Category Archives: Cardinals

One place I have never birded was the County Grounds Park in Wauwatosa Wisconsin. This morning I met up with Bruce there as he frequents this place often and we did some birding around the park. Some of the birds we saw were Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlarks, and very many Savannah Sparrows. On the many acres of gentle hilly terrain, there are some nice foot trails there. Amazingly on some of that property you would think you were out in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of a city. It appeared the Savannahs were nesting everywhere. Images were taken on June 20, 2017

Dickcissel, male

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow bringing food to the young…

Savannah Sparrow calling

Savannah Sparrow calling

Dickcissel, male calling…

Dickcissel, male

Savannah Sparrow sitting pretty…

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow stretching and calling…

Savannah Sparrow calling…

The setting at County Grounds Park

The setting at County Grounds Park

Dickcissel, male calling

I made the trip over to the Rock in Franklin Wisconsin early this morning to see if any of the Dickcissels that have been recently reported were present. Sure enough, there were at least 4 and I observed them in a patch of some non-native aggressive species of plants that were 2-3 feet in height. The highlight of the morning was watching a pair of Dickcissels mating. Always enjoyable  to watch these birds calling from a perch for long periods of time. A few non native Teasels were in the planting that made great perches for these birds to call from. As I said last year, interesting that a 1/2 acre lot full of non native species fighting each other to gain growing space and looking like a rats nest at ground level can be habitat for some native bird species. The Red-winged Blackbirds, also nest in this planting along with Savannah Sparrows. These birds were here at the same location last year. Easy to spot these birds as they were calling on territory. An exciting morning to say the least! Images were taken on June 15, 2017.

Dickcissel, male

Dickcissel

Binomial name: Spiza americana

Category: Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 9.75” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

Dickcissels, the mating…

Dickcissels, the mating…

Dickcissels, the mating…his part is done…

Dickcissels, he drops down…

Dickcissel, the female after the act…

Dickcissel, the female, the proud mother to be…

Dickcissel, the male calling from an old clump of Teasel from last year

Dickcissel, the male taking off…

Dickcissel, the male perched…

Dickcissel, the female looking around…

Dickcissel, the male calling…

Dickcissel, male trying to balance with the blowing winds on an old Teasel seed head from last year.

Dickcissel, perched male

Savannah Sparrow

I did some birding in Franklin at a spot that has had some nesting Dickcissels. Bruce joined me and we enjoyed watching the females bringing insects to two different nests. The nests being just off the ground in grasses we did see and did not want to disturb the nesting site looking for them. Males were present too in the nesting areas, and not sure, but I thought I saw a male transfer an insect to a female who took it into the nest. Feeding was on and off during the time we were there. What I found interesting to see at this location was an area of undeveloped land that was total non-native species, some very aggressive species, such as Crownvetch, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Teasel, Bull Thistle, Burdock to name a few along with some non-natives grasses in which the nests were, something I would consider big mess and the Dickcissels found it a place to nest, great! Images were taken on July 8, 2016.

Dickcissel, female with grasshopper

Dickcissel

Binomial name: Spiza americana

Category: Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 9.75” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

Dickcissel, female with grasshopper

Dickcissel, female with something

Dickcissel, male

Dickcissel, female

Dickcissel, male

Dickcissel, female with something

Dickcissel, female

Dickcissel, female with something

Dickcissel, female

Dickcissel, male

Dickcissel, female with grasshopper

Dickcissel, female with something

Dickcissel, female

Dickcissel, female

At least a couple of nesting pairs of Dickcissels were present in the Scuppernong Prairie area in Waukesha County Wisconsin. When I was there I watched adults bringing food to the young in the nests. The nests were in short  growing brush vegetation in the open prairies. Images were taken on August 6, 2011.

Dickcissel

Binomial name: Spiza americana

Category: Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 9.75” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

Dickcissel, male left – Dickcissel, female right

Dickcissel flying into the nest with food (in middle of image)