March 14: - Iceland Gull

I found a first year Iceland gull among the flock of Herring and Ring-Billed gulls on Richmond Bay. Richmond Bay is the bay located west of the Clinton Street bridge over the Black River on the north side of LaCrosse. There is a culvert under the road just east of Bob's bait and tackle and Richmond bay is on the north side of the road at that point.

The bird was feeding on fish on a sheet of ice on the east side of the bay about 40 yards north of Clinton Street. I saw the bird between 12:30 and 1:00.

This bird is a very light individual with light barring and detail on the mantle, breast, etc. The wings are nearly perfectly white which is very striking when it flies or spreads its wings. For those unfamiliar with an Iceland gull, it is slightly smaller than a Herring Gull and larger than a Ring-Billed Gull.

There is a flock of about 500 gulls using the area right now.

Dan Jackson
Chaseburg, Vernon County, Wisconsin

 

 

March 13: - Peregrines

At 12:50 Noon and again at 5:00PM there was an apparent pair of Peregrine Falcons perched on the second balcony below the spire of Joseph the Workman Cathedral on Main St. in downtown LaCrosse.

At 12:50 Noon, they were best viewed from 6th St., between King St. & Main St., looking north. At 5PM, they were perched again on the second, lower balcony, on the east side of the spire.

They sat quietly about 10 feet apart.

Fred Lesher
LaCrosse, Wis.

 

 

March 10:

Last evening after work and this morning on the way to work, I took a few minutes to check out the flocks of waterfowl that are starting to build up on the Mississippi just south of LaCrosse. Due to poor lighting (last night) and a cold fogging scope (this morning), this list is probably not a complete account of what was there.

Coon Creek Delta (Just south of Stoddard - Vernon County):
Mallard, Wood Duck, American Widgeon, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Ringneck Duck, Ring billed Gull, Canada Goose, Sandhill Crane

Goose Island Park (Just south of LaCrosse - LaCrosse County):
Mallard, Black Duck, Green Winged Teal, Wood Duck, American Widgeon, Gadwall, Canada Goose Elsewhere in LaCrosse and Vernon counties:
Lots of Red Winged Blackbirds on territory, a few American Robins, a Great Blue Heron, Eastern Bluebirds

Hurray for Spring! The floodgates are opening up with early migrants……………..

Dan Jackson
Chaseburg, Vernon County, Wisconsin, USA
(Near LaCrosse, WI)