Written by Jess Johnsrud, Education Coordinator
Photo by Gary Eslinger/USFWS
Nature is everywhere and it’s amazing how much you can see even when driving from one place to another. I’ve found myself in the car more this holiday season and on my recent travels, I was able to take note of some exciting wildlife.
On a drive west into the interior of the state, I was delighted to count seven American Kestrels perched on power lines in various points throughout my trip. Commonly known as the Sparrow Hawk, this is the smallest falcon in the United States and one of the most colorful. Males have slate blue wings and a rusty red back while females have more rusty-brown backs with dark barring and streaking. Kestrels mainly eat insects and other invertebrates in the warmer months, but shift to small rodents in the winter. They also eat small songbirds, lizards, and frogs. I am always excited to see this beautiful bird and tallying seven during my two-hour drive was encouraging given their population has been slowly declining over recent decades.
On another drive, this time to the Milwaukee area, I saw a Rough-legged Hawk. This hawk breeds in the sub-arctic and arctic tundra and migrates here in the winter. This was the first I had seen this season and an extra special treat because it was a dark morph. Rough-legged Hawks come in a variety shades, but the dark morph is not very common in Wisconsin. The bird was a deep brown with white stripes on the tail and white across the underside of the wing. It caught my eye because it was hovering above the grass on the side of the road, likely looking for prey. They hunt voles, mice and shrews and are even known to steal prey from another hawk called the Northern Harrier.
Even my short drives to work prove fruitful. I drive along Lake Michigan which makes for a beautiful commute. I enjoy how the colors of the lake change along with the size of the waves. In the winter, I often see a Bald Eagle or two along the way. Sometimes one will flyover or I may see one perched in a tree. Bald Eagles spend their winters near open water to find food, so Lake Michigan is a good place to look for them.
Next time you find yourself on a longer road trip, take a look around for wildlife. If you are the driver, please be sure to exercise caution and drive safely. Better yet, find someone else to drive so you can be the passenger.