-By Carrie Becker, Atlas Communications Chair-
The leadership team for the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II has extended a hearty “thank you” to all who attended the Final Season Kickoff in Stevens Point during the first weekend in April. Attendance exceeded expectations with nearly 150 atlasers attending.
Perhaps most significantly, thanks to a workshop led by the 50 county...
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White River Marsh Field Trip Report – 2019
It was a chilly but nice morning on May 4 at the White River Marsh, as birders began gathering prior to 5:00 AM. The temperature was about 38 degrees, but the winds were light and from the south – under partly cloudy skies. Jupiter and Saturn were on full display in the still-dim southern sky, and a number of us enjoyed views of both of them through a scope.
All around us, the dawning marsh...
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Looking Back 80 Years to When WSO Was Born
-By Michael John Jaeger, Editor, The Passenger Pigeon-
I was looking back into Volume 1 of The Passenger Pigeon to see what I might find about the beginnings of WSO. One curious thing was that four monthly issues of the Pigeon were published before WSO’s formal start in May 1939. In the January issue, it was noted that the Madison Bird Club had in mind a statewide bird club.
The...
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George W. Mead State Wildlife Area Field Trip Report
-By Myles Hurlburt, WSO President-
This year’s WSO field trip to the George W. Mead State Wildlife Area was held on Saturday April 13. Of course we had just received 13+ inches of snow on the Thursday before. I did not move the date as I did last year. With the cold and snow hanging on so late, I was concerned what the weather might be like, but overall it ended up being an okay day...
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State’s Official Bird List Grew by 3 in 2018
-By Bob Domagalski-
In 2018 three new species were added to the state list: Tufted Duck, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Hammond’s Flycatcher. Also, there was an accidental species, the Clark’s Nutcracker, last found in Wisconsin back on Jan. 13, 1973, in Manitowoc County by Darwin Tiede.
Photo by Justin Streit. The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was first picked out of a crowd of...
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Prairie Chicken Hit by Car: REGI to the Rescue!
For the first time ever the Raptor Education Group, Inc., in Antigo has been called on to care for a Greater Prairie-Chicken, a state of Wisconsin threatened species.
The bird was hit by a vehicle and suffered serious injuries including internal bleeding. She was in extremely critical condition when REGI volunteer Kathy Esqueda transported her to the Antigo wildlife rehabilitation center and...
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80th Convention to Honor Passenger Pigeon Awards
-By Wendy Schultz, WSO Awards Committee Chair-
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology faced a daunting challenge this year in reviewing a stream of nominations for its Passenger Pigeon Awards recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding achievements in advancing bird conservation, promoting the field of ornithology and contributing to the Society.
The Board of Directors...
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Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings
Kari Hagenow Conservation Committee Chair Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
March 18, 2019
RE: Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings
Dear WSO Members and Friends:
My name is Kari Hagenow. I recently accepted the position of Conservation Committee Chair on the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Board. Professionally, I work for a non-profit organization, The Nature Conservancy, out...
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Columbia County Ponds Field Trip Report 2019
-Written By Tom Schultz (WSO Field Trips Co-Chair)-
The morning was fabulous, with clear skies, light winds, and a starting temperature around 27 degrees as our group gathered at Goose Pond on March 23 – which was our 2nd possible date for this trip. The ponds there were still frozen, although there was a bit of open water on the north side. Due to that factor, we and the 25-30 attendees...
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WSO Sheboygan Lakefront Field Trip 2019
Written by Jeff Baughman
On Sunday, March 10, about 20 people assembled at the Sheboygan Marina at about 8 AM, for WSO’s annual spring lakefront field trip. We were happy to have seven members of Wisconsin’s Young Birders group and their chaperones participating, too. The weather was chilly but a gusty west winds put a bite to the air – so hats, gloves and a heavy coat were in order.
Most...
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A Salute to WSO’s 2018 BIGBY Birding Champs!
-By Wendy Schultz, WSO BIGBY Birding Coordinator-
WSO would like to congratulate all the BIGBY birders of the state — for the many miles they put on their bikes and feet, and for the birds they found, photographed and eBirded. They can be proud of their accomplishments.
Here are the 2018 Champion BIGBY birders and their stories:
FIRST PLACE goes to Emily Weiser of Onalaska in La...
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