Recent sightings
May 17 |
Amy Chamberlin
Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac
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May 17 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Leola Grassland Wildlife Area
We walked transects in 3 areas: 0.5 miles in a super heavy litter grassland (no butterflies), 0.5 miles each for a total of one mile of roadside ROW (3 Cabbage Whites, 1 Mustard White, 1 Meadow Fritillary, and 2 Mourning Cloaks), and 0.5 miles in a grassland plot 70% mowed in late Summer 2021 (all the other butterflies listed, plus 6 unidentified whites). |
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May 17 |
Thomas Schultz
Location: Mauthe Lake Recreation Area
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May 17 |
Marci Lanois
Location: Sandhill SWA
Filtered sun. Temps around 68 degrees. Moderate breeze.
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May 17 |
Marci Lanois
Location: Various roads and trails at Brockway Barrens
Temps around 68 degrees with moderate breeze. Sunny. |
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May 17 |
Fred Dike
Location: 400 bike trail between Reedsburg and Lavalle
sunny, calm, 70s |
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May 17 |
John McCaw
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 17 |
Jim Otto
Location: Goose Pond Sanctuary, Madison Audubon Society
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May 17 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Road
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May 16 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Highway 54 bog
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May 16 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens in and near Sandhill Wildlife Area
Seven long-term monitoring sites for Henry's (5 sites) and Frosted Elfins (5 sites). 4 sites are Wildlife Area property and 3 are along County Hwy X. The last two Frosted Elfins we saw in Wood County were in 2007 and 2010. |
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May 16 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens between Millston and Black River Falls
We walked 14 miles of barrens transects in most of the best Frosted Elfin sites in our Frosted Elfin long-term monitoring (mostly 28-35 year time series). Today probably ranks as about our 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th highest Frosted Elfin day ever in Jackson, Wood, or Jackson + Wood Counties. Five of the 6 roadside ROW and pipeline ROW units along Stanton Creek Road had their highest Frosted Elfin counts ever. Also record-setting was the pipeline ROW diverging to the northwest parallel to an ATV trail about 0.5 mile north of Stanton Creek Road. We also surveyed 7 more miles of transects west of Hunter Haven Road in addition to the pipeline, and 10 survey units in the Bauer-Brockway Barrens area. We also saw at least one undentified elfin and 36 unidentified duskywings. |
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May 16 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Virmond Park
Late afternoon. 72 and partly sunny. |
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May 16 |
John McCaw
Location: Humboldt Park
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May 16 |
Devin Corbin
Location: Dobbs Landing
Also saw the first tiger swallowtail of the year, but I didn't get a good enough look to be able to say whether it was a Canadian or an eastern. |
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May 16 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Road
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May 16 |
Mary Jo Sundling
Location: Yahara River Trail by Admunson Park
Most of the butterflies sighted were in flight. Also enjoyed seeing sandhill cranes, turtles, an osprey, a male Baltimore Oriole, and a Great Blue Heron. Breezy, mostly sunny, 70 degree morning. |
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May 16 |
Stan Rehm
Location: University of Wisconsin Madison Arboretum
Very few BFs on this windy day, but it's worth reminding everyone that this is MaxLilacs week at the Arboretum - absolutely worth visiting. Also a sandhill crane is nesting ten feet from the platform at Teal Pond - viewable through a window of the curtain. |
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May 16 |
Lynn Erickson
Location: Town of Marion near Castle Rock dam
Sunny, windy and almost 70 degrees. While I was in the garden, I spotted this small individual flitting about. It landed first in the grass and then favored a sheltered flowerbed along my house. It didn't linger, just long enough for a side and top view. Lucky day, my first Elfin sighting ever. |
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May 16 |
Mary Mirasola
Location: Town of Delton, WI River Tributary, private property
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May 15 |
Fred Dike
Location: Bike trail parking lot area Verona Wi
sunny |
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May 15 |
Rory Williams
Location: Amber Wisconsin - Three Locations
As Part of Big Brother/Big Sisters took my mentee out birdwatching and hiking but ended up "elfin watching". Saw seven elfins total, I think the five I could not get a picture of were Henry's. My first Hoary Elfin in my life. Also, four Six-spotted Tiger Beetles, one Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle |
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May 15 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Crex Meadows
A short visit around P.O. Peet Rd. and the north end of James Rd. Warm, very windy, late afternoon, scattered showers. Also saw two bluish spring moths, and several unidentified blues |
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May 15 |
Mark E. Johnson
Location: Baxter's Hollow
Warm pleasant sunny day. |
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May 15 |
Devin Corbin
Location: Southern edge of Birchwood Township.
Lots of azures flying, some of them nectaring on wild blueberry. The elfins were photographed about a 1/4 mile from each other, both at the edge of forest that has a good deal of blueberry and maple-leaved viburnum in the understory. |
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May 15 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 15 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Mequon Nature Preserve
Sunny and 73. |
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May 15 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Forest Beach Migratory Preserve & Surrounding Areas
Partly sunny and 62-65. Banner year for American ladies? |
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May 15 |
Ron Endres, Karen Oberhauser, Mike Reese
Location: Private lands in Verona
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May 15 |
Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: our backyard in Madison
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May 15 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Road
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May 15 |
Jeannie van Vianen
Location: Governor Dodge State Park - Upland and Meadow Valley Trails
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May 15 |
Judith Huf
Location: Granville Dog Park
Warm and sunny |
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May 14 |
Emily Hjalmarson
Location: Bauer-Brockway Barrens SNA
Surveyed primarily along North Brockway service road (44.31749, -90.741182) and forest land north of Bauer Rd starting at the Bauer-Brockway Barrens project area sign (44.298493, -90.748186). Both Hoary Elfins were found in the latter location. Also carefully looked at patches of birdsfoot violet in areas to the west and south of the main parking area with hopes of finding a Cobweb Skipper, but none were found. We did not notice many lupine plants in that area, and none were flowering. Butterfly activity significantly decreased by the afternoon due to winds and overcast conditions. Also observed Northern Barrens and Oblique-lined Tiger Beetles. |
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May 14 |
Dean Hansen
Location: Namekagon Barrens
Eight of us spent 15 minutes scanning an acre of bearberry plants north of a two-track east-west "road" just to the north of Clemens Creek, but no Hoary Elfins were seen. This site has been a sure bet for Hoarys in years past. Two elfins were seen along the road; one was positively identified as a Henry's Elfin. Still early spring up there--buds on red oak scrub shrubs were just starting to swell. |
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May 14 |
Dean Hansen
Location: Cranberry bog
Bog was to the east of Namekagon Trail, about a mile north of the Namekagon River. The Brown Elfins were on the bog, the blues were on the damp road gravel. Leather Leaf just starting to bloom. Ten flighty Blues went undetermined. Photo by Sandra Peterson. |
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May 14 |
Dean Hansen
Location: Crex Meadows SWA
Another Crex to the Barrens butterfly trek, with seven butterfliers joining me.
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May 14 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Kettle Moraine Southern Unit
Perfect weather. Rather hot but very sunny. One unidentified large black butterfly. |
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May 14 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Crex Meadows
Very windy, warm, afternoon |
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May 14 |
Donna M Williams-Richter
Location: Borah Creek Prairie
First Monarch of the season. This is about two weeks earlier than last year. Sunny and 85. |
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May 14 |
Lynn Erickson
Location: Town of Marion, near Castle Rock dam
Sunny, low 80s, mid afternoon. All visited the garden or yard. This was my first sighting of a Juvenal's Duskywing; interesting profile view. |
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May 14 |
Ann Thering
Location: My Garden
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May 14 |
Mike Reese
Location: Westside Community Market, Madison
My first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail of the year while at the farmer's market |
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May 14 |
Mike Reese
Location: LWSR, Mazomanie Unit, dog training area
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May 14 |
John Davis
Location: My backyard in Prairie du Chien
Saw my first Monarchs, there could of been as many a 4 that traveled through my yard mainly going north. |
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May 14 |
Devin Corbin
Location: Dobbs Landing
In the sandy oak scrub at this site, saw many Olympia Marbles (at least 20) nectaring on the flowers of what I believe is Arabidopsis lyrata ("Lyre-leaved Rock Cress"). Bird's foot violet also in bloom, and the puccoon is just starting to blossom. |
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May 14 |
Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr
Location: Blackhawk Unit Lower WI Riverway
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May 14 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Road
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May 14 |
Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Spring Green Preserve
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May 14 |
Rory Williams
Location: Oshkosh Larsen Prairie SNA
Incidental while removing parsnip |
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May 14 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens in and near Mirror Lake State Park.
Sunny, 80-85 degrees F. Five patches in the park, and one nearby. |
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May 14 |
Pamela Skaar
Location: Yahara heights County Park, Waunakee, WI
incidental while birding from 10:47 - 11:00 |
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May 14 |
Randy Koehn
Location: Saratoga township
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May 13 |
Dave Eide
Location: Marshall Park
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May 13 |
Marci Lanois
Location: Speedway Rd & 7th Ave at Necedah NWR
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May 13 |
Marci Lanois
Location: Baxter’s Hollow
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May 13 |
Mike Reese
Location: Boghaunter Trail, Necedah NWR
Also saw a Ringed Boghaunter, and some baskettail sp. |
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May 13 |
Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: our neighborhood in Madison
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May 13 |
Mike Reese
Location: Various stops along Brockway Rd.
Very dry with no puddling butterflies at any of the usual places and with few nectar sources. The surprise was seven Henry's Elfin, the most I have seen in one spot outside of Waushara County. I also saw only one duskywing, large and likely a Juvenal's Duskywing, but he never stopped. |
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May 13 |
Devin Corbin
Location: Southern Birchwood Township
Lots of things flying, but they had a stiff tail wind speeding their flight, so identification was difficult. Glimpsed what was either the first monarch of the year or the first viceroy of the year, but, again, that tail wind. . . . |
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May 13 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Crex Meadows
Windy, warm, late afternoon. |
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May 13 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Fish Lake SWA
Warm, very windy, early afternoon |
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May 13 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Along Elbe Rd and Camp 4 Lake
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May 13 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Road
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May 13 |
Mary Jo Sundling
Location: Yahara River Trail in Stoughton
Went out early before it got too hot. Lots of ground ivy, dandelions, and wild violets blooming. The Cabbage White butterflies were mostly in flight, few were landing. Also saw two Sandhill Cranes with their young colt feeding along the river's edge. Sunny, breezy, 80 degree morning. |
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May 13 |
Ruth Lindberg
Location: Brookfield, WI. In my backyard
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May 12 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens between Millston and Black River Falls.
Mostly sunny, 80-97 degrees F. We walked 9 miles in barrens sites, all but one of which has Frosted Elfin records: Dike 17, North Brockway East, several in the Bauer-Brockway area, Stanton Road, west of Hunter Haven Road, and 1 other area. All of the Henry's Elfins were that were 0.05-0.5 miles west of Brockway Road in about 6 different survey units. Butterflies seemed to shut down activity before 1 pm, presumably due to dessication. We saw no butterflies in the last 2.4 miles of surveying, when we were in the best Frosted Elfin sites we tried today. |
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May 12 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Mequon Nature Preserve
Hot and dry. |
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May 12 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Port Washington Bike Trail
Perfect weather. |
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May 12 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 12 |
Karl and Dorothy Legler
Location: Yellowstone Lake State Park and Wildlife Area
89 degrees. Mostly sunny. Black Swallowtails were male and female. 9 butterflies. We quit early and went for ice cream! |
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May 12 |
Karl and Dorothy Legler
Location: Hyw 14 west of Smith's Slough
86 degrees. |
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May 12 |
Mike Reese
Location: LWSR, Mazomanie Unit, dog training area
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May 12 |
Mike Reese
Location: Moely Prairie
Hot, windy, with few nectar sources. |
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May 12 |
Andy Paulios
Location: Lake Waubesa McFarland Dane County
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May 12 |
Paul Sparks
Location: Kletzsch Park, Glendale
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May 12 |
Pamela Skaar
Location: Cherokee marsh natural Resource Area - East Trailhead
8:24 - 11:10, 2.04 miles. Primarily birding. |
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May 12 |
Kate Redmond
Location: Forest Beach Migratory Preserve
Sunny and breezy. Nice warblers. |
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May 12 |
Lynn Erickson
Location: My garden, Town of Marion near Castle Rock dam
Sunny and low 90s. This Blue was enjoying the soil amendments in my sandy garden. I think that it's a Spring Azure, but I'm not 100 percent since this is a first sighting. |
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May 12 |
Judith Huf
Location: Lake Park golf course
My first of the year. |
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May 12 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
29 Monarch eggs today on 10-12 milkweed spikes, each about 3" tall. Reported to Journey North. |
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May 12 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Saul Springs Road
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May 12 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Saul Springs Rd
Lots of ramps, like at Ada Lake. |
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May 12 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Along Jones Spring
9:15-11am, sunny, 71 F to 80F. Optimal conditions. |
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May 12 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Along Jones Spring
9:15-11am, sunny, 71 F to 80F. Optimal conditions. |
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May 12 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Glocke Lake
Nothing flying on the bog mat that I could see. |
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May 12 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Birkmose Park, Hudson
Steamy late morning, light wind. |
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May 12 |
John McCaw
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 12 |
Patrick Ready
Location: Pheasant Branch Conservancy
Saw it flying along the creek behind Kromery School. |
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May 12 |
Rob Pendergast
Location: Mead Dike Trail, Stevens Point
Walked the trail from the north access off W River Dr. |
★ = New county photo record |
May 11 |
Lester Doyle
Location: Wildenberg Sand Prairie (Lodi Town Park)
Hot and Windy. |
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May 11 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Ada Lake
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May 11 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Tie Mill Rd
All seen by 9:30 am when it clouded over. Cool to see azure nectaring. |
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May 11 |
Darcy Kind
Location: Town of Brigham, Iowa Co., Highway K, private land
Large planted prairie habitat, actively managed mesic and dry oak woods. |
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May 11 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 11 |
Donna M Williams-Richter
Location: Muscallounge Road near Beetown
90 and sunny with very little wind. The American Lady was laying eggs on Pussytoes. Two of the Cabbage Whites were mating. |
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May 11 |
Mike Reese
Location: LWSR Avoca area
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May 11 |
Marci Lanois
Location: Necedah NWR - Speedway Rd and 7th Ave
73 degrees, cloudy, moderate breeze |
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May 11 |
Tod Highsmith
Location: Yahara Place Park, East Side Madison
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May 11 |
Pamela Skaar
Location: Mirror Lake State Park
9:44 - 12:27 mostly on the Turtleville Trail exploring 2 barrens. The Mourning Cloak was displaying in the sandy parking lot. |
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May 11 |
Pamela Skaar
Location: around Monty's Blue Plate, Madison, WI 53704
8:40 - 8:50 This is not the first set of CAWH I have seen in the neighborhood but they were the most abundant so far. |
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May 11 |
Paul Sparks
Location: Kletzsch Park, Glendale
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May 11 |
Fred Dike
Location: Mud Lake SWA
about 70 degrees, mostly sunny, breezy |
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May 10 |
Douglas Buege
Location: McDonald Creek and Windsor Dam Rd.
Three species, one photo. |
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May 10 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Giant Pine Rd & Pine River Rd
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May 10 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Wolf Lake Bog
Only butterflies seen on one-mile big walk were the azures. |
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May 10 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Scott Road and Experimental
All early morning butterflies. |
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May 10 |
John & Susan Winegarden
Location: Seymour sands
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★ = New county photo record |
May 10 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Leola Grassland Wildlife Area
79 degrees F, cloudy. We saw 208 of the Mustard Whites in 1.25 miles of walking in a grazed part of the grassland and (a minority) just outside the fence in 1 mile of walking next to those patches. 14 other Mustard Whites along roads. |
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May 10 |
Mike Reese
Location: Nakom Neighborhood, Madison
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May 10 |
Rory Williams
Location: Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Found a patch of blooming forbs with plenty of bumblebees. The elfin was in a swamp with a couple of pine trees, I was rather hoping it would be my first Henry's, turned into a Pine Elfin |
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May 10 |
Rory Williams
Location: Buckhorn State Park
Spent the day looking for a Henry's Elfin and with 12 miles of hiking |
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May 10 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: My house, Franklin
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May 10 |
Paul Sparks
Location: Kletzsch Park, Glendale.
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May 10 |
Ann Thering
Location: My garden
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May 10 |
Dean Hansen
Location: St. Joseph Twp
Three cabbage whites seen in flight. Wild plum is usually in full bloom here on May 7. The flowering buds on wild plum shrubs I checked today (May 10) are barely swollen and not showing any white at all. Plant phenology is at least 8-10 days late this year. Ditto, I would presume, to see elfins and spring blues in full flight. |
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May 10 |
Judith Huf
Location: Kern Park
Saw an orange and brown angle-wing butterfly, but it flew by and I couldn't see if it was a Comma or a Question Mark |
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May 10 |
Mike Reese
Location: York Prairie Stae Natural Area
The Monarch and Black Swallowtail were both surprises! Neither landed while I watched them fly away. There were few nectar sources at both sections that I visited. |
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May 10 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Willow River State Park
Warm, partly cloudy, late morning. Sightings were incidental while birding. |
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May 10 |
Ruth Lindberg
Location: Brookfield, WI
In my yard |
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May 9 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Dunbar Barrens
High speed winds and very dry conditions here in the northeast. Amazed I saw any butterflies. Major fire danger. |
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May 9 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Tie Mill Rd
All butterflue seen before 10 am.0 |
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May 9 |
Fred Dike
Location: Otsego Marsh
upper 60s, partly cloudy, breezy |
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May 9 |
Fred Dike
Location: Garmin Nature Preserve
64 degrees, breezy, mostly clear |
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May 9 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: My house, Franklin
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May 9 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: Whitnall Park
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May 9 |
Joan Rickert
Location: My yard, rural Medford
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May 9 |
Mary Jo Sundling
Location: In my yard in Stoughton
Saw the Cabbage Whites flying in our yard before the wind picked up with gusts over 35 mph for the rest of the day. Sunny, 70 degree, breezy early morning. |
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May 9 |
Tod Highsmith
Location: Lake Farm County Park
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May 9 |
Sue Feyrer
Location: Ryan Park
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May 8 |
Devin Corbin
Location: Private property in Birchwood Township
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May 8 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Tie Mill Road
3pm it became slightly sunny and I saw these two species. |
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May 8 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Rd
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May 8 |
John McCaw
Location: Menominee River Parkway
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May 8 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Black Earth Roadside
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May 8 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Milwaukee roadside
Sunny and 64. |
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May 8 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Spring Green and areas around the premise
Sunny and 73. |
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May 7 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Farm on Star Lake Rd
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May 7 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: Warnimont Park
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May 7 |
John & Susan Winegarden
Location: Seymour Sands
First sighting of flowering Sand Cress, and with it, first sighting of Olympia Marbles |
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May 7 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Also the first spear of milkweed in our garden - slightly late compared to other years. |
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May 7 |
Rory Williams
Location: Our House in Neenah
also a lady, but not sure if it was cardui or virginiensis as it flew past at quite a high speed |
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May 7 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Cedarburg
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May 7 |
Jeremy Meyer
Location: My house, Franklin
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May 7 |
Patrick Ready
Location: UW Arboretum
Azure was in Lost City Forest. 6 spotted Tiger Beetle was on the Ice Age Trail near Cross Plains. |
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May 7 |
Mary Jo Sundling
Location: North end of the Yahara River Walk in Stoughton
Nice to finally see some wildflowers blooming! Had fun when a Mourning Cloak landed on my hat and my husband was able to get a photo. Also saw lots of birds including a catbird, red-tailed hawk and a great blue heron. Sunny, breezy, 70 degree afternoon. |
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May 7 |
Fred Dike
Location: Burma Rd- Devils Lake State Park
Sunny, around 60 degrees, breezy |
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May 7 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens in and near Mirror Lake State Park
Five patches inside the Park and one other nearby. 64-71 degrees F, sunny. We also saw one unidentified duskywing. |
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May 7 |
Kathi Dwelle
Location: Payment Lake, Iron County
This butterfly was sipping the sap from a newly cut birch tree on the shores of Payment Lake. |
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May 7 |
Fern Springs
Location: Rural yard near Alma Center
Sunny, 69 degrees |
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May 6 |
Mary Roen
Location: 805 Glover Road, River Falls, WI
Dark butterfly with yellow edging around the wings |
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May 6 |
Rory Williams
Location: Asylum Bay Wildlife Area
Incidental while birdwatching. The birds are about ten days behind in migration, feels like the butterflies are about ten days behind too?? |
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May 6 |
Fred Dike
Location: Lower Wisconsin Riverway near Avoca
71 degrees, sunny, windy |
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May 6 |
Fred Dike
Location: Spring Green Preserve
60 degrees, cloudy, windy |
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May 6 |
Terry Mortier
Location: Buffalo skull tract, Standing Cedars SNA
Mid-day, sunny, warm, light wind. All were seen puddling at the parking lot or along the access road from the parking lot to where the road exits the property to the southwest. |
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May 6 |
Mike Reese
Location: private lands along the Embarass River
Surprised to see a West Virginia White! I first saw them here last year. 60 degrees and sunny. |
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May 6 |
Daniel Jackson
Location: Jackson Property 1/4 mile south of Chaseburg
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May 6 |
Ethan Brown
Location: Mequon
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This was my first walk about the prairie and was happy to find a variety of butterflies enjoying the prairie. I even found a half dozen Monarch eggs on young Common milkweed and one adult Monarch flying.