Despite pandemic, it’s been a big year for WSO - Staff hired, birdathon resuming, Cox house coming down
By Mary Korkor WSO President
Every year, as May approaches, I feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. Migration is in full swing, gardens are coming alive with new growth and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do all that I wish to do. But this year is truly special. Yes, I am excited about the birds, and also my prairie which was just burned, but most importantly I am...
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March Rare Birds - Waterfowl dominate flood of early spring migrants
By Mark Korducki
In sharp contrast to a cold and snowy February, March was warmer and dryer than normal. These warmer temperatures ushered in a wave of early spring migrants. Waterfowl dominated the scene, highlighted by a colorful drake Eurasian Wigeon in Kewaunee County. A showy male Harlequin Duck was found in Sheboygan. This may have been the same bird than wintered in Port...
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WSO Mead Wildlife Area Field Trip – 4-17-2021
This year’s outing was held, Saturday, 4/17/2021. We had 17 attendees from across the state. The weather was nice and sunny, a bit cool and crisp. Temperatures were in the low to mid 40s. For the 17 attendees a great time was had by all.
Leading our car caravan to our first stop, County Line Rd, we expected to see the few remaining Greater Prairie Chickens on the...
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Find your flock, form a team: Great Wisconsin Birdathon is back!
By Caitlyn Schuchhardt Outreach Coordinator Natural Resources Foundation
Ahh, spring. April marks an exciting time as we greet the spring migrants we’ve missed so much. But mixed in among the sandhills, the shorebirds and the songbirds is another awaited arrival—the Great Wisconsin Birdathon! This annual event, sponsored by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, is the largest...
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Atlas update: a peek at the cover, major data work
By Nicholas M. Anich Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator
The Steering Committee for the second Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas commissioned illustrator Luke Seitz to paint the cover for our upcoming Atlas book. Luke is known for his works arranging species to form a state outline — which recalled for us the process of atlasing, where all of your disparate observations combine to form a coherent...
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WSO honors 5 with Passenger Pigeon awards
By Wendy Schultz WSO Awards Committee Chair
During this time of many challenges, if there is a GOOD NEWS story to be shared, it is the annual recognition WSO gives to those individuals and organizations that have made outstanding achievements in advancing bird conservation, promoting the field of ornithology and contributing to the Society. Despite the grip of a global pandemic, the year yielded...
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Dane and Columbia County Ponds - 3/27/21
By - Adam Knueppel
Photos - Tom Schultz
A forecast calling for steady rain on Saturday, March 27 might have deterred some, but not all, for our annual trip exploring some of Dane and Columbia County’s most productive wetland areas. The predicted forecast was accurate, and despite the weather (I know the ducks didn’t mind) we had a fairly productive outing, yielding a handful...
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Rarities, pandemic made 2020 an exceptional year for birding
By Bob Domagalski
Unlike the year 2019, when there were few unusual birds to be found, 2020 was a banner year for accidentals. This abundance of rare species combined with a year of pandemic closures and precautions, in which birding was one of few safe outlets for activity, made for an exceptional year of birding.
Two of the more outstanding finds that remained long enough for birders...
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Sheboygan and Lake Michigan Shoreline - 03/13/21
By Adam Knueppel
Photos by Tom Schultz
Folks meeting at the Sheboygan Harbor were greeted with clear skies, tolerable winds, and a warming sun for our third outing of the year. The temperature was 36 degrees and the wind out of the SW averaging around 10-15 mph. In comparison to last month’s frigid trip to Buena Vista Grasslands, everyone appeared to be a little bit more enthusiastic. Travel...
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February Rare Birds - Even a cold, snowy month yields some highlights
By Mark Korducki
After a mild start to winter, February proved to be snowy and colder than normal with several nights dropping below zero across the state. Snow was light across the north but heavier than normal in the south. After an unusual lake effect snow event that dropped 18 inches on Racine, Milwaukee reported a 25-inch snow cover for the first time in more than...
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Future of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program
By Deb Turski - WSO Conservation Committee
Right now the future of land, water and habitat conservation in Wisconsin is at risk as the 2021 state budget process is underway. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP) is now up for a 10-year renewal in the 2021 budget negotiations.
GOOD NEWS: On Feb. 15, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed budget came through with the DNR’s...
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