital images which I found very pleasing. I encountered numerous large flocks of Snow Buntings
during this year's autumn travels.
On the morning of 22 October, I chanced onto a male Ruffed Grouse feeding on the edge of a sapling thicket. The
bird tolerated my presence for about twenty minutes, during which time it vaulted up into a small tree. I
photographed it "budding" on Ironwood catkins or/and buds. I was parked about thirty-five feet away during the
whole observation. In the literature, Ruffed Grouse are often cited as feeding on the buds and/or catkins of Aspen ,
Birch, and Hazelnut.
In late October, and early November, the Horicon N.W.R. was awfully good to me. Although, I'm still not
completely adjusted to the 55 M.P.H. hurl and burl of the traffic on Highway 49, it continues to be one of the best
accesses for observation. (I hope to live long enough to see 49 rerouted to the north, and a slow speed national
scenic by-way established along the current right-of-way. For the foreseeable future, that is probably a political
and economic impossibility.) An abundance of Canada Geese, Mallards, Shovelors, Greenwinged Teal, Gadwalls,
and Ruddy Ducks were joined by lesser numbers of Scaups, Redheads, Canvasbacks, Pintails, Blue-winged Teals,
and Wigeons until freezeup began in small spurts. Several hundred Tundra Swans were noted in early November
with Chesapeake Bay murmuring in the midst of their incessant gabble and rousing "Triumph Displays". I greatly
enjoyed photographing Gadwalls, Greenwings and Pintails during that time. As the Arctic Tyrant began its gradual
transformation of the marsh into ice sheets, the presence of Northern Shrikes was noted.
As usual, I bid farewell to autumn grudgingly, while knowing that its ephemerality enhances its value. While
adverse change and scarcity be at first glance unpleasant overlords, they may well be the paradoxical contrast
which keeps our lives from becoming the straight line emotional EKG perfect state of numbness inherent in the
concept of a perfect world. BE NOT MISLED! We have great opportunity to improve the earth environment and
reduce human conflict, and should make every effort to do just that! At the same time, seasonal weather change,
dynamic weather events, and even the human aging process may well be positive forces that we don't completely
understand. (Did I like the flooding of 2010 in Wisconsin? No! Did that heavy precipitation have any positive
impacts? I don't doubt it for a moment. Would I like to live to be 100 yrs. old? Possibly. Would I like to live forever?
Most definitely not! Where would we put your great grandchildren?) As the Arctic Tyrant imposes its advances
upon this area for the next several months, I will often be given opportunity to reflect on the seasons which I value
most (in between muttering not-so-printable or self flattering incantations while engaged in snow removal chores.)
I might even go wild enough to purchase a pair of cross-country skis and dance with the Arctic Tyrant firsthand.
One of my greatest hopes is that the long term forecast for above average cold and snow predicted in this region
pays a major visit to the nearctic regions of the earth, while we grapple with policy strategies to reduce long-term
global warming.
May you all "weather" the impositions of the Arctic Tyrant very well!