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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WSO seeks Administrative Assistant
The WSO seeks to hire an Administrative Assistant in a part time role. This person will assist us with postal mail and email correspondence, meeting scheduling, member and donor database management, event logistics, third party vendor communications, reporting, website updates and other similar duties. We are looking for someone who has the following skills and experience:
Office management...
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Buena Vista Grasslands Field Trip - Feb. 13
Photo taken by Tiffany Biederman
-Written by Adam Knueppel-
On Saturday, February 13, a group of fifteen, brave birders met in the Buena Vista Grasslands at 8 a.m. Temperatures averaged about –6 degrees and light snow was falling for much of the trip. Adam Knueppel, Tom Schultz, and Jeff Baughman led the trip. The wide-open grasslands, accompanied by northwest winds averaging 8-15...
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WSO Moves Toward Hiring An Executive Director
-By Mary Korkor (WSO President)-
The WSO Board of Directors spent much of 2020 exploring what it would take to make the organization more impactful and efficient and how to create a sustainable future. Our primary responsibilities and objectives? Protecting birds, providing opportunities for birders, expanding the community of citizens who are informed and concerned about birds, and becoming an...
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2022 WSO Convention in Two Rivers!
The COVID-19 pandemic will force a two-year delay, but WSO members can still plan on getting ready for Great Birding on a Great Lake! Two Rivers, located on the breezy shores of Lake Michigan, will be hosting the 81st WSO convention, originally scheduled for 2020. The next WSO convention now is scheduled for May 19-22, 2022. Attendees will enjoy a wonderful weekend full of field trips, social...
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Milwaukee Lakefront Field Trip 2021 - Jan. 17
-Written by Tom Schultz, former Field Trips co-chair-
Our group met at South Shore Yacht Club around 7:30 AM on Sunday, January 17. Light flurries were falling from time to time, but the temperature was pretty mild for mid January – right around 30 degrees – and the NW wind was fairly light. The 19 attendees had all pre-registered via the WSO website, and the group was led by Tom...
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Update on WSO Field Trips 2020
You may have noticed that the December issue of The Badger Birder did not include its usual four-page schedule of field trips for the coming year. The continuing COVID-19 pandemic makes it impossible to plan a regular field trip schedule, so WSO's Field Trip Committee will be scheduling events on an as-possible basis and will continue to use the COVID-19 protocols it implemented for two...
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Superheroes of Science Olympiad’s Avian Challenge
Jenna Castillo and Grace Hasse, juniors at Menomonie High School in Dunn County, with the Silver Medals they earned in the ornithology event of a nationwide scholastic competition called Science Olympiad.
-By Steve Betchkal-
Grace Hasse and Jenna Castillo are Super Heroes. They can’t sing like a thrush, cross the Gulf of Mexico by flapping their arms, or even fly. But they can tell you how a...
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