Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

There is squishy mud in a few low areas.  Otherwise the trail is dry.   Birders located a Black-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanagers, an Orchard Oriole, many warblers and vireos and and Indigo Bunting over the weekend.  They reported at least 80 species of birds!  I saw a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, 2 Monarchs, and several Red Admiral Butterflies all in the same area.  Mosquito activity is picking up—be prepared!

Trail is a little muddy and under water in a few areas.   This week I saw the first Monarch butterflies of the season.   Sandhill Cranes on Hussong prairie have 2 chicks.  Indigo Buntings and many warbler species are being seen. Yellow-rumped Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Orioles are everywhere!

Trails are muddy after all the rain.  A Red-headed Woodpecker was spotted right along the lagoon behind the Nature Center this morning.   Birders spotted many warblers again this morning along with a Scarlet Tanager and a Great-crested Flycatcher.

I spotted my first Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly of the spring and saw my first Baltimore Oriole of the season today.  Palm Warblers and hundreds of Yellow-rumped Warblers entertained me along Hussong Trail.   I also watched a Mallard hen with 3 ducklings swimming.  Birding Club members reported 16 Warbler species this morning along with many others.

Trails are in great shape, just a little mud left in low areas.   At the end of last week a Great Blue Heron was spotted and a Black-crowned Night Heron.  Barn Swallows and possibly others species joined the Tree Swallows swooping over the lagoons.  I watched a Northern Harrier out on Hussong Prairie and have seen the eagles every day.

This week 100s of Red Admiral butterflies have been fluttering all over the place.  The White-throated Sparrows are back–they were first heard and seen over the weekend.   A Great Egret was fishing the shore early this morning and I finally got a peek at 3 kits of a family of Red Foxes peeking out and playing by their den.   Tree Swallows are busy hunting insects over the lagoons and I saw quite a few Hermit Thrushes. 

New warbler today, I saw and heard a Pine Warbler this morning. Tree swallows are busy today. Redbuds are jsut about to burst into flower. Trout Lilies are blooming as well. The Red Admiral butterflies are pairing up in flight.

Red Admirals, Mourning Cloaks, and a dragonfly were out today.
Purple Martins are back and Yellow-rumped Warblers are becoming abundant. Trails are pretty dry, just a few scattered soft areas.

Trail is just a little bit muddy in low areas.  I saw a Hermit Thrush, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and I saw and heard a Belted Kingfisher fly over.  The Sandhill Cranes are calling like mad.  Eastern Phoebes and Fox Sparrows, 2 pairs of Buffleheads and 2 pairs of Woodducks were fun to watch today.  I also saw along the trail fern fiddleheads, Trout Lily leaves, Mayapple leaves, and Virginia Bluebell blossoms.

Trail is only a little muddy in low areas, much drier than previous springs.   Tree swallows were out perched on top of the birdhouses along Hussong Trail and Woodchuck Trail.    Some new migratory species spotted include a Golden-crowned Kinglet and an Eastern Towhee as well as a White Pelican flying over.   I saw a big group of Cedar Waxwings and a few Brown Creepers going up and down the tree trunks.