Chequamegon Bird Club Blog

experimenting more than reporting I guess - Mourning Doves and starlings have been taking such vigorous baths in the waterer it is over 1/2 emptied every day - still no birds frozen to the feeders - sure hope that doesn’t happen - how does one get that plastic stuff put on the feeders to prevent stick-on birds??

no sign of Siskins for quite some time - lots of Goldfinches, Chickadees, woodpeckers, and, the starlings have come from the neighbors to enjoy the numerous carcasses I have hanging - if that’s all they bother with, I can live with it - they are often amusing - no sights or sounds of the Barred Owls lately - hope they are still around - did see a dead shrew on top of the snow today out in the field - odd - and the remains of a rabbit and a mourning dove - flushed quite a few grouse out of the snow in the woods -and that would be it for now!    Gayle

Pershing is a 7900 acre State Wildlife Area, divided into Northern and Southern Units.  The DNR manages for three distinct habitat types - wetlands, brush-prairie and forest.

Pershing is located in Taylor County in North-Central Wisconsin.  To find Pershing, from the intersection of Hwys 64 and 73 near Gilman, go north on Hwy 73 about 6 miles to Hannibal.  Turn left (west) onto County Hwy M and go about 3.5 miles to East Loop Road on the right (north), access to the North Unit.  To reach the South Unit, take a left onto Gilman Road 2 miles West of Hannibal, and follow it south to Rued Road, the south border of the property.

Pershing is the best place in Wisconsin to see Sharp-tailed Grouse and April is the best time to visit.  The South Unit has two blinds that can be reserved by calling the Ladysmith DNR office at 715-532-4369.  There is no fee but it is first come, first serve.  Reservations can be made any time after the first of the year and the last two weeks of April are usually the peak period for displaying grouse.  Short-eared Owls can be observed here at dawn and dusk and Northern Harriers, Sandhill Cranes, Clay-colored Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows are common.  Large ponds and small lakes attract Ring-necked Ducks, Common Loons, Horned Grebes, even White-fronted Geese and the occasional Trumpeter Swan.  Monson Flowage is known as a productive shorebird spot in later spring.  American Woodcock and Wilson’s Snipe can be seen doing their sky dance in spring and LeConte’s Sparrows can be found in the wet meadow areas.  Some other birds found here include Sora, Black Tern, American Bittern, Osprey, Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle, Common Nighthawk, Alder & Olive-sided Flycatcher, and during migration many warbler species.  In winter you can find Northern Shrikes perched in trees in the savanna areas.